GLOWING ~ Julie and the Phantoms

~ Chapter 24 ~

Luke flashes into the studio with Julie in his arms, followed quickly by Alex and Reggie. To their surprise the whole family was waiting for them in the studio with worried expressions. Flynn is the first to see them in the studio.

Flynn: There yall a-... Why are yall crying?

Alex and Reggie look up at her and then look to Luke who is still holding tightly onto her. Ray walks up slowly, trying to see why they all looked so sad. Then he sees his daughter in the guitarist arms.

Ray: No. No, this is not happening.

Flynn: Is t-. No it can't be.

Flynn lets out a loud sob and drops to the floor, Ray stands their as tears fall down his face. The next person to react is Carlos. He gets off his Tia's lap and walks over to Luke. Carlos drops down next to him and begins to shake Julie.

Carlos: Julie, please you can't be gone! I just lost mom, not you too.

He begins to cry as he realizes she wasn't going to wake up. Luke begins to cry more as he sees the whole family breaking down.

Tia: Carlos, lets go inside. Come mijo.

Carlos: No, we can't leave her!

Ray: Carlos go inside with your aunt.

Tia grabs the boy as he sobs in her arms and they leave the studio. Luke begins to speak.

Luke: Mr. Molina, I am so sorry. I failed, she is dead because of me.

Ray: No, do not blame yourself. 

Ray moves to the floor to see his baby girl. 

Flynn: I can't be hear. I have to go.

She runs out of the studio with tears streaming down her face. Luke shifts Julie into her fathers arms and stand up quickly and goes to the piano, where he had become so comfortable sitting at with Julie.

Ray: My baby girl. H-how?

He looks to Luke who just looks down, not able to answer the question. Alex notices Luke's inability to answer so he does himself.

Alex: We t- 

Ray: No. I need to hear it from Luke. Please, tell me.

Alex looks at Luke as more tears stream down his face as he trice to face Ray. Luke looks at him, and tries to get out the words.

Luke: We got to her, and we ended up g-going the wrong direction. Somehow Caleb knew we were there the whole time. It was just another one of his games. H-

Luke looks back down, the whole moment plays in his head over and over again as he lets out another sob. 

Luke: He lost his patients and grabbed her a-and... put a knife to her t-throat. Julie ended up stamping him which forced him to kill her. 

Ray: I don't understand.

Luke: Caleb thought that if he killed her after she put the stamp on him it would go away. S-

Luke breaks down unable to finish going through the scene. 

Alex: She knew that he would kill her if she put it on him. She knew she had to die for the stamp to work. Caleb didn't. 

Ray: She knew she had to die?

Alex: Yes

Reggie suddenly flashes out, not being able to handle hearing the story any longer. Ray looks back up to Luke and walks over to him. Luke looks up at him, and expects him to be mad. Instead grabs him and pulls him into a hug.