TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 197

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 197
warning...adult content




~
Linda watched Steve and Ghost dance, for a few minutes, tears running down her face. She then turned and went up to her room. As she got comfortable on the bed, she thought about all Steve had told her. There was so much about him that she'd not known. She wished it had been different...his life...her life...but now this meeting, this finding each other, was the beginning of a new part of them...of her family...and his.

She had been shocked and sad to hear of Steve and Ghost's past. That he had actually beat Ghost to death, that poor child, and only God's grace had saved him, up on the mountain. That Ghost had come back and forgiven Steve, that Steve had conquered his alcoholism, and tempered his anger and violent nature, was heart wrenching to hear what they'd been through. All that Steve had now become, was because of Ghost, and of Steve's love for him.

She then thought of this little town, and how everyone knew and looked after each other. That would never happen in L. A. Most people didn't know or care about their neighbors. Maybe it would be good to live here, and give the kids a more gentle environment to grow up in. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

Finally, she decided to bring up the subject to Lisa, but that would be tricky. Lisa now had a fiancé and a good job. She wouldn't want to move here. These thoughts were all swirling in her head, but eventually she did fall asleep for a long nap.

~
Steve and Ghost had continued dancing and making out, there in the empty darkness, awhile longer. Their kisses and touches getting more insistent...and they could wait no longer. Steve was breathing hard, and Ghost was relaxed and dreamy eyed, as they made their way to the dressing room behind the stage.

Leaving the lights off, and locking the doors, they fell onto the couch and satisfied their need for each other, as the jukebox music played on.

~
Kinsey meanwhile, had finished his cooking and had sat down for a coffee break. The club would be busy tonight, even if it was just a regular night...no featured band. But, sometimes the kids would bring their guitars or fiddles, whatever they played, and had impromptu jam sessions. Whoever wanted to could get on stage and join in. He was wondering where everyone had gone, when he heard a phone ringing...or rather playing a song he knew wasn't from his phone.

He looked around, finally seeing that it was the phone Ghost had shoved into his Army jacket pocket. He'd left it there in the kitchen. Fumbling around, Kinsey answered it, just in time. "Hello?"

"Uh, this isn't Ghost," Zach said.

"No, Zach...it's Kinsey."

"Oh...well, I'm calling Ghost back. He wanted to talk earlier."

"Yeah, well, he's off doing something with Steve," Kinsey said. "I'll go find him. They're out in the club somewhere."

He walked out into the bar area, scanning over the dance floor, but didn't see them, so walked down the hall to the dressing room. Trying the doorknob, he found it was locked. Curious, he stared at it a second, then heard noises coming from inside the room. There was no mistaking what was going on in there. He shook his head, and walked away, back to the kitchen.

"Zach, I found 'em, but they're not able to come to the phone. When they come out, I'll tell them to call you, ok?" Kinsey explained.

"Yeah, ok," Zach said. "But, just tell Ghost...Steve don't need to know."

"Ok, got it," Kinsey said. He went back to his coffee, putting the phone back in the jacket pocket.

As he sat there, feet propped up on an adjacent chair, he went over what else needed to be done before opening. He had another few hours, though. He closed his eyes, and was just dozing off, when he heard laughing, and what sounded like a horse coming down the hallway. "What the hell is going on?" he thought, as Ghost and Steve banged the kitchen door open, and staggered in, almost falling down. Ghost was riding on Steve's back like a horse, as Steve struggled to stay upright.

Ghost ducked his head as they came in, which threw Steve off balance, and they both tumbled to the floor, laughing. Their hair was wildly mussed up, and their clothes put on haphazardly, but their eyes, as they laughed, were dark with pleasure. Kinsey laughed, too, thinking they were just like a couple of playful puppies.

Steve brushed himself off. "Hey, Kinsey...what's up?"

"I think you two are up...high as a kite up. Y'all been into Terry's weed out there?" Kinsey asked.

"Sure, Kinsey...we're always into Terry's weeeed," Ghost said. He plopped down on a chair next to Kinsey, pulled out a hastily rolled joint, and said, "Here...ya want some, too?" He held it up, right in Kinsey's face, trying hard to focus. Steve was just standing there looking zoned out.

"Guys, get it together. Put that away now," Kinsey said. "This is a respectable business. What if the sheriff walks in?"

"We got respect too, don't we, Steve?" Ghost asked. He looked over at Steve, and repeated "'Spect, re...spect...table...re-spect-table...is that what you said, Kinsey? Well, huh...anyway, who ya talking 'bout...'ol Jimmy? The one that's a cop? Good 'ol Jimmy...right Steve? He comes over all the time and lights up with us. So...maybe we'll call him to come over too, now...over here...not there, and ya know...just have this...this..." he peered at the joint in his hand. What do you call this, anyway?" He starting laughing.

Kinsey saw that Ghost was descending into craziness, and he needed to somehow bring him back to reality. He took the joint from Ghost, meaning to throw it away. As he yanked it out of Ghost's hand, his arm went back, and it hit Steve square in the face. Kinsey and Ghost both watched, as Steve fell backward to floor...out cold.

"Steve!" yelled Ghost. "You killed Steve!" He kept on, going over to revive him. "Wake up, Steve." Ghost was on the floor, yelling at him, and shaking Steve's shoulders.

Steve was only out for a minute, but he had a lump on his forehead. "What happened?" he asked, slowly coming around.

"Kinsey killed you, but now you're back." Ghost was still hollering.

Kinsey had ran to get a package of frozen peas. "Here put these on your head," he said, as he put the package on.

Ghost grabbed it, though. "He don't wanna eat these...they ain't even cooked."

"Ghost, shut up...move back. Steve will be ok...give him some room." Kinsey pushed Ghost out of the way. All three were on the floor now.

Linda had been woken up at the first loud noises, and she'd come downstairs. She'd witnessed the whole incident, and knew it wasn't serious, just an accident. She was doubled over with laughter, seeing the three of them. Then, they noticed her there, and they all started laughing, even Steve, with his lumpy head. Eventually, they were able to get control.

"Sorry that you got hurt, Steve, but that was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Y'all remind me of the three Stooges," Linda said. "Whew, my stomach hurts."

Kinsey got up from the floor. "It was all an accident. Didn't mean to knock ya out, Steve."

"Yeah, I know...but what did I miss?" Steve asked.

"You missed me yelling at you, that's what," Ghost said. "Do you need me to yell at ya some more?"

"No, no more yelling," Kinsey said. "Here, Steve..." he held out his hand to help Steve up. "Sit here a minute, you'll be fine." He got Steve settled in a chair, then went to check on his stew.

Ghost was crawling around on the floor, looking for the joint that had fallen. Linda was watching him. "Steve, what's he doing?" she asked.

Steve shrugged. "I don't know...hey, Ghost...what are you doing?"

"Looking for the joint, Steve. It's here somewhere. I gotta find it." He stopped every few seconds, to push his hair out of his eyes. "I think it flew away, when Kinsey hit you...and maybe I need some, 'cause this whole day has been so weird, ya know.  And now, I want to go sit in the graveyard." He looked up at Linda. "Hey, come to our house, ok? You never seen it, and we have a really cute cat I wanna show ya, and..."

Steve started talking to Linda, leaving Ghost to babble on, there on the floor. "Yeah, you should come see our place," he said. "We can go now."

"Well, sure, Steve. I'd like that. Is there someplace to get take-out...a pizza or hamburgers, or something? I'll treat y'all," Linda said.

"Sure, there's a diner. We can call and order something, then go pick it up."

"Ghost was still going on, saying whatever came to mind. "He's still talking," Linda said, looking down at Ghost.

Nodding, Steve said, "Yeah, he never shuts up. It's ok, he does it all the time." He nudged Ghost with the toe of his boot. "Hey, Ghost...Ghost...shut up for a minute. We're going to get food, and go home. Get your stuff. Where's my phone, anyway? I'm calling in our order."

"It's in my jacket," Ghost said, reaching for it.

~
Next part coming soon!




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