Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2002 11:48:21 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) From: David Grimstone <grimstone@btinternet.com> Subject: After Dark 3 After Dark by DCG ############### DISCLAIMER ############### The usual disclaimer applies as per usual. I don't mean to imply anything about NSync or anything they do or think. But *my* character Chris, who is based around a real person is, yes you've guessed it, completely and utterly gay and THAT I DO want to imply!! Also, I am mentioning music that people have had the inspiration to write and compose and perform and I want to impart that the piece used here is Virgin (c) music and EMI (c) music, and theirs and the artists alone... Also, kids, bugger off cause your too young, and the same goes for those who don't like this stuff...All that being said............... Authors Notes: Hey there folks...Here is chapter 3 of AD and I hope things are going ok for everyone out there and that the story is to everyone's liking...Now the question is whether or not Chris and Joey are ok and where *my* Chris is...?? All question and new questions will be answered very soon...but now lets see what happens when the dust settles on that snow covered morning... Suggested Reads: Chapters 100+ of JC's Hitchhiker deserves the read of the day just because he has reached the pinnacle that is triple figure chapters...well done writerboy69 and keep up the good work... Important Note: Nobodies reading this I'm sure, but ha-ho... I have come to realisation that music is a pivotal part of my writing. It influences me immensely and guides my storylines without effort. I listen to a fast paced piece of rock music and the pace of the story increases, and the sentences shorten, and the action becomes slicker. I listen to a piece of background music, or classical music, or soundtrack music for that matter, and it goes the opposite way...and everything slows down and I put more thought into the scene in general, and the thoughts of the characters take a more prominent role...With this in mind, I have decided to attach a piece of music to each chapter, as sort of a theme for it. It will be the piece of music that influenced me the most in my writing, and was more than likely the piece of music I was listening when i wrote it...Some pieces may surprise you, or they may not!! Oh, and if someone else has already done this in their work and feels I have stolen their idea without asking, then please let me know and I'll stop... Enough of me and on with the show... ***************************************************************************** Last time in After Dark... Moments later it was all over and all that could be heard was the distant sound of sparks dancing over the car remains almost as if in celebration. Smoke covered the vehicles entirety and Joey and Chris remained unmoved on the ice covered floor... And now, the continuing story... ***************************************************************************** After Dark by DCG Chapter 3 - Fading Signal... Music: Any Other Name by Newman (from the American Beauty Soundtrack) JC appeared at the ajar chalet door seconds later, music playing through his earphones, and a piece of toast in his hands...The piece of burnt bread was an after thought as it dropped to the floor and JC skipped down the three steps to wooden walkway that took him away from the chalet. JC effortlessly hurdled the guard rail that surrounded the descent to the driveway. His quick movement led him across the icy driveway, forever intent on reaching Joey and Chris... The grip he had maintained on his CD played flinched for a second as he clipped the fence edging the chalet grounds. It dropped effortlessly to the ground, shattering on impact. JC didn't look back to acknowledge it. Across the road, in the now shallower snow, Joey opened his eyes for the first time. He blinked away a pain that throbbed beneath his temple. He shied his gaze away from the bright sunlight as he looked upwards...He then looked to his side, to Chris. But he didn't see movement, his eyes were closed, and his breathing looked shallow... A bite of fear crept up Joey's spine as he contemplated the possibility... 'Is he....' he thought, but he couldn't finish as the overwhelming urge to go to his beat friend overcame him. He tried to move across, almost shimmy to his best friend, to the silent Chris, but he couldn't... The slight throbbing pain in his head returned with a vengeance, and it stopped him in his tracks. JC reached their sides seconds later, breathing heavy, and visibly concerned. He looked straight to an audibly pain ridden Joey as he tried to think of what to do... "Stay still Joe...Stay right there...(pause) (hands on head) What the fuck!" he exclaimed, hands still an his head, as he then knelt down to check on Chris, who was still unconscious. "What the fuck happened?" shouted an almost always calm Lance as he appeared from behind JC's leant form. His face showed nothing but complete and utter confusion. He didn't know what happened here, or what caused it, but all he did know was when he looked out through the front door, what he saw, he didn't like. His normally business like manner then kicked in and took control... "Jace...give me your phone..." ordered Lance as he looked down to Joey, and Chris, the pair of them helpless on the floor. JC quickly retrieved his phone and handed it to Lance. Lance didn't wait a second longer as he flipped it open and dialed the three telltale digits, 9.1.1. JC knelt down on one knee and reached eye level with a now sitting Joey. he placed his hand on his shoulder, a look of complete sincerity and concern mapped his features and Joey looked up... "You ok Joe?" asked JC "I'll be ok once I get my ass out of the snow." coughed Joey as he turned and looked down at a now murmuring Chris. They both stared down to watch Chris open his eyes to the world and look straight up to see the concerned looks of two of his best friends. He didn't speak right away, but paused. Seconds later Justin arrived at their side, his dressing gown half 'dressing' him as one side laid arm free down his side. "What the hell happened here?..." spouted Justin as he edged his way past Lance and towards a still silent JC and Joey as they watched Chris' glazed eyes return to some normality. "Oh shit...are you ok Chris?" continued Justin as he the enormity of what just happened began to dawn on him. He looked down at the still active car in the distance, and then back to a slightly bloody and concussed Chris, and it cleared up immediately... "I feel tired." whispered Chris as he blinked his eyes clear for the final time In the background, on the drive to the chalet, Britney stood in awe of the scene. To her it was something out of a movie. It was surreal, and un-nerving at the same time. She didn't utter a word as she looked at the car down the road. The smoke still registered in her nose, and the heat still emanated from there... It mesmerized her. She started to walk along the edge of the road...not towards the injured friends...not back to the chalet...but to the car. Back across the street, where no-one attentions had turned to the wandering Britney, Lance still hadn't been able to get a signal. He knew it was a possibility that the bad weather of late, and their remote location would count against them, and right now it was, big time. He had stood for over a minute with the small phone glued to his ear, listening to the fading sound of a signal as it disappeared along with any hopes of help. One by one, as Lance's frown began to appear on his face, the attentions of all his friends turned to him. "Nothing." said Lance as he calmly pulled the phone from his ear and clasped it shut. Justin reacted as he always did, and kicked the silent snow before uttering a few profanities under his breath. JC just took the phone back quietly, looked at it before placing it back in his pocket and reaching down to help Joey to his feet. Joey didn't say anything at all as the silence extended across the scene. He just accepted JC's offer of help and raised himself to his feet. He paused for a second as he straightened his back after a shot of pain echoed through his head, but he waved JC's attention away a second later as it disappeared. Lance also reached down, but to help Chris up. He was decidedly more awake now that he was a few minutes before, and he seemed to have his wits about him. It took a second or two, but they stood alongside each other and then began to make their way inside, Justin leading the way. The sparks continued to exude life as they danced their merry way across the charred and lifeless hulk that was the car. Britney was now just a few yards away from the vehicle. Debris littered the road, from a hubcap to a shattered side mirror. She could now literally feel the heat emanating from the site. At first she wondered what could have caused this, accident. Then she began to wonder if it had been an accident at all. Then the trigger thought ran in front of her eyes.. 'Whose car is this?' "Brit...don't go near there..." shouted Justin from the chalet as he turned to see her stood just a mere few feet away from the car... Britney turned her head and acknowledged his plea, and turned to leave... As she turned around on her way back inside, and as she lifted her head level, and as she scuffed her feet through the trailing snow...her right foot hit something more solid and defined than soft frozen water...She stopped, and looked down... "OH MY GOD!!!" ***************************************************************************** There we go folks...Scene 3 of AD finished and posted. I hope you like it so far. Plenty more thrill rides to come, but the question remains, what the hell got Britney so shocked? Ah well, we'll soon find out in the next installment of AD...Please feel free to get back to me and let me know what you all think, even at this early stage!! (grimstone@btinternet.com) Talk laterz DCG