Two Souls: Into the Fire # 164

warning … adult content

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Terry and Steve continued discussing the mixing and burning of the songs onto the CD. Ghost was at the counter, still drinking his coffee, inhaling the steam, as he closed his eyes, almost going back to sleep. R. J. came over to talk.

“So, did Steve get in the mood, last night?” he asked.

“Huh? He sang the songs…we both did,” Ghost said. He looked R. J. in the eyes, “and, I’m not gonna answer the next question you’re thinking of, so don’t even ask it.”

“Okay, okay,” R. J. said, backing off. He went over to see what Steve and Terry were talking about.

“You ready to record your bass lines, now,” Terry asked.

R. J. nodded, “Sure,” he said, going to get his guitar, and going into the recording booth. It didn’t take him long to do his parts.

Then it was Terry’s turn on his drums. While he was doing that, Steve was listing everything else that needed to be done. He’d given Terry the photograph, of himself and Ghost that they were to use for the CD cover, just as it was, and also the notes Ghost had written for it, including the front cover script.

Terry finished his drumming, then went to see what Steve had gotten done.

“I’m impressed, Steve,” he said. “This is really coming together.”

“Yeah, it’s looking good,” Steve said, agreeing. “There’s something else…I want you to go ahead and mix the whole thing, and then Ghost and I’ll listen to it first, before we make the rest. I don’t want to make any changes at all to our parts. Just take it for what it is, ok…leave it all in. And, we aren’t going to be here when you first hear these. I’m nervous about it enough already. I couldn’t deal with seeing your reaction, right now. Just promise me you’ll leave everything in,” Steve said.

“Okay, Steve, what you say, goes…no changes. I got it.” He thought for a minute. “You know people are going to hear it…I mean you plan on selling these, and I guess we’ll play them at the live shows? You’ve never been nervous about y’all’s songs before, why now?”

Steve looked down at the papers on the work table, shuffling them around, then sighed. “Terry…just listen to them. And, I don’t know that we’ll ever do these ones at a show. I don’t think either one of us could get through them.”

Terry shrugged, “Ok, dude, I get it…I think. Well, let me get started then. Y’all can go. In fact, why don’t you go get a phone. I’m gonna have to get a carrier pigeon to run messages over to y’all. Gas costs too much to be driving out there all the time,” he said.

“Good idea,” Steve said. He looked over at the counter. Ghost was still there, but had his head down, fast asleep. “Hey, Ghost, wake up…we got stuff to do.”

“I’m awake…I’m coming,” Ghost said.

“Later, Terry,” Steve said, as he and Ghost went out to the car.

~

“Where did Kinsey get the phone he gave us? Was it here in town somewhere?” Steve asked.

“I don’t know. We could go ask him,” Ghost said.

“Yeah, probably should,” Steve said. He drove over to the club.

As they went in the back door, they didn’t see Kinsey in his office, but the light was on. The rest of the club was in darkness.

“Is he here?” Ghost asked.

“Maybe he’s upstairs, let’s go see,” Steve said.

After knocking on Kinsey’s apartment door, Kinsey greeted them. “Hey, guys, come on in. I’m just being lazy today. Y’all want some coffee?”

They’d been here a lot in the past, but not so much recently. Kinsey’s place was always warm and inviting, though. The tv was playing an old black and white movie, and a table lamp cast it’s glow over the living room. Leading them into the kitchen, Kinsey, then poured them all a fresh cup of coffee.

Ghost spied some leftover bacon and biscuits, on the stove, and said, “Can I have that? We haven’t had breakfast, yet.”

“Sure, go ahead,” Kinsey said. “What brings y’all over so early?”

“I broke the phone you gave us, and I was going to get another one. Where did you get it…here in town?”

“Yeah, there’s a little branch phone place, over in the drug store, kinda in the back. They can set you up with one,” Kinsey said. “What happened to the other one…you said it broke?”

“Yeah, well…I thought it got possessed by the evil spirit, and so I stomped on it,” Steve said.

“You’re not serious?”

“Yeah, I am, Kinsey. We were all scared of it, so I stomped it to pieces.”

“It burned me,” Ghost said.

Kinsey looked over at Ghost, who was still prowling around the kitchen, looking into cabinets, drawers, and the refrigerator. Frowning, Kinsey didn’t even question, Steve’s statement about the phone being possessed. They watched Ghost, as he and Steve continued talking.

“We finished our songs for the new CD,” Steve said. “Now, Terry’s over there mixing it, and getting it all on there. It will be ready any day now.”

“Hey, that’s great,” Kinsey said. “Can’t wait to hear them. Y’all will do a show, when we get back, won’t you?”

“We plan on it, but keep us up to date. We’ll need a day or two to get ready…oh, but maybe you’ll need more time to rest up after you get home from all the travelling?”

Kinsey nodded, “I have a feeling we may need a few days, Steve, so maybe give us a week or so, before I open this place up again. I expect we’ll be leaving as soon as y’all’s business is done over at Terry’s. I still want you to come by here to pick up any mail. Just generally check up on things, Steve.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on things. You just have a good time.”

“I will, and in case I don’t see you before we leave, I’ll tell ya bye now,” Kinsey said. He reached into his pocket, then handed Steve the keys to the club.

“Ok, well, guess we should get going…you ready, Ghost?” Steve asked.

Ghost nodded, and came over to Kinsey, giving him a big hug. “Have fun on your vacation, Kinsey. I’ll miss you,” he said.

“Believe it or not, I’ll miss you guys, too,” Kinsey said. He walked with them downstairs.

“See ya, Kinsey,” Steve said. He and Ghost headed off to the drug store, to find a phone.

~

At the drug store, Steve headed back to where he saw a hanging sign, advertising phones. Ghost had time to look around. There were decorations, knick-knacks, and cards, for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, on display. They all caught his eye. As he read some of the cards, he laughed at the ones that had turkey jokes.

Steve took awhile to choose which phone and plan he wanted, and debated whether to get a second one, for Ghost. He figured that Ghost had learned how to use the other phone, pretty good, and one of his own would make him happy, so he got the second one. Then, he went to find Ghost, who was over by the pharmacy. He heard part of their conversation. Ghost was explaining herbs and potions to the pharmacist. The funny thing was, the guy actually was interested in Ghost’s ramblings.

He smiled, and listened for a few minutes. Ghost could hold his own on this subject, and the clerk was giving it right back to him. At a pause, Steve said, “Hey, Ghost, you ready? We should get going, now.”

“Okay,” Ghost said, and then to add one more parting word, he said, “Hey Steve, this here is Tommy, and he knows medicines and stuff. And, Tommy, this here is my boyfriend, Steve.”

Steve and Tommy nodded and smiled to each other. “Your friend here, is quite the expert on the subject, himself. I’m impressed,” Tommy said. “And, I’ve actually been over to the Yew when y’all were doing a show. Love your style, guys. When’s the next one?”

“Soon, maybe in a few weeks. We’ll put up flyers,” Steve said.

“Well, y’all take care…” Tommy said, as he went back to work.

~

Back in the car, Steve showed the phones to Ghost. “These will be ready to use, as soon as the batteries get charged up.”

“Cool, Steve,” Ghost said, not quite as interested as Steve had thought he’d be.

“You know what I saw in there?” Ghost asked. “Thanksgiving stuff…”

“Yeah, it’s coming up,” Steve said.

“Are we gonna do anything?”

“Like what…I guess eat, and watch football, same as always,” Steve said.

Ghost thought about it a minute. “Oh, this is the one without presents, huh?”

Steve laughed. “No, afraid not…no presents for this one…sorry.”

As they drove down the main street, they passed by the record shop. “Wonder how Terry’s getting on with the recording?” Steve asked.

Ghost shrugged. “You want to stop in to see?”

“Naw  not yet, I’m just going home for now, get these charged up. Then we’ll call him, and see how it’s going,” Steve said.

***

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Next part coming soon!

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Thanks for visiting! Peace ☮️

© 2021 BS

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***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative license is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, musicians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblance.

warning warning warning warning

The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.

Two Souls: Into the Fire # 163

warning … adult content

***

As Steve drove down the highway to the house, he was worrying about how to record the songs he’d written.  “Ghost, I don’t know if I can get these done. It’s just…I don’t know. I like the songs, and when I wrote them, it was exactly what I was feeling. I still feel that way, but how do I get it back, to transfer those feelings to the CD?” he sighed.

“The other time, for the tape we made, those were more for fun songs, ya know. It was easy. But these ones, well crap…I just don’t know how to do it. Maybe I should just forget it…put some other, older songs on there, and keep these ones for just us.”

“Don’t worry, Steve,” Ghost said. “Don’t think so hard on it. You’ll see.”

“But, you do it all the time…at home, at the shows…how do you go from everyday business, to singing with such total emotion that brings people right into your world?”

“I don’t know, Steve, it just happens. If I’m happy, I sing it that way. If the words make me feel sad, it comes out sad,” Ghost said. “You have to actually listen to the words you wrote, and hear the meaning you meant at the time. It all comes back, when you sing them, as when you wrote them.”

“Thanks, Ghost, I think I see what you mean, and I’m gonna try my best, anyway.”

~

They arrived home, and unloaded the equipment. It was late afternoon, now, and Ghost fixed them a light supper of cheese omelets and toast, while Steve set up the recorder, and got his guitar out. He went over the words to the songs, and played some chords. He was beginning to remember how he felt when he wrote them.

“Come eat, Steve,” Ghost said, looking into the living room. He knew Steve was getting it.

After their meal, they went outside for awhile. Ghost stood at the porch railing, looking up into the sky, which was turning a velvety purple. The sun was throwing it’s last rays of light onto the very tops of the pines. Below was already into twilight. He took deep breaths of the cool, pine scented air.

“It’s nice out,” he said.

“Yeah, I love this time of the year,” said Steve.

“Me, too, but why is it a time?” Ghost asked.

“Huh? Oh, that’s just a way of saying that right now is what you like…like the fall weather. There really isn’t a time, like on a clock.”

“Well, I don’t get it, except that everything flows from one thing to the next, on and on, forever. You don’t have to keep a time,” Ghost said.

“You’re right,” Steve said.

Ghost shivered, and came to sit beside Steve on the porch swing. “Forever more, Steve, forever more,” he whispered into the night.

They stayed there, slowly swinging back and forth for awhile…until Steve felt ready to try the songs.

“I’m bringing the equipment out here,” Steve said. He went inside, and ran the electric cords, so they extended out the window to the porch. With his guitar, he sat back on the swing. Ghost just watched him, as he held the microphone.

On most of these last songs, Ghost only sang on parts of them. He could feel that Steve felt more at ease. It was a calm, starry night, and many times before, they’d sang to each other out here. It was cozy and intimate, just the two of them being together like this.

Steve played a bit of the tune, then nodded at Ghost, as he flipped on the machine, beginning the first song. It was *”Stars”.  This song he’d written long ago, when Ghost was gone away…he thought forever. It was him, pouring out his anguish and despair…and now, singing it to Ghost, with Ghost, under these same stars, brought out his emotions so strong, his voice broke several times.

Ghost was crying at the end of it. He’d heard parts of the song before, but only now could he feel exactly what Steve had felt at the time. It brought back so many memories. He was having a hard time getting control of his emotions, and put his head in his hands and sobbed.

“Ghost…” Steve whispered. “Ghost…please…” He went over and held Ghost close. “It’s ok, Ghost…let it out….” Steve murmured into Ghost’s hair. He knew Ghost had never completely dealt with his pain. After awhile his crying slowed.

“Steve, I can’t…I can’t do this…the other songs…it’s too much,” he said.

“Ghost, I know it’s hard, but I need you to do this…with me.”

“But, Steve, I don’t deserve your beautiful songs…I just don’t”

Steve was surprised to hear Ghost say that. “Ghost, don’t ever think that. I just wrote what I felt, and to me it’s not nearly enough. You deserve my whole love for you, and so much more. Can’t you see that?”

Ghost was shaking his head.

“Look at me,” Steve said. “Believe it, babe, ’cause I meant every word.” He kissed Ghost’s tears away.

They took a small break, then began the next song, *”Perfect”. This one was easier, as they’d worked on it a few times, getting their parts in order. They got through it fairly quickly, and the rest of them went well, too. By the time all the songs were finished, it was almost dawn, and Steve’s voice was about gone. They went inside, had a bowl of cereal, and crashed into bed, hoping for a few hours of sleep.

However, it seemed like no time had passed, when there was a loud knocking on their door. Steve got up, and opened the front door. It was R. J.

“What?” Steve asked.

“Dude, Terry’s waiting for y’all. He couldn’t call ’cause your phone is broke. He ordered me to come and drag y’all into the studio.”

“Shit, we aren’t even awake yet, R. J. He’s just gonna have to wait. We’ll be in as soon as we can. Go tell Terry we finished all the songs…we were up all night.”

“Okay, Steve, but hurry,” R. J. said.

Steve went to wake Ghost. “We gotta get up and get over there,” Steve said, on his way to the bathroom.

Ghost rolled out of bed, and stumbled into the kitchen, to make coffee.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked, as he came into the kitchen. “We don’t have time for that. We’ll get a coffee at the store, when we get to town.”

“They aren’t going anywhere…they’ll wait,” Ghost said, through a big yawn.

“Fine, I’ll load up, but try to hurry.”

But, Ghost never got in a hurry. He fed Spirit, and went to get dressed. Steve clomped back into the house, straight to Ghost and propelled him toward the door.  “Come on, everything is loaded up,” he said. “I don’t want Terry to wait too long. R. J. said he was getting impatient, already.”

“R. J. was here?”

“Yep, Terry sent him out here. I really need to get another phone.”

Finally in the car, barreling down the highway toward town, Ghost asked, “Hey, how come we never used to have a phone, and we did ok, but now when we had one, and then we don’t have it, it gets hard to not have one?”

“What? Oh, I get it,” Steve answered. “Guess you don’t miss what you don’t have, at first, then when you have it, then it’s gone, you feel like you need it.” He looked over at Ghost. “What the hell did I just say? I swear, Ghost, I’m starting to sound like you.”

Ghost grinned. “Yeah, and I understand you a lot better, now.”

“Well, good, ’cause I don’t,” Steve said.

He pulled up in front of the convenience store, and ran in to get them some coffee. Then driving over to the studio, he turned off the car’s engine, and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

“All this rushing around got me all jangly.”

“You need your coffee, then. It’ll calm you down,” Ghost said. He took a huge swallow of his own hot coffee.

“I doubt that,” Steve said, but he drank his down in only a couple of mouthfuls. “Let’s get this stuff inside,” he said.

They lugged in the recording equipment, then turned to find Terry and R. J. staring at them. “Well, look who showed up,” Terry said. “Sleeping beauties get all rested?

“Don’t start, Terry,” Steve said. “We were up all night…everything’s finished. Now, it’s you and R. J.’s time to go to work.” He began going over what needed to be done.

“I know, I know, just ragging on ya, Dude,” Terry said.

~

*”Stars”, as performed by Amanda Brown on the Voice, written by Grace Potter (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals), released 2012, on the label Hollywood, from the album “The Lion the Beast the Beat”

*”Fuckin’ Perfect”, Pink, written by Pink – Max Martin – Shellback, released Dec 14, 2010, label LaFace – RCA, single from the album “Greatest Hits…So Far!!!”

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***

Next part coming soon!

***

Thanks for visiting! Peace ☮️

© 2021 BS

***

***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative license is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, musicians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblance.

warning warning warning warning

The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.