Missing You...

Chapter Fourteen

Thursday, 4th December 1980

John was running, a pulse beating furiously in his head. A red mist appeared in front of his eyes from the rushing blood. He glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of what he was running from. A large, pink, wobbly creature was leaping and bounding along behind him. It was covering ground quickly and soon it was a few mere feet behind him. John shrieked and tried to sprint for all he was worth. He lost his balance, tripped and fell headfirst into a deep, dark pit that had suddenly appeared in front of him. John screamed in terror as he tumbled downwards, faster and faster, until he was completely swallowed by the deplorable darkness.

Down, down, down... 

John's eyes flew open. He sat bolt upright, his heart pounding inside his chest. His eyes darted around the dimly lit room, trying to grasp the situation. He found himself sitting up in bed in his own room, safe and sound. He hadn't tumbled headfirst down a hole and the only pink creature he could see was his own reflection in the dressing table mirror opposite him. John let out a huge sigh of relief and collapsed back onto his pillow, breathing heavily.

"You okay, Johnny?" a muffled voice asked. 

John's gaze shifted abruptly to the thing in the bed beside him. All he could see was a pair of closed eyes, a large pale forehead, and a mass of silky brown hair. It was Paul, hidden deep under the duvet. John panicked a little and wondered what on earth Paul was doing in bed beside him.

Then he remembered.

"Did we really do it last night?" John murmured to no one in particular.

"Yeah." Paul groaned, rolling over to face him. "It was great."

"You weren't so bad yourself."

Paul blushed. He wriggled his hand out from under the duvet and placed it on John's stomach. He made his middle and index fingers walk up towards John's chest. John reached out his right arm, took hold of Paul's shoulder, and pulled him close. They sat in silence for a few minutes, recollecting on the night before.

"Hey, John?" Paul said.

"Mmm?"John mumbled, stroking his friend's silky brown locks.

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Ask me something?"

"Yeah. It was bothering me all last night." Paul leaned in closer until his lip was practically touching John's ear. "Aren't you worried that Yoko might catch us?"

"No." John replied flatly. He snatched his arm off of Paul's shoulder as if it was red-hot. His smiley face quickly turned into a horrible frown, irritated and uninviting. John quickly slid back down under the duvet and pretended to go back to sleep, but Paul had already seen the tears that had trickled down his cheeks. 

"John?" Paul said, gently prodding at him. "John, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on." John grumbled. "Just leave me alone."

"John. I know something's wrong."

"No, it's not. Everything's just fine and dandy."

"Stop being stupid, Lennon. I know something's not right. Why have you taken up drinking so suddenly? Why are you getting phone calls from bloody solicitors? Why isn't either Yoko or Sean here?" Paul paused. "Why did you agree to sleep with me when you're married?"

John propped himself up on one elbow. He stared intently into Paul's worried face, taking in every detail. John breathed in and opened his mouth... then he burst into tears. John thrust his head into his hands and howled. His entire upper body was shaking as he sobbed, big fat tears streaming down his face and making a puddle on the duvet cover. Paul nearly burst into tears himself.