I'm Sorry- A Slipknot Story

Chapter 107

-Oct. 21st; Moline, Illinois-

"Hey Joey, I got a proposition," I say, making him turn with a smile. We're backstage, and I heard him say that he would love to take the day off.

"You have my attention," he says.

"I'll take your place today," I say, making him shake his head.

"No way Liz. You have no idea how ruthless it is up there," he says.

"I'll give you $50," I say, seeing his eyes change.

"H-how much," he asks.

"You heard me," I say.

"I don't know, are you sure you can take it," he asks.

"You want the money or not," I ask.

"Yes," he says fast. 

I hear the opening and give him the money, the guys letting me get to my spot. I had my mask on and I oiled my joints this morning, so I'm good to go. I pick up the drumsticks and put my feet on the pedals, smiling at the shocked faces.

-after show-

I put my hands up above my head and the crowd cheers, letting me make my exit. Instead of Joey seeing me hurting, I walk past him with my clothes and mask drenched. He catches up with me and looks up at me, expecting something to happen.

"So," he starts.

"You feel tried," he asks.

"No," I say, seeing him blink a few times.

"Arms hurt," he asks.

"They feel great," I say.

"Do you even have pain signals," he exclaims.

"No," I say, hopping on the bus.

"The only thing I feel is my ass being numb," I say after I take my mask off.

"Your ass is numb," Sid asks.

"Yeah," I say, hearing someone smack my ass to test it.

"Did you feel that," he asks.

"No. I heard it though," I say.

"I wanna try," Corey says, smacking my ass.

"It's therapeutic, ya know," he says to Sid, who nods.

"Are all of you going to smack my ass because it's numb now," I ask, all of them nodding. Except Paulie. He declines. (Paulie's a gentleman.)

"Go ahead. My life's come to this shit, and I'll take it," I say. They smack my ass at least twice, but the last person smacks just as my ass wakes up. I feel it this time.

"Now my ass's awake," I say, turning to them. They're all laughing their own asses off.

"Shut up. Thanks for waking my ass up though," I say, making them laugh harder. They have tears in their eyes.

"I now know why Bruce-"

"Don't you fuckin' go there shortie," I warn.

"Likes walking with you," he finishes, getting my middle fingers. I turn and walk to the booth, seeing Paulie sitting where he usually does.

"Might as well get to those cards," I say, sitting in my spot. In an instant, Sid skids in on his socked feet and sits next to me, helping out with the envelopes. He must be really good at origami.

-night-

"Guys, go the fuck to bed," Joey groans, pulling my free arm.

"We only have 10 invitations left. We'll be done in a couple minutes," I say.

"Ya know, from how much you two work on the wedding, I'm almost convinced that you two are getting married," he says.

"We're twins. That would be incest," Sid says.

"Plus, Bruce gave us two the liberty to do all of what we're doing," I say, handing Sid another card.

"And we don't want to get these out too late," Sid adds, putting the envelope in the box. I'm finished with the French ones, so Sid put the top on the box and put it under the other box.

"I'm still surprised Bruce has so goddamn much trust with this. You could be doing absolutely nothing right now and he wouldn't know," Joey says, making me smile.

"I want to keep the trust he gives me instead of being lazy and breaking it," I say.

"Last one," I say, Sid putting it in the envelope.

"Great, now can you two go to bed," Joey asks. I look at Sid and blink morse, asking him what other things we haven't done. He says nothing he can think of.

"Yeah," we both say.

"Did you two just blink morse," Joey asks.

"Yes. I taught Sid to do it," I say.

"And now we talk through it sometimes," Sid says.

"You two are weird. Too weird," Joey says as he climbs in his bunk.

"We know," we say.

"Both of you go to bed," he says, falling asleep from how it's close to midnight.

"Night twin," I say.

"Night ink freak," he says. Speaking of that...