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Author's Chapter Notes:
We're back with Brian and AJ going one way while Kevin goes the other! :O)

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

From “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

 

~ 25 ~

Two Roads

 

They walked in silence for about fifteen minutes. All you could hear was the shuffling of gravel under their feet. Neither of them could even begin to process what had happened to them today and what was still happening to them even now. Brian didn’t mind being alone with his thoughts. He actually loved quiet time. AJ on the other hand, hated when he was left at the mercy of his inner thoughts. But even he had no words that could possibly describe what he felt at the moment. They were both just at a loss.

It was Brian who finally spoke after they hit a stop sign, “Which way do you think we should head?” He flashed the light on AJ, who put his hand up in front of his face to shield his eyes.

“I don’t know, maybe left? I don’t see one sign of life anywhere on this road. Where the hell are all the street lights or stop lights or houses? I haven’t even seen any fireflies for God sakes!”

“Left sounds good.”

AJ nodded and they both turned left and started down yet another dark road.

AJ was grateful that Brian was with him. He had always looked up to his band mate, even though by all rights when they were younger Nick claimed ownership of the Kentuckian. It used to make AJ really mad and jealous, how easily Brian would just walk away from him to end up doing something with Nick instead.

After he cleaned himself up and matured a bit, Brian started hanging out with AJ more and the two of them formed a special bond. Maybe they weren’t as close as Frick and Frack, but they were still pretty tight. “You think your cousin is going to be okay?”

Brian didn’t turn around to face his friend but just kept on walking, “I hope so.”

“He blames himself for this.”

At that, Brian turned around and stopped for a second, “I know.”

What Brian didn’t say out loud was that he blamed his cousin too. He supposed it was a normal reaction. You have to blame someone, right? And since God seemed to be out of the picture for the time being, why not blame the one who suggested the trip and caused the accident in the first place. He had a lot of anger inside of him, anger he wasn’t used to having. It felt so out of character for him. He was afraid this experience was going to change him forever but not in a good way.

“I never really thought that people were truly crazy, you know?” Brian turned around and started walking as AJ continued, “I mean, yeah, we’ve seen some pretty insane behavior but I mean I’ve never really encountered someone as unstable as this guy.”

Brian didn’t answer him but instead just kept walking at a fairly fast pace. AJ was having a hard time keeping up, “Bri…slow down.”

“We need to find help, AJ.”

He was now holding his side. “I know but I can’t go that fast. I’m pretty sure I have at least one broken rib, Brian.”

Brian rolled his eyes before turning around to face his friend. “AJ, just in case you aren’t aware of what’s been happening, we now have three people in the hands of a potential psycho. Two of them not by choice but the other decided to join the fun for shits and giggles, leaving it up to us to rescue their asses! So I’m sorry if I can’t slow down for you and your possibly broken rib. We have to find help before he kills them!” As the words were coming from his mouth he wished he could take them back. He couldn’t even believe what he just said. They both just stood there in an awkward silence for a second.

“Jesus, Brian…” AJ finally said as he gingerly held his hand against his side.

“I’m sorry, AJ. I didn’t mean it…” He felt absolutely horrible. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me! I’m so mad!”

“Me too, Rok.”

“I don’t understand why this is happening to us! We’re good people, AJ. This shouldn’t have happened.”

“But it did.”

“Yeah, I know. I can’t even…And then there’s Leighanne. She must be sick with worry. No idea what happened to us, why I haven’t called. They’ve got to know by now that something is wrong.”

Brian was pacing back and forth as he spoke, visibly upset and not knowing where to put his hands. He kept wringing them in front of him as if he was cold and trying to warm himself up. AJ had no idea what to do to help. That’s when he realized that in all the years he had known Brian, he had always been on the receiving and not the giving end of these kinds of freak outs. AJ couldn’t even count how many times he had done this very same thing to Brian who always had that calm and gentle touch about him. He was always able to talk AJ down from any wall or bridge he had managed to climb. In truth, Brian never complained much about anything. So, this really was new.

“She thinks I’m dead, she has to. I know her, AJ. I’m sure by now she thinks I am lying dead somewhere and there’s nothing I can do about it! I just hope that Baylee is unaware of what’s happening.” He sounded as if he was about to hyperventilate.

AJ moved close to his friend at that point and placed an arm around him, “It’ll be okay, Brian. We’re going to get through this.” He only wished he believed his own words.

That gesture alone was enough to make Brian break down in his friend’s arms. He had never in his life done that. Sure he had his moments and sometimes he got a little teary eyed but he always managed to hold it together in front of his friends. His wife was a different story. She’s the one that saw him at his worst. Full on crying fits about things that he had brushed off when it came to his band mates. Like when Nick went solo. He felt so betrayed he came home and bawled his eyes out. All his friends ever saw was anger, but he always shielded them from hurt. Same deal when Kevin decided to leave the band, once again to his friends he acted stoic and ambivalent, but when he got home it was a different story.

It’s not like he didn’t trust them or anything, it’s just the way he had always been. Even his friends in high school never really saw a vulnerable side to Brian. He wanted to be the strong one that everyone went to and not the other way around. He loved when people came to him for help. Especially the younger guys like AJ and Nick. He knew they looked up to him and he kind of bathed in it. He could be having the worst day ever, his own life falling apart but he’d still take the time to listen to AJ or Nick cry about what seemingly felt like the stupidest things on the planet as he held in his own problems. It kind of empowered him to do that. It made him feel like Batman.

As AJ held him in his arms as he cried, Brian thought about how dumb he was for never really opening up to any of them before. Now maybe, when this was all over, he would try to let them know when he was having a bad day every once in a while.

AJ on the other hand, was trying not to lose it himself. He never had to be the one to have to hold it together, but he realized whether he liked it or not, the job was now his. He held tight to his friend and let him cry. “Everything will be okay…” He kept saying, not really knowing what else there was to say.

Brian finally pulled away and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Sorry about that.”

“Jesus, Brian there’s no need to apologize. Are you feeling any better?”

Brian nodded, “A little, thanks.”

“Anytime, I’m always here for you brother. I love you.”

Brian smiled, “I love you too, AJ.” He paused, “How are you holding up?” He asked, pointing to the side that AJ was still nursing. “You really think you have broken ribs?”

AJ wasn’t sure if he should be honest and say yes or hide his pain, suck it up and keep going. He decided on both, “I think maybe, I mean I’ve never broken a rib before but it feels kind of bad. Not bad enough that I can’t keep going.”

“Are you sure? You can always rest and then when I find help, we can double back to get you.”

“Right, because that’s what we should do now, split up in the pitch black darkness. Have you ever watched a horror movie before, Brian?”

“I kind of think we’re living one at the moment.”

“A fucking men to that.” Then unexpectedly and out of nowhere, AJ busted out laughing.

“What?” Brian asked a little surprised and a little confused.

“I don’t’ know man…just this is so fucking unbelievable…seriously? You know most people who blow a fucking tire just pull off the side of the road, call fucking AAA and in an hour there they go. Not us though…” He let out another laugh, “No, we end up rolling into a Goddamned ditch and then the two people sent to get help manage to get kidnapped by a psycho. I mean really? Who else does that fucking happen to?” He laughed again.

Brian had a look of contemplation on his face and then shrugged which sent AJ into another round of laughter. “I mean Nick is a goddamned magnet for crazy people. Why the hell did we send him out there? We should have seen this coming!” He laughed again and then wiped away the tears on his face. “Fuck!” He added before finally ending his very odd tirade.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, just that if I don’t I’m libel to lose my fucking mind.” He added when he saw the worried look on Brian’s face.

“I understand. I’m sure we’ll all be laughing about this one day, way way way after the fact.”

“I doubt it.” AJ answered.

“Me too.” Then more quiet as they both collected their thoughts and emotions, however across the board they were. “We should probably keep moving.”

AJ nodded as they both continued up the very dark road.

 

~~~

 

Kevin was in pain both emotionally and physically as he sat beside Tim who was smiling and whistling as if it was the happiest day of his life. He wasn’t even sure what he was doing when he made the suggestion to go with the guy. It’s not like he was physically able to help Nick or Howie do anything, in fact he would probably be more of an added burden to them than anything else, but yet, he still had to check and make sure they were okay. This was his fault. This entire thing and anything that happened as a result, he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. He also knew that using himself as bait would be the only way to ensure the other two were safe. Now they would be free to go find help and hopefully give the police as much information as possible and then this nightmare would be over. If not then he would make sure to do that if this Tim guy actually did take him to the hospital as promised.

“Nick and Howie are going to be very happy to see you.”

Kevin glanced over and nodded, “It’ll be nice to see them too.” His voice broke as he spoke. He hadn’t even realized he was on the verge of tears.

“Are you in pain?” Tim had a look of deep concern on his face.

“A little, it’s not too bad.”

“Good, maybe you’re not in as bad shape as you thought.”

“You said Nick was not well, what did you mean by that?”

“He just seems to be hurting and weak but just between you and me I think he might be faking it for the attention.”

“What about Howie, how is he?”

“Fine, we had a little disagreement earlier, but it’s all good now.”

Both of those statements didn’t do much to ease Kevin’s mind about his friends. He glanced over and looked at Tim, really made sure to look at him. It was important to take in as much as possible so this way he could tell the cops every little detail of the man who had taken his friends and almost killed him. He didn’t look like someone who would do something like this, but who really did. Maybe if he had looked insane, Nick and Howie would have never got into his truck in the first place.

“So, how did you all meet?”

Kevin took a deep breath and figured it wasn’t a good idea to tell him he was in a mega selling pop group.

“Through school.”

“Oh, really?” Tim looked over at Kevin suspiciously.

“Yeah.”

Tim slowed down the truck and stopped on the side of the road, which had Kevin swallow hard a few times. It wasn’t until after he said that, he realized that maybe Nick or Howie had told him something different. This was a test, another one and this time he might have failed. He tried to act calm, letting all those acting classes he took over the last few years pay off. “Why did we stop? Is there a problem?”

“Yes there is a problem. That little jerk lied to me.”

“Who?”

“Nick! He said you were all neighbors and that’s how you met. I hate being lied to. I’m going to have to punish him when we get home.”

Kevin felt a huge sense of panic, but he remained calm as he thought on his feet, “Oh, well he’s not really lying. We were all neighbors; it’s just that I went to school with most of them. Not Nick though, he’s way younger than me.”

Tim just sat there staring at Kevin and when he didn’t say anything he felt the need to continue, “There’s no need to punish anyone. He was probably also a little nervous when he was talking to you. Nick gets like that sometimes.”

Tim nodded and smiled, “He does seem like a jittery thing. So, you were all neighbors then? He said you helped raise him.”

“We did.” Kevin felt himself starting to lose it, just knowing how scared he felt and trying to compare it to what Howie and Nick must have been feeling the entire time they have been gone.

“He’s going to really love living with me, so will Howie, you’ll see. I gave them birthday cake and everything. Maybe you’ll even get to have a piece before I take you to the hospital.”

Kevin nodded as he quietly cried.

“You’re a weepy guy, huh? Nick seems to be a pretty weepy guy too. Neither of you would have done very well with my dad. He would have beaten those feelings right out of you.”

“Sorry, I’m just thinking about my wife and kids. I want to see them again.”

“Oh, you’ll get to soon enough, as long as you do what you’re supposed to do and keep our little secret.”

He turned off the main road onto a smaller unmarked one. Kevin was sad that there wasn’t a street sign to use as a landmark. In the dark it was hard to find anything to help him along. He’d just have to try his best to remember how long this ride was. “Kevin, you are going to keep our secret, right?”

The question threw him off and worried him. “Of course.”

“Because one thing I hate more than anything else is liars. If you are lying and trying to trick me and I find out about it, things will not end well for you, Howie or Nick.” Then he turned his eyes back to the road and started whistling as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Kevin was terrified.

 

Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for reading and taking the time to review! It's always appreciated! I hope I left you with enough drama to last until Friday because that's when I'll be updating next! Until then... :O)