TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 132

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 132
warning...adult content



~

"Ok, so are y'all ready...got your show planned, Zach?" Kinsey asked. "Terry says he's ready, and will be over in, oh, probably another hour. And, R. J. called; he's going to be here as soon as he can."

"Yeah, I'm going to go over a few things, now," Zach said. He and Trevor went over to the stage, to get started.

"Did you find our costumes, Trevor?"

"Yes, they're in the bedroom."

"This ought to be fun, tonight...everybody dressed up funny. I hope I can remember the words to the songs," Zach said.

Trevor smiled..."You will, and if you forget, look at me...I'll be right in front, and I'll say them to you." He hugged Zach, and they continued the preparations. When they were finished, they went upstairs to put on their costumes.

Trevor had found a red and white, checkered, western type shirt, that he paired with tight jeans, and cowboy boots. He then made two long braids of his hair, and put on a straw hat. Zach was going for a scary look. He rubbed gel into his hair, making it stick up in spikes, and wore a black leather vest, with no shirt under it. His black and gray cammo, cargo pants were tucked into heavy Army boots. Adding a black, spiked dog collar and wide black cuffs on his wrists, he was ready.

"Let's see," Zach said, and he and Trevor revealed their looks to each other. Then, they died laughing.  "Who the hell are you supposed to be" Zach asked, "...Willie Nelson?"

"I don't know, just a western kind of guy, I guess...and, anyway...I thought you were gonna be scary, Dude," Trevor laughed. "You look like a punked out biker."

"Yeah, I kinda do, don't I?"

They joked around a few more minutes, then went back downstairs. Terry had arrived by then, and was on the stage, setting up his drums. He did a double-take, when he saw Zach and Trevor. "Hey, y'all are cool looking," he said.

"You are, too, man," Zach said, nodding at how Terry's costume was exactly right for him. Terry was in full hippy heaven...bright, tie-dyed t-shirt, bell bottom jeans, flat leather sandals, and a long leather vest with fringe on the ends. Topping it all off, he'd put on a long, ratty looking wig, with a rolled up bandana tied around his head. He had accessorized with long strands of multi-colored, beaded necklaces, and little John Lennon sunglasses.

"Yeah, this is the kind of stuff I wore, back in the day," Terry laughed. "I mean...this is me." He laughed and mimicked smoking a joint, then winked, "For later, Dudes, for real...dig?"

Kinsey came over, just then to see how things were progressing. "Love the looks, guys. Where's R. J.?"

"Oh, he'll be here," Terry said, "he called to say he'd be here on time, and not to worry."

They all looked toward the door, as if on cue, as R. J. did come in, his bass guitar case in hand. "Sorry guys, I had to fix a flat on my car."

"That's it?" Terry asked, looking at what kind of costume R. J. was wearing.

"What? Something the matter with it?" R. J. asked, looking down at his clothes.

He had on flannel pajamas, top and bottom, and fuzzy house slippers. That was all. But, the design on the outfit wasn't even for Halloween...it was for Christmas...Santa Claus and reindeer.

Kinsey laughed, "That suits you, R. J. ...I love it." He slapped him on the back. "One hour, guys, then I open the door."

They plugged in and tuned up, running a few tunes through the speakers. As they were doing that, Steve and Ghost arrived. They stopped in the office, to say hi to Kinsey.

"Hey, Kinsey," Ghost bounded in, immediately taking a picture of Kinsey, at his desk.

Steve came hobbling in on his crutches and orange cast. "How's it going, Kinsey?"

"Well, look at y'all," Kinsey said, getting up to get a closer look at them. "I'm not sure who or what y'all are supposed to be, but ya look pretty cool."

Ghost was prowling around the office, moving things around on the desk, and bookshelves. "Ya got any candy around here?"

Steve motioned to Kinsey, and mouthed the words, "No more candy for Ghost," and shook his head.

Kinsey nodded and winked, "Got 'cha. ... Hey, Ghost, why does your hat say Papa?" he asked. "What's it mean?"

"Oh, you know, one of those guys that takes pictures of celebrities, when they don't want their picture taken...one of those Papa guys...that's me. I'm gonna take pictures of everyone, tonight, then I'll put them all on the wall, later, so we can remember what a good time we're gonna have," Ghost explained. "I thought it up all by myself, and I planned it a  long time ago...and, do you have any candy...I really need some...do I gotta say trick-or-treat first?" He stopped searching the office, waiting for Kinsey to show him where the candy was. "Oh, and Steve, well he's ...he's...what is it you are, anyway?" Ghost rambled on and on.

"Get him out of here, Steve," Kinsey said. "I've got stuff to do."

"C'mon, Ghost, there's pictures to be taken," Steve said, herding Ghost out of the office, and into the club.

"Hey, we're here...we're here..." Ghost hollered over at the others. "don't pay no attention, and don't hit me, 'cause I'm a Papa." He bounced around, snapping candid shots of Zach, Trevor, R.J. and Terry.

Trevor and Zach, laughed, and shrugged. They didn't know what to expect, after their earlier talk with Kinsey, and the weird afternoon they'd had with Ghost.

Steve commented on everyone's costume, then went to find a seat at the bar. "How's it coming along?" he asked Kinsey.

"Going good. I'll open up in a few minutes, then it'll be a madhouse in here."

Steve laughed, "Yeah, just the way you like it. Oh, and when we drove up, there was already a ton of people waiting to get in here. Saw some really crazy costumes, too."

"Well, guess it's time to let 'em in, then," Kinsey said. He went toward the big front door of his club. He hollered over to the stage..."I'm opening the door, guys...y'all be playing in thirty minutes; give them time to get drinks and food, first."

Terry gave him a thumbs up, as they all headed back to the dressing room.

Ghost stood in front of the door, bouncing around hollering 'smile', and snapping pictures as fast as he could. Everyone had on crazy outfits, and were ready to have a good time. The club filled up fast; the bar area, and tables were waiting room only, and Kinsey kept the food and drinks coming. The arcade lights on the games were flashing, and a game of pool was already heating up. There were people at the wall, reading and scribbling their thoughts, and everyone admiring each other's costumes. The noise was already loud, and it was time for the band to start.

Ghost was still taking pictures, when Gumbo took to the stage, and Terry banged on the drums to get the first song started. R. J. and Zach began their intro, while Calvin, was still trying to get his guitar tuned. He'd come in at the last minute, making some excuse about boyfriend problems. He was wearing a Dracula outfit, looking the part in a cape, tux jacket, and top hat. He wore fake fangs with fake blood on them, which gave him trouble, as he tried to sing, spraying red drops all over himself, his guitar, and the stage.

Ghost had taken pictures of so many people, he was ready for a break, so he went to find a sandwich, and a beer, at the bar. He hopped up on a stool by Steve. "Hey, Steve...this is so much fun."

"Yeah, everyone is having a good time."

"What's the matter, Steve, you don't look like you're having a good time," Ghost looked closer at Steve, there in the dim light.

"Yeah, I am. I'm just tired of sitting here; my butt's gone to sleep," Steve said, wiggling around.

Ghost giggled, "Well get up, then."

"Uh-huh, and get knocked over by all the people in here."

"Sheesh, you're being crabby," Ghost said. He looked over at the crowd. "Nobody will knock you down...they see ya coming...watch..." He jumped down, and pulled Steve's hand, until he got down from the barstool, too. He grabbed his crutches, just as Ghost started pushing him toward the dance floor.

"What? What're you doing, Ghost...wait...stop... oh, no...no ya don't...I'm not dancing out there, I can barely hobble around...Ghost, stop pushing me." But, Ghost didn't stop...he kept pushing Steve, and hollering to the crowd.

"Make way people, make way...Steve is gonna dance on crutches...with me."

And, people did make way, clearing a space for him, and they began clapping and chanting, "Dance, Dance, Dance."

Steve was embarrassed at first, to have all the attention drawn to him, but then, looking at all the happy people...people who all knew him and liked him, he began to grin, and move a little. Ghost was urging him on, dancing and flinging his hair around, grabbing his shoulders, making Steve move. Steve finally started having fun.

~

Next part coming soon!



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