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Jay couldn’t believe it! He was playing at the Rivoli! The crowd was cheering! They loved the band! Him and Matt had achieved their dreams at last!
Wait, where was Matt?
Jay looked around for his friend. “Matt?” He asked. “Where are you?” He couldn’t have gone far. This was a small room. Or at least it used to be. He was in a dark void. All alone.
Then he saw Matt. He was at the electrical box. Jay had to stop him. He had to. He couldn’t let him die. Jay ran as fast as he could. But Matt just kept getting further and further away.
“Matt! Let go! It won’t work!” Jay yelled. It was too late. The lightning struck, and the world became white.
Jay awoke in his cell. He had the Matt dream again. He would probably have it every night for the rest of his miserable existence.
He had plead guilty to everything. He lied and said it was on purpose to get the maximum sentence. It was what he deserved. He deserved to rot in prison.
All of this was his fault. If he didn’t try and run from his life, Matt would still be alive. If he didn’t break that orbitz bottle, Matt would still be alive. If he didn’t kill that guy, Matt would still be alive.
He should’ve shot himself with that fucking gun. It was Bird’s favorite game after all. Not Luke Lalonde’s.
What he wouldn’t give to have that gun right now. He never really considered what would happen after death. Perhaps black nothingness. Perhaps he would’ve gone to hell. Matt probably would’ve been there too. At least they could be with each other for eternity.
The guard came by to give him his food. Water, some unidentifiable grey sludge, and an apple. Barely enough to keep you going. He took a bite of the apple, and a sip of water. He refused to eat the grey sludge. The other inmates said it tasted good. He didn’t believe them.
Yard time.
He hated yard time. On a good day, he could see the CN tower. The tower that defined the Toronto skyline. The tower that they jumped off in one of Matt’s last plans. The tower that ferried the lightning that killed Matt. A reminder of all his failures.
He never did much during yard time. He just kept to himself. The inmates made fun of him. A famous superstar going to jail? That’s something you don’t see every day.
The worst part was that they had all heard that stupid song. That terrible horrible song. He hated that he made that song. No, he didn’t make that song. The Jay of this timeline made that song. The Jay that left Matt. The Jay that became famous. The Jay that had a gun in his tour bus.
Why did he have that gun? Was the other Jay-
Jay’s thoughts were interrupted by yelling. A fight! Maybe this was his chance! He ran over to where it was happening. A big buff guy was beating up another big buff guy. The inmates were cheering them on.
“Hey, don’t you guys wanna beat me up? Don’t you want a chance to beat up a famous popstar?” Jay asked. Everyone stared at him. “Come on, beat me up! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!” Jay waved his hands in the air, as if that would help with anything.
One of the inmates that was watching the fight walked up to him and kicked him in the balls. It hurt. A lot. “Come on, ow, you can do better than that! Punch me in the head! Do it! Do it you coward!” Jay yelled.
Before any of that could happen, the guards came. Yard time was over.
Jay sat in his cell. He should’ve asked to get his head punched in first. Or maybe he should’ve angered someone. He should’ve made one of the big buff guys really mad at him. Then he’d probably be beaten to a pulp.
This was why Matt was better at coming up with plans. He knew almost every angle a situation could be approached. He should’ve been here in prison with him. He should’ve gotten a longer wire. A wire that would actually stay in place.
They should’ve gotten another bottle of Orbitz from the apartment. No, Jay would’ve broken that bottle as well.
A lightning bolt in every bottle. That slogan wasn’t even real. Matt just made it up on the spot. Whatever was in that drink could cause time travel. How could that have happened? Maybe it was those jelly blobs.
Orbitz was one of the most important inventions humankind had created. How had no one else discovered it before? Unless they did.
Who cares. Jay certainly doesn’t. He doesn’t care for much anymore honestly, except for dying. He waits for it. Counting down the days until he draws his last breath. Counting down the days until he can finally escape this hellish world.
It’s time for bed.
Jay never knows whether to sleep or to try and stay up the whole night. He will see Matt in his dreams, yes, but that’s not really him. Only a facsimile created by his subconscious of his last moments. Dream Matt brings him no comfort. Dream Matt doesn’t make plans. Dream Matt only stands at the electrical box. Waiting to die again and again.
It should’ve been him at the electrical box. But that’s the past, and it cannot be changed.
Jay succumbs to the pull of sleep. Like he does every night. Like he will every night. Until he dies