The Unfortunate Gift

The Last Recording

CHAPTER SIX

The Last Recording

            I wish I had a video of us – Audrey, Shell and me – lying on my dorm room floor, Jeremy’s digital recorder in the middle. It was a small black rectangle. The anticipation we felt was overwhelming. My thoughts alone were processing at a clipped pace. We all looked at one another. Shelly spoke first. “OK. Here goes.” Shelly pushed the play button on the front of the recording device, and used her thumb to nudge the volume button up. At first, there was the typical static sound, like background noise over a cell phone. It took us a second to understand that the following bumps and clicks must have been Jeremy putting the recorder in a pocket or something. After a few seconds of more static, we heard muffled music and a muted orchestra of voices. Suddenly, Jeremy’s voice erupted in a loud phrase.

            Jeremy: “HEY! Hey man, how’s it going? Yeah yeah….looks great. Man, look at all the people here. This is good – oh thanks (scuffle) (flick of a lighter) (exhale) so who’s here tonight – oh thanks yeah (clinking) (a beer??)…”

            At this point Audrey and I were both staring at Shelly. The sound of Jeremy’s voice at maximum volume made it seem, for a surreal moment, that he had burst into the room with us. It was shocking at first, even though we knew his voice would be heard. Shelly seemed OK, and she simply returned the look. We paused the tape. “Ok so what were these parties exactly?” I asked.

            Shelly rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. “Some were loosely organized – you know, a spur of the moment type deal. Some were well organized, like a month in advance. This one – I remember – J invited me to go with him…for old time’s sake I guess. I didn't go, obviously. It was a big one. I bet there were at least 100 people in attendance, if not more. Those parties were more like events, and J always talked about the three different types of attendees…” I always loved it when Shelly got logical. She would make a great teacher or a professor – maybe even a detective. Nah that would be Audrey. Shell continued, “The first of the three types were the boozers – they just wanted to act within the fringes, you know, for free beer and dancing and the opportunity to find a mate. Then there were the curious, those who played the part with the intention of getting serious about the subculture – seeking the inner circle, as it were. Then of course, there were those who belonged to the core group. These people were ridiculously serious. Major creeps. If vampires and such really do exist – I would not have been shocked to discover these freaks were the real deal. This was a religion to them; a cult – a purpose and a goal. This was real. J always noted how these freaks never tolerated the boozers…and he suspected the only reason they allowed them in at all was as a distraction from the truth. Afterall, the popo look for drunk teens, not intrinsically realistic devil worshippers and what not…”

            I interrupted briefly, “What was Jeremy? Which one was he?” Shelly rolled back onto her stomach, propped herself on her elbows and folded her hands together in front of her. “J would tell you he was a non-entity – that he was just there as a bystander. However, he had to play the part to a degree or they would never have tolerated him. J knew two of the guys who were in the inner crowd – he had known these kids since they were all in grade school. They vouched for J because they adored him. Hang on, I’ll think of their names….Brian and …something funny. I can’t recall. I can see him – big guy, like a football player…” At this Shell seemed bored with the conversation and reached toward the device. She pushed play.

            Jeremy: “Who’s here – ahhh yes, there’s Chad, Chris, heywhatsup! No, no, no ceremony for me tonight my friend… just visiting…(music much louder – to the point of distorting the sound for a few minutes) (shouting – whooping and whistling)”