by Jamie Knight
The mystery smell revealed itself as what happened when sage incense mixed with grease paint and treated leather, the scent only getting stronger as the band came through to the booth.
“How was that?” the vocalist, Evil Erik rumbled, his gaze burrowing into Seth’s soul.
“Not bad at all,” Seth answered.
“I think they were talking to me,” Sven observed.
“No, I was talking to him,” Erik corrected him.
“Fancy a drink?” Seth asked him.
“Absolutely!”
The change in Erik’s demeanour from sinister, scary metal singer to friendly, normal dude was remarkable. It was like seeing a clown out of his make-up. Or a member of KISS up close.
We headed down the hall, Seth and the band walking ahead of us.
“I thought you didn’t drink,” I said, scurrying to keep up with his fast stride.
“I don’t. But I’m a tea-totaler, not a prohibitionist. I am on a first name basis with the taxi dispatcher, though.”
I nodded as we reached the bar that was our destination. Perfectly square and painted a gunmetal shade of gray, no one could say that The Cement Block wasn’t accurately named.
“You have to check your, er, jackets?” a nervous sounding bouncer told the AGAB boys.
“Sure, don’t want to put anyone’s eye out,” BoneCrusher agreed.
Once their wearable melee weapons were safely confined to the cloakroom, the six of us ventured into the darkened confines of the club. The stage was empty as we claimed a table.
“They’re not on yet,” Seth said, noticing me looking. “There are two opening acts; the second will be going on next. Then it will be Loki’s Laugh.”
“Who’s the opener?” I asked.
“AB+. They’re a Type O Negative tribute act from Jersey,” he explained.
“Oh, okay. Are you going to sign Loki’s Laugh?” I asked him.
“They’re in the running. I know they sound good on record but that can be doctored in production. I have to hear them live to know for sure.”
I wanted to take notes as Seth was talking but I wasn’t sure how cool it would look, even if I was there to learn. When I was sure no one was looking, I jotted some of the more important points on the back of a napkin.
“I need a drink,” Sven announced, heading for the bar.
“He’s, um, intense,” I remarked, once he was out of earshot.
“He’s an asshole, but he’s the best producer we’ve ever worked with. Aside from Seth, of course,” Erik said, clapping Seth on the back.
“Thanks, Erik, love you too,” Seth replied.
It was a tiny bit disconcerting to hear someone as scary looking as Evil Erik laugh, especially due to how big the sound was, filling the immediate space with jolly joviality. It really only stood to reason, though, considering how he sang. The dude knew how to project.
A banshee shriek of feedback tore through the space, bouncing off the cement walls. Some people covered their ears in pain. Others didn’t seem to notice at all.
Without a word of introduction, AB+ launched into a spot-on rendition of “I Don’t Wanna Be Me,” followed almost immediately by “October Rust.”
It was like they’d embraced The Ramones’ approach to set lists and were trying to get through it as quickly as possible.
The fact that most of the crowd were wearing Loki’s Laugh merch likely had something to do with it. It wasn’t quite as bad as opening for Iron Maiden, whose fans were infamous for being nuts, but there was a similar sense of dread on a much smaller scale. I noticed Seth make a note in a pocket-sized Moleskine and wondered if my hunch was right.
Ending with a bang, rather than a whimper, AB+ vacated the stage, as though being chased, the drummer picking up his entire drum set and hauling it off. The stage was set, in the most literal sense, for Loki’s Laugh. Excitement crackled through the crowd like blue lightning.
Both the music and the look of pure joy it put on Seth’s handsome face were beautiful. He had found his next band, and it hadn’t even taken a day’s worth of work. I had a feeling I was really going to love this internship, even more than I thought I would.
The small fleet of taxis was waiting outside afterwards. After loading Sven and the AGAB boys in a cab a piece, we headed to our respective vehicles.
I was dizzy with the scent of him as I stumbled into my dark apartment, despite not drinking a drop. He was clear about not pushing it on anyone, but if tea-totaling was part of Seth’s process, I figured it was at least worth a try for me. And there was really no arguing with the results. I felt exhilarated, like I was on a natural high.
After shedding my clothes layer by layer, leaving a trail leading back to the living room, I ended up naked by the time I got to my bathroom. Snapping my fingers in remembrance, like I was a character in a cartoon, I scurried to my room, as fast as my jelly legs would carry me, and returned with my treasure.
It was my small CD stereo, one of the ones with a handle for carrying, popular in in the early 2000s, and it was loaded with the last Autumn Corrosion album. I’d gotten lucky, the record instantly becoming a collector’s item, particularly on vinyl. A first pressing could bring in over $1,000 online. The CDs weren’t much cheaper.
My own copy was gifted to me by my dad when I’d shown an interest and he was trying to being encouraging. It was in his will, anyway; I’d just gotten it a bit early.
Setting the player on the counter, well out of harm’s way, I started the CD spinning, putting it on repeat, just in case I fell asleep, and drew a warm bubble bath to soak away the remains of the day.
I still couldn’t believe my good fortune, and I was determined to bask in it for as long as I could.
Chapter Four - Seth
It was an interesting sensation. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d actually been in bed. At least not to sleep. It wasn’t something I did often. Not by intention so much as by consequence.
The siren call of ‘just one more thing’ frequently lured me to other parts of the house, where I tended to be when the need for sleep outpaced even my work ethic. In my chair, on the couch, in the tub, on one memorable occasion with my head in the sink— there was no telling where consciousness might kick in next.
Part of the problem with traditional slumber, apart from the creepy feeling of surrendering yourself to the void, was how terribly difficult it could be to fully rouse from it. Beds were designed to be as comfortable as possible, adesign flaw which could make the sleeper resistant to fully engaging with the waking world.
I would have to psych myself out. But finally, I convinced myself to roll out of bed, the sudden meeting with the cold floor bringing me the rest of the way awake. Then I zombie-walked to the bathroom, my stiff legs only vaguely cooperating with the dictates of my tyrannical brain.
She never really left. At least not in spirit. The engine might have started, the red eyes of the taillights disappearing into the dark of night, but Jonna still remained in my heart and my mind. I felt like we’d made a connection over the past couple of days, but I also knew that I needed to be careful.
We were both adults and it shouldn’t matter but it still did. I was technically in a position of power, making anything more than a strict business relationship questionable, at least to some people’s narrow and suspicious minds. Even taking her to the Loki’s Laugh gig was risking gossip and danger.
The only thing making it clearly not a date, other than the fact that it was strictly business related, was the presence of Sven and the AGAB guys. I wasn’t entirely versed on modern dating rituals, but I was pretty sure that courting didn’t tend to happen in groups.
Even so, I was careful to never be alone with her, always leaving my office door open when we were together, with Holly just down the hall, and I never made any sort of contact, even accidentally, no matter how much my spirit might call out for her touch.
I wanted Jonna, no doubt a
bout that, needed her, even, but the choice between being with her and continuing running the label was not a clear-cut one. Especially when I wasn’t sure she felt the same way.
I told myself not to think about her too much, focusing instead on cooking myself some breakfast before my work-out. My house was bigger on the inside, or at least I liked to joke that it was. Despite its relatively modest size, the place I called home had a lot of rooms, ranging in size from tiny to huge, and I tried to make the most of it.
Among the accoutrements added was an exercise room. The in-home gym was the main reason I had yet to succumb to the scourge of the ‘middle-aged spread,’ even though I still had a while left until I qualified.
Out of curiosity, I’d done one of those ‘when will I die?’ tests, and was relieved to find out that, barring a freak accident, my number wouldn’t come up until I was 90.
I was halfway through cooking in my kitchen when all of a sudden, I heard whistling.
What the fuck?
The sound came from nowhere, a tune picked at random, I supposed— my experience with whistling being rather limited, despite my musical background. Everyone I knew had my full permission to knock me out if I was ever caught humming, let alone whistling.
But then I realized the sound was coming from me.
The mushroom popped and sizzled in the cast-iron skillet like a firework display. I had been carefully shifting it with the stainless steel flipper to avoid any unpleasantness. God only knew where I would have heard “I’m A Believer” lately, but out it came as I cooked another high protein, no meat breakfast, Jonna never far from my mind as I did so.
In fact, she happened to be appearing in several scenarios, in various states of dress. It was like a music video in my head that only I was able to enjoy as I ate my breakfast once I had finished cooking it.
Now that I was properly fueled for the morning, it was off to my altar of fitness, to try and defy time for another day. I didn’t need to worry, really. It was a lucky feature of my bloodline that everyone looked younger than they were. To the point that people literally didn’t believe my brother and I were both our mother’s children.
That was partly because of the ten-year age difference between us, but also due to the fact that our mom always looked at least ten years younger than she was. Despite remembering when Nirvana was still on the charts, I was still regularly mistaken for a millennial. Except when I grew a beard.
Thoughts of Jonna, a fantasy image of her, followed me into the workout room. Her eyes were always on me, a sweet smile on her lips, as I chose my weights.
They had come in a set I’d ordered online. The shipping costs were murder, but it was worth it in the long run, despite my skepticism that I would ever use all of them. I was wrong about that— I was into the mid-range weights in the first month.
She stayed with me through the warm-up and all, sitting in a lotus position, wearing nothing but unmentionables, patiently waiting for me to finish. I wasn’t going to cut my routine short but I didn’t want to disappoint her either, even in my mind.
Setting the weights back onto the rack, I used my newly free hands to attend to the emergency that was occurring in my shorts. A wave of sweet relief crashed over me as my cock came free. The fresh air tickled the head and sent tingles all through me. Laying down on the warm-up mats, I joined Jonna in the theater of my mind.
She rose to meet me, getting onto her knees, so her mouth was level with my throbbing cock. Her mouth was already open as I lay my hand on the back of her head to slip it into her warm little mouth. My good girl sucked me beautifully, starting at the head and moving down the shaft.
Getting about halfway down, she started to suck harder. Slowly at first but gaining in both speed and intensity as she gulped down my cock. I took hold of her ponytail, seizing gentle control. She gave her power over to me willingly, letting me guide her movements as she sucked me off, obeying my very whim and directive without hesitation or question.
She closed her eyes before it came. My load flooded into her mouth as she swallowed it all down, not missing a drop.
Withdrawing my cock from her mouth, Jonna still licking desperately at the head, I leaned down and kissed her. The sexy, curvy goddess returned my affections with equal gusto, sucking greedily on my tongue.
Leaving her on her knees, I turned her around, so that she was facing away from me, and put her down on all fours. I lifted her hips, so her sweet ass was in the air, giving me full access to both her tight little holes.
I didn’t want to hurt her, and took the path of less preparation, burying my face into her tender, pink pussy, making her moan, loud and long. Her sounds were only getting louder as she approached orgasm.
Giving her a few minutes to recover, gently stroking the small of her back as she trembled with the aftershocks, I caressed the head of my cock against her tender opening. My fantasy Jonna reached back with both hands and spread her pussy lips for me, letting me know she was ready.
A hand on her ass, I eased my way inside, feeling her pussy adjust to being filled so completely as I moved further in and she pushed back against me. Holding her ass with both hands, I gently fucked her, each of my thrusts met with a sharp gasp as we both approached climax. Jonna’s front end dipped down even further as I fucked her harder, her moans becoming even more urgent, the two of us coming in sweet unison.
After a second much quicker and colder shower, I headed into the office in a better mood than I’d been in in ages.
“Visited by ghost in the night?” Holly quipped, as I came in bearing donuts and coffee for all.
“Not at all. I just felt in a generous mood.”
“Gee, I wonder why,” she said, with a teasing wink.
Despite being several years younger than me, Holly had always sort of felt like the big sister I’d never had.
Sweet Jonna was already in my office. Getting here before me was an endearing feature she’d made a habit of.
It was a warm day, spring moving invariably into summer, and she was wearing considerably less than she had on the previous six days. She was clad in white Chucks and a light, breezy blue summer dress with no bra straps visible anywhere.
“Morning, sir,” she said softly.
It was all I could do not to take her right then and there, remembering the fantasy version of her from this morning. Resisting my more primal and immediate urges, I was resolved to at least talk about today’s training.
No matter what the possible consequences, I was determined to have her. I just needed to find the right way to go about it.
And as though a sign from the heavens, both of our phones pinged in unison, with a very concerning warning.
Chapter Five - Jonna
It was all so sudden. I wasn’t expecting both of us to get a non-work-related message at the same exact time. There must have been something serious going on.
I could hardly believe my eyes once I checked. On my phone’s screen, in all caps, was the worst message I could have ever imagined receiving.
COVID-19 ALERT!
SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES ARE NOW IN EFFECT. STARTING AT 8:00 PM THIS EVENING, ALL CITIZENS ARE TO GO INTO SELF-QUARANTINE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
I could feel my heart break a bit. There was no way to continue with the internship. Not unless I worked from home, and it just wouldn’t be the same. Too much of the work was hands-on.
I also just liked being around Seth. That would have to come to an end, at least until this lockdown was over.
“Oh, dear,” Seth said, in his nonchalant way.
“I guess we’re done, huh?” I said, with only a slight crack in my voice.
“We don’t need to be.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to keep a squeaky tone out of my voice.
“We could both work from home,” he suggested. “The same home, I mean, if you agree to go into lockdown with me.”
“Is that, like, legal?”
“We could get a test if you want to be sure.”
“We can do that before tonight?”
“We can do it right now; I have medical staff on sight. There was an embarrassing amount of pretty grievous injuries back in the day,” he added, by way of explanation, because I was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. “No one died, thank God, especially since none of us had insurance, but I always promised myself that if I could, I’d have a medical department, just to make sure it never happened again.”
“Has it?” I asked him, my eyes too wide now for him to notice any raised eyebrow, I hoped. “Happened again?”
“Not like it used to, though there are still some instances here and there. Still, better safe than sorry.”
“That’s not what I thought you’d say,” I confessed.
“Oh, why is that?”
I could feel the heat rising on my cheeks. The last thing I wanted to do was insult or embarrass him, but I couldn’t really think of any way around it.
“I just figured things would be a bit more, you know.”
“Anarchic?”
“You took the word right out of my mouth.”
“They were at the beginning,” he admitted. “But more by circumstance than design. Sometimes I think I was born to be the responsible one. A sort of counter-balance to keep the others in one piece.”
“You seem to be doing a good job.”
“Thanks. I do what I can. So, what do you say, can you stand the sight of me for at least two weeks? And I could continue training you at my house.”
I loved the way he said that.
Training me.
At his house.
“Absolutely!” I said, a bit too enthusiastically. “I would just need to run home and get myself some clothes and stuff.”
“Tell you what. You do that, and I’ll call Harrison and get the tests set up,” Seth instructed me.