CHAPTER 4

Mindfully Erased

English went as well as one would expect. Luna was just happy to escape with her life. It was more of a "Lucy" subject, anyways. All she cared about now was the bell ringing one last time, along with the ax she held tight in her grasp. Six strings looked back at her, grinning mischievously as they awaited the tune she was prepared to unleash. No nightmare or frightening thought could keep her from the one thing she loved the most. She defeated the school day. Now it was time to rock.

As the halls became silent, Royal Woods high shook underneath the power of Luna's mighty foot breaking down the music club's door, her guitar glistening against the dim lights. Three other souls inhabited the room, with none having to look up. Each one cheered while their guitarist lifted her weapon to the sky with pride. Her trusted companion through thick and thin; All her problems vanished against its metallic body.

Her smile grew. "So, guys?" she started quiet, feeling her passion burning deep, "Who's ready to blow the roof down?"

Beside her, holding his hands firmly against an electric keyboard, the young man known only as Sully shot his bandmate a thumbs up. "Oy, luv! Glad you're on fire! Got freaked out you lost your mojo!"

Sam tell them? Nah, they probably knew since lunch. If she wasn't at the very least air-guitaring, then it was obvious she was troubled. Felt nice to know they were worried, even if there was guilt involved. She gave the young man a thumbs up. "Heh, I never lost my mojo! Some problems, but nothing kills rock!" She stuck her tongue out, much to the delight of everyone there. Sully let out a war-like cry, while their trusted drummer, Mazzy, rolled both sticks in her hands, gazing at the snares before her. Even with obscure eyes, it was impossible to deny her enthusiasm.

And to her side, adjusting the amps with glee, Sam gave her a comforting look. Her bass was ready to shred, and Luna was ready to accompany it. There was clear evidence of worry on those eyes, but as the two looked at one another, those fears went away. This was their time now, and both wanted it all.

Her girlfriend, and her band. Three individuals that, for one reason or another, chose to follow her down this path of breaking every eardrum they came across. Bring every country together through their power of rock. It always sounded so cheesy, but Luna needed that. After feeling insane, just being with them felt like a treasure. Heck, she started doubting if she ever felt off. Good; that felt perfect.

But if that was true, why the heck were they standing in silence. Her face contorted to a raging demon, ready to do exactly as she promised. "All right, guys! Let's rock till the stars play with us! Sam, start us off!"

Her girlfriend shot her a smile, before becoming a devil like her. "Tch, my pleasure!"

Luna felt her hand raise high, her favorite pick resting between her fingers. They were to drop straight down upon the strings, bringing the world her cacophonous tune. The power of rock destroyed everything in its path, and she was proud to cause it all.

It struck against the strings, and all hell broke loose. Sadly, not the hell she was used to.

In an instant, as if the world snapped a quick flash photo, everything around Luna changed. The pick fell loose from her fingers, toppling against her purple foot, before coming to a rest on a ground most foreign. The lights of the club room disappeared, along with the sterile environment of Royal Woods High. In its place, a dark hallway covered in dust and grime, barely illuminated by a lone lightbulb hanging overhead. What were once bright and colorful tiles formed around on the floor, leading off towards open doors that bled into an endless darkness.

It was so spontaneous, Luna barely had time to register what had happened. Nearly twenty blinks at last let her comprehend her situation, feeling her guitar slide from her grasp. "W-Wha the heck? W-Where's...?" Was all she could say, eyes bugged by the bizarre change before her. Her gaze darted in every direction, feeling the shadows watch with sinister intent. Her body twisted back, only to see yet another path leading to an unknown location. No band: No Sully, no Mazzy, and no Sam. In whatever hell she found herself trapped in, it was clear that she was all alone.

Not that she was willing to accept that. "Sam! Guys! Where are you?" she shouted, feeling her feet move forward. Every step brought along a creak below, as if the tiles were ready to break apart, plunging her deep into a void she'll never escape. Though her nerves shook the further she moved, she refused to stop. Whatever was happening, she had to escape. Her mind was losing it, wasn't it? She had to hope that was the case.

"Come on, where is everyone? Somebody, please answer!"

A screech came from down the hall, like that of a chair suddenly shifting against glass. Luna's heart stopped as the sounds of heavy feet echoed through the darkness, prompting her knees to kick into overdrive. Though the path ahead continued to grow, she pumped her energy as much as she could. "Is someone there? Where am I?" she shouted against the shadows. She took every turn, every path, reaching a conclusion that never arrived. Every step brought her deeper into the darkness, only aided by rows of dangling bulbs flickering on-and-off, like a twisted horror movie come to life. Each one made her nerves dance on end, driving her head crazy.

"Dammit, what the hell is this?" She felt like tearing her hair off.

It was happening again. She had to be losing her mind. Music gave her no comfort; only a one-way-ticket to her apparent demise. First the mirror, and now this. How on earth could stress mess with her this much? It couldn't be that, but if it wasn't, then what was wrong with her? Did somebody know, or was she all to blame? She didn't know, and no matter what convincing she gave herself, she was trapped with fear. All alone in a dark world that refused to let her go. No point in holding the tears back; she crumpled up to her knees, hands against her head.

"I just want to go back. Please. Just let me play with my band..."

That was when she heard something rather horrific. The screech played out again, joined now with a distinct cry. A woman, broken down beyond repair. Her wails vibrated against the darkness, enough to make Luna nearly collapse to the ground. They truly cracked open her heart, flooding the young rocker full of guilt and misery. She heard melancholy before, but this one held a different tune. Loss. Complete loss of something never to be recovered.

And in amongst that sadness, there was a nostalgia in that voice. A voice that Luna knew very well, yet couldn't quite put her finger on.

She listened to it echo loudly, leading her over to a lone set of doors attached to nothing. Against the dark hallways, the bright lights illuminating from within proved to be a welcoming sight. She slowly dragged her feet towards it, flinching as the cries began to fill the world, until they were the only things breaking through. She had no idea why she chased after it. Everything within told her it was a bad idea, and yet she refused to stop.

Was it someone she knew? Perhaps it would the answers she sought.

Beside her, she saw nothing, but heard another voice chime in. "She's suffering again, I assume? How long has it been since the last attack?"

Another sounded frantic. "We were doing awesome, but then she... it just flared up out of nowhere. I... I don't know what to do!"

Luna's hands were on the knob. Her body shook itself dry; fear brought forth surprise. She knew that second voice. "D-Dad?" she called out, feeling her gaze grow blurry. She tried peeking through the lights, but could only see brightness looking back. The voices on the other end continued.

The mysterious one seemed concerned. "I guess I should've figured. Rita's a tough one, but if she's in pain, we need to help no matter what."

Another heart attack. Rita? Her Mom? Luna's hand trembled against the metal door, almost as frightened as her presumed-father. "But what can we do? If she's not over it, then what can... dang it, I feel so powerless!"

She never heard her father sound so hurt. Even when she got angry with him, or if things didn't go his way, never in her life did she hear that sort of pain. Even amongst the wails of the mysterious woman, it sounded like a man truly without options. She pressed her head against the door. "Dad... what's going on? Where's Mom?" she asked.

The other voice folded their arms, sighing in defeat. "I... don't know. I really wish I could help..."

Her father grew angry. "But it's your job! How can you not help? She's your friend, isn't she?"

"You don't think I know that?" The other one shouted, distress evident in his choked-up words. "I... I can't blame her. I really can't..."

A snap sounded against the door, and the light seeping through disappeared. Luna yelped, nearly falling to the dirty ground below. She once again reached for the knob, only to find her fingers unable to turn it. Eyes bugged out, she struggled with it, but to no avail. If she was able to pass through before, the pathway was now sadly closed. She groaned in anger, slamming a fist against the checkered window.

"Dad, open the door! What's wrong with Mom?" She yelled through scattered tears.

In her tears, she saw the window re-illuminate. She stood stunned at the sudden light show playing before her, though noting that it held a different feel. Where the previous one was like a standard room, this held a rather ghostly sensation, one that sent shivers down her frightened spine. It bled through to the dark hallway, but checking closely, Luna was able to make something out on the other side.

Three silhouettes, none that matched either of her parents. Instead, they appeared tall and well-dressed, with jackets running off their bodies. Doctor uniforms? It was a hospital after all. Her mouth spoke "What the hell?" but no sound came through. Only the distant crying, and the distress evident in her new guests.

The first was clearly the man from before. "I can't tell her. Dammit, I can't do it!"

Luna gulped. "He's talking about Mom again, isn't he?" She pressed her ear against the window, listening as the other two audibly shook their heads.

"We have to," bemoaned the second man, holding a voice similar to an ox. Definitely not her dad. "We... we did everything we could."

"Did we, really?" The first asked again, his shadow ready to strangle the other. Luna awaited the second one to respond, but it never came. He could only hold his hands in the air, taking a step back while the third guest walked up. That only served to make the first one angrier. "If you gave me more time, then I could've-!"

"Enough!" shouted the third one, palm held straight in the air. The first man recoiled, while the second one fell away. Both watched the other stranger, who truly was the eldest one there, fold his arms behind his back, shaking his head. "It's your duty as a doctor to tell her the truth. Trust me, lad. She needs to know."

The first one looked ready to scream. "I get that, I do! But... I can't tell them that. They trusted me, and I... dammit!"

A comforting hand from the second one put the first one at ease. "We'll be with you. We have to face her, no matter what. We did everything. Things just... slipped away. That's unfortunately life. You know that."

Luna was ready to cry as the first man seemed to accept it. "... You're right. Dammit, why did this happen? Why?"

No more. She wanted to leave. What was happening with her mom or dad, or what the heck those guys were even talking about, were starting to become distant. She wanted to escape this nightmare; that's all this was, right? Just a simple pinch should do the trick. She needed to wake up and rejoin the band. But nothing she did work. Those men were on the other side, and her mom was seemingly in pain, or worst.

And perhaps that lone fact brought her out of her despair, and reawaken the anger. "I have no idea what this is, but she's not suffering anymore!" She turned back to the door, hand still resting against the knob. "Mom, hang in there! Don't you jerks do anything to her!"

She yanked and yanked, ignoring how raw her knuckles were becoming. All the while the screams grew in intensity, joining with a ferocious wind that nearly knocked her off her feet. The silhouette's disappeared, plunging the room into darkness, but that did not distract Luna. Whatever was happening, she refused to give up. If her family needed her, she was going to reach them, no matter what.

"Open up! Dangit, Just open your stupid-!"

The knob twisted, and she was forcibly shot into the room. Her legs managed to catch her as a bright light enveloped her. She held her hands close to her eyes, hoping to block whatever attack was coming her way. It moved too fast for her to comprehend, a whistling sound compounding on the headache that nearly split her body into two. She screamed, trying to fight the intensity back.

"What is this? Stop it!" She begged.

The crying stopped. The voices faded away, and the dark hallway became a distant memory. Her eyes blurred against the brightness, but even a small squint revealed where she wound up. The ceiling matched it all perfectly. Iridescent lights flickering rapidly, watching her like angels from afar.

That damn dream. It found its way back, catching her at her most vulnerable. Only, there was one small difference. One that both brought confusion, as well as dread.

Her eyes looked to see a familiar figure standing close. A red shirt covered their shapely body, hovering above brown pants that hugged against the legs, barely hiding the feet underneath. Both were nothing, however, compared to the tear-strewn face of their owner. Luna scanned them, every fiber of her being trembling as she looked at them face-to-face.

The blonde hair never lied. "M-Mom?" Luna spoke breathlessly.

Rita Loud, looking like a broken vase slowly being rebuilt, looked at her daughter, the tears growing in intensity. She reached out a hand, preparing to run a large distance, even if the two were only a foot apart. Perhaps on instinct, Luna reached out her own hand, yet no matter how close, the two never met. Another joint of pain soared through the rocker.

"Luna, don't go!" She heard her scream, before the light became too much. Luna screamed as her mother vanished in the haze. She yelled for her mother, but nobody responded. Only the bright lights gave her any company, before even that began to fade away rapidly. Tears were all that remained.

"I hope you found peace," the wind silently vanished, never to fly again.

And as much as she tried to avoid it, she had no choice but to blink. One click, and a brick wall appeared before her. Luna stared at it, recognizing it immediately as part of the music club. She was back, free from that torturous nightmare. The hospital was no more; it never was to begin with. Just a freak-out. None of it was real.

So why did she not want to leave it behind? She held her hand with her own. "Mom...," she spoke with frightened breaths. Eyes shut, she didn't register the three standing behind her, all in their own states of shock.

"Oy, luv, you all right? Jeez, you've been scarin' the livin' daylights outta me!" Sully spoke, holding his keyboard close.

Sam approached Luna, holding her shoulder tight. "L-Lunes? Are you all right?" she asked. While her girlfriend didn't turn to study her, it was clear the blonde was terrified out of her mind. "What the heck is going on with you? You've been speaking to the wall for thirty minutes!"

Speaking to the wall? Was that what she was doing? So none of that happened, then? Just another mirror incident; her mind was losing its sanity for no apparent reason. Luna at last looked at them all, realizing how red and puffy her face was becoming. Sam flinched back, shocked by what she had seen.

"L-Lunes..."

If one were to ask her, Luna couldn't honestly answer why she ran out of the room. She didn't bother telling them a thing, and didn't even catch her guitar still lying kindly on the ground. All she did was nearly break down in tears, before shoving her way to the door. She heard her bandmates, her sworn friend through life, giving chase, but they soon faded away as she burst out of the building. The evening sun offered no comfort; it could only watch as the young rocker cried her way back home.

"I'm sorry, Sam," she beat herself up, before quickly picking up the pace. "What's wrong me? Why can't I...?"

The doctors, her frantic dad, and her frightened mother reaching out. All three played rapidly in her mind, along with the voice of that man she swore looked familiar.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm... I'm truly sorry."

"Leave me alone!" She shouted.

Luna disappeared down the road, hoping to find sanctuary in her home, if that could even happen now. She needed help. She needed anything to survive.

Her mind was already lost.