The Rockstar Chronicles

Lyrics

Rehearsal that afternoon was much easier. It was still too early to say for sure, but it seemed as if the group was finally coming together. They were beginning to move as one unit instead of five opposing forces going in different directions.

Tom especially was doing much, much better. I think Mrs. Crabtree reminded him of his grandmother and she began to come early so that she could work with him individually before everyone else arrived.

A sense of pride came over me as I watched Tom begin to depend on himself instead of following the others in the mirror's reflection. One day, he even corrected Ryder on a movement, which led to a lot of good natured teasing.

They were becoming a band of brothers, but they never made me feel left out. I was included in every band meeting and every rehearsal. I began to wonder what it would be like to drop my plans of a leading a normal life and to go with them. My research on boarding schools slowly took a backseat and I honestly didn't mind.

Some of my best memories are of that summer. And some of my most bittersweet.

***

Suddenly, it was August and the blistering heat and suffocating humidity overwhelmed my day to day life. Just walking to the car in the early morning light felt as if I was walking through a sauna. But the evenings were by far the best.

At Bridge's cabin, it was like magic was happening every night and we didn't even know enough to wish we could bottle it. It slipped through our fingers like precious jewels.

Slowly the sun would retire from its unrelenting battle to smother us under the heat of day and it would sink behind the tree-covered hills, throwing long shadows over the fields they overlooked. Then the lightning bugs would come out, twinkling like fairies in the woods.

I loved catching them and we often made a game out of it. One night still stands out vividly in my mind.

Bridge sat near the fire pit in his usual pose. It had long been much too hot to start a fire, but he liked to stare into the ashes as he wrote. I sat near him, doodling on a piece of paper that was rapidly becoming hard to see in the failing light.

"Come on, Lindy," he said, pencil pressed against his lower lip as he thought. "You have a way with words. Help me wrap up this story." He had a habit of calling his songs stories.

I scanned the verses and at once fell in love with Bridge's words.

The old cabin in the woods,

Had seen better days,

A gift from a stranger,

As he went along his way,

At night in the country,

The lightning bugs gather round,

Magic hiding in the trees,

Waiting to be found,

I slipped among the weeds,

Searching for the light,

But every time I reached for it,

It disappeared from sight.

At night in the country,

The lightning bugs gather round,

Magic hiding in the trees,

Waiting to be found,

"But I don't know how to finish it, Lindy," Bridge said, gazing earnestly at me. "I want it to mean something, you know? And I don't know how to make it mean something."

"Maybe we should join the others and see what happens," I said, grinning. Bridge sighed and propped his guitar up against a nearby stump. He hated leaving a song when he was close to the end.

The woods were cloaked in darkness and a heavy perfume filled the air. The lightning bugs blinked in front of me and I hurried forward, reaching out to catch one.

It was important to be careful with them. They were fragile creatures and I didn't want to hurt them, just wonder at their magic for a minute before returning them to the night sky. I watched as the tiny bug crawled around my hand before lifting its wings and disappearing into the darkness.

"Having fun?" Ryder said and I jumped. I had believed I was alone.

"Yeah," I dusted my hands off on my shorts. "How about you?"

He shrugged. I stared hard at him, trying to see his eyes in the gloom. Ever since his brother had gotten in trouble, Ryder had been acting differently. Nothing so strange as to alert others to his change in manner. Just a slight, subtle quietness.

"You looked really pretty," he said and then he stopped.

I waited, unsure of what to say. "Thank you?" I ventured and he chuckled.

"It looks like that one got away. Come on," he offered me his hand. "I'll help you catch another one."

All around the glen, the boys were whooping and hollering as they argued over who had caught the most and loudly called out the latest number. I hesitated before reaching for Ryder's hand. It was warm in my own.

We laughed as we searched the trees. We all knew it would soon be fall and the lightning bugs would be gone. Again and again, I captured a bug only to release it. Every once in awhile, it would glow in either mine or Ryder's hand, illuminating our faces with an eerie light.

"We should probably go." I heard Grady say finally. "Lindy? You ready?" I started to answer and then I stopped.

Ryder was staring at me once more and I waited. He's going to kiss me, I thought. I could barely see him in the twilight gloom. Slowly he leaned closer and I closed my eyes. I held my breath as nervous butterflies filled my stomach.

"Lindy?" Grady said as he appeared next to us, glancing between me and Ryder. "You ready?"

I glared at him, but he couldn't see my expression. It was far too dark. He definitely sensed something else was going on when Ryder said, "I guess so. See you later, Lindy." He dropped my hand and stepped back.

"Yeah," I said. I bit my lip. I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved or disappointed. There's always a next time, I thought.

It never crossed our minds that night that it was the last time that summer we would all be at the cabin together.

As we left the woods, the lightning bugs faded away.

Lyrics, twinkling out of sight.

**********

Okay, guys, I want to hear from you! What do you think about me entering The Rockstar Chronicles in the Watty awards? I would like to go for the People's Choice, so if you enjoy this story, please stay tuned for how to vote for it in the awards and in the meantime, please spread the word on social media and to your friends to read it! I think all the reads and votes will make a huge difference!

Update coming soon!