Shout the Call

When Aaron said the hotel was five stars, he really wasn’t wrong. It was amazing and resplendent and we were staying in it for the next two nights.

Matching ‘his & hers’ bathrobes were laid out on the bed and over on the large, ornate dressing table that took up most of the bay window, there was a welcome tray of chocolates, strawberries and champagne; it all felt a little too good for little me!

I had four hours to kill before I headed out to Logo and at first, I really wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself but then I decided to pop open the fizz and break into the goodies.

I guzzled down my second glass of champagne and started to feel myself lagging. I was tired and a little nap was certainly called for.

******

Damn it; I must have been tired, I thought to myself as I looked at my watch. It was five thirty and I had exactly an hour and a half to haul my backside out of bed, get showered, changed and of course, made up. My phone buzzed to life, almost scaring the life out of me, as it received a text message.

“Hope you’re ready for tonight sugar xxx.”

“Almost,” I typed in, “Can’t wait to see you. Now let me get ready and please do not disturb; it takes time to look this beautiful!”

Aaron’s reply came almost immediately after I had hit send.

“Stop it! I have to concentrate. Bye for now.”

******

I got a room call; my taxi was waiting outside. I rushed out, after making sure to lock the door, putting the key card deep down into a secret zip pocket in my bag. I climbed into the back of the car seconds before the driver put his foot down and we made our speedy way to Logo.

Jim was standing outside the main entrance as we pulled up; he put his cigarette out at soon as he saw it was me. I ran straight up to him and gave him a huge hug.

“Thanks so much Jim.”

“What for?” Jim asked, looking confused.

“You know, just for giving me the night off and stuff.”

“Not a problem chuck,” Jim answered, spinning me round as if he was getting a good look at me, “good – no camera bag. Wait, you haven’t hidden one away somewhere have you?” he said, laughing.

“No; I promise! Don’t worry, Aaron gave me the talk,” I said, smiling, “you know Jim, I haven’t always done this job. I’ve always enjoyed going to gigs, even before New Music. I just want to see my favourite band as a fan again and a fan is surely what I am.”

“You sound like something out of a Dr Seuss book.”

“I do, don’t I?” I said, laughing at Jim’s reference, “but yes, I just want to be right in the thick of it tonight. I want to soak it all in properly.”

“Fair enough,” Jim said, “I guess I can understand that; you going somewhere after the gig?”

“I believe Aaron is taking me out on a bar crawl. What do you have planned?”

“Oh, just the usual really; back to the bus for a beer or two before bed.”

“You’re welcome to join us, Jim, really.”

“Nope; don’t think so,” he said with a smile, “just go and enjoy yourselves.”

I nodded, smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“Anyway, I guess I’ll catch you later,” I said, “I best go and take my place with the great unwashed.”

Jim flashed me a wide smile as I bolted excitedly through the doors.

******

The place was literally heaving with bodies, mainly women with groups of men propping up the bar which is exactly where I headed. I was shocked at the distinct lack of bar staff; just two young looking girls, struggling to keep up with demand and heckles of half drunk, irritated, impatient punters. I felt their pain; I knew only too well what the girls were going through. Just as I was about to offer them help, being the good Samaritan that I am, I felt familiar, strong arms wrap around my waist. I shuddered as I felt Aaron’s breath in my ear.

“Hey baby,” he whispered, causing my skin to prickle. He spun me round so that our noses were almost touching. A gaggle of girls had obviously spotted Aaron amongst us, the punters, and on seeing how ‘together’ we were, they were nothing but jealous.

“Hey you,” I said, smiling. I kissed him more deeply than I had actually wanted; I’m not one for over-the-top displays of affection, at least not in public anyway, but everything about the atmosphere between us, his smell and, of course, the way he looked just intoxicated my every sense. I couldn’t help it. “What time you going on?”

“Oh, we’ll be hitting the stage about nine,” he answered, smothering my neck with soft, butterfly kisses.

“Don’t you think you ought to put me down then and go get ready?” I asked, not particularly wanting the affection and adoration to end, but happy it had to at the same time.

“Don’t fret honey. We do this every night, pretty much; we’ve got our timings down to a fine art.”

“Cool. Anyway, if you don’t mind, I just want to sink a few beers and enjoy the support on my own.”

“Okay, okay,” Aaron huffed, “if that’s how you feel.” We both laughed at how we were trying, yet failing miserably, to be aloof.

“Who is it, by the way; the support?” I asked.

“I haven’t got a bloody clue. The venue’s management sort that stuff out, and anyway, you don’t need to watch them on your own – we don’t go on for another hour yet. What if I want to watch them with you?”

“Oh well, if you really insist.”

“You know I do.” Aaron said, a devious smirk on his face as he ordered two bottles of beer and a couple of tequila’s.

“Oh no you don’t,” I said, shaking my head at him, “I may not be working tonight but I don’t want to get so drunk that I can’t remember anything, especially when we’ve got that gorgeous room to go back to.”

“I guess you’re right,” Aaron agreed, wincing as he downed his shot in one, “but it seems such a shame to waste these, right? Come on Bea, one or two won’t hurt.”

“Hell, why not,” I replied as I followed suit and downed mine, “think I’ll just stick to beer from now on though.”

Aaron nodded and slipped his arm protectively around my shoulders which seemed to fend off the ‘fan-girls’ who were, seconds earlier, ready to pounce.

******

Shout the Call hit the stage to howling, ear-splitting screams once again and I remembered exactly how it felt to be part of the ‘experience’. Within moments of the first power chord being struck, I felt giddy; not through alcohol but pure adrenaline and elation. For some reason, I felt like I was seeing everything in high definition; my eyes felt wide open, as if I couldn’t take enough in. My ears were somehow picking up so much more than the music blaring out over the pa. It sounded like people were whispering their conversations straight into them but as I turned around, trying to see who may have been getting a little too close for comfort, I only saw a room full of completely zoned out gig goers, enjoying the gig, just like me. I wondered if they were feeling what I was.

Then I felt a deep-seated sense of pure, physical hunger. I was ravenous, almost nauseous with it. I was super aware of every single body in the room; I could hear their blood cursing through their veins. I was totally unsure of what to do with myself; how to stand, where to put my hands. I couldn’t concentrate on my boyfriend and the band; the only thing on my mind was how incredibly close every sweaty body in the room was to me. I gulped back the remnants of my beer and ran, like my life depended on it, out of the room.

My body slammed against the brisk, cold air as I tumbled out of the club. I doubled over, gasping – taking in as much oxygen as my lungs could handle. Was this a panic attack? It certainly showed all the hallmarks of one and that’s when a deep realisation hit me; had Aaron lied to me when he told me I’d had a blood transfusion? I wasn’t. I couldn’t be, could I?