stories from the city; damon albarn

11- the aftermath of glastonbury

Holy hell.

Three days of introductions, music, fights, love, sex, drugs, alcohol and either sleeping in a trailer, hotel or a tent can really take a toll on some people.

After Damon and Justine seemed to have miraculously disappeared from the after party, life continued on. The Erlich kids teamed up and ended up in the corner together at one point, watching this years lineup drink, and do whatever on the giant stage.

"I'm ready to go home. Do you think I could catch a flight?" Joan asks, tilting her head.

"That's not really fucking worth it. Just fly back with us tomorrow." Kendal says as he crosses his arms, watching The Beastie Boys chat up some of the other present Americans on stage.

Chloe however seemed a bit pissed off, noticing the lack of Justine and Damon.

"Do you know where Damon went?" She says, asking her siblings

"I saw him leave with Justine awhile ago." Joan snickers as she adds "They were fighting for a bit. But I think they made up."

"I'm never going to get my lighter back." She says, groaning

"It's just a lighter, Jesus. Dad can get you a new one. Hell, I could." Kendal says, not understanding the big deal about the stupid thing.

Joan wrinkles her nose.

"Hans gave it to me." Chloe says bitterly. "It was his Christmas gift to me two years ago. 1992."

Kendal shuts up immediately.

"He'd just come back from the states. Sure he was out of it and he didn't want to come home. But he came to give me a gift."

Hans was Kendal's younger brother and Chloe and Joan's other older brother. Hans Erlich had been many things, his most prominent was being a comedian. He could make anyone laugh and had a smile that you could place on TV, or spot in the movies.

Chloe sits bitterly, staring across the stage. "You all know what happened next."

Joan stares down at the ground.

Christmas 1992 had not gone the way the Erlich's wanted it to. Hans had abruptly shown up on the day of the family's holiday party.

He had dark circles under his eyes, his matted dirty blonde hair was greasy and clinging to his chin. His figure looked smaller in comparison to the photos Chloe had taken of him months prior.

Hans loved LA. Hans liked the people, the industry, the stars.

He fit in well.

A little too well.

"I'm sure if you'd explain to him or something he'd give you the lighter back. I mean come on, keeping a girls-"

"Shut it Kendal. I'll go ask him if you want. Whenever I see him next." Joan says

Hans was in deep shit and he knew that. He'd been to facilities multiple times and always left around the first week in, he'd crack a joke to anyone who'd listen saying he had "commitment issues."

However, on that Christmas Eve he collapsed before he even step one foot inside. He went to the hospital and nearly died.

"Have any of you heard from Hans?" Chloe asks

The two siblings uneasily shake their heads.

When an intervention was called when he woke up, Hans decided to have his family forcibly removed from his room. And then went no contact. From what they knew, or rather had read of Hans recently- he'd taken up a job as a late night host in the states and was doing quite well.

From what they'd heard from other people was that Hans was still spiraling and had not quit dabbling in anything.

But no one would give them an address, a number to call, or anything.

The closest they'd gotten was a direct line to his assistant once. But even she'd changed her number after Joan called and asked for her brother.

The lighter was simple enough. It was an antique that had its insides gutted and replaced with newer parts. But the shell was still inlaid with Pearl designs and etched with gold.

It was a reminder that Hans still existed. The Hans she'd played ball and rode horses with.

Not the one who cut off his family.

Or told his sister that she was a co-dependent leech.

Not the one who'd been cut off financially by his father as a last resort.

This was the aftermath of Glastonbury. Remembering the past and watching the present unfold. Chloe could recall years past when as kids she and her siblings had chosen this stage as their romping ground.

She could recall taking pictures of all the artists, running around with Hans, pushing Kendal into mud puddles and trying on her father's hats with Joan.

So much of her childhood had taken place on these fields, these grounds

And now half of the people she'd met and seen were now physically and metaphorically ghosts.

1994.

The year of Kurt Cobain's death. The year Live Through This was released. The year Blur captured a nations attention again. The year Oasis began to rise.

So many people. So many actions.