Page 84 of Hope & Harmony

The Night We Met

CHAPTER 1

ROSS

The lights went down and I jogged in place, warming up.

The crowd was loud tonight.

Energetic and excited and ready for some rock and roll.

I caught the eye of my lead guitarist and nodded.

Our drummer was already out there, kicking a rhythmic staccato on the bass drum. The bass player matched his time, punching out deep, low beats that reverberated through the arena.

It was go time.

I ran out on stage and grabbed my mic just as the spotlight hit me.

“Phoenix!” I yelled. “Who’s ready for some Ross and roll?!”

Our catchphrase sent the crowd into a frenzy as my drummer counted off.

“1-2-3-4!”

We went right into ‘Hot and Hammered’, our newest release, and I danced across the stage, my feet moving in time to the beat.

Getting’ so high so we can’t get by

Loving by the lights of the city

Ridin’ on the back with your hair in the air

Damn, baby, you look so pretty.

I leaned forward, singing to the ladies in the front row.

But something was wrong.

Their faces started to melt and suddenly the entire audience vanished, leaving me performing for an empty house. I spun around to look at my band in confusion, but they weren’t there either. Just lifeless blobs melting into the stage…

I sat straight up in bed, sweat covering my body like a second skin.

Not again.

I wiped my hands down my face, breathing hard, trying to still the hammering of my heart.

God damn nightmares.

I’d been having the same one at least once a week for nearly two decades.

They always started the same, with me living my dream, and ended with the nightmare of my reality.

No amount of therapy, pharmaceutical intervention, or even alcohol stopped them from coming back. The only thing that stopped them was not sleeping, and I could only go so long before that caught up to me.

I got out of bed and padded to the bathroom.

After taking care of business, I washed my face and stared into the mirror.

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