My teacher made us were a small dystopian story and so I felt like maybe you guys would like it.
She asked us to be the protagonist and I kinda flipped.
If you guys like it a lot I could make it a book.
Yes, I'm still working on the other short story.
Please enjoy.
Day 6
Many claimed the world ended.
Everything just fell apart. We all thought we'd be able to pick up pieces and try to put our life together but, it didn't end that way. But what would I know personally. I was born 50 years after that. Not even a trace of those who lived those times, well perhaps the older and wise knew, but,
They were usually the ones who created this new place.
This new Government by the name of J Y P.
No one knows what it means or stands for. But all I do know is, they took all our liberty of Speech, assembly, and even entertainment.
There is only one singer we can admire legally, and that is J Y P's president's daughter.
However, there were a few rebel groups here and there. Some called themselves bands, just old friends playing music in the underground. There was a popular one In this secluded city I live in, they call themselves Day6.
A code name on how to refer to them.
I was one of their many secret fans.
They were crazy, they didn't once fear getting caught. They played in the basement of a local bar, which was owned by the group leader. I personally didn't know his name but they occasionally teased him, by calling him Bob the Builder.
It was a band of five members. They all had very different backgrounds; it doesn't make sense,on how they met and agreed in playing in a basement for people who miss music and entertainment.
Occasionally I broke the laws too. Not even my parents knew, I had old albums of singers from like the 2017 era. Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, you name them. They were all safely hidden in the old blanket underneath my bed.
And occasionally, I made albums for Day6. I recorded their music and sold it in their live performances.
The members knew I sold them, because they even asked me to keep selling them. Since. It only did they agree with me on pissing off the government, their dream was to become big and famous.
Just like Coldplay once was.
The bassist, I believe his name was Young K from how the other guitarist and vocalist called him that. So I did so as well. Every girl's dream was this guy, just getting a glance from him made your heart get tachycardia. I swear, it's chronic for me now.
The drummer was often just referred to as Drum because there are rumors he could make anything a drum. Even a fork and a table.
Pil, was the nickname of the pianist. He was always nice to me and greeted me every time I'd arrive early. Sometimes he'd even compliment my choice of clothes and ask me to help him choose what to wear on the small podium made from wooden crates.
However,
The one who always caught my attention was Jae.
No,
he wasn't the most handsome guy out there.
But there was something about him that just made you love him.
The way his glasses just landed perfectly on the crook of his nose while he whispered the lyrics into the mic. While strumming the guitar. It felt like he was the very meaning of music itself.
His hair was a soft blond and I had to admit it suited the nickname Chicken little very well. I don't know where that nickname came from but it did.
He was the only member who actually knew my name. He'd occasionally point me out during their performances saying. "Hey, you see that little brunette over there. Her name's Zuley, and she has the goods...albums. Make sure to check out her stock after tonight's show."
And once again here I was, a year after becoming Day6's fan. Sitting on an old wooden table, that I swear will break in any minute now.
Staring at them, preparing for tonight's show.
I nervously kicked my feet, staring at my black combat boots and stared at the bruises on my knees I had from sneaking out my window to get here.
"That's a nasty bruise you got there." I heard Young K say as he stood against the wooden table I was sitting on. My jaw dropped and he giggled.
"Why are you so shocked that I'm talking to you. You are like our only loyal fan that shows up every Friday and Saturday night."
"You're...just too cool for my heart to handle." I managed to say as he patted my shoulder.
"Well Don't be afraid to talk to us. Heck, you could be considered our manager by now."
I laughed along with him. I had to admit his smile was a happy virus.
"I actually wanted to invite you to our practices."
"Me?" I gasped, before choking.
"Well why not? Zuley? That's your name right?"
I nodded.
"Don't you think it'd be fun to join us for practices, you know all of us becoming friends."
"Hey squares and stripes." A voice called out to me, making me look at him.
It was Jae. He smiled and fist bumped YoungK.
"Dude, did you just call her squares and stripes? At least say plaid, since that's the correct term."
I looked down, since I had forgotten what I was wearing. I was wearing a plaid sleeveless shirt over my Black dress. "What's up Jae?" I asked.
" Are you ready for tonight's show? Let me see the merch you brought in tonight." He asked as he reached for my black leather satchel.
I took it off and handed it to him. "Oh you even made photo cards, look how nice I look in this one Young K." He waved the photo I took and printed out.
"Yo guys check these photo cards out." Jae yelled out as he passed them out to the members. "She's a talented merchant. Look how nice these look."
I smiled as they glanced at them. Pil pulled out some bills from his pocket. "Can I purchase one of mine please."
"It's free for band members." I said pushing back the bills.
"But isn't that how you make money?" Bob asked, as he noticed me clutching onto my skirt ends.
"...it's not my only job. I work at the greenery."
"Boys. There's people waiting to come down here are you ready?" The bar owner asked from the staircase as he looked down at us.
"Yeah we are." Bob said while smiling.
Drum just nodded and quickly jumped on to the stage and gave his drums a few hits before giving thumbs up. Now that I think about it, I've never heard him speak.
After a certain while, the whole basement was filled with teenagers around my age, some middle aged men in suits, some few I recognized. I kicked along with the beat of the drums as Jae began to hum. Young K flashed a smile to his fans before strumming gently on his bass.
I always wished they could make it big, and not be illegal. I hated the life they were forced to live. That's what I hated about the government, they took our freedom of enjoyment.
"Hello, welcome to tonight's show. If you're new, welcome , enjoy the show, if you're that brunette in the corner I like the merch you are selling. Shall we get started?"
"3!2!1!" Young K yelled out before they started the chords for one of my favorite songs. 'I Like you'
As the show went on, I noticed the door at the very top of the staircase open, something that wasn't allowed to be done during the shows.
Once the door opened, the sounds of gunshots were heard. The show stopped and I jumped off the table and glanced towards the people who were in.
Of course, it had to be them. The government officials.
Luckily this bar had many exits.
I watched the people leaving through the back exit, I quickly stuffed all the merch into my satchel.
One of the photo cards of Jae flew into the air, I watched it fly and land directly on the floor in front of the official. He laughed and picked it up.
"So this group has been playing for a while, they even have merch."
I quickly turned trying to escape towards the exit but someone grasped my arms. And quickly pulled me off my feet. "You are the merch vendor?"
I screamed as they held me down, they kicked my back making me face up to look at the official.
He waved the photocard of Jae "Tell me where their hideout is and I'll let you go."
I just silently stared at him, to only earn another kick from the official that was holding me down. I let out a yelp.
"Well, you know what you are doing is illegal. Listening to untalent rats, selling their merch. The only star in this world is Aether. I'm giving you a free ticket out baby, tell me where they are."
I was going to spit, but someone else spoke up.
"She doesn't know where we live. She doesn't know us. I forced her to sell the merch."
It was Jae. He smiled and walked forwards and the officials immediately ran their way towards him.
He easily evaded the officials attacks, by dodging and what I didn't expect, he ran towards me and punched the main official in the face. He pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it on the floor.
It was a smoke screen. He grabbed my wrist and quickly made me follow him to the exit of the bar. He shut the door and pulled down the metal bar.
"They won't be able to escape for a while." He smiled. "Come in let's go."
I followed him into the streets.
The official vans were parked in the streets. The green lights flashing, he helped me pass behind the vans.
"We arrested 15 craze."
A common nickname for fans. It was a way to offend us.
I noticed the fans who were sitting in the vans, had black thick squared like handcuffs.
"Stop staring let's go Plaid."
He grabbed my wrist and started running into the darkness of the alleyways. We noticed more green flashing lights in the distance, and the sounds of the sirens.
"We won't be able to make it back home for the night. They'll be searching for us." He said as he kicked a metal ladder chain, making it fall down.
He motioned for me to go first, which I did, I climbed up the ladder and once I was on the
rooftop I took a seat and took a deep breath.
He quickly got up and laughed. "That was a close call. If we got arrested they'd probably publicly execute us in the town square."
I nodded and smiled at him. "Thanks. I owe you one."
He shrugged. "No need to thank me."
"Why'd you do it though? You were this close to getting arrested, I probably could've scraped by but you are a vocalist and guitarist, they'd beat you at the moment."
"I don't think it's right that fans have to pay for what we are doing." He said as he stared off into the distance.
The buildings covered in the green flashes of the official cars, the distant sirens. And the grand big city gate entrance farther off in the distance.
"Plenty other fans got caught, but trust me we are happy to be fighting for the cause."
He smiled. "Well maybe I lied a little."
"Hm." I hummed glancing at him.
"I saved you because I like you."
I laughed. "That's funny Jae. Just admit you didn't want me to give out your Information. Which I wouldn't ever."
I kept staring out at the city.
I always imagined seeing the billboards of singers, hearing radios whatever those were.
He chuckled and shook his head.
He leaned closer and placed his forehead against mine. "I'm serious. I like you."
I froze in place and just stared at him.
"I might've asked YoungK to convince you into joining our practices but it seems I almost got you arrested for being my number 1 fan. So, I think you have no choice but to stay with us. They'll be looking for us now."
I smiled and giggled. "Who would've thought, Jae confessed to his fan." I teased and elbowed him making him look at the distance with me.
"Well what do you say? Should we fight the government together? As a couple, fan and Singer?" He gave me a side glance. "My Dream is to make a show there, in the Lit City."
"It used to be called Vegas." I said smiling and imagining him, imagining Day6 on a big stage, just like one of the videos I managed to find in my grandma's attic.
"That's not an answer, it's easy. A yes or a no."
I glanced at him, and nodded. "As a loyal fan, yeah I say yes."
"Well, that's settled then. Just you wait J Y P! you won't be able to stop us!" He yelled out as he got to his feet.
But who would've thought,
This memory was still strong and vibrant as that year it had happened.
But here we were now, after fighting for several years standing side to side.
With only love keeping us together.
Losing friends along the way,
Losing many other fans, allies, And even our own dignity.
We managed to make it here.
We managed a show in the lit city.
I smiled as I watched him strum his guitar, "so this is an old song, I dedicate..to a memory of a few years ago, MyDays."
He glanced at me on the sidelines before counting off. "3 ! 2! 1!"
This dream was so far but we made it.
Day6 was no longer illegal.
Because we fought as 6 members.
Drum started drumming,
While Young K hit the high notes I could never do. Bob, danced around as he strummed his guitar. Pil, wearing the outfit choice I gave him.
"Governor Castor." I jumped at the mention of my name.
"Yes?" I asked, staring at the young lady before me.
" a lot of us are grateful, not only did you fight for the freedom of entertainment, you gave us the rights of the original constitution."
She was right. We managed not only our freedom, we managed,
The Country of our Grandparents.