I'm Sorry- A Slipknot Story

Chapter 49

-after show-

I walk with Sid and he starts telling me about his stage diving.

"You should've seen the maggots when I ran to the front! They all cheered and I actually got caught instead of breaking ribs," he says.

"But I didn't glide like I did in your coveralls," he adds.

"Okay, show us what you really do for stretching. You don't do the weird folding that you did as a stretch," Corey says as I take off my shoes.

"Why? If you guys try it, you might get hurt," I say.

"We'll be fine," Joey says, rolling his eyes and doing a half smile.

"Okay," I say, drawing it out as I stand in the small living room-like space beside the lounge room.

"Since this is a more compact room, it's best if I show you then you guys do it," I say, Sid waving me on.

"First is a sort of back heel stretch," I say. 

I bring my foot back and raise it up, grabbing it with my hands and bending it forward. I lower my hands to my calf, locking my knee straight. I bend my back a little and drop my head back, turning it to the guys.

"And I do it with both legs," I add. I lower my leg and do it with the other one.

"I think this one, if you could do a heel stretch, is going to be pretty easy," I say, letting my foot lower to the floor. I straighten my back and gesture to them, Joey achieving it and curving his back. The other guys couldn't get their legs up past their hip, but they did crack their hip joints.

"Okay, can we try something easier," Shawn asks, a little pain in his voice.

"Sure. Um, This might be the same, but it might be easier," I say, sitting on the floor. 

I put one foot out and the other behind me, putting it up and reaching back. I grab at the ball of my foot and point my elbows up, making two unfinished triangles. I look at them and they're mesmerized by my movements. Their mouths are slightly open, their eyes wide and their brows furrowed.

"And since you guys have stretchy backs, you can bend back," I say, bending my back to their comfort level.

"And you guys don't necessarily have to put your leg out in front of you. If you can, that's awesome, but don't hurt yourself before Christmas," I say, making them laugh. I go back to a split and jump up, cracking my hip joints. They try it and all of them do it to a point, all of them sitting on their knees and not bending the back.

"Okay," I say, observing their poses.

"I think a few yoga poses would be better," I say. I let them up and think of a pose, deciding on trying the cobra.

"You can do these with me," I say, getting on my stomach.

-night-

All of the guys are laying on the floor, doing the corpse pose to relax after they've done yoga.

"And open your eyes and you're done," I say, sitting on the floor in a lotus pose. 

They must've fallen asleep because they didn't move. I stand up and check Corey's pulse, hearing him and Shawn snore. I stand up and walk to my bed, putting my braid up into a bun and turning out the light. I let them sleep on the floor since, well, I need sleep too. I slide into my bed and turn to the wall, hugging my plushie to my chest.

"Night guys," I say quietly. Even though I hear no response, I hear it in my head. I close my eyes and fall asleep fast, happy I could after all the nights.

-morning-

I wake up and roll over, seeing no one in their bunks. I stand and feel my bun, it being in tact. I walk over to the living space and see them sprawled out on the floor, Corey on the couch. I decide to wake him up first.

"Corey," I whisper, doing a backbend to scare him. I look at him and poke his forehead, waking him up.

"What happened to you," he asks, seeing my upside-down face.

"I'm stretching," I say. 

He rolls his eyes and sits up, yawning and rubbing his face. I hear someone sit up, so I bend more and put my head through my knees, looking at them. Joey looks over and jumps, getting startled by my position.

"Why do you do this," he asks, standing and stretching.

"Because I can," I say, unfolding myself and standing straight.

"I know that. But why," he asks.

"So I don't lose this ability when I get to the age of 40," I say.

"And you're over halfway there," Corey says.

"You are too," I retort, making him laugh.

---time skip---

We make it to Iowa after a few hours of driving and talking. I put on my Air Walks and hop off the bus, seeing Claire waiting for me. She runs to me and I run to her, hugging in the middle.

"I missed you," she says.

"I missed you too," I say back, letting go. She lets go and the guys go with their significant others, Sid looking down sadly.

"Why am I single," he asks himself, Claire offering to drive him home.

"Really? Thanks," he says, hopping in the front while I get in the back with the luggage.