Page 10 of Into the Dawn
For example, the medical bills. It cost an arm and a leg for all of her surgeries and treatments, even with insurance. And all that had done was extend her suffering for a little longer. Of course, she was glad for the care she’d gotten from her doctors and nurses. However, all the treatments had felt a little redundant since there was no stopping the inevitable.
She was fortunate enough to have the money to pay her bills, but she knew a lot of people didn’t. It was a depressing reality when people were essentially punished with loads of medical debt for getting sick. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it was for people with families, especially children.
And least she didn’t have to worry about leaving anyone behind.
While her terminal illness had cost a lot to treat, it wasn’t like she could take her money with her anyway. Still, it felt like a waste of money since nothing they did could save her life. She would leave a sizable amount of her money to charities thathelped others pay for medical treatments. The rest of her estate, including her house and music catalogue, would be left to her friends who had taken such good care of her.
That was the best way she could say goodbye to them.
Throughout her life, Kylie had experienced a mixture of highs and lows. Dying was definitely a low point, but it wasn’t her first. Losing her parents in a tragic accident while she was still a teen certainly fit that criteria. Before the tragedy, she’d had an idyllic childhood. Some might have considered her upbringing unconventional, but she loved every second of it.
Her mother, Gina, had been the lead singer of a well-known rock band, while her father, Travis, had been the guitarist and main songwriter. Their band, Crimsonlore, was a mixture of hard rock, goth metal, and alternative. They were known for their dark melodies, emotional lyrics, and captivating stage presence.
Each song was a mesmerizing blend of powerful guitar riffs, atmospheric synths, and haunting vocals that left listeners spellbound. With a loyal following, Crimsonlore had gone from an underground favorite to a staple in the music industry. The way they consistently pushed boundaries and captivated audiences during their live performances had given them a lucrative career that would have lasted decades longer if they had survived.
Travis and Gina had met back when they were attending a performing arts high school in California. She had been there on a scholarship, while his absentee parents had dumped him there because it was also a boarding school. Since his parents were both on their third marriages, family wasn’t really a priority for either of them. They were actors who were more worried about their own careers than their son.
Shortly after Travis and Gina met, they decided to form a band with a few of their friends. It hadn’t taken them long tostart booking gigs at some of the venues around Los Angeles, and before they knew it, they had gotten signed by a record label.
Their first album had been a breakout hit. Critics had claimed they had captured the heart of classic rock while including a fresh sound. Their sales and streams had been better than expected, but they had really shot to stardom during their first tour. They had only been the opening act, but their live performances had been praised, and they had gained more fans after every show.
Travis and Gina had gotten married in a spur-of-the-moment decision after they’d done a show in Las Vegas, creating a media frenzy. Their fans knew they had been dating since high school, but no one expected them to get married. In an industry inundated with infidelity and divorce, they were a rare pair. They were a couple who were truly devoted to one another, and their fans enjoyed following their ongoing love story on social media.
When Kylie had come along, it seemed like the world shared their joy. Looking back, she could admit it was a little strange seeing her whole life, even from before her birth, recorded on media posts and videos. Fans had sent cards and baby gifts throughout Gina’s pregnancy, and when Kylie was born, it had been a trending topic all over the world.
In a way, she had been adopted by the fandom.
After she was born, the band had taken a few years’ hiatus from touring. That didn’t mean they stopped working, though. Even at home, they were constantly writing and recording new music. They had moved from California to an opulent home in Nashville. It was a quieter life, yet it still allowed them to be immersed in the music scene.
Kylie didn’t remember much during those first years, but she had vivid memories of when they had started touring again. When they had decided to take Kylie with them, somejudged that decision. However, others praised their dedication to keeping their family together.
Growing up surrounded by music had been a blessing for her. The world had been her playground, and she’d gotten to enjoy the music, food, and cultures of different countries.
Since she couldn’t attend a regular school all the time, her parents hired a tutor, Rachel, to help with her schoolwork whenever they were on the road. Besides the tutor, she was also shadowed by Dyson, a trained bodyguard, who kept Kylie safe while they were traveling.
Although she missed out on having a lot of friends her own age, her parents’ bandmates all had a hand in raising her. They taught her how to play various instruments and how to read and write music. During that process, they also discovered she had a talent for singing, just like her mother. The only difference was that she preferred country music over hard rock.
A few months after she’d turned sixteen, there had been a tragic accident at a festival the band was playing at. The venue had been outdoors, so there had been nowhere to go when the earthquake struck. The ground shook violently, and panic had spread throughout the crowd as people tried to find safety. A lot of them had fled toward the stage, but that had been a mistake.
When the ground split open, the stage collapsed, killing the band, fans, and staff members. Hundreds more were injured during the disaster, and it took rescue workers long hours to sort out the victims.
The memory of that tragic day haunted a lot of people, but none more than Kylie. She had been back at the hotel during the quake, having opted not to go to the concert that evening since she had been planning to attend the following night for the big finale show.
Losing her entire family in one night had been devastating, and her guilt had been just as strong as her grief. A part ofher wished she had been with the rest of her family when the accident happened, and the days following the disaster were a blur of sorrow and confusion.
Besides her own pain, she had to deal with an outpouring of grief from all of Crimsonlore’s fans. People flocked to the festival site, and even though most of the area had been blocked off, fans left flowers, cards, candles, and other gifts for the band and other victims. She’d distributed most of the offering to the other families as well as local hospitals.
Everywhere she went, she heard her parents’ music playing as tribute. On one hand, it was nice to know they were so loved. But continuously being reminded that they were no longer with her left her in a state of constant grief.
Her parents’ manager and close friend, Abigail Ross, helped her through the darkest moments, but she hadn’t been able to shield her from everything. When her dad’s parents had shown up claiming they wanted to take her in, she had refused. Not only had she never met her grandparents before, Travis had always been brutally honest about how much he hated them.
Abby had wanted to fight for custody of her since they both knew her grandparents had no interest in making sure she was safe and cared for. They wanted access to everything her parents had left her, including their savings, various properties they owned, and their music catalogue.
Luckily, her parents had a will explaining everything in detail.
She’d wanted to stay with Abby, especially since her daughter, Layla, was Kylie’s best friend, but they already had a full house. Abby was married to her childhood sweetheart, the legendary music producer, Buddy Ross.
They’d started having kids early on, so besides Layla, they had an older daughter who was also a music producer and was now married with a family of her own. They also had an olderson who ran a small horse ranch on their property, and two teenage boys who were in high school. It wouldn’t have been fair to them for Kylie to interfere with their lives. Added to that, she knew her grandparents wouldn’t let her walk away easily.
