Live And Let Die

Part 16: Mr. Brownstone

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William paced around the back room, Saul plucked at his guitar, Izzy stood out side taking a drag, Steven tweaked his drum set, and Duff sat as far away from me as possible. We were still on the couch, just on opposite sides.

"Are you okay man?" Saul asked William, who still paced around.

"Ya, ya," Will clasped his hands together.

"You've got ten minutes." The manager of the joint yelled across the room.

"Ah, fuck." William stopped in his tracks. "Can we get an extra hour?" The manager did not looked pleased at Will. "We aren't ready, we won't go on until we're ready."

"Make it snappy." The manager left to the hallway.

"We are fine man, no worries." Saul put his guitar down.

"Don't tell me what the fucking to do!" We all looked up at them. Saul stood up and towered over William. "Give me a few minutes." Will shoved Saul's right shoulder and pushed Izzy out of the doorway on his way in.

"What's his deal?" Izzy asked confused.

"Not my problem." Saul sat on the couch between Duff and I. He wrapped his arm around the top of the couch on my side.

"Maybe I should go check on him." I tried standing up, but Saul pulled me back down.

"Don't even try, he needs his space." Duff moaned at Saul's comment.

"Maybe we should, he's got a pr-"

"Shut the fuck up." Saul snapped at Duff. He shut his mouth and started looking the other way. "So how are you?" Saul smiled stressfully.

"Actually what maybe Duff is right." I peered over at him.

"Nope, ignore him. Just let him go through his ritual."

"Are you ready?" The manager came in to the room again. They all stood up. "Where the hell is pinhead?"

"Well, um-" I stuttered.

"Here asshole." William snapped the manager's hand off of the door and faced him. "Grab your stuff boys." He walked back out.

"Fuck that," Duff sat back down and crossed his arms. "I'm not going on with him like that."

"Like what?" Saul turned to face him.

"You know exactly what." Duff huffed.

"Not right now, so get off of your ass and get out there." Saul pulled him up in one swift move.

"Get off of me." Duff pulled his arm away.

"We can't just not go on!"

"Really, because I'm fucking not!" Duff came closer to Saul's face. "I'm out." He left through the door pass the manager.

"Are you going on or not?" The manager complained.

"Fuck it." Saul grabbed his guitar and left with Duff.

I ran out of the room to catch up with Saul. He finally slowed down for me. I grasped his left hand and pulled him back. His chest went up and down rapidly. I could see his sweat runs down the sides of his face. I stared into his eyes. He did the same.

"Just think this out, I'll talk to Duff-"

"No, talk to your boyfriend over there and then we can talk." He pulled away from me and walked around the corner.

I was left alone in the hallway. Even Izzy and Steven walked passed me without any words. What was going on? Why was everybody in a bad mood? Will always acted like this before a gig, what was so different?" I walked to the stage. William leaned up against a wall near the doorway.

"Where are they?" He asked angrily, but also tiredly.

"They left." I mumbled.

"Wait, what?" He grasped my chin to look up at him.

"They all left." I swatted his hand away. "What's going on Will?" He leaned back against the wall and laughed to himself. "Why did they leave?" I faced him directly.

"I don't know you tell me, you were with them."

"They wouldn't just leave over a few measly minutes." I grabbed his arm. Through his t-shirt I could see a couple of red doubts near his veins. I ignored it.

"Get away."

"No I'm-"

"Get the fuck away!" He pushed me. I fell against the other wall. My eyes started tearing up.

"Fine," I briskly walked away. I turned all the corners of the building to get to the exit.

Dribble of rain fell onto my head. I looked up at the thick rain clouds. I took a deep breath. What had I gotten myself into? I walked the lonely L.A. Streets trying to rethink everything. People passed me by as if I were nothing. The thought all of those people have private lives and problems made mine seem like nothing as well. I was nothing. I was just a bartender with no family or name. Nobody cared either. Welcome to life.

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"I used ta do a little but a little wouldn't do. So the little got more and more, I just keep tryin' ta get a little better." Mr. Brownstone by Guns N' Roses