This Old Town ✖️Muke

Chapter 8

 (Luke)

"Wake up sleepy head" I groan and pull my pillow over my head. Why do i have to get up so early again?

"Come on Luke wake up it's 10 O'Clock." My uncles voice finally comes into focus.

"Nooo." i whine. Hey chuckles and pulls my cover off me. My body is assaulted by the cool morning air.

"Luke, look at me." He says, sternly this time. I can hear in his voice that this is serious. My body is awake now and i sit up but instantly regret it when pain shoots through my skull. I hiss and hold my head.

"I'm not going to punish you because you are 22 and i think your hangover is punishment enough.However i want you to know i am very disappointed in you, and so are your parents." i roll my eyes. That's nothing new.

"However i am going to need you to give me any drugs, cigarettes and alcohol that you have." I gaped at him.

"What? No!"

"Luke, you are in my house, and in my house i do not tolerate any drugs. I run a business and i will not let you ruin it. So you are either going to give me what you have or i am going to have to go through your bags myself." I groan, rolling my eyes but stand up and stomp over to my suitcase and riffle through it.

"By the end of it all my uncle is standing there with 4 packs of smokes, 2 bags of various pills, 6 bags of coke, and three syringes of heroin. He just looks at me stunned. I scoff.

"Not like you weren't expecting it." i roll my eyes.

"Luke, what happened to the little boy that just wanted to make music with his best friends?" he looks at me with pity in his eyes. I don't want or need it.

"I grew up" i say sharply, glaring at my only form of happiness that is currently being taken hostage by his arms.

"I know you aren't the same kid as you were when you were 14 Luke, but when you were 14 there were no demons behind your eyes. All anyone saw was the light radiating off you. Now when I look at you all i see is darkness. Maybe you grew up too fast, Got pulled into the wrong crowd and had no one to turn to. But how did that turn you into doing all these horrible drugs?"

For a moment i'm lost. I'm in my head thinking over what he said. But he doesn't understand, no one understands. Not until you're in the spotlight. All eyes on you, expecting things out of you that you just can't give. Wanting it all to just leave your mind for only a moment of silence. And then it's back full force, people telling you how to act, how to dress, who to be friends with. And again you find yourself craving for that peace more and more.

"Luke?" I shake my head to rid the thoughts.

"What?"

"You know we're here for you right? Mikey and I? Even Ash and Cal. no one will judge you here if you just need to talk."

"Ya ok" i scoff.

"Any way, why don't you go find Michael, he has a half day today so he should be done shortly." i nod and sit on my bed until he leaves my room. Then i get up and change into a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt.

~~~

(Mike)

Hey Mike," i hear over my radio. I put down the shovel i currently had in my hands and pull the device from my waistband.

"What's up?" I ask.

"I sent Luke to look for you, why don't you take him for a ride up in the mountains, I think it will do him good."

"Oh ok"

"Take him out to where we camp, spend some time to get to know him now." he tells me.

"Ya. about that, John how come you didn't tell me who Luke was?" i ask. He just laughs.

"He doesn't know who you are either. That's what i want you to talk about. If he will talk to anyone about his drug problems it's you." I sigh,

"Ok, we will head out in a bit."

"Well good morning sleeping beauty" I joke when Luke walks into the stables. He just glares at me.

"This is all your fault" he crosses his arms.

"Woah, easy there tiger, what is my fault?" I laugh.

"You told John about last night and he took away all my stuff." he pouts.

"Good, maybe you will actually act like a normal human for once now." he glares at me.

"John told me to find you, says you have a half day?" he asks, i nod, walking over to Blaze's stall and opening it. I attack a lead to his halter and slip it over his head then lead him out into the hallway. I attach him to the side so i can get him ready for our ride. I walk over to the tack room, grabbing his rug and saddle as well as a brush and shoe pick.

When i walk back over to Luke and Blaze, i place the saddle on his door and hand Luke the brush. He just stares at it.

"Here, do it like this. It's ok he won't hurt you." i tell him, grabbing his hand and showing him how to brush the horse.once he gets the hang of it I walk to the back of Blaze and pick up one of his feet. I start to clean his shoes as we work in silence, only the sounds of the horses breaking it.

"Where are you going?" Luke breaks the silence as i strap the saddle to my horses back. I don't reply for a minute, walking back into the tack room and returning with Basil's saddle. I drop it into Luke's arms and laugh as he almost falls over.

"We" I put emphasis on the word. "Are going for a ride." I tell him, opening Basil's stall and doing the same as before.

"This is Basil, she's Calum's but he won't mind you riding her. We use her for beginners all the time because she's so gentle. I pat her neck when i finish with her hooves.

"But i don't know how to ride" he says.

"It's ok, she will just follow Blaze anyway. And you do know how you just don't remember." i say, handing him both reins and telling him to lead the horses outside. He reluctantly does, yelping in fright every time one of them makes a noise or tried to nudge him. I laugh and continue with my task of collecting all the supplies we will need for camping out there. Before I leave the barn I write a note to Calum, telling him i took her for a ride and would be back tomorrow some time. I tack it into the door of Basil's stall and make my way out.

"Are you ready?" i ask once i secure all the supplies to the two saddles. Luke looks at me skeptically.

"Here, grab onto the horn." i motion to the part of the saddle. "then left foot in the stirrup and right foot in my hand" i say, bending down and holding out my hands for him to step on and boost him into the saddle. Once he's up and balanced i go over a few basics with him to ensure he doesn't fall off, then i climb onto Blaze and nudge her to walk.

"Where are we going?" Luke asks after 10 minutes of silence. He is doing well considering he hasn't ridden a horse in almost 10 years.

"I already told you, were going for a ride." i say laughing when he scoffs.

"I know that, i mean to where?"

"There is a little clearing on a cliff side about 10 miles out that we go to camp all the time. There is even a river and waterfall as well." i explain. He stays silent, probably focusing on not falling off.