The Club

CHAPTER 12

From the deadness of the streets, I didn't expect this place to be packed, but I also didn't expect for it to be so exclusive. It's as if everyone in here belongs and nobody questions it. No one acknowledges my entrance. They're all focused on the man playing on the stage. The song he's playing is unfamiliar, but the man is not. I would recognize that face anywhere.

He's sitting on a stool strumming an acoustic guitar and his long blond hair is pulled back off of his face. He's dressed in a pair of nice slacks and a t-shirt, there's nothing about this man that screams grunge even in the slightest. He's so lost in the song that he's playing but I can't ignore the smile plastered all over his face.

He's happy. Truly and completely happy here.

Looking back out at the faces in the room, I see nothing but happiness all around me. The melody of the song makes it impossible not to be enjoying yourself. The song floats over me and I feel nothing. Why am I here? I don't belong here.

I'm so lost in my own head, that I don't even notice the music has stopped. All eyes are on me and I look back up to the stage and find his focus on me. My cheeks redden with the attention and butterflies build in my stomach. I thought I felt fifteen before but now in this moment, I'm transported to my teenage self and my obsession with the man in front of me. He places the guitar on the stand next to his stool and hops down from the stage. The audience parts as he makes his way to me. How is this happening right now? Am I dreaming?

He stops right in front of me but he's far from happy to see me. "What are you doing here? You should have never made that wish, Erika. You don't belong here."

Wow, not the way I ever imagined this conversation going if I had the chance to have it. My idol is standing in front of me and doesn't even want me here. That's a major bummer. "Why? Don't you want me here?"

"It's not that I don't want you here." He pulls on the ends of his locks and doesn't hide the fierceness in his eyes when he focuses on me. "You're meant for so much more than this."

He's not making any sense. Did I fall down in the bathroom and hit my head. I don't even know what's going on right now. "But why?"

"I can't tell you that. It's something you need to figure out on your own. But listen, we don't have a whole lot of time."

Well that's annoying. How can I figure something out that I didn't know needed fixing? This whole situation is so weird. Oh but while I'm here. "Can I ask you a question first."

"Yes, but hurry." He glances above my head like he's looking for something or someone. His posture is tense and something is up. Why is he in such a hurry?

"Did you really do it?"

He brings his hand up and rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat. "Does it really matter? This is where I was supposed to be and whether or not it was at my hands or somebody else's, I would have ended up here anyways. I belong here."

I nod my head. Even though it's one of life's biggest conspiracies I guess if that's the way he feels, then it doesn't matter anyway.

"You need to find the key, Erika." He grabs both my arms forcefully causing me to lose my balance.

I tilt my head to the side and ask, "Key? What key?"

The crowd around us has faded from my vision and all I can focus on is every word coming out of his mouth. If this is all true, then he is the only one that can help me. I'm not sure how to think about having a dead guy be the only one who can help me. I guess that makes him like my guardian angel. That's a kickass way to think about it.

"The key to the door. It's the only way out of here and to get your life back, but you have to do it before your twenty-eighth birthday."

"What happens then?"

"You die and become a permanent member of the '27 Club'."

No. That can't happen. I'm too young to die and I never wanted this life. My desperation and weakness should not decide my fate. I refuse to acknowledge that this is the end for me. "Where do I find it? How can I stop all of this from happening?"

"I'm sorry, I've already told you too much. I can't help you any further."

"But I can't do this on my own." I shake my head and rack my brain for a way to keep him talking. My heart rate increases and my palms become sweaty. This can't be happening right now.

"You have to. If he knew I was helping you, it would be bad for us all."

He starts to turn away and I grab his arm holding on for dear life. "Who is he? Please I need help. I didn't know what I was doing when I made that deal. There has to be another way."

"Oh shit." He looks above my head and his eyes go wide with fear. He grabs onto my shoulders and pulls me over to side in a dark hallway. His voice comes out barely above a whisper when he says, "He's here. Run, Erika, run far away and find the key. That's the only way to save yourself. And watch your back. You never know who he's going to send after you to ensure he gets to keep you forever. Just remember to find the key."

"Wait!" The entire room fades away in a puff of smoke and I'm back standing in the middle of the bathroom. Did I really never leave the bathroom? Was I just hallucinating the whole thing? I forget about why I needed to come in here and pull my phone out. A gruff "hello" comes over the other end and I say, "I need a flight back to New York as soon as possible. And I need you to clear my schedule for the foreseeable future."

That gets his attention and his voice comes over more clearly this time. "Hold on. What's going on, Erika? I can't just clear your schedule."

"You work for me. Not the other way around. I need to go home and clear my head. Just do it."

I don't wait for him to reply back before I hang up my phone. I enter the club again and push my way through the crowd heading straight for the exit. I can't stay here any longer. I just hallucinated in a God damn bathroom and I need to get my shit together and figure out what the hell is going on.

That's the end of part one. Thank you so much for reading up to this point! I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. Please consider starring and commenting on the previous parts already published.

The next chapter and start of part two will be up next week!