Piece #07: When Will It End?
Song of Influence: "Day of the Lords" -- Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures
Theme: Do you remember? Love. Music. Ian Curtis. The bond of music and emotion. Oh, and consequently, Husker Du.

Sunday. A group of kids dressed in rags reminiscent of Sid Vicious walk down the sidewalk by the Dunkin' Donuts.

Ian Curtis asks "when will it end?" in his haunting, sad voice. Joy Division is playing from my car radio. Day of the Lords.

I hate driving downtown, with its crowded small streets, its lack of parking. At least the sun is still up. Rays of sunlight brighten the winter day, make it worth living through. Darkness, and with it cold, come too quickly during this season.

The heater is on low, the volume is on high, the music flowing through my soul. It strikes a chord within me. My face tingles as if I'd taken a hit of grass, the feeling slowly flowing throughout my body. I feel sadness, incredible sadness. Only Ian could convey this to me through the simple act of singing.

Depression? I'm not in its clutches. Stress? Not particularly.

Have you ever had a moment when the music would enter your soul? When the emotion conveyed would sweep through your body, greater than the most potent drug?

Do you remember?

* * * * *

I met you two years ago. In my high school chemistry class, headed by an incompetent teacher who read Death Gate Cycle books.

Don't you remember? We sat near each other, in the back. You were discussing to no one in particular about the strangeness of the element Tungsten, how it was your favourite because the symbol for it was "W."

Ah, your smile gives it away. You indeed do remember.

Now we are so much closer, yet to me it seems so much farther away.

Your body seems almost frail, your skin almost too pale. Your hair, your eyes, your smile. Seared into my memory with the simple act of a song.

Inseperable become the feelings of longing and the enlightenment a song can bring.

Do you remember?

* * * * *

"Hi!" you greet, smiling. Heh. The air is warmer already.

Oh yeah, here's your Joy Division CD back. This album's awesome, I particularly enjoyed She's Lost Control and Shadowplay. Oh, and also Day of the Lords.

"Really? That's great! Do you want to borrow another one?"

Yeah.

"Okay, I'll bring you a different album. Hey, didn't I tell you this would be your kind of thing?"

Yeah.

So close, yet so far away.

* * * * *

I don't risk jeopardizing a friendship. But... the longing is going to tear me apart...

* * * * *

"Oi! Wake up, shithead!" came a giggling female voice.

"Mmph?" he queried. His vision was a bit blurry, and there was an empty pint of Guiness before him.

He remembered. They stopped by a bar to celebrate their both being 21. He thought that she would happen to get wasted first, but he underestimated his own ability to hold liquor.

"Want me to drive? Wait, no. I order you to let me drive this time!"

He stood up, and the feeling of disorientation faded. He wasn't actually as wasted as he looked. But he wouldn't refuse such a kind offer.

"Yeah, go for it, dude."

"Ok!" she grinned, hopping off her own chair. She fished for her keys, then queried:

"What kind of music do you want to hear?"

He remembered his thoughts in the state of daze. Emotions came back, and he paused as they flowed through him.

Finally, as if triumphing over something within his mind, he grinned.

"Joy Division."

She jumped in the air, exclaiming in glee.

"Rockin'! Let's be off, then!"

As they both left the bar into the dark, cold winter streets, he once again thought of her.

Do you remember?

She clutched his arm, as if in understanding, and rested her head on his shoulder.

They stood there for what seemed to be an eternity, before getting in the car and leaving.

Memories shone through in the end.

* * * * *

She tapped the button on the CD player as they drove. Though, what issued out was something different.

"Oh!" she cried out, slapping her head. "I forgot to change CDs... I have Husker Du in there right now, is that okay?"

He chuckled. "Fuckin' A, why not?"

The song was Celebrated Summer. Funny how it didn't go with the scenery, but who gives a shit?