Bzzz bzzz bzzzzz

Meike’s alarm woke her up in a jolt. The first thought that came across her drowsy mind was the coolest and creepiest dream she had with Jimmy. It seemed so real and intense she could almost believe it really happened. But, of course it didn’t.
She got out of her bed, went to the bathroom and started talking to herself.

“Wow, can you imagine… having a chat about the afterlife with one of your idols as if it was the simplest thing in the world… nice imagination, Meike!” she looked at her amused face on the mirror before bending down to wash her face in the sink. When she got up to take the towel, her eyes opened slightly in response to a goosebump she suddenly had.

And there he was again, those piercing blue eyes staring at her with that same cocky smile than last night’s dream shining on the mirror. She jumped in a fright with her back facing the sink and Jimmy’s silhouette had disappeared as fast as it appeared, on the second she turned to face him. “FUCK!” her hand was dragged automatically to her chest, pressing it hard as if her heart was going to pop out.

Yeah, my mind keeps playing tricks on me. When this madness is going to stop, please?

She took a few minutes to recompose and walk back to her bedroom. And that was when she heard:

“Mommy!!!” Leon’s high pitched scream affected his mother’s ears like a sharp knife. She thought right away he had probably hurt himself.

“What is it, honey, what happened?” she ran quickly to the sound of his crying coming from his bedroom.

“I had a bad dream, mommy…” his teary puppy eyes broke her heart as soon as she entered his room. He extended his tiny arms to her and she hugged him tight enough not to hurt him.

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” She was making circular movements on his back to calm his sobs.

“Jimmy said goodbye… And he let me be all alone in the dark with a huge monster, mommy, it was so scary.” She felt her son’s body shaking on her arms and that scene made her feel so angry she could jump on Jimmy’s neck if he was real.

“Baby, calm down, it’s over now, you know it was just a dream. It wasn’t real. Shhh” she kissed him a lot of times before he could finally stop crying. “Hey, you know what? We go downstairs to take our breakfast and then I’ll take you out for a walk before kindergarten, what you think?”

“Okay, mommy…” he cleaned a few tears left on his red eyes and smiled brightly at his dear mom. She knew how a kid can forget about those things in seconds.

They took their breakfast and got dressed quickly to open the front door to a beautiful and pure blue sky filling their views, not a single cloud could be seen. Not so typical lately.
Meike gave her hand to his son and they walked to the main street a few blocks away from their house.

“Mom…can I ask you something?”

“Of course, honey, anything you want.” She gave her sweetest look at him.

“Dreams can come true sometimes?” she frowned at his serious kid tone. He sounded so grown up now.

“Yes, of course they can. Why are you asking?”

“Jimmy didn’t come to play with me today.” he said with a really sad feature which broke her heart again.

“Maybe he’s busy, Leon. He will come by later, you will see.” She didn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth but she had to comfort her son now. He nodded with that sad puppy eyes insisting on him. She swore to herself, if that guy was really there, she would kick his ass for upsetting her son like that.

They kept walking with the warm sun bathing them when something caught Meike’s attention. A tall figure passed by her and crossed the street. She knew that crazy hair, she knew that black outfit too well. She forgot instantly about her disbeliefs and didn't think twice before following him

“Come here, Leon, let’s go that way.” She crossed the street and could still see that tall guy walking ahead.

He turned the next corner and she did the same. If I had to beat him to the ground for disappearing from my son, that is the time. His path got progressively slow until he stopped, without looking back. Meike accelerated her steps, forgetting a little about Leon’s tiny legs and she finally reached him. When she raised her hand to touch his shoulder he vanished from her sight like smoke.

Just as she was about to curse really loud close to her innocent child, she noticed Leon paying attention to a couple of street musicians playing in front of them. His eyes were glowing at the sight of two girls strumming their acoustic guitars on a bench in front of a small square.

“Mommy, look, they are playing that song you like!” he pointed at the two girls. Meike tried to find Jimmy for the last time before crossing the street to where the music was coming from. She was so impressed at how Leon had remembered that song and how he knew she liked that one very much that her anger vanished like magic.

“…A life to heal the broken heart with all that it could…” the girl with a vivid green veil covering her hair sang this line with her eyes fully closed. Every single word she sang with her soft voice sounded overflowed with emotions, like she really shared a big connection with that song. Meike just couldn’t help but grin at how that melody sounded right on a woman’s voice.

“I tried to heal your broken heart with all that I could…” the other girl, a red-haired one, continued and they kept singing the verses alternately until the chorus, where they sang together showing a discreet smile to each other in a perfect matching duet, which they had probably created on their own. Meike never thought she would be hearing Avenged Sevenfold songs out there on the streets.

She was so immersed into that beautiful performance she wasn’t aware that there was a tall guy standing next to her now.

“They are really good, aren’t they?” the guy whispered on Meike’s ear and she jumped, disguising her startle in a second when she saw who was there.

“Oh my god, don’t you ever do that again!” she tried to mumble those words too, even though she was scarred as hell for the second time that day.

Yeah, it wasn’t a dream. Definitely wasn’t. He’s real.

“Sorry… But I had to bring you here. I know you would like this as much as I do.” When Jimmy said that, Meike finally realized how meaningful that song must be to him. It’s practically an outflow to Jimmy and she had the privilege to listen to that while he was standing by her side. She felt a few tears forming on her eyes but didn’t let it show.

“Why does my son cannot see you anymore?” Leon’s attention was fully to those girls playing, he wouldn’t hear her mumbling with the air.

“Cause I needed to talk to you again. I forgot to mention something important.”

“What is it?”

“Since I’ve been sent down here again, I always appear to kids that have some kind of connection with Avenged or music in general. Most of them, sons and daughters of our fans. And after our talk last night I guess I’m finally assembling the pieces of this crazy puzzle…” he waited a few notes from their guitars and Meike stared at him, anxious for his answer. “Maybe my mission here is to show to those kids a path to find out about their musical gifts. So that’s why I want you to truly believe me you should take Leon to the festival, he would be fascinated. You gotta show him how this world can be colorful and beautiful if seen through music’s eyes.” Meike could feel how hard he was trying to convince her through the brightness of his glare. She listened to the song while thinking about what to say next.

‘Sleep tight, I'm not afraid
The ones that we love are here with me
Lay away a place for me
'Cause as soon as I'm done, I'll be on my way
To live eternally’

“Okay, Jim, I’m gonna talk to my husband about it and we’ll see…” she finally gave in.

“Yes! Fuck, I knew you would agree with me!” he almost hopped around her in happiness.

'How do I live without the ones I love?
Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned
Place and time always on my mind
And the light you left remains, but it's so hard to stay
When I have so much to say, and you're so far away'

“Oh no…that part…fuck, you have no idea how it still…hurts…” he was talking about the song. His joy went away immediately to the sound of the sad notes from the guitar solo. They stood in complete silence, shivers consuming them both.

‘I love you
You were ready
The pain is strong and urges rise
But I'll see you
When it lets me
Your pain is gone, your hands untied’

The singers’ frowned together to that part and their voices sounded like they were on a big stage even though they didn’t have a single microphone in there. Meike wondered how they would react if they knew Jimmy was there almost crying while watching them.

‘So far away
And I need you to
Need you to know’

Leon and Meike applauded the end of the song and the two girls grinned at them, waving at him. Meike took a few changes on her pocket and gave it to Leon, telling him to put it on their guitar case. He went there happily and the musicians started to chat with him and show him their guitars. Meike smiled.

“How often you’ve been cursing around my son really?” she asked without looking at him, trying to break that painful vibe that built around them with that song.

“Hmm… maybe a little more than I should?” Meike gave him her killer corner-of-the-eye look but couldn’t hold her smile at the cute way he said it. The moment she looked at his eyes, she wished he could be alive, cause he would make a hell of a friend. But he already was her son’s friend and that was enough for her by now.

“Jimmy, can you make him see you again? He misses you…”

Silence. Only Leon’s laughter could be heard.

He was gone.

Again…

Notes

sooorryyy for the delaaay!!! There it is...do you happen to know those street musicians Mei? muahahahahahahah i guess u do...=p