Fragile

Fifteen days. That’s how long Denim has kept the boys for. That’s how long the police have been scanning the country. That’s how long it took for Brian to brake down completely. It started with not sleeping, then he didn’t eat, now he wont come out of the bedroom. He hasn’t said anything to anyone for five days, every time he would greet or answer it would be a nod or shake of the head. He has made himself sick, constant gagging and heaving came from the bathroom, followed by chocked cries.

The police have searched nearly everywhere Denim could be. No sign. Her parents said that they haven’t seen her since last Christmas. Her friends say she’s always been a bit mad. Her brother was arrested for the actual kidnap of the twins. He owned up saying how he couldn’t see a family fall apart the day after he learned that his own girlfriend was pregnant seven days ago. He said he had no clue as to where his sister or the twins were.

As for me, well, I am in the same situation as Brian, except I’m trying to hold myself together. Every day I got in touch with the detective guy, and every day I got the same answer ‘No news as of yet’, an unwanted answer, but an answer none the less. Johnny went back to New York, I forced him to go, he argued saying how we need our friends, but my argument was stronger, we need our family. Jimmy had been staying at Shelby’s house, I don’t know why, I think there must be something there, and Matt, Val and Michelle had been over almost daily trying to get some response out of an almost corpse like Brian.

I have been sleeping on the couch, not being able to get into the bedroom. Brian had barricaded both the bedroom door and the en-suite, before he did this he stocked up his food supply and his phone. That’s now my only contact with him, through phoning him. Silly isn’t it? Having to phone someone in the same house as you just to talk to them. He was scared. I could tell. His voice shook when he spoke and every time I heard him cry it was shaky.

I walked up the stairs in my now daily routine to try and get Brian to escape his self-made prison.

“Brian,” I said, knocking on the bedroom door.

As expected, my phone began to vibrate in my pocket.

“Hi,” he said as I answered.

“Baby, this is getting stupid, please come out,” I pleaded.

I heard him sigh, “I cant, this is the best place for me.”

“Stop punishing yourself, haven’t you learned that at the moment all we need is each other, I just want to be able to comfort you and you to do the same to me,” I said, holding back a tear.

“I cant,” he repeated.

“Shouldn’t we be strong? For the boys? What would they say if they saw you now?” I asked.

“Zacky, please, just leave it,” he begged.

I could hear the whine in his voice, the desperate, lonely whine. The type Ichabod makes when I come home from tour.

“I… Brian… Please, I need you, just please come out,” I asked quietly.

He sighed and hung up.

I huffed angrily and walked away. What is wrong with him? I am going through the same thing he is.

I grabbed my coat and walked outside, realising I was still in my pyjama pants. I shrugged it off and went and knocked on Shelby’s door. To my surprise, Jimmy stood there asking me what I wanted.

“Wow, Jim, you must be getting close to her, she’s even letting you answer the door now,” I said sarcastically, walking inside.

“How’s Bri?” he asked.

“He just fucking hung up on me, I don’t know. He’s just freaking out, you know, I know he’s moved all the furniture around, I just want to be in there with him, you know, and he wont let me, I just feel like I’m in this on my own. I know he spends like, all day sat looking at his phone, waiting for that call saying they’re safe.”

“I think he’s worried about Jordan the most, he could die,” he said sadly.

My heart faltered again at that fact. I sighed and sat on the couch.

“Jimmy, where is the… oh, hey Zacky,” Shelby said, walking down the stairs attempting to put the diamond stud back in her upper lip.

I turned and smiled at her slightly.

“Where did you put the black towel?” She asked.

“In the basket.”

“It was clean, you douche, you don’t put clean stuff in the basket,” she laughed and walked back upstairs.

I paused a minute, “What’s the deal with you two anyway?”

“We have a… thing,” he stated.

“A thing?”

“Yeah, well, we kiss and everything, I don’t know, it started when she asked me to stay over, we didn’t do anything, I think she wanted comfort, because she’s a suspect in all of this,” he explained.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“I don’t think she is, she sits up crying because she thinks that she’s going to jail and everything.”

“I know,” I said.

“Well, at least the cops are doing well, I mean, they keep on searching, and Matt and Val are helping, I mean Matt is twice the size of Denim’s brothers and friends, he just goes and checks houses and Val just plays the sweet and innocent,” Jimmy laughed.

“Val? Sweet and innocent? Have you heard them two go at it?” I aksed

“Well, it couldn’t be any worse than when you two went at it. You at least could’ve tried to be quiet. All we could hear was moan after moan. Nasty dude,” Jimmy said.

I smiled at his attempt to cheer me up.

Outside, I heard a car engine roar into life. I jumped up and looked out of the window to see Brian’s car pulling out of the drive. I grabbed Jimmy and ran out the front door just in time to see Brian’s car turn out of the road.