Phantom Rider: The Aftermath | Book 1

Don't Jump!

Bill wandered through the night, his world spinning around him like a rollercoaster. Every step felt heavier than the last, each breath more difficult. The image of Mila and Matt's kiss was in front of his eyes. The sound of Alice's disgusting moans haunted him. He had lost everything, and the pain was unbearable. He felt like a ghost in a world that no longer held any meaning.

He stood at a bridge overlooking train tracks, the rumble of an approaching train shaking the ground beneath him. He leaned over the railing, looking down at the dark tracks below. The idea of ending it all, of finally finding peace, was terrifyingly seductive.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he imagined the fall, the end of all his pain. He stepped up onto the ledge, his heart skipping a beat. The train's horn blared, growing louder as it approached.

"This is it," he whispered to himself, a tear sliding down his cheek. "I'm sorry, Mila."

He held onto the ledge, not able to gather the strength to let go, but the thought of him meeting Tom on the other side soothed his fear of death. He embraced himself with the thought that once his body hit the tracks, he would finally be able to go home to his parents and Tom, that they would be waiting for him at the end of the tunnel and everything would be alright. All his family were dead, except for Mila.

But she had a family of her own... and he was never part of it.

He was about to jump when strong hands grabbed him from behind, pulling him back with force. Bill struggled to keep his balance and fell backward onto that person. His instinct made him ready to fight.

"Bill, stop!" a voice shouted, deep and familiar.

Bill turned, his eyes wide with disbelief. Standing before him was Tom, looking very much alive. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," he thought to himself.

He imagined that he would feel the hit and pain before he died, but Tom was right here, and he felt still the same as before the jump. He was convinced that he was seeing Tom's ghost, his eyes quickly looking around for his mom and dad, then stopping at a dark purple car nearby. "Mila?" he stood up to run towards the car.

"Bill, stop! She's not there," Tom's voice sounded eerie.

"Tom?" Bill's mind struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. "You're not here either!"

Tom's grip tightened around him, his eyes filled with fear and adrenaline. "Bill, it's me. You're not dead. You're here, and I'm here. I'm not letting you go." He shook him with force by the shoulders.

Bill's legs gave out, and he collapsed into his brother's arms, sobs wracking his body. Tom held him tight in a hug, his own tears falling freely.

"I thought you were dead," Bill choked out.

Tom pulled him closer, his own voice shaking. "I'm here, Bill. I'm so sorry I wasn't there sooner."

The brothers sank to the ground, hugging each other as if their lives depended on it. Bill's sobs turned into loud cries.

He cried on his brother's shoulder, feeling like a small kid again.

Tom helped Bill get back to his feet, supporting him as they made their way off the bridge. Bill was still very drunk and unable to walk by himself.

He got him to the closest park and they both sat down. "Tell me everything," Tom said in a concerned voice.

Bill took a shaky breath and just spat out everything that had happened. He talked fast, as if rushing in case Tom disappeared. Tom listened intently, piecing together all the events with the information he already knew and filling in the blanks of things he didn't know.

When Bill finished talking, he felt drained and ready to pass out.

"You've been through hell," Tom said, his voice guilty. "But you're stronger than you think. We'll figure this out together."

Bill nodded, tears still falling, the crushing weight on his chest had lessened. For the first time in a long time, he felt safe.

"There are many things I want to tell you too, but I'll do this when you are sober, okay?" Tom patted his shoulder. "Now, let's get you home and shock Georg and Gustav."

Bill let out a quiet laugh, feeling better.

But there was one thing that made his mind run again - why was Tom riding a Phantom Riders car?