the stand

stephen king

the stand

Taylor sat on his bed, spread out before him were a selection of magazines, he was cutting out various parts of them. Ike was watching from his own bed.

"What are you doing Tay? Finally giving in and decided to make a collage of 'girls I want'?"

Taylor shot him a sneering look but with love behind it, "Mom asked me to cut some advertisements out of some magazines, she said it has something to do with what she's teaching Jessie and Avie tomorrow."

"Oh..." said Isaac, then with a smirk.. "Teacher's pet."

"Teacher's son," corrected Tay and they both laughed.

The sound of a door opening and shutting interrupted them. Zac was slowly shuffling across the floor, his head engrossed in a book.

Isaac wrinkled his nose, " Zac were you in the bathroom that whole time? Shut the door man... don't want you stinking out the whole room."

Zac was so engrossed he didn't even hear Ike's comment. There was the start of a frown on his face, Taylor caught it.

"Zac..." no response, "hey Zac!"

Zac looked up, " Uh?"

"Whatcha reading?"

Zac raised the jacket of the book so they could see it.

"Oh.." Taylor nodded and smiled, "The Stand, loved that. Really good book."

"We read that last year didn't we?" Asked Ike.

"Year before I think," said Tay.

"Didn't Zac read it then?"

"Nah he wasn't allowed... remember? Mom said he had to wait, it was too gruesome."

"I didn't think it was that gruesome."

"Yeah well Mom's funny sometimes... I guess that book got to her. Hey Zac why you frowning?"

"This doesn't make sense." Responded Zac without looking up.

"If it doesn't make sense you must quit " muttered Ike under his breath.

"Huh?" said Taylor, "what?"

"It doesn't make sense," said Zac again, more definitely this time.

He looked up. "It doesn't make sense. What happened to us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we hear all this stuff about people all over the country and how many people died and everything but it never mentions Oklahoma... none of the survivors seem to come from Oklahoma."

"Surely there must have been some?"

Zac shook his head, "Nah.. none."

"Maybe you haven't come across them yet?"

"Nope. I finished the book already, I've spent the last hour trying to find mention of Oklahoma just to be sure."

"And there's none?"

"None."

Taylor sat back, "Wow." That was strange.

"What did you think?" Asked Ike, "of the book?"

Zac smiled, "I found it rather sweet actually... I mean I know there's so much chaos but the way it ended... it was sweet."

"I'll bet they could use that on the dust jacket one day" joked Isaac, "'Sweet' - Zac Hanson."

He laughed and Taylor grinned.

"Well what did you think?" Asked Taylor of his older brother.

Isaac looked at Taylor for a moment then set his brain in motion. He thought for a minute.

"Well.." he said eventually, " I remember it was a page turner... Stephen King is REAL good... that man can write like... " he whistled, " man..."

"I hated Harold " said Zac, "loathed him, I wasn't even sorry when he died. Wish he'd gotten attacked by the wolfs like that kid rock guy or whatever."

Taylor grinned, "Just 'the kid' Zac, not kid rock."

"Yeah Harold was an ass..." said Isaac. Taylor and Zac both glared at him.

"What?" Said Isaac, shrugging, " He was!" He continued, "He and that Nadine chick or whatever she was called... the one played by the chick from Just Shoot Me in the mini series... I hated them both. They were fun characters to hate too, I mean Harold was such a loathsome kid... guy I mean, sixteen years old and so greasy and yucky and..."

"Hey!" Said Tay, "Spare a thought for the sixteen year old in the room please."

"Well you're not like him," said Ike, "he was fat and greasy and creepy and too smart for his own good and..."

"He was a pervert" added Zac, "I mean the whole sex part... just put me off completely. Yuck."

"One day you'll appreciate it more " said Taylor with a sly smile.

"With Harold Lauder involved?" replied Zac, "I think not."

Isaac chuckled, "Hey Zac... like... it makes you think doesn't it? I mean suppose everybody did start dropping dead and we were somehow immune... what would we do?"

"Play smaller concerts?" Answered Zac with a smile, " Nah... seriously Ike... I don't think it'd be we. I mean no other siblings in the book actually survived together. It was just random people who didn't know each other. Except Fran and the loathsome Harold of
course."

"True" said Tay, "one of us would be a solo act."

"Can you imagine though?" said Ike, "society just collapsing like that... having to rebuild it like they do.... could any of us be as strong as they are?"

"I'd like to think so." Said Taylor, "but I don't know. I mean in the book that deaf mute guy Nick... he was a nobody before Captain Trips but afterwards he was like... like..."

"The heart of the Free Zone." Finished Zac.

"Yeah.." continued Taylor, " it was like he didn't realize his purpose in life until an unimaginable tragedy had occurred... and even then he only had a short time before he himself was cut down."

"Saving his friends don't forget " said Zac.

Taylor nodded, "It makes you wonder doesn't it? When will we be called upon to do something really extraordinary for the world?"

"I don't think there's any guarantee we will ", answered Isaac who had been silent for a short while. " I think most people go through life never realizing just how much they are capable of."

"Yeah but.. " said Zac, taking a seat next to Taylor on his bed as he talked, "maybe we have? I mean not as much as Nick and certainly not in such an important way but don't you think our music... and the effect it has on people... isn't that something?"

Isaac's mouth went straight for a moment, he looked pensive. Then he spoke. "But do we really know that Zac? I mean we see them and everything and people tell us how much we're reaching them but... do you guys ever feel uncertain about that? I mean how can we know?"

"We can't." Said Taylor, "we have to trust that they're being honest. I mean I don't think about it too much because it's like... it doesn't feel real. But I certainly think there's something there. We deliver something " he shrugged his shoulders, helplessly trying to find the right words, "..somehow."

"But there probably wouldn't be CD players that work after the plague, not until the power was turned back on." Said Zac.

Taylor smiled, "True, very true." He put down his scissors and sat back. "I wonder if we'll ever know... I mean really understand... what our fans are talking about when they say how much we mean to them?"

Isaac shook his head, "Probably not. And I think it's right that way. I mean honestly guys... the second I started to actually believe everything everyone says about me... smack me with a shovel please."

"Sure Ike." Replied Zac promptly.

Isaac grinned, "You didn't need to respond that quickly Zac."

Taylor smiled, "I think I've got just the shovel picked out too. A nice ego deflating shovel for you Ike. Big spade area."

"You might need one too, don't forget." Said Ike.

Zac grinned and jumped up, "I've got it all worked out... I'll buy a double ended shovel. Get you both at once like.... WHUMP!" He leapt forward, lightly smacking both his brother's heads at the same time, both of them emitting the same cry.

"Hey Zac!"

"What?" Replied Zac, still with the grin, "I needed the practice. My lightning reflexes will keep you both humble, don't worry."

"Oh that's a great relief." Said Ike, still rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah.." said Tay, " so what about you? Who's keeping you in line?"

Zac shot a stern look at Taylor, "Brother " he said, trying desperately not to smile, "I'm the King of the World... I give punishment, not take it."

Ike looked across to Taylor, Taylor looked back at his brother with the same gleam in his eyes.

"You ready?"

"Yup."

Ike and Tay both got up. The grinned and charged at a very surprised Zac.

A few minutes later a curiously familiar voice spoke from inside the cupboard.

"Guys... guys I've learned my lesson. I'm not the King of the World... honest. I'm just plain old Zac, I promise you. Guys? Guys c'mon.... Taylor's leather pants are in here... they're giving me the creeps..."

His pleading was to no avail. The room was now empty. The two victorious brothers had relocated themselves down the kitchen.

"Guys!!!!"

This story was written by Nick. Check out his other amazing writings at jillybean's hanson stories. I love them all and highly recommend anything by this author!!