The Day Billie's and Mike's Life Came Crashing Down, chapter 21
"Billie! It's alright! It's just me!" Mike said.
"Mike? Thank god! What are you doing? It's 1am!"
"I thought I heard you toss and turn and I thought I'd come and check on you."
"Oh," Billie said, calming down.
They heard footsteps on the landing.
"What is all the noise about?" Dan said holding out a gun.
"It's alright it's just us, put the gun down," Mike said.
"What on earth are you doing in here at this time?"
"I heard Billie toss and turn and I just wanted to see if he was alright."
"Oh, well can you try and keep the noise down. I have to get up for work in 7 hours."
"You're going into work?"
"Yes I have to. I've used up most of my holidays so I kind of have to."
"What about us?" Billie asked Dan uncertainly.
"Well, you might have to stay at the studio all day until I finish but I'll think about it more in the morning. Now go back to bed and get some sleep, ok?"
"Fine," Mike said and said goodnight to Billie. He went back to his room. Dan said goodnight to Billie and closed the door. The hall light turned off and Billie was plunged into darkness. He laid back down and went to sleep.
*The next morning*
Mike woke up to the sound of someone throwing up. He got up and went to the bathroom to see who it was. When he got to the bathroom he saw Billie bent over the toilet.
"Are you alright?" Mike asked kneeling down beside him.
"No," Billie said crawling over to Mike.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just woke up and needed to throw up. I'm cold as well."
"What are you on about Billie? You're boiling."
"I want my dad."
"You know how to get him here."
"Yeah, dad!" Billie called out.
There was no response. He tried again, but louder.
"DAD!"
Andy appeared next to him and Mike.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" he asked Billie.
"I don't know, I just woke up and I needed to throw up and I'm cold as well."
"But he feels so hot," Mike said.
"Come here son. Let's get you back to bed," Andy said getting Billie to his feet and taking him back to his bedroom.
Billie was cuddling up to his dad as soon as he sat down on his bed.
"How did you feel this morning?"
"Not good and my chest was feeling a bit tight."
"Sounds like a panic attack. Don't worry it will pass. Just take it easy, ok?"
"Don't leave me! Stay here with me please?"
"Billie, I can't stay with you. I have to go. But if you need me just call me and I'll come to you, ok?"
"Ok."
"Don't worry. You'll be fine, just drink a lot of water, ok?"
"Ok," Billie said giving his dad one last cuddle before he left.
After a minute he left and Billie was on his own. He turned on the radio and listened to the song that was playing:
"Yesterday I lost my closest friend, yesterday I wanted time to end, I wonder if my heart will ever mend, I just let you slip away, 4am forever, maybe I'll never see you smile again, maybe you thought that it was all pretend all these words that I could never send, I just let them slip away, 4am forever, why can't you hear me when I'm calling out to you why don't you listen, when I try to make it through goodbye, goodbye, goodbye you never knew, hold a little tighter, 4am forever, maybe one day when I can move along, maybe someday when you will hear this song, you won't let it slip away, 4am forever, I wish the sun would never come, it's 4am and you are done, I hope you know you're letting go, It's 4am and I'm alone, why can't you hear me when I'm calling out to you why don't you listen, when I try to make it through goodbye goodbye goodbye you never knew, hold a little tighter, 4am forever."
Once it had finished he turned off the radio and just sat there, thinking. All the stuff that was in that song had happened to him these past few months. That song was still playing on his mind when Mike came in.
"You feeling any better yet?" he asked Billie sitting down next to him.
"Not really, my chest is still a bit tight, but, dad said that it will pass soon. I'm a bit tired as well but I can't sleep. That nightmare will come back if I do."
"Well can't you think of happy things before you go to sleep?"
"No. Oh no," Billie said getting up and rushing back to the bathroom and vomiting again.
Mike came in and rubbed his back. When Billie stopped vomiting he collapsed into Mike's arms and started to shake.
"Oh, Billie. It's alright. You're just tired that's all," Mike said stroking Billie's hair and holding onto him. He thought that he should stay here with Billie today instead of going to the studio, he didn't think that Billie wanted him to go anywhere today anyway as Billie's grip was tightening around his waist. Mike knew that he was falling because he could hear his breathing slowing down.
He slowly got up and pulled Billie to his feet. He put his arm around Billie's waist and carried him back to his room, dragging his feet along behind him as he walked.
*In Billie's room*
Mike was tucking Billie in and stroked his hair before going downstairs to get some coffee. Meanwhile Billie was already tossing and turning and he was starting to sweat. The nightmare had already started.
*Nightmare*
It was a cool, breezy night in Oakland. The moon was shining high above the cold, deserted streets. It was quiet. Except for the sound of someone running away from something or someone. Billie was running towards the park where he hid behind a tree. When he looked around the tree there was no one there. He turned back and was face to face with Stuart, who was dripping blood and was holding the gun to Billie's head.
"Be a good boy, and don't scream. It's time for you to know how it feels to die. Say goodbye Billie!"
A gunshot was fired. There was a scream. Then silence fell. Then silence fell. The scream came from a woman. A woman was clutching hold of Billie weeping and rocking him backwards and forwards. The gunshot was fired at his side. He was still alive but only just. He looked up at the women and then the figure of Stuart hovering above her. He raised his gun again and aimed for the heart. He waved and fired. Another scream.
*End Nightmare*
Billie sat bolt upright screaming he was in tears and he was shaking. He looked over to the end of the bed and there was the ghostly, bloody form of Stuart holding the gun to Billie's heart and waving goodbye. Billie screamed and tried to get out of bed, but the bed covers was wrapped around him. He screamed some more when the ghostly form of Stuart began to advance towards him getting ready to fire. Billie was shaking more than he ever did now and he was shaking his head vigorously and screaming, "NOOOO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
Mike came rushing in and the ghostly Stuart vanished with a wicked grin.
"Billie! Billie! It's Alright! Tell me what's wrong and calm down!"
"He's back! He's going to kill me! He had a gun and was going to shoot me!"
"Billie, listen to me! It's not real it's all in your mind. You have to believe me! Try and fight it off!"
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!"
"You won't, you won't! Do you want your dad? If you do, call him."
"DAD! DAD!!" Billie yelled, sobbing.
Andy appeared and when he saw the state that Billie was in he rushed over and tried to get Billie to calm down.
"Billie, listen to me, it's all in your head, it's not real. You're just imagining it alright. Just fight it off!" Andy said holding onto to Billie and rocking him back and forth. He started to calm down a bit but he was still sobbing.
"It's ok, it's alright, ssh! Ssh, there's my boy, it'll be alright."
"Billie you have to go to someone, this is getting totally out of hand," Mike said stroking Billie's cheek while he was snuggling up against his dad.
"I-I-I can't. I'm too sc-sc-scared!" Billie said in between sobs.
"Billie, you said that you'd go and see someone for me," Andy said looking down at his sobbing son.
"I know, but then I started to think that I might lose you if I start telling someone I don't know about my life?"
"Billie, I'll never leave you, you're my little boy. If I could wish for anything in the world and that would be for you to be happy and to stop these terrifying nightmares and visions."
"Really, you'd wish that for me, just so that I'd be happy?"
"Of course, you're my little musical genius."
"I'll get over it, I swear, but you have to let me do it my way, without a psychiatrist."
"Billie..." Mike started but Billie cut him off.
"No, Mike. Please let me do this my way, please?"
"Fine," Mike said defeated.
"Dad?"
"If I do let you do this your way then please let Mike help you when you need some extra help, ok?"
"But..."
"Ok?"
"Ok, but only if I need it though."
"That's fine, just so long as you can deal with it."
"I will. I promise."
"Thank you."
"I'm only doing it, if you're absolutely sure that I won't lose you."
"Billie. I'm your father, you'll never lose me."
"I did though for 24 years then I saw you again and thought of how I would feel if you left me again."
"I know, and it wasn't my fault that I died of...Billie! Billie! Get up! Come on, get up! Mike call an ambulance!" Andy said, panicking as Billie had collapsed in his arms and was gasping for breath.
"Mike? Thank god! What are you doing? It's 1am!"
"I thought I heard you toss and turn and I thought I'd come and check on you."
"Oh," Billie said, calming down.
They heard footsteps on the landing.
"What is all the noise about?" Dan said holding out a gun.
"It's alright it's just us, put the gun down," Mike said.
"What on earth are you doing in here at this time?"
"I heard Billie toss and turn and I just wanted to see if he was alright."
"Oh, well can you try and keep the noise down. I have to get up for work in 7 hours."
"You're going into work?"
"Yes I have to. I've used up most of my holidays so I kind of have to."
"What about us?" Billie asked Dan uncertainly.
"Well, you might have to stay at the studio all day until I finish but I'll think about it more in the morning. Now go back to bed and get some sleep, ok?"
"Fine," Mike said and said goodnight to Billie. He went back to his room. Dan said goodnight to Billie and closed the door. The hall light turned off and Billie was plunged into darkness. He laid back down and went to sleep.
*The next morning*
Mike woke up to the sound of someone throwing up. He got up and went to the bathroom to see who it was. When he got to the bathroom he saw Billie bent over the toilet.
"Are you alright?" Mike asked kneeling down beside him.
"No," Billie said crawling over to Mike.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just woke up and needed to throw up. I'm cold as well."
"What are you on about Billie? You're boiling."
"I want my dad."
"You know how to get him here."
"Yeah, dad!" Billie called out.
There was no response. He tried again, but louder.
"DAD!"
Andy appeared next to him and Mike.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" he asked Billie.
"I don't know, I just woke up and I needed to throw up and I'm cold as well."
"But he feels so hot," Mike said.
"Come here son. Let's get you back to bed," Andy said getting Billie to his feet and taking him back to his bedroom.
Billie was cuddling up to his dad as soon as he sat down on his bed.
"How did you feel this morning?"
"Not good and my chest was feeling a bit tight."
"Sounds like a panic attack. Don't worry it will pass. Just take it easy, ok?"
"Don't leave me! Stay here with me please?"
"Billie, I can't stay with you. I have to go. But if you need me just call me and I'll come to you, ok?"
"Ok."
"Don't worry. You'll be fine, just drink a lot of water, ok?"
"Ok," Billie said giving his dad one last cuddle before he left.
After a minute he left and Billie was on his own. He turned on the radio and listened to the song that was playing:
"Yesterday I lost my closest friend, yesterday I wanted time to end, I wonder if my heart will ever mend, I just let you slip away, 4am forever, maybe I'll never see you smile again, maybe you thought that it was all pretend all these words that I could never send, I just let them slip away, 4am forever, why can't you hear me when I'm calling out to you why don't you listen, when I try to make it through goodbye, goodbye, goodbye you never knew, hold a little tighter, 4am forever, maybe one day when I can move along, maybe someday when you will hear this song, you won't let it slip away, 4am forever, I wish the sun would never come, it's 4am and you are done, I hope you know you're letting go, It's 4am and I'm alone, why can't you hear me when I'm calling out to you why don't you listen, when I try to make it through goodbye goodbye goodbye you never knew, hold a little tighter, 4am forever."
Once it had finished he turned off the radio and just sat there, thinking. All the stuff that was in that song had happened to him these past few months. That song was still playing on his mind when Mike came in.
"You feeling any better yet?" he asked Billie sitting down next to him.
"Not really, my chest is still a bit tight, but, dad said that it will pass soon. I'm a bit tired as well but I can't sleep. That nightmare will come back if I do."
"Well can't you think of happy things before you go to sleep?"
"No. Oh no," Billie said getting up and rushing back to the bathroom and vomiting again.
Mike came in and rubbed his back. When Billie stopped vomiting he collapsed into Mike's arms and started to shake.
"Oh, Billie. It's alright. You're just tired that's all," Mike said stroking Billie's hair and holding onto him. He thought that he should stay here with Billie today instead of going to the studio, he didn't think that Billie wanted him to go anywhere today anyway as Billie's grip was tightening around his waist. Mike knew that he was falling because he could hear his breathing slowing down.
He slowly got up and pulled Billie to his feet. He put his arm around Billie's waist and carried him back to his room, dragging his feet along behind him as he walked.
*In Billie's room*
Mike was tucking Billie in and stroked his hair before going downstairs to get some coffee. Meanwhile Billie was already tossing and turning and he was starting to sweat. The nightmare had already started.
*Nightmare*
It was a cool, breezy night in Oakland. The moon was shining high above the cold, deserted streets. It was quiet. Except for the sound of someone running away from something or someone. Billie was running towards the park where he hid behind a tree. When he looked around the tree there was no one there. He turned back and was face to face with Stuart, who was dripping blood and was holding the gun to Billie's head.
"Be a good boy, and don't scream. It's time for you to know how it feels to die. Say goodbye Billie!"
A gunshot was fired. There was a scream. Then silence fell. Then silence fell. The scream came from a woman. A woman was clutching hold of Billie weeping and rocking him backwards and forwards. The gunshot was fired at his side. He was still alive but only just. He looked up at the women and then the figure of Stuart hovering above her. He raised his gun again and aimed for the heart. He waved and fired. Another scream.
*End Nightmare*
Billie sat bolt upright screaming he was in tears and he was shaking. He looked over to the end of the bed and there was the ghostly, bloody form of Stuart holding the gun to Billie's heart and waving goodbye. Billie screamed and tried to get out of bed, but the bed covers was wrapped around him. He screamed some more when the ghostly form of Stuart began to advance towards him getting ready to fire. Billie was shaking more than he ever did now and he was shaking his head vigorously and screaming, "NOOOO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
Mike came rushing in and the ghostly Stuart vanished with a wicked grin.
"Billie! Billie! It's Alright! Tell me what's wrong and calm down!"
"He's back! He's going to kill me! He had a gun and was going to shoot me!"
"Billie, listen to me! It's not real it's all in your mind. You have to believe me! Try and fight it off!"
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!"
"You won't, you won't! Do you want your dad? If you do, call him."
"DAD! DAD!!" Billie yelled, sobbing.
Andy appeared and when he saw the state that Billie was in he rushed over and tried to get Billie to calm down.
"Billie, listen to me, it's all in your head, it's not real. You're just imagining it alright. Just fight it off!" Andy said holding onto to Billie and rocking him back and forth. He started to calm down a bit but he was still sobbing.
"It's ok, it's alright, ssh! Ssh, there's my boy, it'll be alright."
"Billie you have to go to someone, this is getting totally out of hand," Mike said stroking Billie's cheek while he was snuggling up against his dad.
"I-I-I can't. I'm too sc-sc-scared!" Billie said in between sobs.
"Billie, you said that you'd go and see someone for me," Andy said looking down at his sobbing son.
"I know, but then I started to think that I might lose you if I start telling someone I don't know about my life?"
"Billie, I'll never leave you, you're my little boy. If I could wish for anything in the world and that would be for you to be happy and to stop these terrifying nightmares and visions."
"Really, you'd wish that for me, just so that I'd be happy?"
"Of course, you're my little musical genius."
"I'll get over it, I swear, but you have to let me do it my way, without a psychiatrist."
"Billie..." Mike started but Billie cut him off.
"No, Mike. Please let me do this my way, please?"
"Fine," Mike said defeated.
"Dad?"
"If I do let you do this your way then please let Mike help you when you need some extra help, ok?"
"But..."
"Ok?"
"Ok, but only if I need it though."
"That's fine, just so long as you can deal with it."
"I will. I promise."
"Thank you."
"I'm only doing it, if you're absolutely sure that I won't lose you."
"Billie. I'm your father, you'll never lose me."
"I did though for 24 years then I saw you again and thought of how I would feel if you left me again."
"I know, and it wasn't my fault that I died of...Billie! Billie! Get up! Come on, get up! Mike call an ambulance!" Andy said, panicking as Billie had collapsed in his arms and was gasping for breath.
