Page 8 of Sing Me a Song

"This is bullshit." I turn away from her and lift the vial from my drawer. I need to take the edge off this day.

"I told you not to do it." Sky's voice calls out.

"Fuck off." I yell at her over my shoulder.

I lean forward and sniff a line into my left nostril and lean back in my chair, letting the euphoria hit me.

"I know this is all weird to you," Sky is suddenly beside me. "There is something seriously wrong with that group. Have you heard of the Illuminati?"

“There is no such thing as the Illuminati.” I roll my eyes at her.

“There is.” She nods, “some celebrities join to get the success they want. Some even sell their souls.”

"Look," I turn to look at her. "I agree, this shit is weird. Knife throwing or slashing tires sounds ridiculous but it kind of makes sense for these strange rock bands. But what you’re saying about them being Illuminati is fucking crazy.”

I lean forward again and sniff the next line into my right nostril.

"They're a metal band." Sky says on a huff.

"Same shit."

“Look them up on YouTube and see the shit they do on stage.” She looks at me earnestly. “Do that before you agree to anything and look into what it means to sell your soul to the Illuminati.”

“Fine.” I agree so she’ll just shut up and let me enjoy my high.

I give Freight my song list for the night and he watches me closely like he’s expecting me to spontaneously combust. Everyone is treading carefully around me and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t making me more curious. I make a note to Google Deluge and the celebrities involved with the Illuminati when I get home.

This time on stage, I'm distracted, not hearing the beats in the music, and lost in my own thoughts of knives and men in hoodies. No amount of drugs can stop my mind's barrage of images. What is this celebration really about? Why is choosing a bunch of strippers such an ordeal? Is it really about something more nefarious?

The night pretty much continues that same way and conversations with the other girls ends up being one sided with me mostly nodding or giving one-word answers.

"Temp," Chanel snaps her fingers in my face. "We're heading out. See you tomorrow."

I wave as the girls leave the dressing room and look down at myself, I'm still fucking naked.

"Tempest." Sky calls as she pulls on her jacket. "Google them."

"Okay." I roll my eyes and begin to get dressed.

A few minutes later, I walk out the front and see Kyle cleaning around the bar, but no Freight.

"Kyle, where's Freight?"

"I think he went to hit the head. Need me to walk you out?" His arms are filled with dirty glasses and a few plates.

"Nah, I'll wait for him." I wave him off.

Freight takes a long ass time to get out of the fucking toilet, so I look out the front door and see I parked closer than I usually do. Anyways, who the fuck is still around at four in the morning? Fuck it, I decide to rush outside by myself.

I make it to my piece of shit car and roll my eyes when I realize my keys are somewhere in the bottom of my big ass purse. I open the purse, stick my hand in, and try to feel around for the irregular metal pieces. I shake my bag and crouch to the ground, opening it up wider and trying to peer inside.

“Need some help?”

I freeze at the sound of the raspy, unfamiliar voice.

“No thanks.” I mutter and take a deep breath.

“You sure?”

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