And the Stars up Above - Chapter 22

May 4th, 1987
Mike

“This present is from me and Steve.” Ollie said and smiled towards Mike. She didn’t have a present in her hands, so Mike wondered what she meant. “Come on, let’s go outside.” She said and rose.
“What? Why are we going outside?” Mike asked and put down the bass he’d gotten from Billie. He had been unable to put it down since he got it, but now he was confused. Yesterday Billie had told him that he was getting a tree, which of course had been a joke, but now Mike feared that it hadn’t. A tree in the Armstrong’s garden, how wonderful… Mike looked at Billie Joe who winked at him, Mike’s eyes widened and he mouthed ‘no way’ towards Billie. Billie Joe nodded and mouthed ‘yes way’ back. Mike followed Ollie and Steve and everybody else followed him, except for Brad of course; he probably didn’t think Mike’s birthday was worth going outside.

They stepped out the door and onto the front porch. They continued down to the driveway where Ollie told him to stop.
“Close your eyes now.” Mike did as she said. “Billie, make sure he doesn’t peak.”
“It’ll be my pleasure.” Billie Joe said with delight and Mike felt Billie’s warm hands on his face, covering his eyes. “And Jason, if you'll cover his mouth…” Billie Joe said and Mike immediately felt Jason’s hand cover his mouth. “And maybe David could go and get the rope.” Billie Joe joked and Mike laughed against Jason’s hand, which quickly disappeared. “Nah, I’m just kidding man.” Billie Joe laughed.
“Yeah, I kind of guessed.” Mike answered and put his hand backwards to try and find Billie Joe’s hair to ruffle it. What he did find was Billie Joe’s eye.
“Ouch, what the fuck are you doing?” One of Billie Joe’s hands disappeared from Mike’s face and Mike guessed that it was to cover Billie’s own eye.
“Shit, I’m sorry man.” Mike breathed out. “Are you alright?”
“No, I’m not, I’m fucking blind! Aaah, I can’t see a thing on my left eye! Mum, MUM! Mike just poked my fucking eye out!” Billie Joe shouted. “Oh no wait, it was just closed that was all. There, now I can see again.” Mike laughed; Billie Joe and his sick jokes. “There’s no need to be worried, I’m all right!” Billie Joe stated, but nobody answered so Mike guessed that nobody except him had believed Billie to begin with. Billie Joe’s hand came back and covered Mike’s eye again.
“So, how are you feeling? Excited about your tree?” Billie Joe said in Mike’s ear. Mike jumped; he hadn’t been ready for it.
“You have no idea.” Mike said. “What can it be, an oak? A pine tree? Or maybe even an asp!” Mike heard an engine being turned on, it sounded like it came from the Armstrong’s garage. Then he heard a vehicle of some sort coming closer, Mike guessed that the engine he’d just heard belonged to the vehicle. The vehicle stopped, and without shutting the engine off somebody stepped out of it. Mike heard the door of the vehicle shut at the same time as he heard his stepfather’s voice;
“Okay, you can open your eyes now.” Billie Joe’s hands left Mike’s face and Mike opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the bright sun. He then caught sight of a van standing on the Armstrong’s driveway. It was the van he had planned to buy. Mike’s jaw dropped; they couldn’t have…?
“How do you like your tree, Mike?” Billie Joe grinned towards Mike when he saw his face. Mike pushed Billie Joe aside without taking his eyes of the van and Billie Joe stumbled to gain balance again.
“Okay Mike, here’s the deal; Mrs. Armstrong and I have bought this and it’s yours now, but you’ll have to pay for half of it yourself. Sounds okay?” Steve said. Mike nodded in amazement.“And Mike,” Ollie continued. “you’ve got a job at Rod’s Hickory Pit now!” she said and clasped her hands together. Mike smiled widely. “But just because you’ve got your van now, doesn’t mean that you can live there all the time. You can live there until David moves out, but then you will come to live with us, just like we’ve said.” Mike blinked at her. This was definitely the best birthday he’d ever had.

May 4th, 1987
Jason

Jason came home from the Armstrong’s house and Mike’s birthday party around 11pm. He still had a smile on his face and he was humming a tune from London Calling, the present he had given to Mike. He could still see how Mike’s face had lit up when he opened the gift and saw what Jason had given him. They had been listening to it all afternoon; Mike and Billie just couldn’t get enough. Jason though that the record was alright, but not the best thing he’d ever heard. Not that he knew what the best thing he’d ever heard was, but he did know that it wasn’t London Calling.

He opened the door and stepped inside, thinking of nothing in particular. He took of his jacket and shoes and started to whistle. He walked into the living room towards the kitchen to get a sandwich before he would go to bed. He never got to the kitchen.

A light was lit in the living room as soon as Jason stepped inside. Jason stopped in his tracks and saw his father sitting on the sofa, facing him.
“Where have you been?” his father asked and Jason swallowed hard, trying to fight the urge to run.
“I was at a friend’s place. It’s my friend’s birthday today. I told you yesterday that I would be gone, remember?” Jason said faintly. His father rose and started to circle around Jason, like a raptor trying to decide how to kill its prey.
“Friend you say?” he stopped behind Jason. Jason shivered and clenched his fists tight. “Since when do you have friends, Jason?” his father asked. “Who on earth would want to spend time with you?” Jason didn’t answer. “That’s right, no one.” his father whispered, Jason swallowed. “So tell me Jason, since you don’t have friends, where were you?”
“I’ve already told you, I was at a friends place.” Jason said and closed his eyes, waiting for what was to come.
“It’s really cute that you’ve got imaginary friends and all, but you can’t let them keep you from doing what you are supposed to.” Jason felt his father’s hands on his shoulders. A single tear formed in Jason’s eye and slowly ran down his cheek as one of his fathers hand travelled from Jason’s shoulder to his head and gripped his hair.
“Please don’t.” Jason whispered.