The Artists live (a little bit longer)

Chapter 1

The story is not suitable for ages under 17; contains sensitive topics such as suicide and self-harm, several potentially disturbing scenes, as well as some more explicit scenes that are more freely described than in my other works (but still without any profanity, just like before). For a better understanding, read the story "Artists Live Forever" from 2016 because this story is a sequel of that story.

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(Started 1.04.2024)

   Half an hour before midnight, after the last concert:

All team members enter the minibus to drive to the hotel. Sage sits in the back of the bus, staring blankly out the window and thinking about how to fulfill her plan; she noticed that the boys in the band were suspicious and might stop her in her intention, so she knew there was no time to waste - she would take the package with the cyanide pill and the letter addressed to Alton, then sneak out of the room and go up to the roof just in case something doesn't go according to plan and the pill doesn't work, jumping from the roof remains a backup option. She thought that it was best for both the band and Alton, they would easily find a replacement for her and everything would be quickly forgotten. However, she knew that this way the band would get more publicity because the media loves tragic events, and she thought that this night was perfect to end everything. In her mind it was the most correct decision that would bring more good than harm, she didn't know that Alton would fulfill his promise the very next day and that there would be no more band or him among the living, she didn't believe that anyone could really be so attached for her.

   The bus arrived in front of the hotel, and the tired team quickly went to their rooms. Sage hurried to get to her room, but Reydan quickly caught up with her.

    Reydan (leaning against the wall next to the door as she unlocks it): "Are you in a hurry? You're not going to kill yourself tonight, I can swear that to you." Sage (nervously): "Who says I'm going to kill myself tonight? Just because my depressive phase got a little worse doesn't mean I'm going to kill myself... Go to sleep, you're tired from the concert, you were all great tonight. (smiles slightly) Good night. (walks in, Reydan stops her from closing the door)" Reydan: "We're going to stay here all night, but you're not going to hurt yourself again, you're part of us! It was too much that you slit your wrists too several days ago, but we won't let it go any further! (Alton, Shade and Hale arrive, Sage gets even more nervous)" Sage: "I'm fine, really! You're tired from the tour, you don't have to bother with me - rest, and we'll see tomorrow..." Shade: "And what if tomorrow there's no more of you? You said something similar the other day, we know what happened." Alton (enters and looks around): "Where's that package that arrived for you the other day? There's something suspicious about it." Hale (looking around): "I'll put away everything she can hurt herself with. (takes the bag and puts it on the bed) In which part of the bag are your razors? You're either going to tell me, or I'm going to rummage through the whole bag." Sage (furiously): "You want to put away the razors? Okay. (takes a pack of razors out of the bag) Here. (hands it to him) Now that you've put away the things I can hurt myself with, you can go to your rooms..." Alton (still searching): "Where's that package?" Sage (even more nervous): "There's no package, I threw it away." Reydan: "What's in the package?" Alton: "It's supposed to be a piercing, but I don't believe that. (opens the drawer) Here it is. (opens the package) This isn't a piercing, it's a pill..." Sage (shudders) : 'It's just an ordinary pill, nothing important. Put it back in the drawer so it doesn't get damaged." Hale: "Why are you so upset about a pill? What's that pill for?" Alton (bringing the pill to his lips): "I'll test it to see if it's what I think it is." Sage: "No! Don't put it in your mouth, please!" Alton (pulling pill away from his mouth and nodding): "I knew it. (puts it back in the package) Hale, take this as far away from her as possible, I can't throw it in the sewer and it has to be destroyed according to regulations, she probably got it illegally, so we have to see what we're going to do with it." Shade (surprised): "It's some kind of poison? It doesn't look like that, it's just an ordinary pill..." Alton (looks at him): "Cyanide. She was going to kill herself with cyanide tonight. I assumed that because she mentions cyanide from time to time, it means that she is very familiar with its effects. (Sage sits on the bed and lowers her head, Alton sits next to her) I see you've worked hard on the plan, but we're not going to let you carry it out." Shade (kneels down next to her and takes her hands): "Come on, buddy, don't let this defeat you, we are here with you as you are with us." Reydan (sits next to her): "How many times have you cared for us, listened to us and helped us? We are not just band members, we are family and you are our sister. (Sage starts crying, Reydan hugs her) Feel free to cry, get your emotions out of yourself." Hale (takes a chair and sits next to them): "What are we going to do next? I'll put this away, then I'll come here later." Alton (shaking his head): "You three rest, I'll stay here with her, I don't mind." Sage (wiping away tears): "There's no need for anyone to stay, I'm not going to do anything to myself. Besides, I don't have anything to do it with even if I want to." Hale: "Of course, and then you go to some of the higher floors or the roof and jump - no way you'll be left alone tonight. (To Alton) Do you need me to get you anything from the bag?" Alton: "No, I'll call you if I need anything." Shade (as they leave): "Lock the room just in case." Sage (frowns): "It's okay, I'm not in a mental institution so you would have to protect me so much." Reydan: "You realize that you should be there because you are a danger to yourself right now? We know that it would be too much of a trauma for you, so we are trying to somehow avoid it, but if necessary..." Shade: "Tomorrow we will inform the media that you are not leaving the band, you are not going anywhere. (smile) Alton, call if you we need it, agreed?" Alton (nodding): "Sure."

      The three of them got out and Alton locked the door and walked over to Sage. Sage: "How did you know it was cyanide?" Alton (sitting next to her): "It just happened to occur to me, and I know your favorite song by Metallica is "Cyanide", and we've talked on several occasions about what is the best way to die, so you mentioned how you would like to get a cyanide pill or a gun... In any case, from our previous conversations, I had that method of execution in mind." Sage: "I'm surprised you remember trivial things so well." Alton (puts his hand on her face): "See it wasn't trivial at all, I didn't lose you tonight." Sage (touches his hand): "You should have let me go, it would hurt at first but after..." Alton (nods negatively and puts both hands on her shoulders): "If something happened to you, I would go to the roof and jump, realize that there will be no replacement for you, no matter how much you convince me of it. (stands up and goes to the drawer, takes the paper out) I've noticed suicide note, but I didn't want to read it in front of the others. (reads out loud) You were my music too, my inspiration for the most delicate symphony my icy heart could create..." Sage (getting up and walking to him): "Okay, you don't have to read any further, you've ruined my plan anyway. Give it to me." Alton (continues): "I never thought I'd hear its beat again under all that ice, but it seems your magic was stronger than frozen water crystals, I'm honored to have had the opportunity to meet an angel like you, who will be reflected in that newly created lake..." Sage (covering her face with hands): "I'm sorry you're reading this, I don't know why the freaking hell did I write such things..." Alton (continues): "Don't stop creating, my Prince on a black horse, you have many more beautiful melodies to create. Take care. (puts letter down and looks at her) Do you really think I would continue to create just like that, like nothing happened? I know you care about me too, I can see that, but you think you're doing me a favor by removing yourself. (moves his face closer to her and hugs her around her waist) Do I really mean to you as much as you wrote in the letter?" Sage (nods her head): "And much more than that, but I was afraid of writing something that might make you do something to yourself. Sorry if it's a little cringe, maybe it's better if you didn't read it." Alton (smiles slightly): "I think it's very romantic, and I'm glad I have the opportunity to tell you that in person and not to read it after your death. You have that romantic side in you, I would like you to express it more often and write me as many letters and works as possible, but that they are not suicide letters - okay?" Sage (closes her eyes, takes a breath and nods her head): "I hope that it won't be and I'll try to express that side as much as I can, you know I'm a very reserved person." Alton (kisses her gently): "I don't mind, I love that you have different sides of your personality, I'm never bored with you even when we sit in silence and don't say a word. (turns off the light, grabs her hand and pulls her towards him) We should rest too, it's been a busy day. (they lie on the bed together, he hugs her) Good night, wake me up if there's a problem, I'm here." Sage (looks at him gently and wistfully): "Okay. Good night and sleep well."