They had busted up the place. A magnificant job. Mercy had done her best, and hey had all
worked together. It went like clockwork. Stumbling in the door, the four of them threw their stuff by
the sofa, and Zac and Mercy plopped down, putting forth a great sigh. Zac would be asleep in minutes.
He always used up so much energy when he played. He was a maniac.
"So what do you guys think?"
Dorin always asked how his family felt about a performance after all was said and done. Just his way of keeping
the vibes flowing.
"I think we did awesome. I mean, we rocked up. Kicked it. I think everyone was satisfied with their show, I know
I was."
Mercy looked up at Jeremy who was standing behind her, looking at Dorin. By this time, Zac had fallen peacfully asleep
in his older sister's lap. They had to be the closest nit in the family. Mercy and Zac did everything together. They boarded,
played hockey, took walks, went to the mall. Everything. They were unseperable.
Jeremy was looking down at Zac.
"Mercy. He won't really talk to anyone but you. How come? I mean, I want to talk to him too."
Mercy felt bad. She didn't really understand why it was her shoulder Zac had chosen to lean on.
She could see that he was having a tough time with life at the moment, but why did it have to be her? Their mom had died on her way back from taking Zac to a friends house, a really awful
car crash, and of course, Zac blamed himself for something that was so out of his power. They had been left to the
custody of their step father. Why did it turn out that way? Who knew. In either event, it was not a good situation.
Their step father had been a wife beater, as well as an achoholic, and was known at times to get high, on anything that he could.
More often then not, he was home when he did it, so all the kids grew up thinking all that was ok.
Later, after he had reeked his torture on Zac and his siblings, he left. Just like that, gone, and never to be seen again.
Great responsibility. Needless to say, Zac had been in some trouble, and Mercy and Jeremy had some how by passed all the abuse, the drugs
and the boos and kept themselves pretty clean. But by the age of 10 Zac had already found himself getting high more than once a week,
and by now, after all the quote un quote "rehab" places he had gone. He was completely changed. To add on top of that, they had moved from California,
a rough edge of town, and one two many times had they seen some one they loved killed over something as stupid as a bike or a car. Zac's best friend
included. None of them to say the least were the same, but zac was not the same as
the happy child he had been in his youngest years.
"Jem, don't you think that if I could, I would make him talk to you guys. I can't even get him to talk to his best friend, I don't know why
he looks to me ok. I'm sorry, I would make it happen if I could."
It was one of those fearful moments, Jem felt like he wanted to cry. So far, the previous years had not been the best for him either. He often blamed
himself for the extent at which Zac had been abused. If he had been around, at least part of the time, he could have relieved some of the
weight resting on Zac's shoulders. At the time though, that was almost unheard of, their brother had been only eight and nine at the brunt of their
step father's abuse, Jeremy had been about twelve, and Mercy eleven. They just went with their older brother Dorin, leaving Zac alone. It wasn't until now that
Jeremy really felt bad about it.
"Mey, do you think that he'll ever talk to people. I mean, ever? He's got such a great personality, do you think he'll ever show it?"
Zac did indeed have a great personallity. He was happy, a jokester. A life lover. When he was clean he was completely fun to be around,
and he had a great sense of humor, for a 12 year old.
"Jem, I don't know, but can you help me get him to bed, my legs are falling asleep."
Jeremy bent over and lifted his feather like brother from Mercy's lap. Zac stirred, enough to know he
was in jeremy's arms, then placed his head on Jeremy's shoulder, and fell back to sleep. Jeremy ached inside.
It was things like that that made Jeremy want to really know his brother. It hurt inside.
Jeremy placed his sleeping brother on his bed, and pulled his shoes off. Being carefull not to wake him. He slid Zac's
feet under the covers, and pulled them up around Zac. He looked so peacful.
Dorin could be heard through the complex. Zac's eyes popped open. He had had a good nights sleep. Peacful, and completely
reviving. He had played his heart out last night. A great performance. It was times like that that made him think that he
and his family could make it to the top of the charts. They were better than hanson anyday.
"Zac, get ready, hurry up or you'll be late."
Dorin was the legal gaurdian, or he would be when he was 18. He was only 17 now. He was a fatherly figure, better
than any of the ones mom brought home. He got them up, took them to school, signed papers, helped them with homework.
He was great at his job. Zac stood up, realizing he was still in last nights clothing, and desperatly wanting to take a shower.
That's how they played. By the first 20 minute mark, they were all sweating like pigs, and hot. Zac stripped off his baggy pants and walked to
his dresser. Finding a nice pair of blue jeans with wider legs than his waist, he pulled them out, unfolded them to examine, and
threw them on his bed. He went to the next drawer, rumaging through for a shirt. Finding one that was 'freshjive' he unfolded it, examined
it too, and threw it on the bed. He walked to the bed, picking up the jeans then hopping around to get them on without sitting down.
Then peeling off his shirt, he threw it on the floor and grabbed the freshjive one from the bed. He felt somewhat descent, not great though.
"Hey Zac."
He looked up. It startled him. Usually, every morning he was left to himself to get dressed, get breakfast, make his lunch, and get in the car. None of his siblings
came to wish him good morning. Jeremy stood in the doorway, not making eye contact but looking at the posters on the wall. Zac had to admit, his choice of
Man eating dragons, and rabid animals on the walls were not the most appealing, and someone had to think he was a little strange.
"I was just wondering, if um, you wanted me to like make your lunch or something."
Jeremy was completely dressed and ready. It was a nice thought. Zac just shrugged his shoulders. Jeremy dropped his head.
A great sigh escaped his lungs and he was fighting back tears. K Zac, I'll go make your lunch. Zac's lips were dry.
He always hated confrentations like that. Where his brother Jeremy, tried to get him to talk to him. He didn't know why, but he
just couldn't say something to someone. It took a lot of courage, as strange as that may sound.
"ZAC! HURRY!"
Mercy's voice could be heard from the kitchen. Zac grabbed a pair of socks and his shoes and ran from the room. He threw himself on
the sofa and started pulling his socks on.
"Where's Dorin and Jeremy?"
Mercy looked from behind the fridge door. The look on her face was confusion.
"Did you just ask where Dorin and Jeremy were?"
Ok, so it was rare that Zac asked about his brothers, and it was more rare when he said
a complete sentence with them in it, other than 'shut up!'. Mercy's stare made him feel
small. He averted his eyes.
"Aw, Zac I didn't mean anything by that."
Mercy finished up what she was doing in a hurried fashion, and grabbed her lunch off the counter.
She walked to Zac and sat down ont he sofa by him. He was putting on his first shoe.
"Zac, I really didn't mean anything by that, I'm sorry."
Zac didn't look at her, just kept putting on his shoes.
"Zac?"
"Mey, you make me feel like I'm really stupid when I say something besides yes and no."
"Zac, I'm so sorry, I don't mean to belittle you in anyway, you know that right? It's just,
you said it so loud, and, and, well, you don't usually care where they are."
A honk was emitted from outside.
"Come on Zac, lets move."
Zac stood.
"Where's your lunch?"
"Jem said he'd make it."
"Well lets go then, hurry."
Zac and Mercy picked up their packs and headed for the door.
"Hey Zac, my brother said you guys rocked last night, wish I could have beent there!"
Zac just smiled. Even though Tulsa was pretty big, it was surprising how many people actually
knew who the band 'what's who' was. Almost as well as everyone knew Hanson was from Tulsa.
A lot of the kids at Zac's school had brothers and sisters that were older than them, and
constantly frequented their shows. Over the past couple years, they had aquired a reputation
as being pretty good for just kids. Everyone at school knew someone somewhere that they had told about
Zac's family, and so, they had quite a few fans. Zac just nodded at his friend.
"Do you guys have another show this week?"
His friends were his advertising. The entire school would know within an hour if Zac was
going for another show. He shook his head.
"Nope."
"Hey Zac, I gotta idea."
Zac's friend had a big grin on his face. A devious look.
"I'll tell you about it at lunch okay."
Zac shrugged. The bell rang and the halls became more and more empty. Zac made his
way to his first class. 4 hours to lunch.
"SCHOOL! DANGIT GUYS SET YOUR ALARMS!"
As Zac walked down the hall to his first class, one of his few friends ran up to him.
