Laughing in the Face of Death - Chapter One

He didn't know why he was out there. He shouldn't have been. He should be at home, doing his homework, or his chores, or something that would keep his father in a happy mood. If his father wasn't in a happy mood, then the pain would ensue. He could almost feel his father's leather belt hitting him squarely across the back. But that wasn't what was important at the moment.

Sixteen year-old Zack Mooneyham ran his hands through his long dark hair. He pushed open the door to the club. The blaring music almost deafened Zack. Sticking his fingers into his ears, he looked around the club. There were so many people there, dancing around, drinking, smoking, doing anything. Zack was shoved around a bit until he saw what he was looking for. He could have spotted him anywhere, even in this large crowd.

Zack pushed past people until he came to the bar at the far corner of the club. He wasn't sure that Freddy had seen him lean on the bar next to him. Freddy was holding a pint of beer, and he was staring into the distance. A bottle of pills lay next to his other hand, and a look of concentration mixed with worry creased his face.

"Freddy," Zack called to his best friend. Freddy didn't even flinch. Zack sighed loudly and waved his hand infront of Freddy's eyes. Freddy didn't even blink.

"Freddy," Zack tried again. "Freddy! Freddy! Spazzy McGee, is anyone there?" Freddy didn't answer. Zack cupped his hand under Freddy's chin and turned Freddy's face until it faced his. Freddy's piercing blue eyes made contact with Zack's dark brown ones. Zack held in his breath.

Freddy was gorgeous. Zack had always thought this, ever since they had started working together in the School of Rock band in the fifth grade. Over the years Zack and Freddy had grown closer as best friends, and every day Zack's love for his best friend had deepened. It hurt him so much to see Freddy slip into a depression after School of Rock broke up. After a while Freddy said that he would be okay, that it didn't matter anymore. But Zack could see that he was lying. Freddy's life went down a different path; he was sneaking into clubs, drinking from three to five bottles of beer a day, and taking more then enough pills recommended to help him with his ADD.

There was a time when Freddy was knocking on Zack's door at around one o'clock in the morning. (Zack was lucky that his father wasn't home; his mother didn't care what was going on.) Freddy was dead drunk, and, without Zack's invitation, he slumped inside of Zack's house and threw himself on Zack's bed, where he fell into a drunken sleep. Zack was too tired to object to Freddy sleeping on his bed, and almost had half the mind to join him. But, alas, Zack spread out a blanket and slept on the floor. Zack would die for Freddy if he could.

Zack jerked himself back into reality. He was still staring into Freddy's blue eyes, so he looked away, blushing a dark red. Zack knew that Freddy wasn't actually seeing him; he knew that Freddy's mind was some place else.

"Freddy," Zack said, shaking Freddy's head a little bit.

Freddy blinked for a moment, and looked around, obviously dazed. Finally his eyes rested on Zack, and he gave forth a half smile.

"S'at you, Zack?" Freddy slurred, blinking wildly again.

"Yes, it's me," Zack answered, dropping his hand from Freddy's chin. "How many beers have you had today?"

"I wanna'd go to s'x," he mumbled. "But, I'm almos' on three." Something came to him, and he added, "W'at are you doing here? Isn't your Dad gonna kill you if he finds you here?"

"He doesn't know that I'm here," Zack admitted. "He thinks that I'm at the library."

Freddy laughed in a loud, drunken way. Then he started having a coughing fit, in which he popped another bill and chugged the rest of his beer. He fixed his piercing stare on Zack again.

"So, why you here again?" Freddy repeated. Zack blushed redder then he had already been.

"I came to take you home," he said after a moment. "You shouldn't be here. You're drinking yourself to death, Freddy. You might end up dying of a drug overdose."

Freddy's face suddenly became stricken. He narrowed his blue eyes, and said, in his coldest tone of voice, "Lay off me, Mooneyham. I don't need you harping on me. I don't need your 'wisdom' in my life at the moment."

"I'm just worried about you, Freddy!" Zack exclaimed. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you!"

"Shut up! You sound like my parents! What would you know about me, anyway?"

"We're best friends, Freddy! Of course I know what's wrong with you! Don't tell me that you think that I haven't seen you popping pills during class, or drinking on the street corner. I think I even saw you doing weed once!"

Freddy slammed his fists on the table and strode off towards the bar exit. Zack was a bit hesitant to follow him. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to be around Freddy when he was in a testy mood, especially if he was drunk. But Zack would follow Freddy anywhere and right now that anywhere was outside the club door.

Freddy wasn't that far ahead of him when Zack managed to exit the bar. He ran up after him and grabbed Freddy by the shoulder. Zack spun Freddy around until he was face to face with the blonde drummer. Their bodies were so close, Zack observed, that he could have kissed Freddy without having to lean in. But kissing Freddy at the moment was not a good idea.

"Freddy, please," Zack whispered, his eyes tearing slightly. He hated being so sensitive. "Please, come with me."

Freddy looked at Zack, some of his anger melting away. Freddy hated seeing Zack near tears. Then again, he almost enjoyed it. Zack had a small pout playing around on his lips, and Freddy loved seeing Zack pout. It made Zack look, in Freddy's mind, sexier then usual. Not that Zack never looked sexy any other time of the day. Freddy often found himself staring at Zack during class, only to end up blushing red and looking away whenever a teacher called on him to answer a question and he hadn't been paying attention. Yes, it was true. Freddy Jones was in love with Zack Mooneyham. He had been, ever since the fifth grade. Freddy would die for Zack if he could.

Freddy was about ready to give into Zack's plea when there was a sound of breaking glass behind them. Freddy spun around, Zack peering over his shoulder. A group of older men where standing next to a car. One of them was holding a bat, with which he just bashed in the car's side window.

Freddy, being drunk, found himself walking up to the older men.

"Stop beating in that car," Freddy said, pointing his index finger at one of the men's chest. The man looked at him.

"Whose this?" the man said in a mock voice to all of his friends. "Are you a little tough guy? What are you going to do, beat me up?"

"Actually, I think I will," Freddy retorted. The man swung a punch at Freddy, in which he dunked. Freddy slammed his fist into the man's stomach. The man let out a scream, and one of his friends thrust Freddy backwards.

Suddenly, there was a noise that stopped Zack's heart from beating for a moment.

It was a clicking noise, followed by something that made a whizzing sound. Right away Zack knew what had happened.

One of the men had fired a gun.

There was another noise of a bullet piercing the skin. Freddy's face froze, horrorstruck. All of the color drained from Freddy's face, along with Zack's. Freddy's breathing began to slow as he slipped backwards into Zack's open arms. Both of the boys collapsed onto the pavement. Freddy's head was lying on Zack's shoulder as he blinked up at the dark haired guitarist.

Freddy's vision blurred in and out of focus. A pain numbed his body, and he was wondering if this was really death. If this was really the end of it. But at least he was dying in Zack's arms. Freddy reached one hand up to Zack's pale face and caressed it for a moment. His vision darkened. Then he saw Zack's face again.

It darkened.

Then there was Zack.

Dark.

Zack.

Dark.

Zack.

Dark.

Zack.

Dark.

Zack.

Freddy dropped his arm to his side. He felt wet, cold tears dropping onto his face.

"Freddy, don't die," he heard Zack whispering in a high tone of voice. "Freddy, please. Freddy, come back to me."

Freddy's vision darkened once more. He began to drift away. Drift away to what he thought was death. Infact, he had drifted so far away that he could barely hear or feel anything anymore.

He couldn't hear Zack continue to call his name.

He couldn't hear the sound of the ambulance.

He couldn't hear Zack tell him how much he loved him.

He couldn't hear Zack tell him that he needed him; that his life depended on him.

He couldn't feel Zack run his fingers through his spiked-up hair.

He couldn't feel Zack's kiss on his forehead.

He couldn't feel Zack's head drop onto his chest.

He couldn't feel Zack's tears dripping onto his clothes, making them wet.

All that Freddy could hear and feel, was the sound of his laughter. He was laughing as he was dying.

Or at least Freddy thought that he was dying...

Xxxxxxxx {tbc}