Under a Thunder Moon Read online

  “Hey Trailer Park,” one of the groupies called out.

  “Hey,” Paul said back.

  “Got yourself a new lady friend Trailer Park?” one of the groupies said.

  Paul just ignored them and headed into The Sundown Club. He didn’t hear the rest of the groupie’s conversation, but he had an uneasy feeling in his gut that told him he was fucked.

  3

  Katrina, April, and Jenny were late for The Howlers show. With high heels click-a-clacking on the asphalt, they rushed to get into The Sundown Club. Katrina stopped suddenly to look at something going on in the parking lot.

  “Hey April,” Katrina said, “is that… eww… is that who I think it is kissing Trailer Park?”

  “Yeah Katrina,” April said, “he is kissing Alyssa.”

  “No freakin’ way! Jim’s girlfriend and Trailer Park… What a sluty freakin’ whore!

  Ooh! I am going to get their picture,” Katrina said. She took out her cell phone and took a shot.

  “Katrina did you get a picture of them kissing?”

  “Hell yeah Jenny, you know I did.”

  Then Katrina showed her friends April and Jenny the picture on her cell phone of Paul and Alyssa kissing.

  “I got a good shot of them too,” Katrina said.

  “Good thing we got here late, huh?”

  “Yeah Jenny for once your slow ass driving paid off.”

  “What are you going to do with the picture Katrina?”

  “I’ll tell you what I am going to do with this picture April. After the show tonight I am going to get Jim alone, and then I am going to tell him what I saw. He probably won’t believe me. Then I will show him the picture. You two will have to make sure Trailer Park doesn’t get in the way. This is my chance to get with Jim.”

  “You have wanted to hook up with Jim for a long time Katrina.”

  “Yeah April I have been waiting a long time for that bitch Alyssa to fuck up, and make my move. Tonight Jim will be mine…”

  “Now let’s get inside we are missing the show,” Katrina said, “I want to hear my Jim sing…”

  4

  Katrina, April, and Jenny finally pushed their way through the crowded club to get in front of the stage, just as The Howlers began their last song Lost My Faith in Love. Jim sang the opening line over four quarter note stabs to the heart on an E Minor chord. Accented by Tyler’s crash cymbals rolling off the tom drums into the scornful drawl rhythm that stomped love in vain. Jim sang…

  “I give up!

  I can’t take no more.

  I’ve been knocked down and kicked around.

  Laid out on the floor.

  Cause what you did to me…

  It crushed my heart.

  Baby you’ve got to believe you tore my world apart.”

  Jim noticed Katrina and her friends in front of the stage. Katrina blew Jim a kiss as he sang the chorus.

  “Today I lost my way…

  And I lost my faith….

  I lost my faith in love.”

  Jim then sliced through the rhythm with an enraged guitar solo as the crowd cheered him and The Howlers on. Jim dropped down to his knees in front of Katrina. He looked into her dark smoldering eyes. Katrina kept Jims attention by bringing her hand to the zipper between her cleavage. She slowly began to pull the zipper of her black leather dress down, showing Jim more and more of her breast. Jim used his guitar to groan for more. Just before exposing her nipples Katrina stopped. She let the tip of her tongue glide over her upper lip, and then mouthed to Jim, “I want you.” Katrina ended her show by pulling the zipper back up. Jim winked at her, and got back to the microphone to sing...

  “I was always on guard

  Protecting my heart

  Baby I made the mistake of trusting you from the start.

  I know now the fault is all mine

  You never tried to hide what you really are…”

  The music stopped and the audience yelled in unison, “Bitch!” Then Jim went into the chorus. Katrina grabbed her friends to beat the crowd of fans backstage. She was determined to get to Jim as soon as he got off the stage.

  5

  “Shit! April its Trailer Park and he is blocking the backstage door.”

  “Relax Katrina,” April said, “I’ve got an idea. Wait here until me and Jenny get him away from the door.”

  April took Jenny by the hand and headed for Trailer Park, who was guarding the backstage door. Paul saw the two groupies coming towards him. They were drunk and what they were wearing didn’t leave anything to the imagination. They were both crazy hot blondes. He recognized them from out in the parking lot, and knew that they had seen him with Alyssa. Paul also knew that they wanted to get backstage. There was no way in hell that was going to happen. He couldn’t risk them blabbing and letting the cat out of the bag about him and Alyssa. Paul got ready to stand his ground.

  “Hey Trailer Park,” April said.

  “Hey yourself,” Paul said.

  “You might want to get up to front of the stage Trailer Park. It looks like the bands going to get into a fight,” April said.

  “What?”

  “Yeah Trailer Park,” Jenny said, “Some dudes are talking trash and slinging beer up on the stage.”

  “Come with us Trailer Park,” April said, pulling him by his denim vest. “We will show you where they are. Damn bouncers aren’t doing shit.”

  Then April and Jenny easily led Trailer Park away from the backstage door to the other side of the club. They passed Katrina who was pretending to wait in line for the bathroom. April gave Katrina a wink and a smile that said go make your move girl, and she did.

  Katrina didn’t waste anytime getting backstage, and she locked the door behind her. I’ve got to keep the competition out she thought. A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do to get her man. She made her way to the dressing room of The Sundown Club, just as the band was leaving the stage. Katrina would be waiting in the dressing room when Jim and The Howlers walked in.

  6

  “Hot damn!” Tyler said, as he saw Katrina waiting in the band’s dressing room. Tyler checked out the curvaceous brunette wrapped in a tight black leather mini-dress. Then he asked, “Are you waiting for the whole band, or just me?”

  Katrina laughed and said, “Actually I am looking for Jim.”

  “Well you found me,” Jim said, in a low baritone voice as he entered the dressing room with a rock-star’s swagger.

  “Damn,” Tyler said, walking away. “It is always about the fuckin’ singer.”

  “So you know who I am, but who are you” Jim asked.

  “I’m Katrina,” she said, as Jim took her firmly by hand. She tried to contain the odd combination of nervousness and lust, and with all of that… try to act cool.

  Jim held Katrina’s hand as he looked her over from her loose curled jet black hair, down to that zipper between her cleavage. Katrina took a step closer to Jim. He looked deep into her dark brown eyes. She couldn’t believe she was standing this close to Jim. The moment was interrupted when Mike asked if Jim’s new lady friend was going to do a shot with the band.

  “Do you want to do a shot with us Katrina,” Jim asked.

  “Sure Jim I’ll do a shot with you,” Katrina said. “I’ll do whatever you ask me to Jim.”

  Mike and Tyler let out a boyish “oh yeah!” as Mike poured four shots of Jack Daniels whiskey, and passed them around. Katrina told Mike and Tyler that she had friends that liked them too. They all raised their shots to toast the show they just played. Jim gave the usual victory toast, “To a great fuckin’ show!” Then the band and Katrina slammed down the shots, and let out a howl.

  Just then Paul walked into the dressing room. He froze a step when he saw the other chick from the parking lot, and he realized he’d been tricked, but then played it cool.

  “Katrina,” Jim said, “why don’t you go with Tyler and get your friends.”

  “Oh, ok Jim. I’ll be right back,” Katrina said, as he
r and Tyler left.

  “Hey Trailer Park where have you been,” Jim asked.

  “I was breaking down the equipment Jim.”

  “Yeah, but that chick got back here Trailer Park. If Alyssa saw her she would’ve freaked out. By the way where is Alyssa? Have you seen her Trailer Park?”

  “Yeah Jim I did see her. Alyssa asked me to tell you that she wasn’t feeling good and that she was going home. Alyssa also wanted you to call her if it wasn’t too late.”

  “Alright then Trailer Park lets play it this way. You finish packing out the van, while we do our usual mingle, meet and greet with the fans. Then we’ll get the hell out of here.”

  “Sure Jim I’ll pull the van around back,” Paul said, as he headed out of dressing room.

  As Paul left to get the bands gear loaded into the van, Jim mumbled under his breath, “And then wait till you see what I got planned for you later Trailer Park.”

  7

  “That damn two-faced Meathead!”

  “What’s up Jim” Mike asked, as he poured two more shots of JD.

  “Fuckin’ Trailer Park, that double crossing back stabber, is messing around with my bitch.”

  Mike and Jim drank their shots.

  “Get out of town Jim, no way… Trailer Park and Alyssa?”

  “Yeah Mike, that’s what I am telling you.”

  “How did you find this out Jim?”

  “I had my suspicions that something was going on, but I wasn’t sure what. So I checked Alyssa’s cell phone while she was in the shower the other day.”

  “Did you find anything on there Jim?”

  “Fuck yeah I did. I saw Trailer Park’s phone number a bunch of times, and I even listened to a message with that dirtbag saying ‘I can’t wait to see you later baby.’”

  “Then Alyssa’s friend Amy stopped by my place yesterday and told me everything.”

  “Is that Asian Amy?”

  “Yeah Mike.”

  “Alright, so she told you everything like what” Mike asked, pouring two more shots, and then lighting a Marlboro.

  “Let me bum one of them smokes Mike.”

  Mike gave him a cigarette, and then they took their shots.

  “Well this is what Amy told me,” Jim said, “That Alyssa and Trailer Park hooked up while we were in Chicago, to play the Blues festival. So by Amy’s account they’ve been sneaking around behind my back for about two months. Amy also said they hook up a couple times a week, and have been getting it on the whole fuckin’ time.”

  “That is crazy Jim,” Mike said, pouring another round of shots. “Are you going to dump Alyssa?”

  “I’ll tell you what Mike… I am going to dump that bitch… I will dump her into a shallow grave. The same goes for that rat bastard Trailer Park too. Do you know what I’m saying Mike?”

  “Yeah Jim I think I know where you are heading with this.”

  “So why was Amy rolling over on Alyssa and telling you all this Jim?”

  “Well it turns out that Amy has a thing for me.”

  “Right so what happened with that Jim?”

  “Well I let Amy suck me off and caught it on my flip camcorder.”

  “Nice! I am a little jealous though. I always wanted to hook up with Amy.”

  “Oh and let me tell you Mike she was real into it too. Amy was all looking right into the camera and everything. She put on a real good show, and gave one hell of a blow job. I can’t wait until Alyssa checks her email later and gets an eye full of her friend in action.”

  “You’re one wicked bastard Jim.”

  “Thanks Mike it’s a gift.”

  “Well then that will be that with Alyssa then won’t it?”

  “I wish it was that easy.”

  “What do you mean Jim?”

  “Well I just can’t let this shit go that easily… They both stabbed me in the fuckin’ back. They betrayed me!”

  “You know how far back me and Trailer Park go? Hell all of us for that matter go back to Junior High School up until now. Ten years later. Then me and Alyssa have been together for almost two years.”

  “I hear you Jim, but you don’t want to do anything crazy do you? Because we got that meeting to ink that record deal with Blues Breaker Records next week. Now you got this new chick back here tonight that is definitely into you. Maybe you should just let it go Jim. Channel that anger into a song or something.”

  “No can do Mike.”

  “I hear you Jim,” Mike said, “So you are sending the video to Alyssa, and then what? Kick Trailer Parks ass?”

  “Yeah for starters.”

  “Then what are you going to do Jim?”

  “With you dead and gone… that’s the only way I’ll be satisfied,” Jim sang the last line from the new song. “All great things are forged in blood. We can consider Alyssa and Trailer Park our sacrifice to the Gods of Rock-n-Roll,” Jim said, “Are you in Mike?”

  “Hell Yeah I am in, but you know I had to make at least a weak attempt to talk you out of your murderous thoughts.”

  “You sure ain’t shittin’ about a weak attempt.”

  “Well I never liked Trailer Park anyway. So what’s the plan of attack?”

  “Oh I’ve got a few ideas Mike,” Jim said with a sinister grin.

  “I bet you do Jim.”

  “Yeah, but tonight we’ll hang with these chicks and get our kicks.”

  “Hell yeah!”

  “Hey,” Jim said, “Here’s Tyler with our good time women now.”

  8

  April screamed excitedly when she came into the dressing room. She ran over to Mike and wrapped her arms around him.

  “Way to play it cool April,” Katrina said.

  “Fuck playing it cool,” April said, “I’ve wanted to get this close to Mike for a long time.” She kissed Mike before he could have a chance to resist.

  “I have to agree with you there April,” Katrina said. Then she wrapped her arms around Jim’s waist, pulled him close to her, and kissed him.

  “Well Jenny it looks like it is you and me,” Tyler said, in a goofy Forest Gump voice. “We can be like peas and carrots Jenny.”

  “You are too weird,” Jenny said, “but I like weird.”

  Paul came back into the dressing room. His awkward presence broke up the backstage love fest. He saw Katrina and Jim kissing.

  “Hey it’s TP!” Tyler said.

  “Yeah guys I got the van around back,” Paul said. “I am ready to get going when you are.”

  “Right Trailer Park let’s get the go going,” Jim said.

  “Hey why don’t we all go back to the Boat House,” Mike asked.

  “Sounds good to me,” Jim said. “Are y’all interested in coming along?”

  “Yes,” Katrina said, “but I am riding with you Jim. I am not letting you get away from me tonight.”

  “Aren’t you the possessive one,” Jim said.

  “Alright let’s blow this taco stand,” Tyler said. Then he scooped Jenny off her feet and carried her out to the van, while everyone else followed.

  “Hey Katrina,” April said, “Did you tell Jim about the weird thing we saw in the parking lot?”

  “No, not yet,” Katrina said.

  “What did you see?”

  “Well Jim,” Katrina said, “we saw…”

  Paul couldn’t believe this was happening. He tripped and smacked his mug on the fire exit door, and then stumbled down the steps. He had dropped his cell phone. April quickly snatched it up before Paul could even realize it was missing.

  “What the hell just happened to you Trailer Park?” Mike said, “Were you drinking tonight? ‘Cause you weren’t supposed to be boozin’ it up TP. You know Main Street in Bay Shore has Cops crawlin’ all over the damn place.”

  “No I wasn’t drinking. I just tripped on something,” Paul said

  “Come on let’s go,” Jim said, and everyone piled into the van with Paul at the wheel.

  9

  Alyssa was still shaking fro
m Jim’s performance. She closed her apartment door and turned on the light. She was greeted by her hungry cat rubbing up against her leg. The cat was underfoot tripping her a little as she walked into the kitchen.

  “Silly cat,” Alyssa said, “are you trying to break my neck? I am sorry baby girl that I haven’t fed you yet today.”

  Alyssa pulled out a can of Fancy Feast from the cabinet, opened it up, and plopped it on a plate.

  “Here you go Jasmine,” Alyssa said, “eat up.”

  Then Alyssa pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Slowly letting out a cloud of smoke, she stared out the window into the darkness, and at her reflection. She just couldn’t shake this bad feeling she had about Jim.

  The way he sang that song, and pointed his fingers at her like a gun. It gave her a cold chill down her spine all over again.

  Things have been rocky the past couple of months. She had blamed herself for that. Maybe it is time to end it with Jim she thought, and what hook up with Paul? Maybe?

  Alyssa turned from the window to her lap top computer on the kitchen table. The screensaver was a picture of her and Jim. She looked at it for awhile. It was when she and Jim were on their first date and had taken the ferry over to Fire Island. Jim had his arm around her on the beach. Jasmine came and jumped up on her lap looking for attention. Alyssa signed in to check her email as she petted the cat.