Chapter Eighty-Two
John looked up as the MC announced a group called the Snow Leopards, watching as a bunch of girls in white leopard print bikinis strutted out of stage. He rolled his eyes as he saw that the lead singer was Jessica, little white cat ears pinned into her perm. "Yep. I'm a dog person." He plugged his guitar into the amp, warming his voice up with a few notes.
Clarissa shook her head, placing a few water bottles on the stage to make sure they didn't get dehydrated. "Johnathan…" She chuckled, noticing the look he gave her with the fear that he was in trouble flashing in his eyes. "What am I supposed to do with you?"
He smirked, taking a drink of the water bottle he'd opened a few moment's earlier. "Love me."
Dominic looked at the splints on John's fingers, waving Ryan over. "Can he take those off for a while?" He asked, pointing to John's hand.
"I think the bones are solid enough for tonight." He took John's hand, unwrapping the tape and pulling the metal frames off. "Just be careful, and don't hit them on anything."
John beamed, flexing his fingers for the first time in weeks. "Thanks, Doc." He looked up as Jessica's voice hit an earsplitting note. "Holy shit! Is she a dying bird?"
Amelia looked up at him, patting his pocket where he kept his change after he broke a dollar. "You have to put two more quarters in the jar."
John knelt down, looking the kid in the eyes. "I already put five dollars in there before we left the house."
Mary shook her head, jumping as Paul kissed her neck. "That was for the things you said before we left. We're still keeping track." She looked at her husband, smiling at the fact that he'd gotten off of work early enough to make it. "You're off early."
He grinned, holding her close. "I told the boss my kids were playing tonight and he let me off."
John laughed, pressing a hand to his throat as his vocal chords gave a twinge. "And I thought me and Claire were lovey dovey."
Claire threw a wad of paper at him, giggling as he ran from it. "Don't hurt yourself again." She almost fell over as he tripped over a power cord, nearly faceplanting as he stumbled.
He gave her a look, smiling as she returned it. "That's my girl." He walked over to her, kissing the hollow behind her ear.
She smiled, turning her head to kiss his jaw. "Play hard." She jumped off of the stage as the MC walked over to them.
John strummed a loud chord, leaning into the mic as he spoke. "You guys ready to rock?" He asked, grinning as the crowd cheered. "Alright!" He launched into the first song. "Oh we're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore We've got the right to choose it There ain't no way we'll lost it This is our life, this is our song We'll fight the powers that be just Don't pick our destiny 'cause You don't know us, you don't belong Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore Oh you're so condescending Your gall is never ending We don't want nothin', not a thing from you Your life is trite and jaded Boring and confiscated If that's your best, your best won't do Oh Oh We're right We're free We'll fight You'll see Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore No way Oh Oh We're right We're free We'll fight You'll see Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore Just you try and make us We're not gonna take it Come on! No, we ain't gonna take it You're all worthless and weak We're not gonna take it anymore Now drop and give me twenty We're not gonna take it Oh pledge pin No, we ain't gonna take it Oh you and your uniform We're not gonna take it anymore." He beamed at the cheers from the crowd. "You like that?"
The crowd roared, sending a rush of adrenaline through him.
He leaned toward the mic, deciding he should introduce the band. "Well that's what we like to hear! I'm John Bender, and these are my family members, Allison on keyboard and synthesizer, Dominic on Bass, Jimmy on drums, and Kaylie on back-up vocals and guitar." He looked down at his arm, checking the writing that he'd put there for their set list. "Who wants to hear something from the British Invasion?"
The crowd roared, letting John launch into Twist and Shout.
He sang about six more songs before the worst happened… just as he was hitting the last high note in Dream On by Aerosmith, his voice blew out, making the mic seem dead. He looked at the band, panic clear in his eyes.
Dominic swung his bass onto his back, rushing over to his cousin. "What happened?" He pulled John off stage, pressing his fingers to John's throat as he tried to find what was wrong. "Can you talk?"
John opened his mouth, the only sound being a pathetic squeak as he tried to speak. He clutched at Dominic's hands, his eyes showing his fear.
Dominic nodded, his eyes widening as a rag was pressed over his mouth and nose, the scent of coliform filling his nostrils. He watched as his mother appeared behind John, placing another rag over his airways and causing him to pass out just as Dominic's world went black.