A Second Chance
Chapter One
Kevin Richardson sat near a window on the bus, reading a magazine. The Backstreet Boys were on tour again, it had started up in January, the new tour for the release of Black and Blue. It was a dreary, rainy day, so none of the guys on the bus seemed to mind being cooped up.
"Hey Kevy," Nick called out. "Toss me that pillow next to you."
"Sure," Kevin replied. As he grabbed the pillow, pain shot through his hand up his arm. He stopped for a moment and tried again, barely able to grasp it.
"Hey old man, was that difficult for ya?" Nick playfully teased.
"Ha ha," Kevin replied dryly.
He rubbed his hand, trying to take the stiffness out of it. It seemed more and more lately he was having arthritic pains in his joints. He knew the family curse was happening, but he was hoping it would delay until he was well into his forties. He was only twenty-eight and he felt more like he was eighty-eight.
He sighed as thought about it more. There was a genetic trait in his family that caused advanced aging. His Aunt Marian died at the early age of forty-eight, but she looked like she was seventy-five. The curse was primarily in his family, it didn't effect Brian's family even though they were related. Kevin had done research and read hungrily on books of the occult and black magic and found references to his disease and how to do a transference of the disease.
'I can't do this, but I can't stand being this way any longer,' Kevin thought to himself.
The transfer of the illness was only good when it was someone that was young and close to him. Someone he was near constantly. Nick was the only one that Kevin could use and he was getting a little tired of the endless jokes and tricks that Nick would say or play out about the aches and pains that Kevin had. There was always the risk that the transference would escalate the aging process in the victim, but that was just a risk and that's what Kevin was banking on.
Reaching into his carry on bag, Kevin pulled out a box of hot chocolate mix and a small white pouch that contained the medicine that would enable the transfer to take place. He gingerly made his way back towards the kitchenette on the bus and filled a mug with water and placed it in the microwave oven.
"Hey Kev, what ya making?" Nick asked as he stared into the microwave, watching the blue ceramic mug turning.
"Hot chocolate, it's from Germany, want a cup?" Kevin asked. He knew Nick had a terrible weakness for hot chocolate.
"Boy, that does sound good, sure why not," Nick replied as he slumped his body into the booth at the table.
Kevin nodded and pulled another cup out and filled it with water. He pulled the first cup out of the microwave and set the second cup in and punched the timer buttons.
"I'll fix yours first," Kevin stated as he tore open the envelope and dumped the cocoa mix into the mug.
"What's the white stuff?" Nick asked as he watched Kevin pour the magic mixture into the mug.
"Oh, it's a special creamer, it makes the cocoa taste smoother," Kevin lied. "Here you go Nick," he said as he placed the cup in front of his friend.
Nick took a sip of the light brown liquid, a chocolate moustache appeared on his upper lip. "Mmmm, this is really good."
Kevin turned away quickly. He couldn't bear to look at Nick's face. He felt remorseful for what he was doing, but there was no turning back now, nothing could be done to help Nick.
+Chapter Two+