The Ghost Story

Chapter 9

Two guys stand outside a music studio, it’s dark out and the moon is barely visible through the clouds. One is tuning a guitar and the other is watching, appearing to just be using this as some sort of distraction. “I don’t understand what's upsetting you…talk to me, Jinxx.”, one says. The other glances up from the guitar, “I told you already, CC. It’s just…I shouldn’t talk about it while we’re here.”. A string on the guitar creates a small noise as Jinxx fixes it, his hands have bandages covering them due to cuts on his palms. A few days back, maybe a week and a half now, he had visited him and Andy’s old house for Andy’s birthday. It didn’t go very well as far as CC knew because he chose not to say much to him and Jinxx spiraled into a mental breakdown. The breakdown caused him to slit his hands, CC has been worried about it all weekend since it happened and it bugs Jinxx that he made him worry like that. “Ya know Jinxx, if you talk it’ll make you feel better. I know you, talking always helps you.”, CC replies, crossing his arms as he glances inside. Ashley was helping their frontman set their equipment up, his name is Lonny. As usual, Ashley is cracking sexual jokes and it’s flying over Lonny’s head. The frontman isn’t particularly one to catch on right away to anything, unless it’s music. And apparently Ashley doesn’t care, but Jake does because he’s also inside and looks disgusted by the jokes, while Lonny just looks confused but laughs anyway even if he doesn’t get it. The guitarist is aware that Lonny’s oblivious to the meaning, so he says something to make Ashley stop. CC can’t hear through the glass but whatever was said makes Ashley visibly a bit irritated and he stops talking. Jinxx glances up from the guitar again and looks at CC, “Can I go home?”. Surprised, CC turns his head to him, “Why do you want to go home? We haven’t started our practice yet.”, he says. Tears brim in Jinxx’s eyes and he looks away from CC, “I don’t feel like playing… please, my hands hurt, I wanna go to the house…”. It’s very apparent that CC knows why he wants to leave, but Jinxx isn’t sure what he should say if CC asks him anything. It should be down right obvious. Music starts playing inside from their bandmates practice, Lonny’s voice can be heard on the microphone as well as Jake’s for backing vocals. “Jinxx, I understand that your hands are hurting, but you know we have a show coming up and we need to practice. Are you planning on telling me why else you wanna go home? Because you know the others will ask if I let you go, and I know it isn’t just your hands that are bothering you.”. Jinxx turns his eyes away from CC once again and he starts sobbing. There’s a warmth that surrounds him as CC wraps his arm around him in a comforting way, he leans into him as if he were a young child being comforted by their elder sibling. The music in the studio suddenly stops. “What’s with the tears? You’ve been doing this for days now, please just tell-”, CC says, but he’s abruptly cut off. The door of the studio swings open and hits him hard in the back, he yelps and falls forward onto the chair Jinxx’s sitting in, awkwardly landing in his lap with his face slamming onto the guitar. One of the strings breaks and sends out a loud, off tune sound in distress. A panicked voice can be heard from the doorway, “Ah sh-t, sorry guys!”. Jinxx looks up and sees Jake there with an expression of regret, probably from hitting CC right in the back with the door. A light groan comes from the drummer as he stumbles backwards onto the ground, there’s a cut on the side of his face. “God d-mnit Jake, what bit you in the a– and made you run out for cover?”, CC asks, more in a sarcastic tone than a serious one, “You hit me quite hard, no doubt you’re in a hurry.”. Jake glances down at his fallen bandmate and locks his fingers through his black locks of hair, “You won’t believe what just happened.”. There’s that tone of alarm in his voice and a bewilderment in his eyes that Jinxx is all too familiar with, he doesn’t like it. “What is it?”, he asks with a puzzled look, standing up and leaving his guitar on the chair. For a second Jake nervously fidgets with his glove before helping CC up and walking inside, “Hurry up.”. The two look at each other before they enter. The scene in front of them is quite shocking, Ashley is leaning over Lonny who’s laid unconscious on the floor in front of the stage they set up a few hours ago. It appears the bassist is attempting to wake him, but he isn’t responding. Jinxx rushes over and kneels down beside them, “What happened?”, he questions. “He fell off the stage, presumably you know who did it because it was definitely a shove that made him fall.”, Ashley states, “I think he hit his head pretty hard, I can’t get him to wake up.”. Jinxx slightly pushes Ashely aside and levels Lonny’s upper body in one arm, “Andy has no reason to go after Lonny! He doesn’t even know who he is, he wouldn’t hurt someone who didn’t do anything to him!”. Silence. The raven haired bassist glares at him with harsh intent, “You’re so sure of that? You really believe that he’s so innocent?”. Yet another silence, Jake and CC look a bit concerned with this situation but neither of them say anything. They don’t want to pick sides. Jinxx looks up at Ashley, having a fierceness in his tone when he snaps back at him, “Shut the h-ll up and call an ambulance for Lonny, we don’t have time to argue when our singer needs medical attention.”. The bassist looks away and pulls his phone out, dialing 911 like he was told.