Faint

Ashley's POV:

Everything happened quickly.

After discovering that Courtney wasn't backstage waiting for us in the wings, time itself seemed to momentarily stop. Only to increasingly speed up, making the next few crucial moments a blur. I don't remember much of that time, only briefly recognizing her discarded phone, abandoned somewhere backstage, the horrific note from my sister's captor, and red and blue flashing lights paired with a loud siren. Everything else after that is blank.

Andy was, if possible, even more lost without her than I was. He loves her, in a different way than I do, but I never expected for her lack in presence to affect him so much. When she was first taken by that asshole from her school, we all freaked out. But at least she had her phone, and we were able to track along with communicate with her. Now, we had nothing. Absolutely no way of finding her. And she was just, gone.

The police asked us a vast series of questions, none of which I could find myself answering. I was lucky to have the guys with me, since while they were obviously shaken up and angry about the situation, at least they could still function. Partially at least.

Jinxx and Jake took the job of answering and talking with the police. They gave a description of her, showing a recent photo of her and Andy from Andy's phone; that simple task nearly causing for Andy to breakdown. The police assured us that after twenty-four hours was up, the limit time for a disappearance to become a full scale investigation, they would have police officers out scoring every crevice of the country practically. While the thought was reassuring, I felt lost without her.

That night, after regretfully making our way to the tour bus, we all collapsed in our separate bunks, avoiding contact. She had brightened the entire bus up, I realized while sullenly thinking of my lost baby sister. She made everything happier, brighter, despite all the shit that had happened to her, she still managed to make people feel happy and wanted.

I had lost so much. My parents, my sister time and time again. And she had dealt with so much crap. She had been bullied, lost her family, went through anxiety and panic attacks on a daily basis and still had something to smile about. She was a survivor, this wasn't how her story was supposed to end. I wouldn't let it.

I needed her. I needed her support that her tiny frame offered. I needed for her to comfort me whenever I missed our deceased parents. She was so much more than a sister to me, she helped me whenever I was stressed, she cooked and cleaned without so much as a complaint. She was willing to forget about all her problems just so that she could help us with our own. And dammit, if she didn't deserve this hell.

No one did, but especially not her.

Notes

Start off of Faint! The sequel to numb!!!
I Decided to really begin the story from Ash's POV, right after she disappeared. Thoughts on Courtney's whereabouts?

love you all
xoxo