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It made sense, Luke thought, that Reggie was the first to go. After all, he was the bassist, and more often than not, the bass is felt rather than heard. It was like that with Reggie, too.
Sure, Reggie talked almost constantly, and he wasn't quiet about it either, even in the early hours of the morning, when everyone should be asleep. But he also had an energy about him that couldn't be replicated, the kind that meant on the off chance he actually was quiet, you would feel his presence before you actually heard him.
And so, when he slipped away quietly, while the paramedics were too busy helping Alex and Luke to notice, his energy vanishing before their eyes, Luke noticed before the EMTs did.
When Reggie's death was noted by the paramedics, Luke turned to see his friend one last time, his skin paler than it had ever been and glassy eyes closed gently. And with that, Luke knew he would be a goner too.
Sunset Curve could never work without their bassist, and there was no way they were going to replace him. Not just in their band, but in their lives.
Alex was next, a desperate fight from the paramedics to save him failed before even leaving the scene, just like with Reggie. His death was noticed faster, though, and Luke couldn't be surprised. Alex was their drummer, and when the drums are gone, you know.
Drums are louder than bass, after all, and are the backbone, the metronome of most songs. Drums kept the beat, kept the time, and the melody seemed lost, meandering without a meter to help solidify it, without them.
Just like Luke without Alex, without Reggie.
Luke lasted a few minutes longer, just long enough for them to get onto a main road en route to the hospital. It still made sense to him, at least. From the hazy fog enveloping his mind as his world faded to black, he could only think that some of his favorite songs ended on a final note from the lead singer, after the bass and drums had faded out, and the last note on the guitar rang free.
His life was a song from the very beginning, after all. His thoughts were the lyrics, his friends the instruments, the world around them created a melody for them to play to.
But songs were meant to be short, and Luke's ended on a tragic note, it would seem.
His last breath sounded like a choked laugh, to the paramedics, and as the last of the life drained from his eyes, he smiled.
And his melody of life faded out.