TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
94th installment
warning...adult content
~
Kinsey came in to begin getting the club ready to open. It was still a little over an hour, before he would open the door. He'd missed the confrontation. Ghost turned back to the wall to write some more, and Steve took this chance to talk to Kinsey about the new guys in Terry's band.
"So, who are these guys, anyway? Where'd they come from?" Steve asked.
Kinsey paused, in his work, wondering how much he should say. "Guess I could fill you in a little, Steve." He sat down on a bar stool, next to Steve. "Well, you know it's Terry's and R.J.'s band, and they took on Calvin, too. I think you met him before...plays lead guitar? Anyway, since you and Ghost were gone, Terry needed some extras, so that's why Calvin came on board. Terry was doing the singing for Gumbo, while he was playing the drums, but he can't sing worth a shit, ya know. So these other two guys were new here in town...just happened to show up about the same time; Trevor's the tall one, and Zach is the dark haired one. Come to find out, this Zach can sing really good, so Terry asked if he wanted the gig. Of course, he accepted, and all was going good."
"Where does Nothing come in?" Steve asked.
"That's kind of a weird situation there, Steve. I know I'd seen him before in here, a long time ago, but this time he got friendly with the guys in the band. They asked him to be their sort of manager...ya know, book gigs around the area, keep the money straight, stuff like that. He's good at it, too."
"Ok, I got that part, but what about those two new guys...what else do you know about 'em?"
"Well, that's a crazy story, Steve. See, Trevor used to live here when he was a kid, over on Violin Road, but...oh, yeah...y'all know the old murder house, don't ya?" Kinsey asked.
"Yeah, the one us kids were scared to go in," Steve said.
"Well," Kinsey continued, "you know the whole family was murdered, except for the little boy...that's Trevor. He came back all grown up. I think he might be a little...well...weird...'cause he started living out there in the old house. Creepy, if ya ask me. Anyway, this Zach guy happens to come into town, like the same day, or maybe a day or two later, and they meet and hit it off. I mean, like love at first sight stuff. So he's just here with the band because of Zach singing and all. That's about all I know," Kinsey thought a minute, "oh, yeah, Trevor's dad was a famous cartoonist, but you heard the story, I know...he went bonkers and killed the family and himself, all except Trevor. Now, Trevor is an artist too. He does comics and sells them, stuff like that."
"Wait a minute," Steve said, "when, Ghost and I were out on the road that first time, didn't I hear some talk about a new singer, and the F.B.I. looking for him...is this the same guy, this Zach? Ghost mentioned something like that after talking to you."
"Yeah, that's the same one...computer fraud, I think. I guess all this was when you and Ghost were gone, so y'all never met them. By the time y'all got back in town, they'd already taken off for somewhere, laid low awhile. They just showed up again, recently," Kinsey remembered.
"Yeah, we never saw them before, but Ghost was worried about it at the time...so that's what that was all about," Steve said. "Sounds like a big mess to me."
"I know, it was, but now here they are, and they put on a good show...the kids all seem to like it, and keep coming back. Tonight's the last night for them, for awhile. I heard Nothing's leaving for some reason," Kinsey said. "Of course, Terry and R.J. will still be here, helping y'all out, I imagine...and Trevor and Zach, they plan on hanging around out at their house, for awhile. Guess you and Ghost will meet them tonight." He looked at his watch, "In fact, any time now, it's almost time for them to set up. I gotta get back to work, Steve. Ya'll kick back and enjoy the show. It'll be you and Ghost up there next weekend, yeah?"
"Yeah, guess so, Kinsey," Steve said. He went back over to find Ghost, and tell him what he'd learned.
"Hey, Ghost, Kinsey filled me in on those two new guys in town," Steve said. "The one that does the singing for Terry's new band, Gumbo..."
"Gumbo?" Ghost laughed.
"Yeah, even Terry said it sounded dumb, but anyways, the nerdy one, Zach, he sings ok I guess, and he's the one you were worried about before, with the F.B.I. stuff. The other one is Trevor, and he's Zach's boyfriend. He's an artist or something, but the good part, is he's the kid from the murder house...and they're living out there in it." Steve waited for Ghost's reaction.
"Living there?" Ghost asked. "That's creepy as hell, Steve. Why'd they wanna do that?"
"Beats me, guess they're not scared of it. So, anyway, guess we'll meet them tonight...oh, hey, maybe sooner..." Steve said, as he looked back into the club. There were voices coming from the back hallway, by the office. "Seems they're here already."
"You think Nothing is coming back for the show? He's their manager, after all, Steve."
"I don't know, but if he does, so what...we said our piece, and he's leaving after tonight. I'm not gonna start nothing if he don't," Steve said. "but, we should keep our eyes open for any tricks he might be up to."
"Yeah, guess so," Ghost said.
~
CHAPTER 17
They looked up, as Kinsey came around the edge of the stage...and trailing behind him, were Trevor and Zach.
"Hey, guys, this here is Trevor and Zach," Kinsey said, "and you guys, this is Ghost and Steve." Kinsey looked like a proud papa, introducing his sons from his first family, to the sons of his second family. "Y'all get acquainted now...I got work to do," Kinsey said, as he grinned and walked away, leaving the four of them staring at each other.
"Hey," Ghost said.
"Hey, I know you!" Zach said. "I've seen you before!"
"What, where?" Ghost asked, looking confused.
"You, too, Steve...that's your name?" Zach was nodding his head, "Yeah, I saw both of you...a long time ago. It was...yeah...in New Orleans, at a club."
Steve was frowning, trying to remember that time he and Ghost were there, and if they'd gone to a club.
"Yeah, you," Zach pointed to Ghost. "You were crazy, man...dancing with some little blond kid...looked like you were having a great time...and turning that kid on, too," Zach laughed.
He turned to Steve, then. "And you...you cracked me up! You looked totally embarrassed to be in a gay bar," Zach kept laughing at the memory. "But, Ghost here, dragged you out to dance with him. Man...you sure were funny. Me and my friend Eddy was having a ball, watching you two. We knew everybody else there, but, you new guys were putting on a show...and didn't even know it. Damn, now here you are all the way out here in North Carolina. Is this where y'all are from?" Zach kept talking. The others were at a loss for words, as Zach kept rambling on and on.
"I never heard of this place, until I got stranded here, and then I met Trevor," Zach stopped a second to take a breath.
Steve and Ghost were wondering if he'd ever stop talking...wanted him to please stop talking. Trevor was staring at Zach, like what's wrong with you?
"What?" Zach said. He looked at them staring at him. "Y'all ain't very talkative, are ya? Hey, Trev, say something. Introduce yourself. I gotta go take a piss." He turned and walked down the hallway.
"What was that?" Steve asked. "Is he always like that?" He looked to Trevor for the answer.
"Uh...sometimes, but..." Trevor said, then he took off after Zach, leaving Steve and Ghost alone.
~
Ghost and Steve exchanged a look. "I remember that night, now," Ghost said, "but, I don't want to, Steve...I don't want to." He started to cry.
Steve reached out and hugged Ghost to himself. "I know...I don't want to remember, either." Steve let his tears fall for Ann, too. "Let's get outta here. Ya want to?"
"No...they don't know, Steve. They don't know what happened down there with us. All they know is a funny club story; and that's all they'll ever know, ok? We all live here in the same town. It's not like we'll never see them again. Guess we better, well, make the best of it?"
Steve nodded, and hugged Ghost harder. "Yeah, can't change the past, anyway. But, damn...to be reminded of all that...like from out of nowhere...just hit ya in the face with it."
They were quiet for a moment, remembering. "Kinsey and Terry want us to hear them play. Maybe they'll be good. Guess we'll stay awhile," Ghost said.
~
Next installment coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
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