Dreams On Fire || ✓

Chapter 9

Date: 21st August, 2016.

"You've gotta be who you are and
not be scared... Be strong."
- Ashton Irwin

UNEDITED

Luke sits on the bean bag which is placed near the guitar Michael owns, far away from Michael. He couldn't have his best friend freeze to death due to their closeness.

But no, it's not just a guitar, to Michael and Luke, that guitar holds thousands of memories, has been to every concert they've performed in and it is Michael's most prized possession, the thing he treasured the most.

That guitar was gifted to Michael by Luke on his fifteenth birthday.

He remembers that day like it was today, the look on Luke's face when he had hugged the life out of him and that satisfied smile that followed. Luke looked so proud of his gift, so happy.

That day, in Luke's memory is crystal clear, too as his hand ghosts over the now over-used guitar. He reminisces the way Michael's entire face had lit up and how bright his eyes shined.

It was the guitar Michael had been eyeing for a while then and Luke had poured his entire savings to buy him that instrument which was the key to Michael's dreams.

"Go ahead, play it." Michael encouraged but Luke hesitated.

Yeah, sure he had messed around with the guitar once after he had died but he didn't know if he could actually play a song on it.

He didn't have the heart, nor the confidence.

He had decided to take a long break when the band split up since it was just too painful to touch, let alone play a guitar.

Michael, sensing Luke's hesitation spoke up and smiled slightly, "Find something that makes you happy and don't let anyone take it away from you."

He quoted the words that Luke always used to say when the band felt like giving up.

Luke picked up the guitar, now covered with various slightly torn stickers and marker remains and set it on his lap. His long fingers traced the slightly torn stickers and the faded quotes written by Michael and him and the autographs of many bands, on the guitar.

Luke inhaled a massive amount of air, not that he could feel it and placed the guitar in such a position that it was positioned perfectly on this thigh so he could play it. At first, he did nothing but mess around and pluck the strings, experimenting. His fingers were getting used to the strings.

After a few minutes, his body relaxed and he closed his eyes and let his fingers take control and he let loose.

"Oh oh,

Oh oh,

Oh oh,

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh." He started and his voice was raspy due to the lack of practise and Michael tensed instantly as he recognised the tone of the song.

"Don't talk, let me think it over; How we gonna fix this?

How we gonna undo all the pain?

Tell me, is it even worth it?; Looking through a straight line

Taking back the time we can't replace

All the crossed wires; Just making us tired

Is it too late to bring us back to life?" Luke's voice cracked while singing and Michael thought that it was the most beautiful voice, ever. He listened, not interrupting even once.