A Twist For Pop

Chapter 1 - It Begins

Chapter 1 – It Begins'Look out' I hear someone scream frantically. I hear the tyres screech as the driver attempts to stop but I don't have enough time to move out of the way before I feel the searing pain as the car hits me full force. More pain radiates through my body as I somersault over the car and hit the floor with an almighty thud, my head bounces off the concrete causing my vision to blur. Black spots cloud my vision, first there's only a few then more and more, all around me I hear people frantically running and screaming but as the first person reaches me my vision clouds over until I can see nothing and my world falls into darkness.I hear something... 'Evie' someone is calling my name 'Evie, can you hear me' who's is that voice? 'Baby come on please wake up' I know that voice, I will my eyes to open but they remain firmly shut. The voice is still calling me but now it sounds hysterical, I hear a loud noise. A piercing constant wail and frantic footsteps scurrying around... I can't breathe... my chest feels as though it's being crushed by a boa constrictor. My chest tightens...I drift into unconsciousness.My eyes flutter open and I slowly sit up and run my hands through my coarse, dead, straw like hair, man was a weird dream. I glance around the room, Guns 'n' Roses posters hang on the wall, my black studded leather that jacket hangs on the back of my mahogany dressing table chair and my prized possession looking beautiful in its glass case at the bottom of my bed. The guitar Slash used to record Black or White with Michael Jackson, both of their names signed in silver on the bottom, it may be worth millions but to me it's priceless and I will never get rid of it. 'Evie for Christ sake get up. You need to go to work, Jenny will be here soon and I don't want you here when she is' my boyfriend Ernie shouts. I groan and drag myself out of bed before taking a seat at the dressing table completely nude and stare at my appearance.My eye is still swollen and has a nice purple bruise covering it, I have multiple bruises on my arms and legs and two of my fingers on my left hand are obviously broken, all curtesy of Ernie last night when I said that I wasn't in the mood for sex. But looking at the blood on my inner thighs it's obvious that he got his way, though I don't dwell on it as it's a regular occurrence now. I've learnt that the less I scream the less pain I endure and the quicker it ends.Looking at my appearance you wouldn't think I'm a woman of forty, you'd think I'm a lot older as I haven't been very good to myself. Years ago I would never go for a steroid crazed boyfriend and I would take pride in my appearance but after so long of drinking heavily every night, doing strong drugs on a daily basis and mutilating my body through tattoos, scarification and piercings I certainly look older than my years. As I stare back at myself I idly remember that I need to re-dye my hair as my natural blonde is showing through my red pixie cut hairstyle.I stand up and drag on my hideously oversized uniform and apply far too much make-up to hide the bruises then run a brush through my hair. Once I'm dressed I drag my sorry backside down the stairs and into the kitchen where Ernie is lounging in a kitchen chair and a girl is on her knees in front of him, I don't need to see her face to know it's Jenny enthusiastically sucking him off. 'Get me a beer' Ernie demands 'get your new bitch to get it for you' I hiss with my back to him, he stand up and pushes Jenny back causing her to fall on the floor 'what did you just say' he bellows grabbing my hair and yanking it backwards so that my head is resting on his shoulder. 'I said get your new bitch to get it' I whisper to which he spins me around and slaps me hard across the face. That's another bruise to add to the collection.'You need to learn some manners slut' Ernie snarls pushing down on my shoulders but although I struggle against him and try to fight back as much as I can, with two broken fingers it doesn't take long before I'm on the floor. He grabs the back of my neck and forces me to take him in my mouth, he thrusts deep into my throat causing me to retch and gag. His punishing rhythm is relentless until finally he stiffens and the disgusting saltiness oozes down my throat causing me to retch once more. 'Now, get me a beer like a good little girl then get the fuck out and go to work' Ernie sneers before making his way back to Jenny, who is now stood leaning on the kitchen table not knowing where to look. He grabs her face and kisses her deeply, forcing his tongue into her mouth before roughly bending her over the table and ripping her underwear off, her shocked eyes meet mine as he penetrates her. I place the bottle of beer on the table and hurry to the front door as Jenny's screams of pleasure get louder. Ugh I can't deal with this.Throughout the twenty minute walk to the local supermarket where I work I look back on my life and I realise that I've accomplished nothing.I'm a trained beautician but due to hanging out with the wrong crowd of people, I lost my salon and was never able to build it back up again. I can never seem to hold onto a relationship since I always end up only attracting the same kind of guys, druggies, liars, cheats, body builders who are doped up on steroids and women beaters. No decent man ever looks my way, I why should he? I'm nothing, I've taken awful care of my body and I hate myself. I don't deserve anybody decent. I have no career, no real hobbies and no real friends. But the one thing that destroys me is that I never had any children; I've been pregnant a few times but as soon as the father found out he'd drag me to get an abortion which broke my heart every time. Eventually I got the implant fitted as I couldn't cope with any more.When I'm on my own I'm better. My main escape from life is to lose myself in a book or to draw; obviously when Ernie isn't around as he tears up my sketches or throws my books in the fire. People constantly question why I stay and the answer is; I have to. I'm too afraid of what he'll do to me or my family if I try to leave...I hang my head as I walk into work, Jake, the boss is stood at the staffroom door waiting for me 'morning Evie' he winks staring at my breasts and licking his lips. Ugh what a pervert. Barging past him, I make my way into the staffroom and throw my bag in the locker. 'So, do you have any plans for tonight' Jake whispers into my ear as he wraps his arms around me from behind 'avoiding you like the plague' I hiss before heading out onto the shop floor to start another boring day.That evening I sit on the sofa with a glass of orange juice and begin reading my latest book 'Tess of D'Urbervilles' and thankfully Ernie has gone home tonight since he wanted a threesome with Jenny and her large breasted friend Diana so my mum has come over to stay with me. She flicks idly through the television channels until I hear her gasp in shock, my eyes dart to her then at the television screen where the news is playing. A photograph of Michael Jackson fills the screen and the words 'King of Pop, dead aged 50' are stamped on the bottom. I hold my breath.Both of us sit in shocked horror as we watch the broadcast. Although I didn't know him personally my heart breaks, his positive messages and music have been the things that have kept me going through all these years and now he's gone. Mum has tears sliding down her face; she was always such a huge fan and always regretted not seeing him live in concert.A few years later I find myself standing in front of large wrought iron gates with gold lettering spelling out the word 'Neverland' across them. This is the former home of the late Michael Jackson, and it's been recently opened to the public as a museum and memorial centre. I've saved relentlessly, scrimping and saving as much as I could to buy the tickets until I finally had enough and here I am; Mum wanted to come too but she is terrified of flying.The first thing I see as I pass through the gates is the huge working clock surrounded by hedges and flowers with a large building behind it, which I soon discover is a train station. Once everyone is aboard we set off on the journey to the main house, passing through miles and miles of extensive gardens and mountains. We pass through the Neverland Zoo although due to the winter weather the animals are inside their shelters, warm and dry which is a shame but alas we continue. We pass over a bridge suspended over a gorgeous lake with so many water lilies on it and on the other side numerous statues of children playing are dotted around the gardens. Next to come into view is an extensive fairground with a Ferris wheel, roller coasters, a large carousel, a swinging pirate ship and a whole host of other attractions; but again due to the weather, it too is closed.Finally, we arrive at the station that is just a little way off from the main house which blends beautifully in with the surrounding trees and gardens due to the wooden aspects, light coloured bricks and ivy that drapes so perfectly you would think it had been placed there on purpose.Upon entering the house I'm met with statues of white cherubs and magnificent artwork hanging from the walls making it look more like an art gallery than a home. The theme continues throughout the house as I spend hours wandering from room to room. One in particular with a 'no entry' sign catches my attention; making sure no one is around I sneak over to the door and stare at the security panel trying to think of any combination that might work. I punch in a series of digits and to my shocked amazement the red light turns green and I hear the door unclick so I dart through the door into the room.Moonlight floods the room and my breath freezes in front of my face each time I breathe out. I rub my arms trying to generate some warmth as I make my way around the room; it looks just like any other living room, large couches, a plasma TV mounted on the wall and a large sound system either side but everything is covered with a thick layer of dust. Why has it been sealed off, what's so special about it?I snoop around one of the two large walk in closets and notice another security panel inside, I punch in the same code as before and again the red light turns green unlocking it. I carefully grab one of the many books that are all bound in brown leather and flick through a few pages where messy joined up handwriting fills the pages and signed on the bottom of each 'Michael Jackson.' Holy crap, these are Michael Jackson's personal diaries, and this must have been his bedroom! Despite knowing its wrong, the urge to read the diaries is too great and I flick through the entries. Each one getting progressively sadder and more hopeless as the years roll by in a matter of pages.A lone tear falls onto the page as I continue to read but as I reach the last page I realise part of the page is missing. I sigh and place the book back into the cupboard and carefully close the door making sure it's once again hidden from view, I exit the closet and make my way up a small staircase to be met with a Queen sized four poster bed with silver crushed velvet bedding. Everywhere is covered with leaves that have blown in from the broken sky light above me. to my left there is a dressing table and attached to the mirror is a small piece of paper.'I don't know who I am anymore; I'm not the man I once was. No matter what I do most of the world still sees me as nothing more than a paedophile and a freak with a plastic face. It would be better for everyone if I died and I know that my time will come soon, I can't stop taking the drugs and I can feel my body getting weaker. I just can't do this anymore. My kids will be better off with mom and Joseph, I can barely look after myself let alone them too... this is Michael Jackson signing off for the last time... PS whoever reads this, don't make the same mistakes I did cherish your life, don't alter your appearance and love yourself for you' I realise it's the missing section from the diary but the thing that makes my breath hitch in my throat is the date, 24th June 2009, the day before he died.Something moves behind me catching my attention, my eyes dart around the room before coming back to the mirror to which I stare at dumbfounded. Before my eyes I see my appearance change, the 46 year old woman ebbs away, the wrinkles by my eyes fade and my tired eyes look brighter. The bright red in my hair drains away as it gets progressively longer until it reaches the middle of my back and my glossy natural blonde shines through. The many tattoos covering my body heal over and disappear as so the stretchers in my ears leaving a hole only big enough for a pair of standard earrings. My 20 year old self stares back at me.From within the mirror another figure emerges, he stands beside the nightstand and walks towards me, years drop from his face as he moves. His worn out nose returns to the way it looked many years ago, the tattooed eyeliner and lip liner fade and his luscious black curls cascade over his shoulders, his figure fills out until his anorexic form is taken over by a healthier more athletic body. Michael stands behind me and stares at me through the mirror 'this isn't the way it was meant to be. You need to change your ways if you want to make your world a better place' his ghostly voice echoes throughout the room as I turn to face him just as he places his hand over my heart and a bright light engulfs me...Pain radiates through my chest cavity. Air floods my lungs... I can breathe. Somewhere in the distance I hear a steady beeping noise only for a second before the constant wailing noise returns as my chest tightens once more...'You can't give up, fight this Evie. Show the world what you can do. Only you can save the two of us' Michael's voice is back but this time I'm not in the bedroom, I'm somewhere completely white. The colour blinds me and I can see no-one. 'I can't give up' I whisper to myself and the painful shocks are back...'When will she wake up?' the voice is back, I struggle to open my eyes but eventually I manage to blink them open, I turn my head. God, my neck's sore. Everything in the room is a blinding white and a light turquoise apart from the flash of hot pink and charcoal black in the corner, my eyes adjust and the woman smiles and leaps up to hug me. I wince as the pain lances through me. 'Thank god you're alright' she sobs into my hair, 'what happened?' my voice is hoarse and my throat is so dry 'you were hit by a car' her expression is pained as she lovingly strokes my hair.'What? When? How?' I can't make a coherent sentence, my mind is scrambled. 'You've been in a coma for three months, you were run over by a car and you hit your head full force on the concrete' my mum explains only to be interrupted by a doctor waltzing into the room. 'Ahh Evie, nice to see you've returned to us' his smile is warm but I'm just still too confused to smile back, 'I don't understand' I whisper. 'I'm guessing that your mother has told you about your accident? Well, almost all of your internal organs started to fail shortly afterwards, you broke most of the bones in your body so for two months you've been in a complete body cast and we've kept you in the coma so that your body has time to heal itself which was the best thing possible since you went into cardiac arrest four times and had to be resuscitated twice. So you're a very lucky young woman indeed' the doctor mentions to which I glance down at my hospital gown clad body. Something isn't right with this picture but I've no time to dwell on it since the doctor makes me do numerous tests to make sure that everything is working as it should be.Although I'll make a full recovery I'm told that I'll more than likely need a lot of physiotherapy to regain the strength in my muscles as I've suffered a lot of muscle wastage due to being in the full body cast and not using any of my muscles for the past three months.