Almost Easy

“Oh my God! For the love of all that is holy, Jimmy! Will you quit singing Barbie Girl! I thought we heard the end of this when Matt was obsessed with it and you threw the CD out the damn window!” Zack whined, the drummer had been singing screaming the song at the top of his lungs for the whole drive from the hospital, and frankly Zack was willing to do anything to shut the man up. Jimmy just laughed mischievously and continued to the chorus even putting on an annoying high-pitched voice. “fuck sake!” The green eyed man mumbled chucking his cigarette butt to the floor.

“OH. MY. GOD! ZACKY! ZACK!”

“What Jim!” What did you—oh shit!”

“W-what do you think happened?” Johnny mumbled.

“Matt…” Brian’s whisper was barely audible.

The inside of the bus was wrecked.

The couches now bared several tear marks and the cushions were thrown around the main bus area ripped apart, items of clothing were torn and trampled on across the floor and couches, the kitchen area was a mess and it appeared someone had gutted the fridge and freezer and thrown the contents on the floor along with everything else that wasn’t bolted down. Glasses and mugs were shattered on the floor. The large mirror in the kitchen area was smashed, it looked as if it had been punched several times as it was smeared thickly with blood. The sliding door that separated the bunk area and the main area was ripped from its place, presumably discarded on the floor most likely under where the boys were currently standing.

Their trip through the bus to inspect the damage was slow due to the fact the carpeted floor was barely visible and the boys attempted not to step on anything breakable or of sentimental value, when they finally made it to the bunk area they stopped, mouths agape. Every bunk was shredded of their belongings and their sheets, one of the mattresses was pulled down and ripped open blocking the hallway to the lounge area, the sheets and clothes that were thrown around were smeared with blood and the frame of the middle bunk was plagued with fist indents and a mass of dripping red. Pushing the mattress to one side and haphazardly crawling across it they found the next sliding door cracked in half and bloody too.

Upon cautiously tugging it as open as it would go, the splintered wood snapping and creaking in protest, the boys stood frozen for a moment, mouths and eyes wide with shock. The recording equipment out of place on the floor, a couple of guitars snapped in half here and there, sheet music and lyrics were scattered across the floor dowsed in blood. The back window had been smashed, the Xbox in pieces beneath it still plugged in to the pulled over TV. What was under the TV made the boys gasp in shock and worry.

Beneath the TV was no other than their brother, their singer, their best friend. Matt Sanders. Out cold with broken, bloody knuckles and a bottle of alcohol loosely in his unconscious grip.

After what seemed like far too long to be standing in one place staring at the current situation in complete shock and disbelief, a high-pitched shrill scream rung through the bus. “My new bass! OH MY GOD! H-HE…. THE BASTARD BROKE MY NEW BASS!!” Johnny launched himself in between the two taller men, throwing himself to the floor beside his demolished instrument. “No no no no no…..” He mumbled almost religiously whilst scattering around on the floor searching for the pieces of splintered wood that once connected together to form the custom design of the guitar body. “No no NO NO! That fucking a-asshole!”

As Johnny’s whining subsided he twisted his upper body right to glare at the unconscious man, brow furrowing and lip curling, a snarl forced to rip from his throat. The small bassist suddenly thrust his weight back and launched his body to the side of the vocalists, yelling cusses and screams as he started unceremoniously beating his little fists down on every reachable body part. Primal screams tore from his lips laced in anger and masked hurt as Zack and Jimmy jumped to their senses and attempted to haul the youngest away. With a few dignified kicks and heel digs to Matt’s back, ribs and left bicep - and a few much less dignified sobs and squeaks - Johnny’s quivering frame was lifted with ease and held back by long slender arms.

“Calm the fuck down, Johnny! This isn’t helping!” Zack crouched by Matt and set the near empty JD bottle upright, “Jesus Matt….”

Nimble fingers spun Johnny on the spot, teary brown searching out concerned blue, “Now kid, you gotta calm down, Okay? For me? Please….”

Forcing a slow nod and several sniffs in reply he was abruptly pulled into a gentle hug. “Okay. Well, we need to sort this out. You can kill Shadz later, hell, we all can.”

As Jimmy aided Zack in lifting the TV, they reached the conclusion that dragging pure muscle, that was easily twice their combined build, all the way to his bunk would be virtually impossible. Deciding the couch a couple of feet away to be more realistic they cleared it off and grabbed a limb of their vocalist. Zack grabbed at shoulders, Jimmy grabbed at legs and Johnny grasped one large, limp hand in an almost comforting hand-shake-like manner - pretty much being no help in lifting the singers' weight.

Upon settling the large man in a comfortable looking position, finding a pillow and blanket, the boys looked around and at each other wondering what exactly went wrong and what the fuck they could do about it all. Jimmy was the first to break the silence,

"Hey. Where the hell Brian go?"

They all looked to the doorway to notice he hadn't followed them. Confused, and worried he might have passed out, Zacky quickly backtracked to the main bus area in search for the lean guitarist.

"Brian.... Where the fuck are you?! Brian!" Zacky raced outside, no one was there. Back inside, he found a puzzled Jimmy.

"Hey Zaaaaaack...."

"Not the fuck now, Jim! I can't find Bri!" Zack started gripping harshly at his hair, "He was with me when we walked on the bus, right?"

"Jesus Zack, calm down, it's okay, he's-"

"Don't fucking tell me to fucking calm down!"

This is the last thing we need! Out tour bus is trashed, Matt's bust up and wasted, Brian's bust up and missing, Johnny's scared into silence, Jimmy's a crazy ass, and me, i'm, well fuck. I'm me! It can't get much worse! We're gonna have to cancel the to- Zack was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts and his pacing, all he knew was his cheek stung and everything was shaking. When his world focused again he noted Jimmy yelling at him, squeezing his shoulders between long lean fingers and violently shaking him about.

".. not helping the situation. If you'd shut up and listen you'd know that im trying to tell you something!"

"Jim, fuck man, stop!" After grabbing Jimmy's arms and forcing the man to calm, Zack composed himself. "It better be about Brian...."

"Jeez Zacky, you sound like a mama ducky whose lost all her little duckies-"

"Jimmy!"

"Or maybe you're in love with him! Oh my, you two should marry! Ooh ooh, you'll let me-"

"Oh my god Jimmy!" Zack rolled his eyes at his friend's typical behaviour, "Brian! Where are you?" He left the blue eyed man to plan out the marriage of the two guitarists, a marriage that would never happen because Zack was only concerned for his best friend.

The rhythmist thought about where Brian could be, Zack was sure Brian had enough sense not to wonder off and he had been far too tired from the after effects of the drugs. It suddenly hit him that when Brian was tired, Brian slept. Everyone knew that - even if it was the difference between life or death - you don't stop or wake a sleepy Brian. Stepping cautiously towards the bunk area again, Zack noticed the middle curtain was closed. Tugging it open forced a breath of relief from his lips.

"That motherfucker..." Zacky sighed as he lifted a hand to stroke away soft stray locks of dark hair that had fallen out of place. Brian was comfortably snuggled up to several blankets, lips gently parted, chest slowly rising. The perfect picture of a peaceful slumber.

"Jimmy tried telling you Brian was fine and sleeping, Zacky ignored Jimmy cuz Zacky loves Brian... But it's all okay. Cuz Jimmy loves you all." Jimmy's loud voice boomed through the silence causing Brian to shift and furrow his brow slightly. Zacky rolled his eyes and commanded the lanky man to start putting everything back where it belonged as he bushed more hair away from Brian's face and gingerly wrapped a blanket around the sleeping form.

Zacky soon returned to the main area to help the drummer and bassist with a heavy sigh. "This is gonna be a long night."

"I don't think tomorrow is gonna be any better man" Johnny empathised running a hand over his face and looking around sadly. "H-how's Bri?"

"Oh uhm, he's sleeping it off, ya know, he's gonna be so sore tomorrow."

"Okay well lets fix this shit so we can get some sleep and deal with the Incredible Sulk in the morning, huh?" Jimmy voiced.

"Shit, yeah. I almost forgot about Matt." And with another heavy sigh, the boys were back to work clearing up the wreckage their singer had left. A long night indeed... Zack thought to himself.