This week we got an early snowfall, and the deer sitting on the lawn looked “like loaves of bread” according to my daughter. I took a picture.
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ANGIE’S JOURNAL
Jonathan was really nice. I was still curious about the odd behavior of the audience so I decided to ask him about it. If I was being honest, I really wanted to practice my burgeoning detective skills out on him.
So I asked, and he said, "Oh, you noticed that, huh? Yeah, they are trying out a new guitarist."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure he'll work out. That last song is from their new album, or it will be, if they ever get around to recording it."
"Well, it just seemed odd to me," I commented, "that the crowd started to get up and leave at that exact moment they started their new song. One minute, everyone seemed to be having a good time, and the next, 'poof!' Some guy got up and left who was sitting right in the front row! So was this like, some kind of a try-out, or audition, and he failed?" He nodded in response. "I see. So, they have a new record?" I prodded.
"Yeah, they were working the clubs in the city this past summer and were about to cut their first tracks, when their guitarist up and left them. Something about a better job opportunity, or a career, or I dunno. He just left. So they decided to audition some new fellas, and take them on this short little tour. We've been in this town for the past two weeks, just trying out new axe-men."
"Or axe-women, I guess?" I asked.
"Sure, women too. We had one yesterday."
"Really? That's great, I mean, I hope they find someone."
"Yeah, me too," he said. "Especially because my job is kind-of riding on this. The lead singer, Miss Rachel, she kind of runs the band. She's got some kind of plan, and she's said that if they don't find the right guitarist, the band is over. No band means no record, which means no big studio-sponsored tour, and that means no need for a top-notch roadie like myself." He poked his thumb into his chest. "It's all symbiotic, y'see. Just like biology." Just then, he turned the wheel hard and the van tilted as we pulled into the apartment complex. As the vehicle swerved he reached his hand out and touched my leg gently, like he was trying to steady me, or just an excuse to touch me. "You okay?" he asked, and gave me a big grin.
I didn't mind the hand, and put my hand on top of his in return. It was at that point that I realized that maybe Lynn had another reason for offering me her couch tonight. I'll have to remember to say 'thank you' to her again, tomorrow morning.
As we straightened out, he removed his hand and Lynn called from the back, "It's number 201, the second building."
I had one more question for him. "Jonathan, I understand what you told me, that they're auditioning because they need a new band member. But why search out here in the middle of nowhere?"
Jonathan pulled over, and turned off the engine. "Well, it's funny you should ask that." The van rolled backwards, so he reached down, and put the emergency brake on. I remember it made a very loud crunch. "I wondered about it myself, y'see, but tonight I found out the reason." He paused, and said dramatically, "It's all because of their old guitarist. They are hoping they can convince him to come back."
Lynn was yanking the van door handle down, trying to open it up. She yelled from the back, "Hey, Jonathan, give me a hand, please?"
"Sure, Lynn, be right there!" he said, then continued more quietly to me, "This guy's job is out here. He's teaching at the University, y'see. I saw him tonight, talking to Miss Rachel, and then I heard them arguing about it before they went on stage. They came all the way out here for him. The great Marty Lee is not someone who can be replaced easily." Then he opened the door and stepped outside.
Our teacher, Mr. Lee? A guitarist in a rock 'n' roll band? He is a teacher, the name is the same, and he was there tonight talking to the band. I remember how he was dressed tonight. So it must be him, right? This is weird.
I can’t wait to tell Lynn all this tomorrow.
LYNN - DREAMING
>I was held down, and couldn't move. Something wet had me by the arms and was covering my legs. I was being dragged down. I was underwater! A giant purple octopus had somehow found me, and trapped me in it's arms. It was pulling and squeezing...I felt like a ball of dough being made into bread. The suckers were squashing into the skin on my arms. It felt like a whole bunch of people at once were giving me a hickey.
>I can't breathe! I can't move! I'm gonna drown! I tried to push the octopus away so that I could go. I needed to go right now. I'm going to miss my train, I'll be late for school. It was leaving in five minutes, I'm going to miss it if I don't get free! It's too difficult, too much. I can't lift my arms, and no matter how I thrashed with my legs, the beast still fought to drown me.
>A purple tentacle rose in front of my face, covered in red suckers. One sucker turned and reformed before my eyes. It was now Kanu's face. She opened her mouth and spoke. "What are you struggling for? You know you can just pull the ripcord." She spoke with Angie's voice.
>Suddenly I remembered that I was wearing a parachute. Of course, I packed it yesterday! If I can just reach it, somehow....but I couldn't do it. All of the spots on all of the arms had become faces looking back at me. Kanu's faces. "Just pull the cord," all of the faces said together.
>I twisted left and right, feeling the slippery suction cups pulling at my skin. I needed to fight it, to fight Kanu...then the thought arose, maybe I need to stop fighting Kanu. I cried out, "Kanu, please. Please help me." Suddenly all of the Kanus smiled together, and the arms let go. I was free. I was floating in an empty space.
>No, it wasn't empty, it was a room, a room with shelves and bookcases. A room that used to be full of records, CDs and tapes. I turned in mid-air, searching. Where was it? Who took the music?<
LYNN
I woke up covered in a thin layer of sweat, and the sheets twisted. I frantically rubbed at my arms to remove the feel of the suckers and shivered. That was scary, to be sure, but what was all of that about Kanu? I needed to fight Kanu, or Kanu was an octopus? And the music room?
Dreams are weird, I thought, as I untangled myself.
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Janet