Sinner

Jackal kept his head in his hands. He was sitting on the couch in his brother's studio. According to his brother Jassik, it was the band's studio. Jackal had his elbows resting on his knees so he could stare holes into the see-through coffee table containing a few dead taxidermy rats. They all had wings. Jassik had these things all over the huge gothic style almost-mansion he had built for him and the band to live in. It was dark, gloomy, but in its own right warm and welcoming. To the people that lived there anyway. It was about 45 minutes out from a small town. Jassik had built everything they would ever need into the place. He constantly expressed to his band mates that they didn't have to stay there though, they could leave if they wanted. Jassik was so horrified of making people feel trapped. Jackal sadly thought it was because Jassik thought he was trapped in himself. Sometimes Jassik got too into his mind and would disappear for days at a time. Recently it was getting increasingly worse, and it reflected in Jassik's mixing of tracks. He was all over the place, hell the band had been cooped up in the studio for hours now and it wasn't going anywhere.

Jackal kept staring holes through things while his brother, sitting in front of the mixing board, sighed. He and the rest of the band looked up to see what Jassik had to say. Jackal almost forgot the other three band members were even there. Sitting next to him was Tally Day, 21. Tally was on the bass, she brought such an insane intensity to the songs that Jackal was positive no other person could ever accomplish it other than her. What she came up with was sporadic but always on beat and heavy. She'd been known to throw her bass at people/things for no damn reason a time or two. Lounging on the floor poking at the bowl in the "family bong" (Jassik's words) was Finch, says he is 18 but is probably more like 16. No last name, just Finch. He said he was like Jassik and Jackal, what his name was didn't mean much to him, so he changed it. Jackal doubted he went through the trouble that him and his brother did to get their names officially changed though. Finch was one lazy mother fucker. Except when it came to the music, he was on keys. He took care of all of the nasty gnarly effects Jassik constantly demanded be laced in each song. Finch undoubtedly was what caused Sinner to be set apart. Lastly was Jassik's true right hand man and Sinner's drummer. Propped up in the chair next to Jassik in front of the mixing board, obviously annoyed, and impatiently glaring into the face of Jassik, was Lucifer Gabriel Collins, age unknown but Jackal assumed around 20-25. Luce for short. Jackal used to assume that he had changed his name too. When he asked all Luce had to say was,

"My parents had the best sense of humor." in his chipper British accent. Jackal didn't really ask a lot of questions about Luce after that.

Luce was the main reason anything got done in the band. All Jackal really knew was that one day, when him and his brother were still 16, Jassik brought him to the shit hole apartment they were crashing at and told Jackal that they were going to start a band. Luce had taught Jackal how to play guitar. He also harnessed Jassik's voice and lyrical anger, making Jassik a gothic underground super star practically over night. Jassik and Luce often butted heads about the direction of the band. It was arguably a strength because from Jackal's experience, no one butted heads with Jassik except Luce. He was Sinner's true manager and at the moment he was trying to get Jassik to "make up his fucking mind."

"I just don't think this sounds right Lucifer." Jassik was literally the only person one hundred percent comfortable with calling Luce that. He was also the only person who didn't look like a complete idiot doing so.

"I get that," Luce mumbled rubbing his eyes "but we need you to tell us why."

"I don't know." Jassik rolled the chair back and pointed at the bong in Finch's lap. "Hand me that please." He asked politely. For about the millionth time Jackal looked and wondered at the anomaly that was his brother. Black hair, black clothes, awful-violent-borderline-terrifying lyrics, but all manners and calm demeanor at the end of the day. Jassik was one of the only things that Jackal felt like he totally understood but actually completely didn't at the same time. He was just...great. Jackal ripped his eyes away from his brother who was about to take a hit and went back to staring at nothing. Suddenly uncomfortable with himself and everything in the room.

Jackal cleared his throat drawing everyone's eyes onto him. "Sorry guys, can we please take a break or something. I'm hungry, and I'd like to work out before I go to bed." Jassik gave a half smile at his brother's request, Jackal looked away not feeling like returning it.

Luce checked his watch. "Fuck, it is late. Yea sorry guys, you three head up. Don't forget we fly out tomorrow night to head to New York for the photo shoot and interview with Alternative Zine."

"What a gay name!" Finch said through a laugh while getting off the floor.

Tally snickered before saying, "Dude completely, they go by AltZ, what the fuuuck!"

"It does sound like a computer thing." Jassik commented. "Wait is that the point? And Finch don't call something 'gay' if you don't like it, it's-"

"OPPRESSING." All four of the other band members groaned at once, interrupting him. They all started laughing. Jackal loved these moments, their band was really a family. It made him happy, it made him feel like he belonged. The past three years had been the best in his life. Not that it would take much to beat out the other ones.

After Luce set them free the trio headed to do their own nightly rituals. Well, morning rituals, Jackal thought. Everyone usually woke up around 6 in the evening and didn't go to bed until 7 in the morning. It was a fucked schedule but when you're a musician you can get away with it. Jackal headed to the kitchen, ate, worked out, and then bathed. He plopped down on his bed, tired and almost ready to sleep, but first he wanted a bong rip. He dug around for awhile, frantically trying to find his lighter. Then a vision popped into his head, the lighter sitting in between the couch cushions down in the music dungeon that was the studio.

"Fuuuck." He mumbled cursing himself for only having one lighter. He could just ask Finch for one, but Jackal decided he wanted his own. It had a turkey on it and made him laugh. He made his way downstairs and went to open the door. He paused, no music was playing and it didn't sound like Luce and Jassik were talking, or even inside. Jackal assumed they went to bed. He swung the door open and froze in place.

Luce had his face pressed into the side of Jassik's neck. Jassik gasped as the door swung open, Luce flew off of him, clamping one hand over Jassik's neck and the other over his mouth. Jackal felt a lot of things in that moment. Surprise. Then confusion. Was that jealously just now? Then Jackal noticed the blood, it was running down Jassik's neck and was also seeping through the fingers Luce had over his mouth. Luce did a hard swallow then took his hand away from his mouth and wiped the blood on his pants. He kept the other hand tight on Jassik's neck. Jassik went to open his mouth but Jackal put a hand up to stop him.

"What. The fuck." is all that Jackal said.

Jassik nervously swallowed. "Jackal, I think we need to talk."