Human After All.

I sat waiting on the pull out step on my RV, going over the instructions yet again. I don’t know why I bothered because I was nervous as hell, and I kept going over the words, but I didn’t actually see them. I got up and opened my door, throwing the damn thing on my couch. Closing the door again, I sat back in my original spot, and thought about when my supervisor was going to get here. It was 7 AM, and my sleeping pattern was completely fucked ergo making my nerves on edge.

Apparently, since I planned out with my supervisor that I could bring my own RV rental, we agreed I could take one other person who was working for Warped Tour that didn’t have a way to get too each venue. Not that I minded having company, just as long as they had personal hygiene, that was what I was most worried about.

And maybe that I had to keep myself fully dressed. I didn’t want too have to explain the scars on my back. As if to remind me, I felt them ache with the chill in the morning air. I stood up and zipped up my Warper sweater.

“Alistair?” I heard my supervisor, Michelle, somewhere beside me. I turned towards the voice. “Hey, Michelle.” She had long hair that was teased out at the top, making it stand out more. Although I don’t why she did that, when her hair was neon pink and yellow. Piercings littered her face, and her make up matched her bright colored hair perfectly.

I liked it. She was her own person, which seemed to be a rarity these days. Beside her I saw a young man, maybe around my age carrying two duffel bags. His hair was short, blonde and slicked back. I really hoped that was gel.

“Alistair this is Jake Anderson. He was the one we were talking about a couple days ago. You are still okay with him rooming with you, right?”

“Yes, thats fine.” I turned towards Jake. “Nice too meet you, Jake.” I held out my hand, and he took it, grinning. “Pleasure, mate.” He had a thick Australian accent that laced his words. I felt my eyebrows rise. “Australian?” I asked, curious.

He nodded. “Yep, just moved here too America a couple months ago, trying to find a job and I lucked out when they accepted me for Warped Tour.”

“Cool. Well lets get you settled in then, and then we get to work?” I asked turning too Michelle. She nodded. “We’re having a meeting near the main stage, assigning tasks to everyone for the week. Then we change it up again for the next week, because there is going too some changes throughout the days, new employees will come, and some people that are already here might leave. Its chaotic, but it's workable.” She laughed lightly.

“I look forward to it.” I grinned. I looked too Jake, who was grinning also. “Here man, let me help you with your bags.” I grabbed one of the ground, and he picked up the other. “Thanks.”

“I’ll see you boys in ten minutes.” Michelle laughed and walked away. “Yes, Ma’am.” Jake saluted.



~


“Alright, you all have your assigned tasks, lets get started for the first day of Warped Tour, everyone!” Our manager Mr. Sears was giving us some sort of pep talk. I didn’t need it, I was already excited as hell. I got to work with electronics and instruments, I got to help set up one of the stages, and made sure everything was in working order.

I was put with a group of three other people. Clarissa, Brodie and Mitch.

The huge group of people dispersed and went about too their tasks, while my group went too the first stage to set up for one of the first bands to play today.

We went about our task thoroughly, and had some idle chit chat. I guess one of the first few bands playing this morning was Black Veil Brides.

“I’m so excited to be working here again!” Clarissa squealed. I was in the middle of carrying one of the big speakers up onto the stage.

“And we’re setting up for the Black Veil Brides.” She continued. I laughed. “I think thats the fourth time you said that, Clar.” putting the speaker down on one side of the stage, and started hooking it up.

“Well, I can’t help it. Its so exciting, why aren’t all you guys excited?” She asked as she rolled more instrument cases up on the stage.

“I think we’re all excited Clarissa, we just want to do our jobs and not mess up.” Brodie spoke up.

“Well they have quite the lineup for this years Warped Tour. Besides the Black Veil Brides, they have Ghost Town, Falling In Reverse, Pierce the Veil, The Hidden Cameras, Hedley, Linkin Park, Motionless In White, Panic at the Disco. Well at least those ones matter to me, theres a bunch of other ones that I haven’t listened to before.” I was amazed at this girl who could set up a drum set and still be able to talk this much. But I did know that she has been working here for a few years so I guess she has mastered it.



It was sometime later and the day was in full swing. The place was absolutely crowded here in Nashville. It was a different view, being behind the scenes in a sense, rather than actually enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Warped Tour. Instead of buying merchandise, I would be selling it, instead of standing in crazy crowd of mutual love for a band, I was helping set up, making sure nothing went wrong. Although being closer to a band I like was a lot more awesome even though I couldn’t enjoy like I wanted too.

It was the middle of the day and the infamous heat you feel from being out all day enjoying Warped was finally getting too me. I had long since took my sweater off and I had soaked my Linkin Park bandana in freezing water and wrapped it around my head too keep my sweat and hair out of my face while I worked. Although, right now I wasn’t doing much of either. I was standing in the back of a stage watching a band play, taking my fifteen minute break. They weren’t slave drivers around here by any means I noticed, and they actually insisted on making sure we stay properly hydrated and to stay in the shade when we could.

I was drinking some fruit punch Powerade, trying to keep my energy up as well as to keep hydrated as Michelle kept reminding me during the morning when she would check up on us.

Well mostly me, because I was new.

I looked around and saw a bunch of people either dressed in black clad or a Tee and some shorts. I wondered about the ones who wore black in this heat. How the hell did they look so cool when the sun was no doubt bearing down on them.

I looked at the men playing in front of me, the tall guy that was singing seemed pretty nice earlier when I talked to him. I think Chris was his name, the lead singer of Motionless In White. One of the bands Clarissa mentioned earlier. They were all very attractive, I seen that when I got a glance at them when they walked by me too go up to the stage. The crowd went absolutely wild as soon as they seen them, much more than some of the other bands that were on the stage today.

They must be pretty popular. I thought. I finished off my drink, and twisted the cap back on. I was tapping my foot too the beat. Admittedly I would probably be listening to them non stop when I got back too my RV tonight when I find my laptop.

They just ended their last song for the day, they kept getting cheers from the crowd too do encores for at least fifteen minutes.

“Thank you Nashville!” Chris screamed. The crowd went crazy. I set down my bottle, and was about to get back to work. I saw Mitch come up on the other side and start helping the guy with the keyboard. I set my pace over too the man with the bass guitar, who was already getting himself unhooked from the cords.

I looked behind him in the crowd, and saw a random hand fly up and throw a water bottle at him. He was turned to the side, focussing on his guitar.

Instinctive reflex kicked in and I ran too towards him, “Look out!” I reached out and some how ,miraculously, I caught the bottle in my hand as I was coming up beside him. My hand was right beside his head, persperating bottle just inches from the side of his face. He turned his head slowly, shock evident in his features.

I felt as if time stopped as I looked into the lightest and clearest grey blue eyes I have ever seen. My heart gave a painful tug in response as he looked me in the eye. He was beautiful and I felt my pulse pick up just by staring at those blue orbs. And it only lasted for maybe a fraction of a second.

Time sped up again, and I blinked while my hand with the water bottle fell too my side, and I looked away from those piercing blue eyes towards the crowd. There was a slight silence, besides the crowd commercing with each other while they walked away.

I looked down and saw one of the body guards that are lined up at the front of the stage struggle with some dude. My guess was the guy who threw the bottle, which I know realized was frozen solid. I looked at it with disgust. “I’m glad I caught that.” I looked at the man beside me. “Cause that would have hurt.” Showing him the frozen bottle.

He shook his head as if to clear it. “Yeah, thanks for that.” I grinned. “No problem.” I looked at his bass. “You want me to help you with that?” He looked at me strangely. I chuckled. “I help put all the equipment away, and get the stage ready for the next band.” I explained. “Oh, sorry.” He laughed. “Still a little stunned I guess.”

“Yeah, I would be to.” He took the strap off of his guitar and handed it to me. It was a beautiful bass guitar, I would admit that. A glossy black body shined up at me. It was still warm from where he held it throughout the show. I went and undid wires that were hooked up to it, and went about my, well, now becoming an easy ritual of mine of putting the instruments away in the proper spaces, then taking it too their trailer. Then it would start all over again by taking someone elses equipment and setting it up.

But so it goes.

I was just finishing putting one of the guitars away that belonged too Ricky, I think his name was. I put its case too the side of the trailer, making sure it didn’t move. I turned around and was met with the gazes of three out of the six members of Motionless In White. They were about three feet away from me, and as I looked around for someone else they could be staring at, I realized they were staring at the one and only moi. I was about to go see if the others needed help, but the tall one; Chris spoke up. “Thanks for catching that bottle before it hit Devin.”

I looked at them as if they grew two heads. “Just reflex I guess.” I paused awkwardly. “Not that I get bottles thrown at me often, that is.” I gave a dry laugh.

All three of them laughed. “We were wondering if there was anything we could do for you, as repayment.” The shorter one of the three spoke, who I recognized as Ricky.

“Psh. Don’t worry about it.” I shook my head, taking a few steps towards the stairs that led up to the stage.

Chris hurried up to catch up with me. “You sure?”

“Positive, its no big deal.” I stopped. “Although if you could save me some CDs at your merch stand, that would be great.” I gave a cheeky grin.

“Sure. Whats your name, man?”

“Alistair.”

He held out his hand. “Nice too meet you Alistair. My names Chris Motionless.”

I shook his hand. “Nice too meet you to, Chris, well again.” Referring to the time we talked for all of two minutes before he ran up to the stage.

He chuckled, and pointed over to his friends. “The short one is Ricky, and the one with the black contacts in is Josh, but everyone calls him Balz.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” I laughed. Chris slapped his hands together, and then swung them back out so they landed on his sides. “And the one you saved from the deadly water bottle was Devin, but everyone calls him Ghost. And our drummer is Brandon.”

“Cool, so anyways, I don’t want to cut you short, but we got to set up for The Hidden Cameras, they’re on next.” I gave a lopsided frown.

“Oh, shit, my bad.” He looked over at his friends who were waving him over. “Looks like I got to get going anyway, we’re going to be signing for awhile. See you later.” He waved and headed towards his friends, who waved at me as well.

Cool guys. I thought to myself. “Al! Hurry up, we need to get this done!” I heard Brodie yell. “I’m coming!” I hollered back. It was when I was completely alone with my thoughts, that a certain blue eyed stranger made himself known in my minds eye. I shook my head as the image of his stunned face came barreling into my mind, unexpectedly.

Shaking my head, I sighed slightly. “This is going to be an interesting summer.”


~


It was long day. I saw Jake, sitting on the steps to the RV waiting for me. “Sorry about that. It took longer than I thought with the last one. The speaker wasn’t working properly.”

“Don’t worry about it mate. I just got here about five minutes ago.” He got up, and I unlocked the door, and we both got in.

“Do you want to take a shower?” I asked him. He shook his head. “Nah, I’ll just take one later, if you don’t mind?” I shook my head. “Sure.”

I went into the back room where my bed was, and dug out some clean clothes. I came back out and saw Jake near passed out on the couch. I smiled, poor guy. I went into the bathroom and peeled off my clothes. Turning on the hot water, and I let it run until steam clouded the small room. I got in and let the hot water clean my sweaty and grimy skin. I got my shampoo and put a good sized amount of the liquid in my hands and put it through my hair. The scent of Axe Mint shampoo fill my nose. It was comforting to have the familiar scent. Almost homey.

I heard a slight rumbling coming from outside. I guess someone was at the door. I heard multiple voices, even with the sound of the water, but it was mumbling at best. A few minutes passed and I heard a knock at the bathroom door.

“Theres something here for you, Alistair.”

“I’ll be right out.” I called back. I heard him shuffle back to the couch, no doubt. I rinsed off the shampoo and then I put some body wash on. I wondered briefly what could possible be here for me. The excitement made me rinse of the body wash all the quicker. I got out and dried myself off the best I could, my almost-shoulder length hair was stringy and wet still after I was done. I put on a black tee, my plaid boxers along with plain dark grey jogging pants, that hugged my waist nicely.

I walked out the bathroom, a gush of steam blew out after me. I walked over to the counter behind the couch Jake was laying on. I saw a small stack of CDs and a note. “Motionless In fucking White was just here, and they asked me if I could give that too you.”

“Shit, really?” I asked, picking up the note.

*Thanks for looking out for me. We all got together and signed these for you, even if you like us as a band or not. Ha.

...We seriously hope you like them.

Thanks for saving me from an embarrassing and probably painful experience.

~Ghost Sola~

I laughed. “All because I stopped a bottle from hitting Devin in the face.” I mused. “That was you!?” Jake sat up slightly. “Everyones talking about how you caught it, just before it hit him.”

“Yeah, I was already walking towards him, so I just kinda put a kick in my step and tried to grab it.” I chuckled. “I was lucky it didn’t hit me in the face instead.”

That would have been just my luck, wouldn’t it. “Still it was pretty awesome, wish I’d seen it.” I looked up at him, and smirked slightly. “Do you mind if I play some of these while we’re driving too the next venue?”

“Hell no. I love Motionless In White. Play away.”

I went up to the front and put one in the CD player. I looked at the back of the case and saw the first song was called A-M-E-R-I-C-A. I started nodding my head, as I went and got the huge RV ready too go too the next state we were headed.



I got everything ready, got myself a energy drink, and Michelle came by with directions to where the next venue was. She told us too be ready to move by 6 PM. It was nearing five thirty and I saw trucks, vans, RV and tour buses alike moving out. I turned on the RV, and leaned back on the huge chair I got to sit in for the next two hours. I pulled my seatbelt on. It would be the third time I would drive this beast. It was close to the size of an actual tour bus, and that holds up to eight people.

I looked in the rearview mirror, and I saw Jake still on the couch, passed out. I took a sip of my NOS. I saw Michelle wave to me from her truck and I shifted into gear, heading after her.


About an hour into our trip, Jake had woken back up and asked if we could stop at a gas station, so he could get some snacks. We soon found ourselves in a truck gas stop. I put it in park, and Jake was out the door before I could protest. Not that I was going too. I got up and walked outside, getting some fresh air while I could. I looked over and saw a tour bus. I couldn’t tell whose it was, as it was just a plain black bus. I could still hear the other Motionless In Whites CD I had changed it too playing, I think it was City Lights. I had to admit, it was a beautiful song. I looked up at the sky, and saw the stars in the darkening night.

Damn, it was a beautiful night. I blew out a breath, feeling myself relax. I closed my eyes, and let the music flow through me. Enchanting me. I let the lyrics seep through my being, and I felt as if I was floating.

An image of Devin came to my mind, and it startled me, my eyes jolting open.

Well that was unexpected. Thinking that I would have forgotten him by now. I guess not. I thought. My curiosity was at its peak when I thought of Motionless In White, and it got worse when I thought of the bassist player, who must be something if someone wanted to throw a frozen water bottle at him. I'm really glad I didn't say that outloud..

I had to find out more about them. About Devin. About this ‘Ghost’ that keeps appearing in my mind.

Notes

Chapter 2. I'm actually really excited to see how this turns out.

Hopefully some of you will tell me what you think. And to those of you already subscribed, which is I think two of you. Be patient, the good stuff will come soon :P

Enjoy!