Under a Thunder Moon Read online

  Under

  A

  Thunder Moon

  By: Jack Batcher

  Under a Thunder Moon

  Published by Jack Batcher

  Islip, NY

  Copyright – 2011 – Jack Batcher

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, print or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  www.jackbatcher.com

  To: “The Creepiest Person in my life!”

  I am looking forward to making many more dedications like this to you.

  Prologue:

  “You done me wrong…”

  1

  In hard heavy breaths, Paul rolled over onto his back. As his head flopped down on the pillow, he said, “Wow Alyssa that was great. You feel so good baby.”

  The radio was tuned to “Long Island’s Home of Rock-n-Roll,” 102.3 WBAB, and Your Time is Gonna Come, by Led Zeppelin played softly in the background.

  Alyssa snuggled up to him on his left side, laid her head on his chest and said, “Mmm I know Paul I have missed you. I just had to be with you one last time.”

  Paul sat up abruptly, “What do you mean ‘one last time’ Alyssa?”

  Alyssa got up and began getting dressed, pulling on a pink t- shirt and cut off denim shorts.

  “I mean we can’t keep sneaking around like this. It’s not right Paul. We have to stop before Jim finds out,” Alyssa said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  “I know what you mean Alyssa, but I can’t let you go. We have something here I can feel it, and I think you can feel it too.”

  “Yes Paul, I really do care about you too, but it just can not be. I have been with Jim for almost two years now. Plus you guys have been friends for a long time.”

  “Yeah me and Jim go back a long time… since Junior High School.”

  “Right Paul and you are a roadie for his band too. Plus I also think Jim suspects something is up. He isn’t saying anything yet, but you know how Jim just senses when things aren’t right.”

  “I know what you mean Alyssa. Jim’s instincts have kept us from getting busted by the cops a few times. He also has this weird thing where he can read people too, and knows if someone is lying to him.”

  “That’s what I mean Paul. Jim knows something isn’t right with me and the fucking mind game is making me a nervous wreck. We have to stop seeing each other. I am afraid of him Paul. Jim has been acting strange lately.”

  Paul got up and pulled on his faded denim blue jeans. Then he sat down next to her on the bed and put his arm around her. “How has Jim been acting strange?”

  “He keeps singing this new song he wrote. It is called Satisfied.”

  “Oh that evil sounding blues song he wrote recently?”

  “Yeah Paul that’s the one, and it’s just the way he has been looking at me. Jim looks at me with this dark demonic glare like he is reading my thoughts, or planning something horrific. He knows. Jim knows, and at some point he will confront me with exactly what has been going on. He is just testing me to see if I’ll cave in and confess. Then it will all be over anyway. We have to stop this now Paul.” Tears began to well up in her eyes.

  “What if there was another way Alyssa?”

  “What do you mean Paul?”

  “You could break it off with Jim. This way we could be together.”

  “No Paul, I love Jim. I always have. Plus he would kill us both.”

  “I don’t think Jim will kill us Alyssa. He might feel like it, but he wouldn’t over this. Also think about this Alyssa … You and Jim have been together for two years. Has he ever talked about marrying you?”

  “No Paul he hasn’t.”

  “And you want to get married, don’t you?”

  “Yes I do… someday.”

  “Do you think he will marry you once he signs that record deal next week?”

  “No probably not.”

  “Yeah I don’t think Jim will marry you Alyssa, and the band won’t be taking me along to roadie for them either. They will have other people to handle their gear. So you see Alyssa we will all be moving on in different ways.”

  “Maybe you are right Paul, but if Jim finds out about us it won’t matter to him and you know it. It wouldn’t be about you and me, or me leaving him. The thing that Jim would kill us for is the betrayal. It is this sneaky messing around behind his back shit. That Jim would kill us for and you know it Paul.”

  “You are scaring yourself Alyssa. I can handle Jim, and you know what… I don’t care. Let him try what he wants. It doesn’t matter. Whatever! The thing is Alyssa … is that I love you. I want to be with you.”

  “Oh Paul…”

  “Come on Alyssa.” Paul said taking hold of her hands in his. “Let’s give us a chance.”

  “What was that noise Paul?”

  “It sounded like glass breaking. Wait here while I check it out.”

  2

  “What the hell?!” Paul said, as he walked out of his trailer, and saw a hole in the driver’s side window of his rusted red pick up truck.

  “What is it Paul?” Alyssa called out from the doorway of Paul’s trailer.

  “Someone busted the window on my truck, and what the hell is all of this?”

  “What is it Paul?”

  “It looks like fucking blood all over the damn place.”

  “Blood?” Alyssa asked, in a thin whisper. “Blood from what?”

  “Oh no! No! No! No!”

  “What is it Paul?” Alyssa asked, as she came out of the trailer to see what it was.

  Before Paul could stop her, Alyssa had started to look into the cab of Paul’s pick up truck. She saw all the shattered glass and blood. Then on the passenger seat she saw the vacant glare of Paul’s decapitated Rottweiler, and shrieked in horror.

  Paul quickly put his arms around her and guided her away from the truck. Alyssa cut the bottom of her right foot on a piece of broken glass, letting out another scream. Paul helped her back inside the trailer.

  Sitting her down at the kitchen table, Paul looked to pull the sliver of glass out of Alyssa’s foot.

  “Who would do that to Poncho? Who would chop off a dogs head and smash it through the window Paul?”

  “I don’t know Alyssa, but stop squirming so I can get the glass out of your foot.”

  “I know who it was Paul. It was Jim.”

  “Now let’s not jump to conclusions Alyssa. Plus I don’t think Jim would do that.”

  “Yeah Jim and The Howlers would. Just to torture you. Mike would totally do that to the dog. He is a freakin’ psycho. I heard the cat story. I heard about what Jim and Mike did.”

  “That was a long time ago Alyssa. Plus they were stoned out of their minds on Angel Dust, and the cat was supposedly already dead.”

  “Yeah right, ‘supposedly.’ I don’t care Paul. Anyone who would chop off a cats head and roll it down the school hallway is sick and twisted.”

  “Alright Alyssa, let’s not talk about that right now ok? Just calm down baby.”

  “Aren’t you going to call the Police?”

  “Yeah Alyssa I am, just as soon as I get the glass out of your foot. Now hold still.”

  Blood dripped onto the yellow tile of the kitchen floor as Paul gently slid the piece of broken glass out of Alyssa’s foot. He wrapped her foot tightly with gauze to stop the bleeding. Just as he finished wrapping her foo
t, Paul’s cell phone rang.

  “Who the heck is calling me?”

  3

  Paul answered his cell phone.

  “Hey Trailer Park what’s crackin’?”

  “Hey Jim,” Paul said. “What’s up?”

  “I’m wondering where you are asshole. We are getting ready to pack up the gear for the show tonight. So are you on your way mother fucker or what?”

  “Yeah Jim I am on my way,” Paul said. “I was just taking car of Poncho. He got a little sick.”

  “Alright Trailer Park,” Jim said, “so when do you think you’ll be here?”

  “I’ll be there when I get there Jim.”

  “Hey there’s no reason for you to catch attitude mother fucker.”

  “Sorry Jim, I just have to clean up this mess quick and I should be leaving in less then an hour.”

  “Good,” Jim said. “That’s good Trailer Park. There is no reason to go and lose your head. I’ll see you when you get here… Later Trailer Park.”

  “Yeah later Jim,” Paul said closing his cell phone.

  “What’s the matter Paul?”

  “Nothing Alyssa, I just got to clean this up and get going.”

  “That was Jim on the phone wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah Alyssa it was Jim. The show at The Sundown Club is tonight. I have to get over to the Boat House and help get the gear loaded up and all, but first I have to clean up all this glass and blood.”

  “Oh Paul, I am so sorry about Poncho. Do you want me to help?”

  “No Alyssa it would probably be better if you get going.”

  “Ok Paul I will go.”

  “I’ll see you later at the show tonight Alyssa?”

  “Yes I’ll be there.”

  Alyssa got her stuff together. Paul walked her out to her car.

  “Give some thought to what we talked about before Alyssa. I meant what I said. I want to be with you.”

  “I will think about it Paul.” Alyssa reached up and kissed Paul. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

  Paul opened up the door for Alyssa and she got in. Alyssa started the car and rolled down the window. Paul leaned in for another kiss.

  “There is a good chance that you might get what you want Paul,” Alyssa said, and drove away.

  Paul watched Alyssa’s car turn the corner. “Yeah I am gonna get it alright,” Paul said to himself. “I can’t believe Jim… that fucker killed my dog.”

  “Now there’s only one way to put things right…”

  1

  Tyler Watts pounded the drums like tribal thunder under Mike Vans dark cloud bass line. The power of this double trouble rhythm section intertwined together entrancing the crowd gathered in front of the stage at The Sundown Club. Long Island’s hottest Rock Club. This hypnotic blues groove fanned the flames that stirred the boiling humid and smoky air. The room was alive with the turbulent electric currents that make men and women want to fight or fuck.

  Jim Wolf let out an animalistic howl followed by quick flashes of lighting fast riffs off his black Fender guitar. The crowd like heated savages attending a human sacrifice howled back at Jim, as the groove built to an orgasmic climax, and fell to a barely audible hush. The Howlers had taken the stage like new reigning Gods prepared to leave awestruck followers in the wake of their sonic carnage.

  Jim approached the microphone with the cool confidence of a seasoned rock star, and sang the opening line to The Howlers new song Satisfied.

  “You’ve done me wrong… now there is only one way to put things right.

  You’ve done me wrong little girl… now there is only one way to put things right.”

  Then Jim quickly searched through the audience and found who he was looking for; the inspiration for this new song. He locked eyes with his girlfriend Alyssa and held her there within his fiery glare, and growled the last line of the chorus.

  “That’s with you dead and gone... That’s the only way I’ll be Satisfied.”

  Alyssa shook with terror at the sadistic smirk on Jim’s face as his threat reverberated throughout her body sending chills down her spine. She wondered if he found out that she had been unfaithful, or was it her own guilt eating away at her. Jim’s words to this new song frightened her more and more as he continued to sing…

  “I am going to take you to the Old Pine Barons, by the light of the thunder moon.

  I’m gonna take you to the Ol’ Pine Barons baby, by the light of the thunder moon.

  There’s no need to worry your pretty head lil’ girl, cause this will all be over soon….”

  Jim’s guitar screamed bloody murder as he bent the high E into a rapturous guitar solo. The crowd was driven by the pulse of the rhythm into a manic frenzy found in orgies or riots, with each note dictating the audience’s actions. Tyler threw in a wicked drum fill and broke it down making the next verse more demonically dramatic, as Jim described what he was going to do to his unfaithful lover.

  “I got a .38 pistol and a bottle of gasoline.

  I got a .38 pistol baby, and a bottle of gasoline.

  I’m gonna shoot you down… shoot you down lil’ girl.”

  Then the music stopped and Jim leered at Alyssa and pointed his fingers at her like a gun. As he pretended to pull the trigger he sang...

  “I’m gonna shoot you down… and burn your remains.”

  Tyler’s drum fill led them back into the chorus bringing the song to an angrier stomp as Jim raged into the microphone.

  “You’ve done me wrong… now there’s only one way to put things right.

  You’ve done me wrong… now there’s only one way to put things right.

  That’s with you dead and gone…”

  The music stops and Jim sings the last line with low bluesy Morrison-esque growl.

  “That’s the only way… I’ll be satisfied.”

  A sonic boom fills the club as The Howlers finish the song with a classic Rock-N-Roll ending, which leads into there next song of the set Turn Away.

  2

  Alyssa shoved her way through the crowd of denim and leather clad Howlers fans. Her anxious feelings were swelling into a full blown panic attack. She needed air. She needed to get out of the damn club… now! She looked toward the stage as Jim sang the chorus to Turn Away.

  “Don’t turn away… Don’t walk away… Got something I need to say… Don’t turn away… Don’t turn away…”

  Alyssa forced her way out the back exit and into the parking lot. She was shaking and gasping for air. She lit a cigarette to calm her nerves; she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her right shoulder. Screaming, she quickly turned around to see that it was Paul.

  “What the hell are you doing Paul?!”

  “I saw you heading out here Alyssa, and you didn’t look to good. I wanted to see if you were alright.”

  “I am not alright Paul. I am far fucking from it.” Alyssa said, taking a deep drag from her cigarette and exhaling harshly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Don’t be an ass Paul. Didn’t you hear that song?”

  “Yeah it was chilling.”

  “Yeah chilling Paul, that’s one way to put it; it was more like a musical threat!”

  “What do you mean Alyssa?”

  “Paul didn’t you see him pretend to shoot me?”

  “Yeah, but you know Jim. He is just messing around with you.”

  “I think he knows Paul. I think he knows about us.”

  “Jim doesn’t know anything Alyssa. Everything is cool.”

  “I am scared Paul. I am telling you Jim knows or suspects something. Didn’t you listen to the words of that song?!”

  Alyssa’s mascara ran black rivers down her cheeks. Paul took her by the hand and pulled her close to him. Comforting her, he told her everything will be alright.

  “Why don’t you go home Alyssa? I will tell Jim I saw you leave, and that you weren’t feeling good.”

  “That is probably a good idea Paul.”

  Then Pa
ul walked Alyssa to her car.

  “Why don’t you come over tomorrow Alyssa, and we can talk about this more once you have calmed down. “

  “I don’t think I should.”

  “Come on Alyssa, I need to see you. I want to be with you.”

  “I want to be with you too.”

  “Then whatever it takes we will work this out Alyssa.”

  “Ok Paul.”

  “Then you’ll come over tomorrow.”

  “Yes Paul, I will.”

  “I will see you then and relax everything will be fine.”

  Then Paul kissed Alyssa goodnight. Alyssa got in her car and drove away. As Paul headed back into the club he passed a few of the groupies that always came to The Howlers show.