Demons |¤| Lashton

I'm Dead Meat

Michael twisted to see the doorway, but in a blink, Luke was perfectly normal. We were all silent and still for a moment, and then Luke slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

I suddenly wanted to cry. My eyes burned more. What's with the eyes? Why do I keep seeing this?

"Go back to bed, Mike," I told him, unable to control my shaking voice.

Unsuspecting and easily pacified, he pulled away from the side of my bed. Judging by his hair, it was still the middle of the night. No need to stay up for something like this.

"On a second thought, I change my mind. Can you...stay? Please?" I asked, desperate for his cooperation.

"My bed is more comfortable than the floor. But fine. Let me grab some stuff."

"You already have everything here, though," I said, mostly to myself. He was already making his way down the dark hallway. Yep, still night time. The ceiling light washed my room in a suffocating yellow. I stared after him until the shadows began to invade the room and fingers wrapped around my door frame.

I woke up to the sound of shuffling. My room was dark now. Fear was quick to return. Suddenly wide awake, I peered down at the floor. I was able to make out Michael's faint outline lying in a mess of blankets on the floor. I wasn't going to dwell on whether or not it was actually Michael. My head dropped back onto my pillow with a mixture of discontentment and exhaustion.

I'm never safe.

----

"Oi!" I heard someone yell, their voice distant. I ignored it.

Moments later, Calum was vigorously shaking me awake.

"We're gonna be late for recording!"

Me being Ashton Irwin, I can't skip recording days. I clearly don't have an excuse here. I don't do much singing so I still go even if I'm sick. Today is the first day where I really don't want to be in this band at all. I wasn't going to let Calum in on another secret, though.

"I can't go, Calum," I said.

"You have to! We're behind!"

"Behind on what? I can record myself playing drums at any time. I'm good."

"You have a singing part today too! I don't want to argue. Just get up."

"Fine," I grumbled, sitting up. A little dizzy spell washed over me.

"Did Mike sleep over? Why was he in here?"

"Because we're gay and we fucked last night. Obviously. Resident homosexual here. I shoved him off the bed at some point. Does that satisfy you?" I snapped sarcastically at him as I tried to get up. I ended up tripping and falling on the floor. Calum just laughed and pulled his phone out to take a video of me.

"We just hauled in this massive tuna. Look at the size of 'im! You reckon he's dead?" He boasted to himself in an impromptu bit, still laughing a little. I rolled over slowly and wriggled to imitate a flopping fish to humor him.

He turned the camera around then to capture himself as part of the vlog. "We're about to go to recording and we have one helluva tuna on board. I dunno how we're gonna get through this. Imagine the smell!"

"Shut up!" I yelled at him, unable to contain my laughter. I reached for Calum's ankle and he let out a good-natured yell. "Alright, alright," I finally caved. Calum lowered the phone, and I figured he ended the little video. 

"Now that that's in order, let's go," he said, smiling a little. He trotted out of the room without hesitation. 

I'm not in the mood for a recording session today, but I reckon it'll be okay.

----

A sudden rainstorm had appeared on our drive to the studio. The streets were filled with red and grey. Some All Time Low song I didn't care for rose quietly from the speakers. The trip didn't take too long. Calum cleared his throat as we pulled into the parking lot of the recording studio.

"By the way, there was a knife lying on one of the chairs in the kitchen when I went downstairs this morning. Michael said there was some fuss last night, but Luke didn't say anything. You wanna tattle?" He tried to be light, but my heart sank a little.

Oh no.