Epilogue
Orlando Florida, Planet Hollywood
6 pm
It had been a month starting today since AJ's funeral. The death that shocked
the world since Mother Teresa and Princess Di in 1997. Over ten thousand fans,
admirers and well- wishers had attended the funeral uninvited.
Like a nightmare to the boys, AJ was
dead-, how was that possible? Harsh reality.
Aaron was ridden to a wheelchair until
further recovery from waist down. Johnny was arrested that same day of...of AJ's… Kevin Richardson, the oldest member of the
nearly deceased group, the Backstreet Boys, rolled up the automatic window of
their black stretch limo conveniently parked before the entrance of planet
Hollywood to repent camera flashes.
A huge red carpet was rolled out
before their limo and ropes alone steadied press and fans.
The original four, Kevin, Brian, Howie
and Nick sat silently together in the limo. Brian was first to break the
silence, despite the commotion outside.
"So, we're really gonna do
this?" he asked, looking around at the others.
They nodded simantainously.
They were all resigning tonight. No
one even knew about it. It would come as a big shock to the press, and the
fans. Despite the hundreds of record companies that begged them to sign- they
had decided to end the group for good tonight, in their hometown of Orlando, in
front of half a billion people crowded around Planet Hollywood.
Kevin sighed. "Orright guys, this is it, we're doing this for?For
AJ." It hurt to even say his name.
"Right Kev. This one's for
Boner," Brian said, smiling slightly, outstretching his had in front of
him.
Slowly, Nick did the same, covering his hand over Brian's, and Howie then
followed, closing his hand around Nick's.
Kevin was last to join in, him being
the oldest, his hand settled gently above the rest. He closed his eyes, the
fusion was back again, almost like an outer body experience for Kevin, he
stepped aside himself and saw them together for the very last time.
Nick blinked away a tear, then suddenly he noticed AJ. Perhaps his eyes were
playing tricks, but he saw AJ. His spirit at least, a faint transparent blue,
sitting between him and Howie, hand on top and below theirs holding the group
together, smiling. Though his hand was second from last, Nick felt the chilling
effect of AJ's spirit.
He seemed to be the only one who
noticed him, everyone else's eyes were closed. He blinked again and AJ was
gone; he was staring at an empty space where he used to sit.
Crookedly, he smiled. Perhaps the
group had died, but the spirit hadn't… and it never would.
The End
***
