Revalation 1
"This whole thing has gone on long enough," The man whispers to himself before quickly grabbing his jacket and rushing out the door. Rain drops pound on his head as he runs out to the car and jumps in behind the wheel. Breathing hard, he finds time to put the key in the egnition to turn the motor over. Driving for nearly 10 minutes he finally reaches his destination. Darkness has fallen but the rain keeps coming and he quickly runs up on the breeze way, forcing the key into the locked door, slipping quietly inside. Locking the door behind him, he runs down the long hallway to the control room, where all the equipment is kept.
He lovingly handles the thick wood of the cherry red Gibson guitar, before strumming a few chords and putting it back in it's rack. His eyes fall on the next instrument and he slowly meanders over to it. Gently, he runs his fingers over the keys of a B3 Organ (after turning it on) and the sound flows out like a water fall. Music has always been his first love, but the sound of the pre-recorded track sends a cold chill up his spine, making those awful feelings rise up again.
Finally sitting down behind the drum kit, he lets out a shaky breath. He slowly twirls a stick around in his hand a few times before tapping it along with the music.
"....look around and tell me what you see, you'll find me underneath..." The lyrics pour out into the darkened room as his eyes slowly fill with water. The music was beautiful, but the lyrics made his heart begin to face with anger.
The music, all of it had torn their family apart. It has been months since they have all been together under one roof. The music that had once been an enjoyable and fulfilling lifestyle for them, has now turned into a huge amount of regret and heartache. Sometimes, he wishes that he could just turn back time. Do it all again and live a normal life in suburban Tulsa with his family, without all the fame and press people hounding their every move. In the beginning, they knew that this job would put a strain on the family's relationship, but he didn't realize just how much of an impact it would make until now.
He even had to quit his job becuase of the music. Money was hard on a family of that size, (6 children and his wife was a homemaker), even if he did have medical benefits and retirement put away. He was the bread winner in the family, but when the music started, all of that changed. The priorities began to change in just a few short months and nothing would ever be the same. It has now been 10 years since they had made it big and relationships were straind to say the least. Alot has happened in those 10 years that seem like a lifetime ago. Moving into a larger house was also a big step, but their family was getting it's 7th member, so you couldn't really help that, especially if they could afford it.
His children are all doing their own things and living their own lives. The younger four have school and summer jobs to tend to, while the older three commute back and forth between L.A and Tulsa for their jobs, with a daughter-in-law and grandson in tow, along with numerous girlfriends and fiance's.
The clock on the wall strikes 1 and he realizes that he has been there for a least 2-3 hours or more. He switches off the sound system and locks the side door before sliding in behind the wheel to head home. The rain has stopped and he turns on the radio to a local radio station that plays instrumental classics.
"That was Beethoven's 'Fur Elise' in A minor..." The announcer comments as he pulls up in the garage.>br> Slipping quietly into the house he makes his way up the stairs to the bedroom. Quickly stripping down to a pair of flannel pants and a gray t-shirt, he crawls into bed beside his sleeping wife.
He turns on his side, facing the bathroom door and suddenly feels the gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder.
"Walk, are you okay?" She asks and he smiles to himself at the sound of her voice. God, he loves that woman and she's been through all of this, just like he has. She feels his pain.
"Im fine Diana," He answers and places a hand on top of hers, for reassurance. "I love you." He whispers into the darkness before falling asleep. The darkness consumes him as he falls into a familiar dream.
"All of his children are there, smiling for the camera. They are in the old house on 78th street and he sets the timer before running to sit beside his wife. "Say cheese!" He instructs, just before the bright light flashes."
Return to Stories
Whatcha think?