Chapter 10- The Audition
Micky Dolenz drove down to Mammoth Studios, nervous. George had not given her any information, besides the fact that he had recommended her for the audition and that it was at Mammoth Studios. In the back of her mind she continued to think back to the two women she had only met hours before, and how she now was protecting one of them from the police, her grandfather, and a man she apparently didn't like. How could it even be real? The man, the crystals, everything; how could it be real? She had seen it with her own eyes, but why was it happening to her? Why was she treating these two women, Danielle and Peri, like old friends? Micky pulled into the vacant parking lot, slightly creeped out by the emptiness and tumbleweeds rolling past. She got out of her sparkling red GTO and took in a breath of dust and cobwebs.
Without warning, a cloud of smoke swirled around her. Suddenly she saw an eldritch-like man. He wore a three piece suit, a bright red tie, and his hair was slicked back with grease. This circumstance took a chilling turn for the young woman, who was tempted to get back into her car. However, the man begged to differ, welcoming her warmly. "Good evening Ms. Dolenz! My name is Benjamin Zero. I am a infamous producer who is looking for a star. Do you know if you have what it takes?"
"I don't know if I want to." Micky said nervously, her hand landing on the car door knob.
"Oh, but I'm sure you do Ms. Dolenz! Sing for me."
"Sing what?"
Benjamin Zero thought about the proposed question before proceeding. With a smirk he snapped his fingers and a paper appeared in his other hand. It was sheet music. "Sing this. It's called, 'Last Train to Clarksville.'"
"Last Train to where?" Micky asked, accepting the music. She looked it over. "You want me to sing this? This? It's rubbish! It's far too 60s for the upcoming century, I'm sorry."
Zero only laughed. "Says you. Just sing. I have a good feeling about you." An evil smirk unnerved the girl.
She shrugged, clearing her throat. She looked at the music one more time before singing, "Take the last train to Clarksville, and I'll meet you at the station. You can be there by 4:30 'cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow-"
"Oh yes, yes, yes!" Zero exclaimed. "You will be my next star for sure! You're bound to win!"
"You think so?"
"Oh my dear," Zero chuckled, "I know so. Now, here is the paperwork that will be needed when you show up at the show. Here's the information, now, I really must dash. There's a certain staff member I must brag to about my new star." Zero threw random papers at Micky before running off through the gates of Mammoth Studios.
Micky looked down at the paperwork in her hand. Flipping through it she shrugged, getting back into her GTO. Can't hurt to try, right? Says here the reward is a contract with him and his record company, and if he says I'm good, I must be, right? Plus that's a lot of money…
"Mikhayla!" Aunt Kate yelled.
"Coming!" Mike yelled back, slightly annoyed. Mike ran down the stairs and into the kitchen to find his Aunt Kate in the kitchen with Mr. Zero. Mike's eyes narrowed as the Prince of Darkness flirted with his aunt. "What is he doing here?" He fumed.
"Now Mikhayla, that is no way to treat a house guest!" Mr. Zero taunted him. "Especially since he has valuable information for you. Would you mind, Kathryn?"
Aunt Kate nodded before walking off, leaving Mike and Zero in the kitchen, alone.
"Cough it up." Mike demanded. "I'll admit, I'm stuck here. I've tried to get a horse, a car, and a go-cart. I can't leave. I can't even WALK out of this darn town…"
Mr. Zero laughed. "I'm hosting a talent show, funded by one Mr. Jones. I've just recruited the perfect singer. Her name is Michelle Dolenz."
"Micky?" Mike gulped. He quickly put on a defensive tone. "What did you offer him?"
"It's her." Zero corrected him. "And all I offered her was a place in my show. However, I'll make sure she wins, and signs a contract with my 'record company.'"
"Who's soul is she signing over?" Mike asked, not letting his guard down.
"Her own, but signing the contract isn't going to help a particular Micky Dolenz."
"Why not? If she signs her soul over to you, then Micky's body is empty, and he can have it back, can he not?"
"He will only be returned to his body if she does what Mikhayla Nesmith did." Zero said, suddenly serious. "So have fun figuring it out, Nesmith."
"Why are you doing this?" Mike demanded.
"I was bored." Zero yawned. "Have fun." He snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of smoke.
Defeated, Mike fell down into one of the dining chairs. How was he supposed to figure it out? What does he have to go off of? He had changed clothes and was now wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a pink button-down shirt. However he kept the wool hat and the tidy braid. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace he found himself wearing before. Why do girl jeans have such small pockets? He thought as the necklace snagged on the lip of the pocket. Once it was free, he placed the necklace on the table. The shining emerald glistened like water.
"What did you do, Mikhayla?" Mike asked the necklace softly. He wasn't expecting an answer, but figuring that he was messing with the Devil, it couldn't hurt right? To his dismay, the necklace didn't respond back, leaving Mike in the dark. He flipped it around in his hands, finding Papa Gene's Blues written on the back. He smiled. I wonder if she knew where this song came from.
Suddenly, he remembered his first moments after waking up. Papa Gene's Blues was open in the song book that was sitting by him by the pond. Mike quickly got up, running upstairs, where he had left the guitar and songbook when he returned from delivering bread to Mr. Zero. Nearly tripping up the stairs, Mike found himself flying onto the bed, grabbing ahold of the book. Sitting upright, Mike flipped through the pages of the book.
"I'm a Believer, I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone, She, I Wanna Be Free, Long Title, Porpoise Song, Daydream Believer, Daddy's Song, Papa Gene's Blues, What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round…" Mike read off the titles in the book. The names were not written, but with a glance he could tell what songs they were. Each one was hand written, notes and lyrics alike. "There's gotta be something to this… I just know it…"
Micky unlocked the door to her pad to find it dark, the only light shining in being that of the windows. She found Danielle sleeping on the couch, a notepad and pencil on her stomach. Micky flipped on a light, enough not to disturb the sleeping Brit, but enough to see. She set her purse and papers down on the table and walked over to see what Danielle was writing down. The notepad read:
-Davy Jones
-From England
-Girls love him
-Short (5' 3'')
-Brown hair
-Brown eyes
-Danielle Jones
-5'4''
-Brown Eyes
-Brown Hair
-Lives in England
-Has had a lot of boyfriends.
-Peter Tork
-Blonde
-Not Book Smart
-Knows how to play a lot of instruments
-5' 10''
-Gets sea sick
-Hates violence
-Peri Tork
-Works for Mr. Babbitt
-Has a pet named Grizzy?
-Very kind and willing to help.
-Micky Dolenz
-Brown, curly hair
-Drummer
-6'
-Crazy
-Talks a lot
-Does imitations
-Micky Dolenz (Girl)
-Dating George
-Lives by the beach
-Determined
-Lives under Mr. Babbitt
-Mike Nesmith
-Wears a wool hat
-Black hair
-Song writer
-From Texas
-6' 1''
-Father-figure
Micky studied the list curiously. It was as if there was supposed to be another girl who was similar to Mike Nesmith. Micky gently placed the notepad and pencil on the nearby coffee table and went over to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple off the table and took a bite out of it. She looked down at the contents on the table. There was her purse and the application papers, the three necklaces, and some of the crystals from Danielle's necklace. Nervously Micky picked one up and put it in front of her eye. "Davy?" She said quietly, as to not disturb Danielle.
She turned to see Davy standing over Danielle, his face scrunched up in concentration. "Davy?" Davy looked up at Micky. He frowned.
"Micky?"
"Hi?" Micky said, slightly concerned.
"Which one are you?" Davy asked.
"Uh, what does that mean?"
"I've come to a conclusion… sort of."
"Okay, what is this 'conclusion?'" Micky crossed her arms.
"There's a connection between us, no doubt. It's like she's my counterpart. We were writing that list you saw. I came up with the idea when you said your last name was Dolenz. That's Micky's last name." Davy stared back down at the sleeping Brit. "We're almost exactly the same. If we're the same, then it's probable that you and Micky are the same, and Peri and Peter are. That might mean there is someone out there who is exactly like Mike."
"You want to find her then?" Micky asked, "Assuming that Mike's counterpart is a girl."
"Right, but where to begin? Where do we start?"
"Well," Micky said, walking over and picking up the notepad. "You said he's from Texas, according to this list. So… try Texas?"
"Yes, but Texas is a state! A large one, at that! It would take forever to find him!" Davy nearly yelled. Micky was glad that he was a ghost, because that would have woken up Danielle.
"Well, what else do you know about Mike? Maybe look in cities or towns that his relatives live in." Micky said nonchalantly. Davy couldn't argue with that logic. When Micky noticed how stumped the ghost was, she smiled. "So, does he have any relatives? If so, where do they live?"
"Well…" Davy began, trying to remember where Mike's Aunt Kate lived. Micky sighed as Davy began muttering city names under his breath. This might just be hopeless.