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17

(See I didn't keep you hanging this time lol)

The extremely loud bang woke everyone up. I could tell by the shuffling of feet. I hurt everywhere. My legs, my back, my head. Especially my head. Actually my eyes remained closed. I was kind of awake but mostly asleep. I heard Brian screech my name. I think he instantly realized what I had done when he heard the crash. About a half second later he was right by my said.

I didn't know Brian could fly! Cool

"What in the hell happened?" That was Kevin. Boy he sounded less then happy. I tried to open my eyes but couldn't. So I just listened.

"He fell...I don't..know..God Nick can you hear me?"

"How in the hell did he do that! Jesus Stupid stupid stupid" Kevin mad again.

"He's bleeding! AJ go grab a towel or something. What on Earth did he do?" Howie sounded like he was screaming. That couldn't be right. Howie never screams.

"He tried climbing out the window" Brian sounded so sad.

"Watch out" Suddenly I felt my body lifting up. Kevin grabbed me and carried me onto a cot, gently lying me down. I could feel his body sitting next to mine as a cool, damp towel started wiping at my face. In the background, Brian and AJ were yelling at each other about something. I wish I could make out what it was but Kevin's calm slow drawl kind of dampened their yells.

"You are going to be okay lil man. Open your eyes for me please. Open up for Kevin. Come on little guy" I felt his strong hand stroking my hair. Kevin would make a great dad someday.

I suddenly found myself getting confused. Maybe that was my dad. Maybe I wasn't with the guys at all. Maybe I was with my family. It all became clear then. Sleeping in my sleeping bag on the floor of our little cabin in the woods deep in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. Mom and the girls always got the beds. The boys, including dad always got the floor. I was sick one time. Really ill with a high fever. Sweaty and miserable, my dad had let me sleep on a cot while he rubbed my face with a cold towel. It felt so good. So relaxing.

Kind of like now.

So, I must really be with my family. That was it. I once again tried my best to open my eyes. It was so hard though. My eyelids were so heavy. "What are we supposed to do now Kevin? We are stuck in here and he needs help!"

"I know Brian stop yelling at me!"

"Dammit!"

"What's wrong AJ?"

"I am trying to get this stupid door opened, come and help me Howie"

"I'm coming"

When I was sad and not feeling well, my Mom would sing lullabies to me. It was pretty funny because she never really knew the words so she would make them up as she went along. Those were good times. Times when I was just a son and she was just a Mom.

"AJ stop body slamming against the door! The last thing we need are two injured kids in here"

"I'm not a kid Kevin"

"J! Now is not the time"

"I know, I'm sorry"

So, Mom would sing to me while dad pat my head and wiped my sweaty face with that nice cold cloth. Like he was doing now. "Nicky...wake up. It's not good to stay asleep"

Didn't he realize I knew that? Of course he didn't realize that. To them I am just a baby.
It was so odd being a baby when I was so used to being anything but. Always had to be the mature responsible one. Always the one who stayed home to watch the kids when both Mom and dad had to work during the day. They would call school and tell them I was sick.

"That's it!"

"Kevin what are you doing?"

"I am breaking down the door" I felt Kevin..or my dad. I was still too confused to tell which was which, move away from me. I heard them all in a blur of sounds yelling at each other then a few huge bangs.

"Stop it! Kevin you are not going to get the damn thing open"

"We need to get out and get help!"

"Kevin we know that but throwing chairs at the door will not help! Just calm the hell down"

"Don't tell me to calm the hell down Brian, this wouldn't have even happened if you were watching him"

"Don't you dare blame me"

The fighting reminded me of home too. See, after we all decided that I should be in show business, Mom and dad would fight all the time. I mean all the time. They would wait until we were asleep. Like we wouldn't be able to hear the yelling from the next room. Dad saying they were taking the easy way out. Mom saying this was their best chance. I never really had much of a say one way or the other.

"You know, if you guys had listened to him this wouldn't have happened at all"

"Oh and of course you listened to him Howie? You ignored him too"

"No, I didn't. I listened"

Audition after audition, rejection after rejection would only add more fuel to the Carter arguments. It got to the point that I would feel physically ill just thinking about going home and telling dad I was turned down for yet another thing. It's not like he was disappointed in me, he just thought we were wasting our time.

"Why the heck is he not waking up? Oh God..you don't think he broke his neck do you?"

"Brian that's about the dumbest thing I..."

"Did you check for a pulse Kev?"

"No..but.."

"But what?" I once again heard all the footfalls approaching. They thought I was dead. I hoped I wasn't. That would be a total bummer. I haven't even hit puberty yet.

I felt two fingers on my neck. He was tickling me "I don't know where to feel" I heard Kevin said.

"He's alive, he's crinkling his nose"

"What D?"

"His nose, I think you were tickling him"

After they would fight for what seemed like hours, Dad would come into our makeshift room, lay down on the bed beside Aaron or I and try his best to calm us down. Most of the time it was a tickle war that would do the trick. He would always aim for my neck every time. My most ticklish spot.

"Nick? Can you hear me?" I felt a hand rubbing my arm.

"Kevin he'll wake up. Maybe he's just asleep"

"You know AJ, I would believe that if it weren't for the blood on his head!" At the mention of blood I stirred once again. I hated blood. Never had the desire to be a vampire. Never even liked watching movies about them. Blood was gross.

"Where the hell is Jim?"

"Like he would do anything about it Brian. Don't be stupid"

"Shut up AJ and don't call me stupid"

Everyone always called me stupid. Going to school I was always made fun of. Known as the stupid scrawny Carter kid. I hated that. I know that sometimes I tended to say silly things but that didn't make me dumb. I wished I could be as smart as AJ. He seemed like a genius. When he wasn't being a dumbass.

"I have heard just about enough of you guys screaming at each other. It doesn't help"

"What will help then Howie? Mr. Oh I have all the answers man?"

"I never said I had all the answers J"

"God we need out of this place"

"No duh Brian...really?"

"Stop being a smartass AJ!"

My neck hurt. At the moment that's where my thoughts were. Not on all the arguing around me, not on home, but on my neck. I must have banged it really good when I fell.
I tried to move a little and actually heard myself groan when I did it. I was in pain. My head was really throbbing now as well. I suddenly wanted nothing more then to wake and stop feeling as bad as I was. Kevin had moved away from me now. In fact, they all had. They sounded like they were across the room yelling at each other.

"Dad?" I said in barely a whisper. It hurt to talk.

"You know, if you had woken up when he called your name.."

"I TOLD you that I thought he was going to ask me for water or something"

"He's 13 not 5 Brian"

"And what about you Kev? You're so busy blaming everyone else, why didn't you get up?"

"Because he called you not me"

"So that is your problem?"

"Dad?" I said again trying to be a little louder. My throat was parched. I wanted some water.

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"Guys stop arguing"

"Shut up Howie. What else is there to do in this stupid ass cabin?"

"You know, I am getting tired of the attitude Kevin"

"Yeah? Well, me too Howie"

"Help me please" I said opening up my eyes for the first time. Everything seemed so bright. Like I had a light shining in my eyes. I turned my head to see the four of them arguing by the front door. I didn't see my dad. I hoped he was in the middle of everything.

"You know it's because we were all ignoring the kid. He loves attention"

"Oh like you don't AJ?"

"Shut up Brian I'm just saying.."

"Yeah we know what you're saying. We ignored him and now he's hurt"

"It's not like YOU didn't blow him off either"

"A little help guys?" I thought it was funny that they were so busy arguing about who ignored me that they were all ignoring me now. My head could have fallen off and they wouldn't have even noticed.

"Guys please!" I finally said a bit louder.

"Shut up Nick! Can't you see we are..." Kevin started to say before realizing what he was saying. They all looked at each other and then ran toward me. Kevin took a seat right next to me and placed his hand on my head, "Are you okay Nicky?" I shook my head.

"What hurts kiddo?" Howie asked now moving next to Kevin.

"Everything. My head but my neck is really hurting me"

"Okay, I'll get you some ice" Howie stood up and ran over to the fridge.

"Nick, what the hell were you doing exactly?" Kevin asked me. His tone harsh. I couldn't believe he was yelling at me.

"Is my dad here?" That seemed to shut him up. I was hoping that my father went for a doctor or something. I hated doctors but I knew I probably needed one. My Mom was probably pissed as hell at me too. No doubt it would result in a huge fight when they got back.

"Nicky, he's not here kiddo...we are locked in here. Don't you remember?" I looked up into Kevin's eyes. He looked concerned, afraid and young. Most of all young.

"I want my dad" I said trying to close my eyes to go back to sleep. He slapped my cheek.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry lil man but I can't let you go back to sleep. You may have a concussion"

"I want to go back to sleep Kevin please?"

"No way Jose" He laughed a really fake forced laugh.

"I really thought I could get us out of here. I wanted to be the hero" I said. I couldn't believe my plan failed.

"You are a hero" Howie suddenly said off in the distance. Great now Howie is going to give me some sappy at least you tried and that makes you a brave noble hero speech.

"Well, I'll be damned" Kevin said walking away form me and letting the towel he was holding to my head fall to the floor.

"What?" I asked trying to turn my really stiff neck to see what everyone was staring at. Brian walked over to me, "When you fell, you must have knocked a board from the window loose" I still didn't get it.

"We can get out now Nick. You did it" Then he turned to my band mates. "He actually did it"

"See I told you I'm a hero" I said before feeling a bit sick and turning on my side and puking my guts up. Hey, even heroes throw up from time to time...