Undecided Man | A Mark Lindsay Story

Chapter One: Making a Choice

Starring: Paul Revere, Mark Lindsay, Jim Valley (Harpo), Phil Volk (Fang), Drake Levin (The Kid), Mike Smith (Smitty).

Summary: Takes place in the 1960s, in New York. Mark Lindsay is a recently popular singer in the town, gaining success through his manager, and bandmate, Paul Revere. With tension at an all-time high between the two men, the never-ending arguing begins to take a toll on Mark. However, one last mishap turns things around in the worst way possible.

Mark Lindsay sat on his bed, leaning against his bedside table. He looked out the window, noticing gentle rain falling through the streets of New York. The sidewalks were lined with umbrella-wielding pedestrians making their way to work. He rolled out of bed, abandoning his usual routine of putting on his contact lenses. Feeling unusually parched, he headed towards the kitchen for a drink of water. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard near his refrigerator, feeling a bit unnerved by the haunting silence.

An alarm clock in the hallway rang unexpectedly, sending his heart racing. He inhaled deeply, setting his glass aside to silence the small device. Huh? How odd...

He checked the time after shutting off the alarm; it was 7:00 AM. His roommates would soon return from their troubled night at 'work,' begging for silence as they attempted to slumber. He sighed, knowing the three friends were up to no good. Selling drugs and causing mayhem throughout the city was their livelihood. It was wrong, yet Mark accepted it. Despite the high risk associated with selling drugs, the money earned from the 'job' proved to be helpful during troubled times and certainly spoke louder than any logical explanation. Mark dared not to tell a single person of his friends' wrongdoings, although it could potentially lead to jail time. He couldn't resist the temporary financial assistance, it was the only way he could achieve his dream of becoming a successful musician and affording rent for his apartment. He wasn't an avaricious money-guzzler by any means. He was only desperate for a better life, one with meaning.

The previous night was a blur, with little to recollect. He played a small gig with about fifteen people in attendance. He could recall the watchful gaze of his business manager, Paul Revere. Mark was under his wing and Paul practically ruled over his every move. A part of him wished he had a teeny bit of control back, just to feel normal again. The least he expected was a choice in clothing for each performance, but he didn't have that either. He had nothing.

In truth, Paul was a decent friend. He cared about him somewhat and guided him towards a path of success in the local music scene. Despite his intelligence and natural talent as a leader, Paul possessed some less-than-pleasant attributes. He was a bit too... rough. With Paul, conflict usually took a violent and irreversible turn.

Just the previous night, Paul responded violently to a harmless slip-up. Just one innocent lyrical error set him off like a bomb. Following the show, the two men exchanged heated words and insults. Eventually, Mark was met with a slap to the face, ending his night on a bad note. Essentially, the incident led to his current troubles. The dry throat? It was a clear result of his angry exchanges with Paul. He simply couldn't excuse the older man's harsh behavior, which left him exhausted and unable to sleep well.

At times, the older man offered valid arguments to justify his behavior. With an alcoholic father and an ill mother, Paul's childhood wasn't easy. When his mother passed away, his life took a darker turn. His difficult upbringing left him bitter and angry. Yet, despite the hardships, Paul never turned to drugs as a coping mechanism. Alcohol, occasionally, but it was nothing compared to his father. Instead, he inherited a quick temper and a tough exterior.

Mark sighed and ran a hand through his hair, slightly frustrated. He couldn't get rid of Paul, even if he tried. It would only lead to disastrous results. To ease his mind, he took a seat at the kitchen table. He slammed his fists onto the table, a bit more forcefully than he had expected. He winced slightly in pain, his frustration still apparent. Calm down, Mark, your life isn't too bad! You have everything you've ever wanted, you need Paul Revere... Or maybe you don't?

"We're home!" Three voices called out in unison, followed by a fit of laughter. Within seconds, the door slammed shut. Mark flinched slightly, anticipating three smiling faces and playful insults as a greeting.

"Hey," a hand waved in front of Mark's face, "You alright? I thought you'd be in your room by now, you're always in there."

It was Phil Volk, known simply as "Fang." He had a reputation for being a hothead, but it often didn't bother Mark or the other roommates.

"Today's different," Mark responded, picking up his glass of water, "I had a hard night, but you wouldn't know."

"I wouldn't know?" The younger man fired back angrily, "I would know. Do you even know what I do for a living, huh? You've got it easy, Mr. 'I'm Gonna Be A Star.'"

Mark shrugged, refusing to engage in conflict yet again. He knew he would have a bitter response if he did and go something along the lines of " You chose to sell drugs, you made your life difficult. You caused your suffering."

Rather than being cruel, Mark chose not to speak out. Having not done the same with Paul led him into a never-ending cycle of frustration. Conflict-free living is far better than suffering endlessly, he wouldn't have to deal with anyone's crap.

"Go off to bed," Mark began softly, "You know you're a fighter when you're sleepy, I can't take another pointless argument today."

Fang didn't fight back, much to Mark's delight. He simply headed to his room, completely silent. Mark stood up from his seat and placed his empty glass in the sink, not bothering to wash it. As far as he was concerned, his friends would take care of it eventually.

Mark walked into the living room, spotting his two other friends: Drake Levin and Mike "Smitty" Smith. They were seated on the couch, watching television at the loudest volume the device would allow. Despite his urge to scream at the two men, Mark remained silent. Upon closer inspection, Mark noticed the two men were brutally hungover by the previous night's dealing and drinking session.

"Hey!" Mark shouted, catching their attention, "Turn that down, your buddy's trying to get some sleep over there and I highly recommend you guys do the same."

"Don't be so loud about it," Drake whined, covering his ears, "We had a rough night and we're not completely exhausted. Not yet, anyway."

Mark asked, "I'm guessing the sale weren't too good tonight, huh?"

"No," Drake glared for a moment, "We sold just fine, nothing too major. A guy hooked us up with the best drinks in town and we're currently facing the consequences."

"Good to know," Mark nodded, slightly uninterested in the conversion. The conflict with Paul was still at the forefront of his thoughts, he knew things had to change eventually. Though he hated putting his friendship with Paul at risk, he couldn't let the older man dictate his overall presence. He added, "Hey, uh, I just remembered something... I- I gotta go, but I'll be back soon."

Drake and Smitty glanced at him in confusion, then turned their attention back to the television. As Mark left the living room, he felt somewhat at ease. The time was right to reclaim his authority and career. His heart was open to facing any obstacle, even if it hurt him deeply. He felt that he deserved better. That his friends deserved better. Despite the inevitable consequences that follow success, Paul's manipulation could not go on forever. If things had gone as he expected, he wouldn't have taken that route. How could Paul be so stubborn? We could've made a great team! We could've been good friends...

There was no other choice left, he had to stand up for himself.

It's finally your time to shine, Mark. Nothing will stop you.

A/N: That was chapter one! I hope you all enjoyed it, there's still more to come. It's been a while since I've posted an actual story and I've been working on this one for a while now. A lot is in store and I can't wait for you all to read it. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading! 💕

Second note: Heavily revised as of 01/12/2022. :)