The Life Of A Franz Ferdinand Reference

12

//GLASIE//: we have to leave. this girl is against Rowan.

//ALEX//: she uses dark magic to hack into things. WHY SHOULD WE TRUST HER ANYWAY?!

//GLASIE//: listen bro. we can't go back out there for a while. Nick's not doing too well.

//ALEX//: I can tell. he seems blacked out.

//GLASIE//: he is. hopefully everything will be fine until Rowan gets here.

//ALEX//: yeah.

//GLASIE//: where's the backpack.

//ALEX//: I LOST IT

//GLASIE//: that might be a good thing, Aehlocai is so against science that whatever is in it could literally blow up

//ALEX//: true but im starting to wonder what's actually in that thing

//GLASIE//: just pretend Nick isn't passed out from a lack of oxygen

//ALEX//: we have to get him somewhere fast

//GLASIE//: Rowan is coming. we were so stupid not ditching him.

//ALEX//: we couldn't just leave. a good squad doesn't ditch squad members

//GLASIE//: too much twitter for you, friend.

//ALEX//: ok maybe I do follow all of those "teen relate" accounts. who cares if I'm 21.

//GLASIE//: that's not the point. but yeah no good squad does that. just keep Aehlocai away from Nick and we'll all be fine.

//ALEX//: keep him breathing, Glas. if we do that, we'll all be fine.

//TEXT FROM ROWAN!//

//ROWAN//: ok I'm almost there

//GLASIE//: good bc Alex lost the backpack and we're in a really bad situation rn

//ROWAN//: don't trust aehlocai. for various reasons.

//GLASIE//: don't text and drive. for various reasons.

//ROWAN//: yeah. be there soon.

Alex looked up from playing geometry dash, obviously too scared to say anything. Aehlocai is too powerful. She could do whatever she wanted to with anything any of us said. The gloomy lighting from the fire illuminated the spacious cave in a way that looked magical. Because of course it was.

//GLASIE//: how did you possibly lose the backpack?! if Rowan gave it to you there's probably something important in there.

//ALEX//: Sorry!! I wasn't planning on a crash landing!!

//GLASIE//: maybe it could have kept Nick from blacking out.

//ALEX//: it's kinda sad that he saved you tbh.

//GLASIE//: so should I, future messenger, be passed out on the floor right now?!

//ALEX//: NOT LIKE THAT OMG but like he was so excited to explore stuff and like 2 days in..

//GLASIE//: yeah. so sad.

//ALEX//: so you have to choose someone to be messenger with, right?

//GLASIE//: mhm. but I don't want to split anyone up. you're all so close to each other.

//ALEX//: why not choose Nick then? he wasn't supposed to be in the band, and he's just backups.

//GLASIE//: since when were you the shady bunch?! and why would you ever say that?!

//ALEX//: nice one with the shady bunch thing. but still, he deserves it. he's told me so many times how much he loves exploring this place.

//GLASIE//: YOURE PLOTTING TO KICK HIM OUT OF THE BAND?!

//ALEX//: not necessarily. but I think it's time. if he's messenger.

//GLASIE//: he does pretty much everything in ff. everything from guitar and keyboard to tambourine and recorder. you can't do this.

//ALEX//: fine. only if you choose him as messenger and he can't devote time to the band.

I have to tell Strawberry about this. I need to go find Strawberry once we get back to Arabelle's place.

//ALEX//: I see it as doing him a favor. he wants to explore, you want to explore, he can't be in the band, we say you're dating, plan done!

//GLASIE//: so he's only leaving if we're in Deliria more than our dimension.

//ALEX//: yes. that's it. I think you should choose him. make this band better.

//GLASIE//: bro. I couldn't even do any of this without you though! you're like my wingman!

//ALEX//: then choose me. I don't care.

//GLASIE//: what about Strawberry? I need her too!

//ALEX//: choose either Paul or Bob then.

//GLASIE//: I'd be splitting people up from their friends. not cool.

//ALEX//: once we get A&R out of the official spots, we can all be messengers together. how about that?

//GLASIE//: I guess that could work.

I then saw headlights at the front of the dimly lit space. I looked over at Alex. He looked happy that we could finally get out of here.

"Bye Aehlocai! Our ride's here!" I shouted uncomfortably to the magical snow leopard.

Aehlocai nodded politely and got back to whatever she was doing.

"Do you think she could see our texts?" Alex whispered as we dragged Nick to Rowan's jeep.

"I dunno. Seems like it." I shrugged and opened the door.

Rowan looked surprised that we were (mostly) okay.

"This is bad. REALLY BAD. Alex, drive. Just drive down the mountain." She directed frantically and climbed into the backseat. Alex just shrugged and started driving away from Aehlocai's home.

"I have a plan. Don't worry." Rowan reached behind the backseat and pulled out a backpack identical to the one Alex lost somewhere on the mountain. She started rapidly hooking Nick up to various cube shaped smaller versions of everything back at the hospital.

"He should be good for a little while. Let's drive to Arabelle's place, and if he's not good to go exploring or whatever you do, I'll take him back." Rowan calmly smiled and clambered into the passenger front seat next to Alex.

Nick's breathing was shaky and amplified from that oxygen mask that he obviously couldn't stand. But he was still knocked out, so it didn't really matter. At least it helped him. I feel like it's my job to protect him. Because he protected me. I wanted to sit directly next to him and make sure he was okay, but all of the various small machines and wires were placed on the awkward middle seat that was there for no reason. Middle seats ruin everything sometimes. It was getting dark now. The sun was setting over the dangerous but glimmering mountains much higher than the one we were on now. Alex turned on the radio to make up for the awkward silence. Of course he flipped to Delirian Alt Hits, which apparently was a thing. We were both hoping for a Franz Ferdinand song to come on. And one did. Stand On The Horizon. Alex smiled, but didn't say anything. That silence was one of the best. For a second, everything was fine. I was taken back to summer 2013. But then I was quickly jolted back to reality when Alex started humming along to his own vocals in that song. I always thought Nick's vocals were better. I still do. This all related to those texts Alex sent... About how Nick is just backups and how they didn't need him. I was ready to punch him in the face. There's a reason I should choose Nick as co-messenger. But the reason is the same reason I shouldn't.

"You're a pretty good singer!" Rowan laughed as Alex sang along to Stand On The Horizon.

"I'm not too good live. Trust me." Alex shrugged.

"Wait. WAIT." Rowan finally out all the puzzle pieces together.

"Yes, I'm the lead singer in franz ferdinand."

"Cool... Although I've never heard of them."

Alex glared ahead at the road and didn't say anything while the song finished up and went on to something that I didn't care about.