Forever - Johnny Cade

Chapter 7:

My eyes fluttered open to meet the bright sunlight shining through the window above the bed.

I don't know how long I slept for, but it must've been a long time because the afternoon heat warmed up the tiny room.

I got out of bed and stretched, my vision going black and fuzzy.

I walked over to the door and opened it, a slight creak erupting as I stepped out.

It was a bit cooler out here.

I walked into the living room, it was pretty much empty except for Johnny, who was sitting on the couch, a lit cancer stick between his teeth, the TV on.

"Hey Johnny" I greet him as I walk over to the couch, "oh, hey Kins" he says as he moves over a bit to make space for me.

I smile as a thank you and sit down beside him, looking at the TV which played a weird movie, "what are you watching" I ask, "I don't know, I just started to watch it" he says with a smile as he looked over to the screen.

He inhaled more of his smoke, and then let it escape his mouth as he released the smoke.

"Umm Johnny?" I ask him and he turns to look at me, "yeah?" he asks "Could you um... maybe quit smoking? I know it's not my place, but I don't want you to get hurt by those things..." I tell him honestly.

I wouldn't ask any other of the members, but with Johnny... it was different somehow.

 His widen a bit as I asked him, but he ended up pulling the cigarette out between his lips, "o-okay, I'll stop, Kins" he says.

I smile as a thank you, but it faded once I realized I had to go get my stuff from the house.

"What's wrong?" he asked, eyebrows narrowed.

"I got to go get my stuff" I tell him as I stand up from the couch.

"Can't you wait till the gang comes back, and then they can go with you?" he asks, "I just want to get it over with" I tell him honestly.

"Then I'll come with you" he says as he shuts off the TV and gets up from his spot on the couch.

"You don't have to" I tell him, "yeah, I do, you will need help bringing your stuff over" he says as he grabs his denim jacket and puts his arms through the holes.

"Okay, thanks" I thank him as I walk out the door.

I felt better knowing Johnny was with me.

I don't really know why, he wasn't much of a fighter, but it must've been the fact that I wasn't going alone.

"Thanks for coming with me, Johnny" I thank him as we near the house.

"Yeah, no problem" he says.

We finally reach the front porch of the house.

I heard no yelling, talking, things breaking, or the TV playing, so I assumed no one was home, and I opened the door.

The house was as we left it last, broken bottles and glass everywhere, cans laying around, furniture broken, and blood stains on the hardwood floor. It also still reeked of alcohol and cigarette smokes.

I try to ignore the goosebumps working their way up my body as I look at the spot where I found my brother... dead.

I take a deep breath and make my way to my room, trying to make this the fastest trip possible.

Johnny followed along behind me, avoiding all the cans and bottles that littered the floor.

I finally reached my room after manoeuvring my way through the mess.