TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE...# 120

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 120
warning...adult content



~

Ghost was frowning, as he read the instructions the woman had written out for him. He read the words out loud, but kept stopping. Sighing, he would start over.

"What's the matter, Ghost?" Steve asked.

"I can't understand these rules. Here, you read them, and see if they make any sense to you," Ghost said, handing the paper to Steve.

Steve read over the page. It was a fairly long list of steps that needed to be done, in order. "There's a lot of things you're supposed to do, but it seems pretty clear, Ghost. What's..." he read it over, again. "Oh, now I see what the problem is," he said. He looked up at Ghost, who was waiting, in hopes Steve could explain it to him. He was hesitant to say what was wrong, though.

The list had so many numbers in it. The steps to take were numbered, in the order they should be done; there were measurements of the ingredients, that had to be added, in certain places, as specific words were said, and even numbers to go along with the chants, such as, say this three times, and on this word, add two drops of this oil. On and on, the list continued this way.

This will be impossible for Ghost to do...I doubt it would work if anyone other than Ghost tried it...

"What does it say, Steve? Why can't I read it?" Ghost was getting worried that Steve was taking so long to explain.

Steve shook his head. "Look, Ghost...this thing has numbers all in it, almost every line. I'm sorry, maybe we should have asked for a different kind of rule book."

"What...why? Why did she write it like that, Steve?" He was devastated. Blinking back the tears that sprang to his eyes, he hung his head. "I just wanted to help...now I can't do it..." His tears fell down his face, as he cried, now. "I can't even read the paper..."

He banged his fists into the sides of his head, hard. "Why do I have to be like this, Steve? I hate it...I hate it."

Steve was crying now, too, for the pain Ghost was feeling. He wanted to go to him, but his cast prevented him from getting down on the floor.  "Come here...come here to me, babe," Steve said.

Ghost crawled over, putting his head in Steve's lap. He heaved with sobs. Steve stroked Ghost's silky hair, over and over, then drew him up to be on the couch, beside him. Taking him in his arms, they rocked back and forth for a long while.

"Ghost, look at me," Steve said, raising Ghost's face to look into his eyes. "I'm so sorry...I would take all of your pain to myself, if I could. But, don't be hating on yourself...please. It kills me to see you hurting. We'll figure this out, ok? I'll help, I'll re-write these rules so you can read them. I promise it'll be ok."

Ghost nodded, "Ok...you'd do that?"

"Yes," Steve said, then brushed back Ghost's damp hair, wiping the tears away. He gently touched Ghost's lips, then kissed him. "I love you so much...I never want to see you sad."

"I love you, too, Steve" He hugged Steve tight.

"Ok...now, go get me some paper, and one of your markers. I'm going to fix this, right now."

Ghost did, and they sat together on the couch, as Steve read aloud the steps, and instead of the numbers, he drew little pictures of them. He showed Ghost how it worked, now, and Ghost understood every instruction.

"I get it, now, Steve...I can do this."

"Sure ya can," Steve said. They were both smiling, now.

Ghost read it aloud, several times, until he thought he'd memorized it. Giving the paper to Steve, he recited the rules exactly.

"Ok, now what?" Steve asked.

"Guess we tell Zach and Trevor that we're ready whenever they are."

Steve took a deep breath..."Ghost, aren't you scared to actually do this? Up until now, it just seemed like a game, or something fun to do, but now, it's more real...like real. What if there really is evil in that house, and bad things start to happen?"

"Well," Ghost thought a minute, "I kinda am scared. I mean, not of spirits, but I never saw an evil one, before."

"And, you trust this protection stuff the lady gave you?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, guess I have to...and believe it's gonna work."

"I still wish you wouldn't mess around with this stuff. I know I'm scared to even go in that house," Steve said.

"Yeah, me too, but they asked for our help, and they're scared, too...and they live there. They trust me to help, or at least try," Ghost said. He began gathering up the bottles and packets from the table.

"Ok, then, we'll let them know," Steve said. "Are you up to going to Terry's studio, like we planned?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," Ghost said. "Guess we could. He's probably fixin' to close the shop, now, and besides, we said we'd be there."

"Ok, help me up," Steve said. "We'll get on the road."

"Are we gonna sing in the little booth when we get there?"

"Well, I want to try and get something recorded...at least get back into practice, remember how to do it, and all. So, yeah, if Terry's ok with it."

~

They arrived at the record shop, and Steve pulled into the back parking lot. Terry was just coming out the back door, and waved them over. "Hey, guys, you're right on time. Let me get the studio door unlocked, and we can get started," he said.

He'd added more recording equipment over the past year or so, and he showed them around, explaining how much easier and better sounding their CD would be, since making the tape. "Do ya have something ya want to try, now?" Terry asked.

"Yeah, we can start with us just singing some, today, to get back into it. Did you go over the pages I gave you?" Steve asked.

Terry nodded, "Sure did, and I went over my parts a few times. R. J. said he did, too, so once we all get in here together, it'll go pretty smooth."

"Ok, good. Guess we'll just warm up first, just this and that, see how it goes," Steve said. He rounded up Ghost, and they went into the booth. Terry began turning on all the recording equipment, getting set up.

"What are we doing, Steve?" Ghost asked.

"Let's just do one or two, no music...to get warmed up."

"Ok, tell me when," Ghost smiled.

Steve nodded to Terry, and he cued them with a five countdown. At the precise moment, Steve and Ghost started singing their parts. It was *"Amie", one of the oldest songs they did. Even just practicing, and no music, Terry couldn't quit smiling at how good they sounded. He made a few adjustments on his sound board, and when the song was done, he played it back. They were all amazed at how good it sounded, with the new equipment.

"Hey, y'all, that could be used just as it is," Terry said. "We'll do it all together, and then with the music, but this, I'm gonna keep."

They played around with a few more songs, then Steve asked Ghost if he wanted to try one of their new ones, *"Perfect", which Steve had done for Ghost, while they were on the road.

"Yeah, let's do it," Ghost said. He loved this song. "But, no one's ever heard it before, Steve."

"That's ok...I'd be happy to let Terry be the first one, especially since we're using his studio for free and all."

He got Terry's attention, and said, through the microphone, "We're gonna do another one...never been heard before. And, we'd be honored to have you be the first," Steve said.

Terry looked up and smiled. "Thanks guys...we're recording it, right?"

Steve nodded, and they began the song.


~
*Amie", recorded by Pure Prairie League, 1973, RCA, written by Craig Fuller, on the album "Bustin' Out"

*Fuckin' Perfect", recorded by Pink, 2010, LaFace - RCA, written by Pink, Max Martin, Shellback, on the album "Greatest Hits...So Far!!!"



~

Next part coming soon!




Peace, Love, & Writing