It wasn't hard to ignore the burning in her arms from the constant work chores as she continued to scrub the tables, when bands like Sunset Curve was giving her a free preview. At least, that was how she liked to think of it.

The truth was that Rose was stuck working the graveyard shift. Not many were willing to work so late, they were busy trying to make their own breakthroughs, which only happened once the night had come - that's when the city of angels comes to life. It was a slippery slope for Rose; to wonder why the best and worst of events only happened after dark - the night of this town had become to new cross-roads.

Keep dreaming like we'll live forever

But live it like it's now or never

It's now or never

Now or never

"Woo, you guys sounded awesome - you're really great." Rose said, it was unlike her to really talk with the band members, but for some reason they were different.

She didn't want to admit that her heart was fluttering to the extent of it possibly being hazardous but she couldn't help it. And it didn't help that they were coming closer to her like they wanted to talk to her . . . Her. This was band that she knew would become legendary.

"Hey thanks," the scrawny one said with a slicked back italiano style of hair, it was odd but definitely worked for him - for sure the happy one of the group. "Reggie," he said as he brought his hand to his pocket. "Uh, here, our demo and one shirt in size, beautiful." He beamed a smile and winked at her simultaneously as Alex sighed in playful annoyance.

She looked down at the t-shirt with "Sunset Curve", written on across the front in black letters. "Thanks, I'll try not to wipe the tables with it."

Rose was mentally slapping herself across the face, wanting to choke herself out. Why would she say that, how was that remotely close to a joke, but looking back at them all, they didn't seem to mind ... they might have actually thought the joke to be funny. She gave herself a reassure pat on the back.

"You coming?" Rose didn't know their names yet, this was the first time she had seen them in the Orpheum. He had a shaggy set of hair and seemed to be allergic to sleeves; luckily for him, his arms were an above average set of eye candy.

"Nah, I'm a vegetarian; I could never hurt another living animal." The boy cane closer to her leaning against the table she had just wiped down. She didn't know why it crossed her the wring way, but Rose wasn't as excited co verse with him as the other members. That didn't stop her from smiling back at him though, who was she to decline the attention of a band that she knew she'd fall harder and hard for as more songs came out.

"Is that so," she playfully added, figuring he probably wanted to go on a testimonial story of some kind for his vegetarianism, which she wasn't all that opposed to, she could use the break.

"He had a burger for lunch today," arm candy said before disappearing with the other three.

It was now just the two if them. He laughed a bit, embarrassed. "My names Bobby, ad fir the record it was a veggie burger."

It was charming, seeing his face go red like that. "It's okay, I'm on your side, so you'll always get my benefit of the doubt." She walked over to get two glasses if water from behind the bar, as a singer her probably needed it. She came back and sat down across from him as she set the two glasses down.

"Hey, thanks. You're vegetarian as well?"

"No, nothing like that, but I definitely applaud people who are." She took a sip, trying to think of some answer to explain why she would be able to convert if he chose that road of the conversation.

Bobby shrugged, "it's not for everyone, as long as your eating whole foods I think its find. Always choose nature and love, right?"

Rose wasn't expecting that, it made her laugh a bit as she nodded in agreement. "For the most part," she said.

Bobby raised a brow, "for the most part?" he questioned - there was intreguement in his eye. "What are the other parts then?"

Rose didn't want to answer, mainly because it was a controversial thought. the concept of selling your soul to the devil and signing contracts for fame and fortune with the infamous illuminati. It was all nonsense, but she could never shake it out of her head. Maybe it was hope, or pure stupidity, but she wouldn't trade it for anything, it was what made her life exciting.

She shrugged, and almost started to wipe the table with her palm. "I don't know," she chuckled.

"well obviously you do - what is it?" Bobby leaned in closer as his voice got lower, there was something dark in his eye - or maybe desperate. She wasn't sure yet, but it seemed - dangerous. "Maybe you think the game is rigged, or you have to cut through your competition?" Bobby pried.

"I just think the best deals happen at night."

Bobby's face lit up, obviously ecstatic with her response. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, which Rose didn't understand since everyone had officially left. "I think so too, I've been looking around for the kind of people who offer those kind of deals."

Rose started to feel uneasy, but she could also feel herself getting reeled in, this was the closest she had ever gotten to getting some kind of inside scoop. She wanted to know the unknown. "How do you know where to look?"

Bobby laughed a bit before pulling out a necklace that was tucked under his shirt.

A green triangle that had had it's fair share of years under it's belt from the looks of it. The center was hollowed out. "This city becomes a new place when the night hits, but not everyone can see it." He held it out closer for her to see, but never took it off his neck. "You bring it too your eye and it will give you a small lens to see the unseen," Bobby finished explaining before putting it to his eye to demonstrate.

He circled around the room, not expecting to see anything but still jumped back to a man in top hat staring at him from the once empty stage. "Woah," he exclaimed, leaning back against the table practically sitting on it at this point. Rose also jumped as a result she couldn't' see anything.

"What is it?" Rose said. Her heart was pulsing, with excitement.

Bobby was shaking his head and brought the pendulum to his eye again. The man was still there, this time in a throne like cushions chair waving at him slowly before tipping his hat to them. "well don't be greedy and keep me all to yourself, let you're lady friend sneak a peak."

His voice was smooth and slimy, but Bobby obliged handing it over to Rose. "Look at the stage."

Rose took it, her hands started to get clamy, but she wasn't sure what she was feeling. She put the pendulum to her eye, and there he was. A man who was glamorous but was clearly not part of this world, at least, not anymore. "Oh my gosh," she said in amassment. Before she could say anything else the pendulum was taken from her and floated towards the phantom man; and within a blink of an eye, he was visible.

He floated up toward them as he examined the pendulum and gave it back to Bobby, "it's been a while since I've seen one of these - authentic too, must be why I was drawn here." He smiled and liked the front of his teeth, like he was fantasizing about taking a a bit out of them both (however that worked).

Both Rose and Bobby were at a loss for words. "Are you the devil?" Bobby finally mustered.

The man laughed and shook his head, "The Devil? No, I'm so much better." He said

He waved his cape and twirled, swallowing both of them up. When the cape let them go they were no longer in the Orpheum, but in a vintage like lounge. Everyone was dressed up, they were glamourous. Some of the faces she could recognize, but it made no sense, most of the faces were those of people who were dead.

"Welcome to the Hollywood Ghost Club."

There was swing music playing in the background, Rose felt like she was part of a secret Gatsby party. There were reserved sets in the front of the room with two seats that the man lead them to. "Enjoy the show."

Lights were everywhere, he vanished only to reappear on stage again with a brand new suit that was dark blue and velvet with silver trimmings. He still had a cape and the same top hat as he started to dance and float throughout the room singing for the crowd.

You ain't never had a friend like me

The rest of the 'ghost' dancers appeared for their final pose. Everyone applauded, including Rose and Bobby. After the whole teleport thing, all of these was amazing, an opportunity that they had both agreed they would have to take advantage of.

The man appeared in front of them with a new chair that he sat on with his legs crossed in front of them both. "Caleb Covington."

The name sounded familiar to Rose but she couldn't put her finger on it. She let out a hand to shake his, which he had accepted with a smile. "I'm Rose."

"Bobby," he chimed in, temporarily paralyzed with the amazement he had just witnessed. And proceeded to shake his hand. "What is this place?"

Caleb looked around and took his hat off and set it on the table, revealing a perfectly styled set of hair. "It's a place for the curious, people who really want to know what's on the other side - people who are willing to walk the paths that guarantee greatness - your world calls them deals, but I find that terms put a bit of a damper on things."

Rose looked a bit hesitant with that comment, it took less than a second for Caleb to notice. "There no strings attached when you follow a path, because you can choose to go back or hop onto another. What makes me so intriguing, is that I can guarantee where your path is leading you."

Bobby nodded his head, he was ready to choose a path, or maybe more if he'd allow it, but Rose was more hesitant. "Why do you help people then if you're not getting anything out of it?"

Caleb chuckled, "Dearie, I'm dead. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain." There was a glimmer in his eye.

Rose started to twist the shirt Reggie had given him, it caught Caleb's attention. "A fan," he asked.

"New merch of my band," Bobby chimed in.

"You're the lead singer I take it?" Caleb asked.

"Uh, no - I'm the guitarist - bass. Still do vocals though." Bobby hated it when he worded it like that, like he was grasping at straws to make his life sounds better than the situation truly was. "I love the band we're going to make it big."

"I've heard you, I was listening before, have you thought of solidifying your fate Bobby? And Rose, you're a curious girl, music is your heart and soul, but you don't want the spot light, you want the secrets, the ins and outs - to be a guide." I can help you both."

"How?" Rose asked.

Caleb pursed his lips, pretending to think about it. "Let's see, you want to know the ins and outs - I'll drop by now and again and give you some clues, and when you die, you can come here and do what I do - enjoy the after life, your passions with no responsibilities. And Bobby, I can make sure you're successful, that anything and everything that stands in your way is eliminated."

"What do you mean eliminated?" Rose asked, Bobby wanted to scold her, but understood the hesitation.

"Poor choice of words, not eliminated, you just go around them, instead of through them like every other obstacle course you're force to endure the 'normal way'," Caleb said.

"Do we have a deal?" Caleb asked and put out both of his hand crossed over one another towards each of them. Bobby was eager and shook his hand, Rose was slow but ended up shaking his hand as well.

There was a quick burn on their wrists where a purple stamp appeared and slowly descended beneath their skin. "Pleasure doing business with you."

The Orpheum was empty, like they had never been there - but there was still a lingering sound of the music from Sunset Curve. A wisp of grey smoke appeared in the middle of the stage before making its way under the back entrance and through the alley. It was mistaken as nothing more than a gust of wind, it took notes of who else proved to have some potential for it's masters worlds of games. Until it found the three boys.

"Truck Hotdog hasn't killed us yet." One of the members said.

It wasn't a bad idea, it passed through each hotdog, before vanishing into thin air.

Sirens.