My Apocalypse

Everyone was asleep, the bus was filled with snores of the band as I lied awake. I wasn't going to lie, I missed my brother, even though he was an asshole he was still my brother. He's the only family I have left, I can't lose him.

I looked down at the picture I had found in my purse, it was of Craig and I when we were younger. Craig was holding his microphone and I was smiling in the background. It was taken by our mother, right before she left to go on vacation with dad––right before the accident.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I put the picture in my pocket. I softly rolled out of the bunk I shared with Ronnie, leaving him sleeping peacefully. I smiled down at him as I grabbed my shoes and made my way out the door, shutting it softly.

I made my way across the lot, following instructions Max had given me just in case I needed him for an emergency. I found the bus and started practically banging on the door. A sleepy Bryan swung the door open. "Do you have any idea what time it––" Bryan focused on me, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

I didn't say anything as I walked onto the bus and straight into the bunk area. Bryan followed me, turning the lights on. I shook Craig's shoulder vigorously, waking him. "What the fuck?" He groaned.

"I want to talk,"

"Ashley?" Craig sat up, squinting into the light. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I want to talk." I repeated.

I sat in the lounge area, waiting for Craig to put clothes on. He finally came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, yawning. "Couldn't this wait until later?"

"No," I patted the cushion next to me. "I need this over with."

Craig sat next to me, scratching his head.

"I know I messed up and I'm sorry for that, but I am done fighting, Craig. I don't care if you hate my guts, or think I'm trash. That's your opinion. But, I am done. I don't want anymore bad blood. You're my brother whether you like it or not. I'm sorry that I pissed you off so much."

Craig sighed, looking down. "Look, I know I've been a major asshole... but, don't ever apologize for something that's not your fault. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I just didn't want you to make the wrong decisions."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ronnie and I were best friends at one point. We both got into drugs pretty heavily, Max too, it was just hard without mom and dad, y'know?" Craig sighed. "Remember when I had to go to out of town for an interview and our neighbor, Mrs Grass, babysat?" I nodded as Craig ran his fingers through his hair. "We got done the interview, found a dealer, and got high. We got busted. Ronnie had the drugs in his pocket. Ash, it was my drugs he got caught with. That's why he went to jail. I told the cops they were his because I was scared and I didn't want to leave you all alone."

I was frozen. Mind mind raced at a thousand miles an hour, and my heart dropped.

"Ronnie never told you?"

I just shook my head. "This explains everything..."

"I'm sorry, I tried to protect you."

"Protect me from what? The truth?"

"I did what was best for you." Craig sighed.

"You let an innocent man go to jail, Craig!"

"What did you expect me to do?" He scoffed. "Leave you all alone? Let you go into foster care? You were nine, Ashley."

"Well you seemed to have a pretty easy time kicking me out,"

"I'm so, so sorry, Ashley."

I got up out of the chair, shaking my head. "You're apologizing to the wrong person."