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CHAPTER 37 January, 1993 Kim sped out into the hotel hallway, pounding on the six nearest doors, yelling, “band meeting!” at the top of her lungs. She then ducked back into her own room, leaving the door propped open, unable to stop fidgeting as she waited. Chatha was the first to arrive, zooming through the door then skidding to such a sudden halt that she fell over. She decided not to make such a big deal out of it, and just sat there on the floor, grinning up at Kim. “So wha’s th’ meetin’ for?” “Shh, not yet, darlin’. Everyone’s gotta’ be here first.” “Oh. Awright.” To bide her time, Chatha drew swirly patterns in the carpet with her fingers. “You left your boy in your hotel room.” “’E’s still sleepin’.” “He slept through that?” “’E can sleep through anythin’! Well, not everythin’... Most thin’s.” Jessie was the next to come, followed by Ebony (with Raine). Elke and Heather took a while to show up at all, while Geneveve was a no-show. Kim couldn’t help but wonder why Elke and Heather came in with each other. “So what business do you have waking everyone up? I’ve always thought of time between the shows as being my own, untouched by you.” Heather refused to sit. “This is bloody well worth it, even to you. At least the first part. Of my amazing news...” Kim took a deep breath, unable to help from smiling. “Carroway called.” “Since when were you one who would care about something with a prick calling you?” Heather smirked, not backing down even when Elke shoved her. “It’s not the person I care about. It’s the information he bestowed. The first bit, even you, Heather, should appreciate. He got the number on sales for Blackened Princess. We’ve gone platinum. In the States alone, we’ve gone platinum. In the States. American money was spent enough to make our album go platinum. The European sales are beyond belief. Beyond comprehension. My bloody god, the money... The acknowledgement.” “Wha’s platinum mean?” Chatha leaned forward. “Million.” Chatha’s eyes went wide. Her mouth dropped. She got to her feet and threw herself at Kim in a vicious hug, babbling excitedly, then she left Kim behind to tackle Ebony in the same vicious hug, her voice rising in pitch. The amount of noise she was making didn’t matter, as now all the grrls were talking and cheering and screaming, the initial shock having worn off once Chatha reacted. Jessie and Kim were caught in a long embrace, both of them near tears, when Kim felt a tug at her sleeve. She pulled hesitantly from Jessie and looked at the pink grrl who was now sitting right at her feet. “Yes, darlin’?” “Y’said tha’ tha’s th’ firs’ bit, Kim. Only the’ firs’ bit! Wha’s th’ second? Is there a third? Does this mean we’re millionaires, or only sold tha’ many? An’ if we’re millionaires, would i’ be in dollars or pounds? Since i’ was American sales, an’ ahl... An’ wha’ was th’ other news, Kim, what else’d ‘e say?” Kim was grinning. She stood up, and as she still had one arm around Jessie, brought the half-American up with her. “Can I talk?” The other grrls quieted down. Ebony was smiling, holding tightly to Raine. Heather was trying to hide her pleasure by ducking behind her filthy hair. “Awright.” Kim squeezed Jessie, then rested her head on her shoulder. “It’s like this. What with all the sales worldwide--bloody hell, worldwide... We’ve sold worldwide. What with all the sales, none of us will ever have to work again. But that doesn’t mean we should quit what we’re doing, no, just imagine how much more we can make. Just imagine what we can all do with ourselves. My bloody god...” “Wha’ was th’ othe’ thing, Kim? Wha’d Carroway say?” Kim bit the knuckles on her free hand, suppressing the urge to scream out what she was about to say. She had to let Jessie go so she could put both her hands up to her face, smiling so wide that it hurt. “We’re opening. We’re opening for them.” “For who?” That was Heather, who was already managing to sound cold and self important again. “Them. Them! The only band. Th’ only one that matters. Oh god, oh god, oh god, we’re opening for them. The Sisters of Mercy. We’re opening for them! Opening! We’ll pass by Eldritch backstage. We might meet him... Bloody hell, meet Eldritch... And here’s th’ thing.” Kim wrung her hands, biting her lip. She was reeling. Saying this out loud was starting to make it real. When she had first heard the news from Carroway, her mind had gone into overdrive, and now speaking it out loud was getting the reaction she had been trying to stave off. She paused a moment in an effort to catch her breath so she wouldn’t start squeeling and clapping her hands like a total idiot. “He asked for it.” “’Oo asked fer wha’?” Kim let out a long breath before trying to say it again. Her hands were shaking now, and Jessie took hold of them. This barely had an impact, as Jessie’s hands were shaking too. “Andrew Eldritch asked that Kim Kissably and the Red Lips Sextet open for the Sisters of Mercy. He refused to play the show if we didn’t.” Raine was slipping out of his seat, even as Ebony gripped his arm so tightly that Kim was amazed she didn’t see blood. He stared wildly at Kim, murmuring something to himself. “What was that?” “You have His approval?” “He was waitin’ for our next album, remember?” “You didn’t believe that was him...” “Ah, but you did.” Kim grinned, feeling for the first time that everything in her life was perfect. *** Kim made a face in the mirror, walked over to Jessie, and asked (for the sixth time): “Is school grrl really good enough to be on the same stage that Eldritch will later grace?” She walked back to the mirror, staring at her image again. “Maybe I should make my hair wilder? Sex hair? Or straight? Perfectly straight, reachin’ down my back, blue streaks in front of my face... I don’t know, I don’t know, Jess! We’re opening for him!” Jessie came up behind Kim. “Excuse the reach.” She pulled Kim’s hair back so it was all behind her shoulders, then she undid the two top buttons on Kim’s shirt. “I would suggest the bottom two as well, but don’t take the shirt off this evening. You want his respect, not his hormones.” “Is he human enough to have hormones? Is he human at all?” “Is Siouxsie Sioux?” Kim thought for a moment. “That doesn’t answer my question. Now you’ll have me wondering about both of them!” “Kim.” “What?” “Haven’t you ever made the realization that you are to some people what Sioux and Eldritch are to you?” Kim shook her head. “Nah. Nah, we’ve only got two albums, and they’re both bloody hack-jobs.” “Eldritch wants you to open for him.” “Hm, what way do you mean that, luv?” Kim smiled slyly, unbuttoning more of her shirt. “Cleavage or not?” “Wait.” “Awright. Hike up the skirt?” “It’s short enough.” “The hair, Jess, what about the hair?” Jessie smiled. “It’s fine.” “And makeup? Oh, blue eyeliner is just being stupid... I don’t need to match my streaks, I should just take it off! Black? Black’s good, it’s--” “Leave it blue, Kim. It brings out your eyes.” “Will he even notice? Will he see me? I won’t even get to see him, will I? We’re just opening, nothing else. Just opening. Jessie... It’s Eldritch!” “I know.” A loud series of scuffles and crashes interrupted their conversation. Chatha barrelled into the room, skidding to a halt right before she ran into Kim. “’E’s sittin’ on th’ couch backstage! Our backstage! Wi’ our band! Ebony’s dyin’! Raine’s on th’ floor! E’s ‘ere!” Without even trying to register what that meant, Kim was running out the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the man in the leather jacket with slicked back hair, calmly taking a drag of what had to be his hundredth cigarette of the day. He watched Kim the entire time she stood there, and he let a slight smile slip when she walked slowly toward him. “I’ve heard the new album. I must say, I hope you’ll be playing Voracity.” Kim almost didn’t understand the words. She took a deep breath and tossed her head, now standing a few feet in front of him. “It’s an honour, Mr. Eldritch.” “Andrew.” “Andrew. I hope this isn’t too intrusive, but... What are you doing here?” “Getting a grand reaction out of your darklings, it seems.” Kim glanced at Ebony and Raine. She couldn’t help but smile before she turned back to the man in front of her that she couldn’t actually bring herself to believe was Eldritch. “Actually.” He leaned forward, blowing out smoke. “I was wondering if you would be interested in playing a song with me at the end of your set. I like your style, and it would be a pity if we never worked together.” Kim felt a hand on her arm, and she didn’t bother to see whether it was Jessie or Chatha. “What song?” He shrugged, sitting back in the couch again. “Your choice.” Most definitely not thinking of the consequences, Kim spoke. “Ribbons is my favourite.” “Hm. It has its appeal.” “At the end of our set?” “Yes.” “This is real?’ “Why wouldn’t it be?” Kim finally looked and saw Jessie at her side. She was fighting the urge to scream again. “Ribbons,” she said. Jessie smiled softly. “You remember the lyrics?” “Yes.” “Will you survive the lyrics?” “I’m stronger than you think, Miss America.” “Then it’s settled?” Eldritch stood up. “Yeh, it’s... Yeh.” He left, leaving behind the smell of cigarette smoke. Kim wondered if she had just imagined that entire thing. *** They had been on the stage for an hour and a half, and the sun had just finally left the sky. Kim’s hair, now wild from her exertions, was veiling her face. She had the mic pressed against her neck, relishing the touch of cold metal. Her shirt was unbuttoned all the way, and she had her free hand flat against her stomach. The grrls had just finished up Weeping Bitter Acid Tears. Kim’s throat hurt, but she knew she couldn’t leave the stage; her entire body was buzzing, and she needed to continue. She was racing through ideas in her mind, trying to decide what she would rant about now, when she heard an immense cheer coming up from the audience. Without turning around, she got chills. She could feel the presence behind her, could almost smell the leather and cigarette smoke. Somewhere farther behind her, drums had started. A rhythm Heather didn’t know, so Kim had to wonder if Eldritch had brought his band up onto the stage without her even noticing. She didn’t dare to turn around; the moment she saw Eldritch, she knew she would choke. She would lose her control. She glanced to the side when a pulsing bass line started, and she saw it was Jessie over there, watching her carefully. She mouthed the words “good luck.” Elke added a strange, creeping guitar over the rest of the instruments, and Kim held her breath until she heard Eldritch’s deep, half-broken voice. “I’m lying on my back now. The stars look all too near.” She felt his hand on her shoulder. Eldritch was touching her. Andrew Eldritch was touching her. She shivered, finally pulling the mic away from her neck. She picked up the song. “Flowers on the razor wire. I know you’re here.” He was so close now that he was almost pressed against her. He was almost breathing in her ear. They both sang. “We are few and far between. I was thinking about her...” “Skin,” Kim gasped out. His hand had moved down her side. He was almost holding her against him. She couldn’t think. “Love is a many splintered thing. Don’t be afraid now.” She closed her eyes, gathering the strength to continue. “Just walk on in.” He pulled away from her, gesturing so the entire audience saw. “Kim Kissably.” She swallowed, staring at him. “Andrew Eldritch.” He smiled, one of those rare and dangerous smiles from his photographs. “Flowers on the razor wire.” “Walk on in,” she moaned in her accustomed stage voice. He closed the distance between them again, and Kim cursed herself for choosing this song. She didn’t know how she would survive it, especially as the next verse started. His free hand was in her hair, proving a point. “Her eyes were cobalt red, her voice was cobalt blue. I see no purple light crashing out of you, so just walk on in.” “Flowers on the razor wire,” she managed to get out. “Walk on in.” Kim turned away, putting some distance between them. She didn’t feel him following. “Her lovers queued up in the hallway. I heard them scratching at the door.” “I tried to tell her about Marx and Engels--” “God and angels.” “I don’t really know what for.” “But she looked good in ribbons.” “So just walk on in!” His voice was an anguished scream. Kim felt another chill, and she fought to keep standing. “She looked good in ribbons.” “So just walk on in!” She was breathing too heavily to continue, so Eldritch picked up the next line. She felt like his voice was wrapping around her mind. “Tie a red, red, red, red, red, red ribbon.” He was approaching again. “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered into the mic. Her knees were weak. “Walk on in.” She was completely unprepared when he screamed: “Incoming!” That’s when she lost herself, sinking to the stage floor. Her hands, gripping the microphone tightly, were between her knees. She stared at the wires running across the floor, trying to remember what it took to actually breathe. “Love is a many splintered thing.” He walked around to in front of her. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “Flowers on the razor wire.” He reached out and tilted up her chin. She felt her hair falling out of her face, and found herself staring up into Andrew Eldritch’s eyes. When had he taken his sunglasses off? “You lasted longer than I expected.” She just stared at him. He smiled. “I’ll see you after the show.” *** Ebony grabbed Kim’s arm in the hotel hallway the next morning, forcing her to stop. “You’re smiling. Why are you smiling? Did you sleep with him?” “Why is the word ‘sleep’ put in that question, anyway? If you had your idol in bed, would you sleep? No, I doubt that. You’d be doing other things. All night.” “Did you?” “Eb, m’dear... That’s really none of your business. I wouldn’t want to go spreading nasty rumors about one of my gods, anyway. Now would I?” Ebony let her go. “You’re impossible.” “Says the goth,” Kim muttered, then continued down the hall. She was still smiling.This
chapter includes lyrics from the song Ribbons by The Sisters of Mercy. |
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Talk to LL,
the author. |