Chapter 3 3
The curtain closed on the bowing actors. The school auditorium was filled with parents and drama lovers alike. Being friends of both Suzako and Jakotsu we were allowed to leave our front row seats to go backstage. And so we did. Backstage was filled with hectic actors taking off their costumes, trying to get home as soon as possible. Amidst all of this Suzako was sitting down in front of a mirror putting on his make up calmly. I walked over to him, leaving the other five to their own actions.
"Good job" I said, he jumped slightly in his seat.
"Oh its you Banky! Why thanks! Your so cute when you say nice things! Why don't you go talk to Jaki-chan while I change" He then winked, and resumed applying torrents of red and gold make up.
I saw Jakotsu was along the brim of the curtain, peaking at the audience. I reached him after bumping into a clothes rack, 3 rather upset actors, and a cardboard rainbow.
"Yo Jak…"
"He didn't come again did he?" Jakotsu sighed looking out from behind the thick red curtain. "I'll have to punish him."
"You mean Inu? Don't worry about him, he was probably to cowardly to come." I reassured. Before every play Jakotsu would invite that damn jock to it, and every time the reserved seat on the second row would always be empty.
"Jakotsu, you know I missed concert for this." Said the usually glum Renkotsu, as he sulked his way over to us. "and I sat here for two hours, wondering what the hell the writer of this play was taking when he came up with it! So far I think it was LCD"
Jakotsu pouted. "You have no culture. This was way better than a damn band concert!"
"I had 2 points removed from my grade!" He added.
I rolled my eyes as the two bickered about the production of "Breakfast in America" and how badly Jakotsu played Irish Immigrate #3.
Suikotsu was impatiently pushing Suzako over to us.
"You are done putting on make up! Let's go!" He yelled. "I'm starving, so why don't we go to a fast food place and get some soup." Suzako was struggling insanely, crying out that he needed his eye shadow.
"Ready Oo-Aniki? Can we please leave?" Suikotsu asked, still restraining the red and gold man.
"Sure." I said.
Behind backstage was an emergency exit to the staff parking lot outside. It was seldom used after school ours, which led to our advantage of beating traffic. We were joined by a rather beat up guy in a wheelchair, a tall man wearing a basketball jersey and a short little chubby guy in white. These were Ginkotsu, Kyoukotsu and Mukotsu. They were the other three in the Band of Seven. Ginkotsu was a pretty beat up fellow, about 2/3 of his body was artificial, but that didn't stop him from being the best, and only, drummer I've ever worked with. Kyoukotsu was our body guard. Sadly not from fans, but from random idiots who thought of us as target practice for their rotten vegetables. And last but never least was Mukotsu, our special effects expert. He was also the most desperate guy in school.
"I call front!" Jakotsu giggled, dashing past all of us.
He opened the door letting in the cold city air. I followed him to a white van parked out in an empty parking lot. It had permanent marker graphics, spelling out a faded "The Band of Seven". It was a car we had found at a local trash dump. With the help of Renkotsu and Mukotsu it is now wheelchair accessible and functional.
In the distance loud music boomed, wheel screeches were getting louder. I ignored it. The eight of us walked over to the van, Renkotsu pushing a button on his chain, unlocking it.
The music got louder.
We opened the doors and a metal ramp came from the passenger door.
A crash came from the gate, two head lights were pointed right at us. A cars engine was roaring. It sped towards us.
By instinct we all lunged out of the way. I pushed Ginkotsu along with me.
"Come on you bitches! Let me run you over!" Called a voice over the loud music. It sounded like Hiten. This realization froze me. The car reared up and the headlights fell on me.
"Gessh! Get out of the way Oo-Aniki!" Ginkotsu screamed to me, using his body to topple us both out of the way of the car. It crashed right beside us. Renkotsu rushed over to us, pulling us as far as he could from the car. It backed up going after Jakotsu, and it hit him. It wasn't going fast enough to seriously hurt him, but it did look like it hurt.
"JAKOTSU!" Suzako yelled running over to him as soon as the car's lights fell to Renkotsu.
"How dare you call me inexperienced in band! I was the head sax in the best band in all of marching band history!" Hiten yelled, throwing a glass bottle at him. "Die!"
He charged his almost totaled car at my bald pianist. Renkotsu didn't move, instead he pulled a silver object from his shirt pocket. It was a hand gun. He was trying to shoot the tires. Suikotsu charged like an Olympic athlete going for the gold. He pushed Renkotsu out of the way, just as he pushed the trigger.
The car spun slightly out of control, crashing into a pole. Blue electric sparks flew from the hood. The smell of burned rubber rose with the smoke. I got up, my legs were weak. I edged my way over to the wrecked car.
"Suikotsu come here and help me." I said opening the car door, it opened with ease.
Out fell aluminum cans, glass bottles… and Hiten. Suikotsu rushed to my side, placing his fingers on the other mans neck, checking for a pulse. I looked up and saw that there was someone in the passengers seat with blood running from his pale. Manten looked lifeless.
"He's alive" Suikotsu said, propping Hiten up at a 90degree angle.
"I don't think he is…" I said pointing to Manten. I instantly started to shake with a slight fear. "Renkotsu…I think you shot him."
"We've got to call the police!" Suikotsu said, wiping blood from Hiten's forehead.
"No!" I yelled. "I'm not going to jail again!" I was thinking of what to do, when instinct came in.
"Lets go to my house, my parents are at work right now, and we can hide him there." I didn't say this, I commanded it.
"What about the fatty?" Jakotsu asked, slightly concerned.
"He's dead Jakotsu, and Hiten was a witness! We have to get out of here!" Suikotsu and I bent over to pick up the limp punk, when Kyoukotsu picked him up for us.
Luck had given us a slight appearance tonight, for our van didn't even have a scratch on it. We quickly brought Ginkotsu back onto his wheel chair, and brought him and Hiten into the van. Street lights streaked passed the tinted window as Renkotsu drove slightly over the speed limit.
Kyoukotsu held the smaller man like a baby and Suikotsu applied medicines to the wound on his forehead. I sat beside Kyoukotsu, assisting all I could. We turned down my street and my home was in view. Hitens breath grew heavier.
"Suikotsu, is he ok!" Suzako asked from over the seat.
Suikotsu smiled. "Ya just fine…it means his lungs weren't hurt."
The houses driveway was empty. We all rushed out of the car, four of us were crowding around Kyoukotsu trying to see the damage the crash had done to him. I ran up the front steps and pulled the house key from the welcome mat.
Inside I turned on the lights, dashing up the stairs hearing my comrades behind me. I opened my bedroom door. Seven standing men rushed in after me all holding on to the injured punk. They carefully placed him onto my bed.
"Isnt he a little sleeping beauty." Jakotsu said sitting beside him.
Suzako came back with a wet towel. He started to wipe Hitens face with it.
"Well…" I said "Who wants popcorn?"