My Lost Love

Chapter 19 - Still on Duty

Sheraton Universal Hotel

January 28th, 1984

     We all watched in complete silence, just waiting for it.  I didn't really know what to expect.  I knew he was burned but I didn't know when it would happen, or how.  There was a lot of tape.  And it took us a while to actually get to the footage. 

     On all the takes, I noticed the same routine happening.  Michael started at the top of the stairs and once he was down them, the pyrotechnics went off.  But on the sixth take, the pyro went off way too early.

     Loudly, I screamed in shock, causing Michella to jump, as I saw the fire pouched on Michael's head.  It was horrifying.  Like watching a movie.  My screech didn't seem to faze anyone.  They all watched in disbelief.  In the video, Michael began spinning until a sea of entourage swallowed him.

     Then you see him emerge from the crowd and gruesomely I saw the burn in the middle of his head.  I had to look away. 

     Michella stared at Michael.  Then she looked at everyone else as they all gasped at once.

     She then dropped her cup on the floor.  "Uh-oh," she said finally catching Michael's attention.

     He quickly smiled and retrieved it for her.  "Did you guys see that?" he asked everyone as he handed it to her.  "I could've been killed."

     Michella stood up on the bed and leaned on Michael.  "Look!" she said to me.  She began touching the bandage on Michael's head.  "Boo-boo!"

    "Stop, Michella," he complained bringing her around to his lap. 

     "It hurt?" she asked with the most serious look on her face.

     Michael laughed because she didn't talk as clear when he saw her last.  "Yes.  Don't touch, okay?"

     "Okay."

     "Play it again," he said to John.  "I can't believe this," he kept repeating.  "Man, did you see that?"

     "Michael, relax," I said rubbing his back.

     "No.  Play it again."

     He was in shock.  I understood where he was coming from.  But I didn't want to see it again and I didn't want Michella to see it neither.  I grabbed her from his lap and kindly put the tape back in and played it for them.  I then ran off to another part of the suite into the bedroom.

     The two of us stayed in the room and entertained each other for about an hour.  I could still hear Michael yelling about the tape.  I heard him mention putting out to the public to see.  All I kept thinking was, if the world did see it that would be the end of Pepsi.  Michella kept asking if he was mad.  "Yes.  He's a very mad."

     Michael joined us in the room later on when everyone left.  "Sorry," he said for his absence.

     "It's okay," I said from the bed.  "But don't release that tape.  Please."

     "I want the world to see what they did to me."

     "It wasn't on purpose.  Plus, it wasn't Pepsi's fault.  It was the production.  Someone missed their cue.  I hope someone was fired."

     "A few people were from what I've heard."  Michael folded himself down on the floor near Michella.  "I've missed her so much.  She has really grown."  He looked up to me with some kind of strange emotion filling his eyes.  "I have to admit, I've been a little lost without you two."