Social Casualty

*Calum* 2015

“Calum Hood, right?” a nurse says, walking out. I quickly stand from my seat and nod. “Okay, you can see your sister. Is Ashton Irwin here?” I point at Ashton and he stands. “You can see your sister, as well. Only family members.” The nurse walks back and we stare at each other.
“Guys, go!” Hayley says. Amber looks up from where she was staring at the wall. Michael and Luke stare at us.
“What are you waiting for?” Michael asks.
“I…I don’t know,” I admit.
“I can’t!” Ashton shouts, frustrated. “I just can’t! I can’t bear to look at my sister in this state. I can’t do it. It’s just going to tear down the walls that I’ve tried so hard to build up,” he whispers. He sits and mutters,” I can’t. I can’t. I just can’t.” Hayley sits next to him, rubbing his back and comforting him. I stand, staring, staring, just staring.
I suddenly walk outside. I can’t stand hospitals. The smell. I just can’t do it. I can’t be in there like that. Not when she’s hurt. Not when they are hurt.
I hear a voice behind me. “Cal?”
“Go away, Amber,” I say. I don’t want to talk. I don’t need anyone. I only need them. I need my sister. I need my girlfriend.
“No, Calum. What is wrong? Your sister is in there and you have a chance to see her. Why won’t you just go see her? She needs you!” Amber walks up to me. She steps in front of me.
“I can’t!” I shout. “You don’t understand! THIS IS MY FAULT!” I scream.
“No, it’s not, Cal!” Amber says, trying to stay calm. I can still hear the anger in her voice though. “How could you say that? They got in a car accident!”
“No, this is ALL my fault! None of it would have happened if it weren’t for me. I was the one that convinced Luke to go to the bar. I was the one that convinced him to just have some drinks, get drunk for once. I was the one that convinced Luke to just cross the boundaries, a little bit. I was the one that convinced Luke to keep a secret until he could fix what he had done. I was the one that convinced Luke to just let it all out. If I hadn’t said anything ever, none of this would have happened. Luke and Reign wouldn’t be fighting, Hayley wouldn’t be trying to figure this all out, Reign wouldn’t have tried to cut herself, and Addy and Reign wouldn’t have ever got in a car accident,” I say. By this time, I’m sobbing uncontrollably and shouting.
“Cal, calm down. This is not your fault,” Amber says, shocked, yet keeping her cool. I stare at her, and realize that I’ve just gotta get out.
“Amber, I…I j-just need some t-time. I need to go somewhere. I’ll be back soon, I promise,” I say. I run to my car and unlock it. I just want to drive. I don’t want anything. Just drive. Drive.
I drive for hours. I don’t stop. Eventually, I come to a small, secluded town, named Willowsburg. I see a café, named Pam’s Café. I notice that everyone is texting and calling me. I turn my phone off completely and park in the empty lot. I step out of my car. I glance at my surroundings.
To the left, I see a small, sad park. The swings slowly sway and creak, in the small amount of wind. The slide is covered in graffiti. There’s a picnic table that is infested with ants. The only other thing in the park is a lonely pole that looks like it used to be used for tetherball. There’s also a desolate post office. The shutters flip in the wind and the screen door bangs against its frame every once in a while.
To the right, I see a faded, brick building. I can barely make out the faded words on the wall. I think it says Jack’s Fabrics. The building next to it has broken windows and boarded up windows. I see a light flick on. I guess that it’s an apartment building that’s still in use.
I finally decide to walk into the café. I don’t see anyone, so I sit down at a table and grab a paper napkin. I walk up to the counter and see a pen, so I grab it. I sit down and hear bustling in the kitchen.
“Hi, the name’s Andi. What can I get you?” a girl says, walking out of the kitchen. I study her. She has bleached hair and a lip ring. She seems nice.
“Um, can I just get a…hot chocolate? It can just be plain,” I say. She nods and walks back behind the counter. I stare at the napkin and wait for my thoughts to flow. I suddenly begin to write.

Even when the sky is falling down,
Even when the earth is crumbling around my feet,
Even when we try to say goodbye,
You can cut the tension with a knife and key

Andi brings me hot chocolate and I take a sip, before picking the pen up again.

Cause I know what’ll happen
If we get through this

And if the earth ends up crumbling down to its knees
And baby,
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

And if the skyscrapers tumble down and
Crash around, and baby
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

I silently sing how the song would go in my head. I put chords with it for guitar and drums. I don’t know how my mind works this way, but it does. I can put everything together and make it match up, playing all the parts in my head. I can sing, play drums, play guitar, and play bass guitar. It’s really incredible, if you think about it. I look up and notice that Andi is back in the kitchen, making a ruckus. I block out the noise and continue writing.

Cause I feel so damn lost
And it comes with a cost
Of being alone

Everything is falling down
We’re suffering
Helpless thoughts and now we see
Prayers go to the sky

And if the earth ends up crumbling down to its knees
And baby
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

And if the skyscrapers tumble down and crash around
And baby
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

And if we fall,
It’s not your fault
Shadows covering
Our selfish foes
And as our love,
Can go out on a high note

Even when the sky is falling down
Even when the earth is crumbling around my feet
Around my feet

And if the earth ends up crumbling down to its knees
And baby
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

And if the skyscrapers tumble down and crash around
And baby
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

We just gotta get out
We just gotta get out

I read it over, with satisfaction. When my brain piles together too many emotions, a story is produced. I turn the story into a song. Music is amazing, if you really think about it. Someone takes so much time and effort to write a song, record it, and sing it over and over on a stage for people. The lengths people go to are really amazing. I can’t believe I’ve already written two songs in one day.
When we sing them on stage, I want to dedicate them to my girls. Reign and Addy are some of the only people who have never given up on me, and I hope they’ll never be taken away.
I need to leave. I need to see them. It’s time.

*Andi*

I hear the boy leave and I walk out of the kitchen, wiping my hands on a dishrag. I see him hop in a car and speed off. I walk to the table and pick up the empty mug. That’s when I see the napkin, with words scribbled all over it. I pick it up, with my empty hand, and read it.
By the end, I’m crying. Who was he? That boy is an artist. That story right there is my life story. I need to find him. I pull out my phone and dial a number.
“Hello?” Jack says.
“Hey, it’s Andi. Can you help me find someone?” I ask, hopefully. I hear a keyboard being typed on in the background and the repetition of a mouse being clicked.
“Yeah, what did he look like? Anything stand out?” Jack replies, quickly.
“Um, black hair, darker skin, he had a lot of tattoos. An MMXII one, a bird with a name under it, a feather, and a few others,” I say, thinking hard.
“Okay, Calum Thomas Hood, born January 25, 1996, one sister named Reign, dating Adelaide Irwin, and in the band 5 Seconds Of Summer,” Jack says, reading off of his computer screen.
I nod slowly. I suddenly realize that Jack can’t see me nodding. “Okay,” I say slowly. “Thanks.”
“Yep, no problem,” Jack says.
“Anything about where he lives?” I ask, suddenly. I could find him.
“Uh, yeah. He lives in Sydney. The west side. I don’t know the street address though,” Jack says. I can tell he’s really concentrating.
“Okay, thanks. Why did he drive all the way here, though?” I ask, confused.
“I’m not sure. The only thing that’s here is our base. And it’s not like anyone knows about it,” Jack replies.
“Alright, Jack, well I need to go. Bye,” I say, about to hang up.
“Wait!” Jack shouts. I stop and listen to what he has to say. “Just a warning, but keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“Jack, I’ll be fine. Okay?”
I hear Jack sigh into the phone. “Okay. Bye,” he says, hanging up the phone before I can say anything else. I guess I better get going.
I walk back behind the counter and go to my locker. I pull out my black skinny jeans, a plain black tank, a ripped My Chemical Romance tank to go over it, and my galaxy Vans. I quickly change and grab my bag.
I race out to my car and turn the radio up loud. Rolling Stones. I grab my phone and click on GPS. I type in Sydney and get directions on how to get there. I start the car, and start my long drive to find this boy. And I have no idea why.

Notes

Hey, yeah, I know I haven't updated in forever. As usual. I've been really busy with my friend who has been going through some hard things with depression and my cousin was bullying her. So, yeah. Go read Gotta Get Out by my best friend Maddis_is_into_drummers. She's the one who was bullied, so go give her some love!
-Emily x
<3<3:)