Wind Breaker

“Honestly Brian, you seem to be in a big hurry to get back to your room,” AJ laughed as he tried to keep up the hurried pace that Brian Littrell had set.

“I just need to get back to my room is all. Man, this has got to be one of the longest cab rides I’ve ever taken, are you sure you know where you’re heading?” Brian asked the cabbie.

“Yah, gone this route dozens of times, fella, this is the quickest route around the city,” the old cab driver replied.

Looking over the driver’s shoulder, Brian squinted and then raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the speedometer was barely cresting 40 m.p.h. “I believe the speed limit is 70 on a highway.”

“If yer fixin to get killed it is, just sit back and enjoy the ride, exit’s coming up in a jiff, young fella.”

Brian settled back in his seat, slowly shaking his head back and forth. He caught AJ’s face out of the corner of his eye, a look of amusement displayed. “Just leave it alone, AJ.”

AJ suddenly became interested in his package from the mall. “Not saying a word.”

As the cab driver took the exit and pulled into the circular drive that led to the hotel entrance, Brian had already pulled a fifty dollar bill from his wallet and practically flung it at the driver. “That should cover it, thanks.”

The driver shook his head as he looked at the money and then the meter. “Young kids are so careless with money. Are you sure he wants to leave me with a twenty-eight dollar tip?”

Ordinarily AJ would have asked the driver for at least twenty dollars back, but with Brian literally jumping out of the cab before it came to a complete stop, he decided not to press it. “Keep the change, thanks.”

The driver chuckled in response as he folded the money and placed it into his brown lock bag. “Name’s Fred if ya’ll need service again..”

“Yeah, thanks pal,” AJ huffed as he exited the cab and slammed the door sprinting after Brian. “Bri...hey! Wait for me!”

AJ met up with Brian in the hotel lobby, the light on the elevator indicating that he had already pressed the button. Brian was almost dancing back and forth waiting for the car, mumbling “come on...come on” under his breath.

“Got personal problems son?” AJ snickered. Brian only glared. AJ put his free hand up in defense. “Whoa, chill, it can’t be that bad. Use the lobby bathroom.”

A ringing bell indicated the elevator arrived and Brian was pleased to see that the car was empty. Brian hastily punched the number twelve and then the close door button.

“I take it Taco Bell didn’t set well with you?”

“Like I had a choice,” Brian snapped.

“And did I put a gun to your head and told you to order the bean burritoes?”

“Come on....oh shit,” Brian moaned as the elevator stopped on the eighth floor. Two young girls stepped on the elevator and to make matters worse for Brian, they appeared to be fans.

“Omygod, I can’t believe this, omygod!”

“Floor?” Brian huffed.

“Oh, gosh we’re sorry, we need fifteen.”

Brian nodded and pushed the number, his face glistening with sweat.

“Bri, you gonna get sick?” AJ asked, concern was evident on his face.

“I’m fine,” Brian hissed.

Suddenly the elevator jerked to a rough stop and the lights went out.

“Omigod...omigod..it stopped,” one of the young girls cried out.

“Calm down sweeties, this happens sometimes, don’t worry,” AJ soothed.

They stood in the dark silence, waiting to hear the humming of the motor starting up or even voices yelling at them to assure them that everything would be okay. Suddenly, there was a high pitched noise that broke the silence.

wwwwwhhhiiiiiiiirrrrrrpfffttt

“What the hell was that?” AJ called out.

“Ewwww, it smells like rotten eggs!” a girl cried out.

“AJ!” Brian yelled.

“Wasn’t me dude!”

One of the girls started coughing, almost to the point of gagging. Suddenly, without warning, the sound pierced the air again.

wwwwwhhhiiiiiiiirrrrrrpfffttt

“Good god, it smells like egg salad sandwiches, dammit Bri...”

“AJ!” Brian growled.

“I heard that fast food does that to your system,” one of the girls offered from her dark corner on the elevator.

“I didn’t do it!” Brian yelled out.

“Did we even accuse you of it Brian?” AJ yelled back.

Dead silence.

“Alrighty then,” AJ replied. “Ya know though, I would expect this from Nick before you.”

The girls giggled and Brian only rolled his eyes in the darkness. He could feel the heat on his face, thankful that no one could see him.

Suddenly, the lights came back on and the motor started humming. Brian snuck a look over towards where the girls were before the lights went out and found them sitting on the floor, AJ next to them, all had their shirts pulled up over their noses. “Oh just lovely,” Brian mumbled under his breath.

“You did do it, I can see your face is beet red, you dork!” AJ laughed.

The elevator jerked to a stop on the floor to their rooms, Brian wasted no time in quickly exiting the car, nearly knocking Nick over in the hall.

“God, what happened in there? Smells like egg salad,” Nick remarked as he waved his hand in front of his face. “I’ll wait for another elevator, you can go on.”

As AJ turned to apologise to the young girls, he pulled out two front row concert tickets to the show for that night. “Sorry you had to witness Brian at his best ladies, here, this is a peace offering.”

“Omigod, thank you, god thank you, you are the best! I can’t wait to get home and write about this on my website!” the girl giggled as she grasped the tickets.

AJ smiled and shook his head as he left the elevator.

“What was that all about?” Nick asked.

“Brian had a little problem on the elevator,” AJ laughed.

“What?! Tell me about it!” Nick called out after AJ. “Come on... AJ!”

The End

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