Up and Strumming

Starting Something

"GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTS!" A voice suddenly boomed. The place went wild. Cheers arose. "HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT!?" The crowd cheered and screamed with excitement. "WE GOT A GREAT NIGHT OF ACTS FOR YOU TONIGHT, BECAUSE TONIGHT MARKS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE GREAT, SPECTACULAR...ANARCHY TOUR!!!!"

People in China could've heard the cheers. It was loud. For a second, Ari thought she'd gone deaf.

"AND NOW, IT GIVES ME GREAT HONOR, TO PRESENT THE GROUP WHO STARTED THIS TOUR, THE FIRST BAND OF THIS HISTORIC NIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GIVE IT UP FOR..."

A guitar riff rang through the air and echoed into the hollow sound of anticipation.

"THE SEX PISTOLS!!!"

All hell on earth broke loose. The was now not a sea of punk fans, this was a sea singing along with their favorite fiery topped frontman, chanting the first lyrics that gave them the feeling of liberation and power:

"I AM ANTI-CHRIST!
I AM AN ANARCHIST!"

Everyone pumped their fists in the air, shouting at the top of their lungs, not bothering to come up for air again because it didn't matter. If you weren't going to be heard, why bother speaking? But here at this night, the ones who watched but could never speak, the ones whose rights were limited, those who were oppressed, tonight they shared the same breath, because this was the first night of the rest of their lives, where finally, they would be free.

And Ari knew. She was up in a tree, pumping her fist and shouting as well, feeling that warm feeling again. That feeling Joe had told her about. Excitement buzzed through the air like electricity, sparking her heart and mind, and making her hair stick out. She sang without a care along with her friends, feeling that for one night, no matter who you were, you were free at the moment. And it was a nice moment.

"AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
WANNA BEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
ANARCHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIST!
I GET PISSED!"

Ari's How-to Guide of how to sing: "Anarchy in the U.K":
Let it rise from somewhere down beneath you. Ari preferred her gut. Let the sound crawl it's way up, evolving itself into a low growl, that turns into a powerful, meaningful shout that could knock down armies, and possibly make world peace. Now use that voice to sing this one, itty-bitty word:

"DESTROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY!!!!!!!"

Everyone was relentless and wild. It sounded like an atomic bomb of cheers had erupted.

It was fantastic. Ari's heart swelled with joy each passing moment. She knew she was now part of something big. Bigger than anyone who ever walked this earth. No, she was in space. Higher than everyone else, watching them all from above, just in peace. She closed her eyes, and she could here the crowds chant her name...

Ari, Ari, Ari...

I'm bigger than what I think I am. She smiled.

Ari, Ari...
"Ari!"

She opened her eyes. She was still in a tree. Viv look d over at her questionly.

"Are you okay?"

She looked over at the stage. The Buzzcocks were on fire. No, really, there was a small fire brewing near the side of the stage. Probably some drunk started it. Ari looked back at Viv.

"I'm..."
She paused to look back at the stage. The fire had been put out, and the Buzzcocks were being good sports about it, waiting patiently to finish their set. She continued to watch the fiasco, deciding not to finish answering Viv's question. She didn't want to jinx anything.

Soon, Buzzcocks finished their set, and they waved goodbye.

"ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LETS GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR BUZZCOCKS!!!" Another cheer arose. "NOW, OUR NEXT ACT IS A GROUP WHO ARE LIKE NO OTHER. THEIR MESSAGE IS STRONG, AND ONE DAY, EVENTUALLY , THE WORLD WILL HAVE TO LISTEN." People whooped and hollared. Ari pulled at Viv's sleeve.

"Who's next Viv?" Her only response, was that of a smile.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Suddenly, the announcer pulled out a sheet of paper. "ALL THE WAY FROM LON..." He squinted at the paper. He looked over the side of the stage. "What the fuck is this?"

"Just fucking read it already!"

He rolled his eyes. "ALL THE WAY, FROM LONDON W 10, THE CLASH, COME ON!!!!!"