Another Way to Die

Another Way to Die
     It was mid day at Robert's house. The sun was as high as it could get. Robert never was a morning person. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the sun was up. He took a quick look at the clock. 12:14 p.m. He figured it was time to get up. He had a gig at a local bar that ghosts even go to. It was established after Danny saved the planet from the asteroid. He sat up on the bed rubbed his golden brown eyes and finally got up. HE wasn't as modest as Danny was. Robert slept in his boxers. HE grabbed a pair of dark blue jeans, put on his motorcycle boots and grabbed a white men's tank-top after putting on his grandfather's dogtags. He headed down into the living room. "Hey guys." He said a little cheerfully. But no answer. He was home alone, again. They must've gone a fishing trip or something.
     Robert was headed for the kitchen. He passed through his parents wine cabnet. Wine isn't all they have. They also have whisky, mojito, vodka and a couple bottles of rum. Robert finally got to the over lit kitchen and saw a note on the fridge the read: "Robert, gone to find ghosts with the Fentons." "Okay." He said aloud. He opened the fridge door and grabbed himself a gallon of milk. He opened it and drank it straight out of the jug. He looked around and saw his mom's iPod plugged into the kitchen radio. Stacy, unlike some mother's, has decent taste in music. She listened to 80s, 90s even Linkin Park on occasion, but the only 80s music Robert listens to is Journey. He grabbed it and head down to the basement which was alot like Sam's, except her walls weren't lined with guitars and basses of all shapes and sizes like his was. It had a rehersal stage, audience chairs and a set drums and amps on the stage. The wall to the left was his dad's collection of guitars. The other wall was Robert's. His dad is part of a band called "Casual X" and they played mostly 90s music. Robert placed the radio on the round table next to a chair and pressed on. He smirked as "Paralyser" by Finger Eleven. Infact, that's one of the songs he had to practice. He grabbed one of his guitars, a Gibson Les Paul, one of his favorites, sat down on the back of a chair and started to play along.
     Ember just got free from Fenton Works several minutes later and was flying through the air thinking about her ex-boyfriend. How could he do this to her? She was his pretty Polly, pity Polly. She thought she'd drop in on Robert, just to see if he had anything entertaining to gossip about in the Ghost Zone and to get her mind off that cheating son of a bitch. She found his house on the other side of town. It looked rather modest for a Bass player's house, but then again, she could understand why. She floated down and phased through the door. She looked around and didn't see anyone but she heard faint music coming from the basement. She headed for the door. It was still open. The music intensified as she got closer. She also heard the sound of an electric guitar playing to the music. IT sounded like Elvis was playing his guitar down there. She approached the threshold of the door and saw Robert's impressive basement. She couldn't beleive she was never down here before. She then zeroed in on the sound of the guitar and saw it was Robert playing to Elvis singing "All Shook Up." Irony's a bitch. That was their song. The song they danced to before she died. Maybe this was a bad idea. But maybe this would make good gossip in the Ghost Zone if he started sing. And lo and behold he did.
I don't care what m' friends'll say,
I'm in love. UH! Uh!
I'm all shook up.
    Son of a bitch! This was too good to be true. He could sing, and play the guitar effortlessly. She watch as his fingers flew over the frets and strings and heard him singing. He had am okay Elvis impression but still. He could sing! He apperntly didn't notice her in the doorway 'cause his focus was on the guitar and the notes... and the words to their song. He's singing OUR song! Ember yelled in her own head. She headed over to the radio and shut it off. At first Robert didn't notice because his guitar was so loud. But then he turned around and saw Ember then almost made a "Yipe!" sound. "Ember?" he asked.
     "Relax, Slick." She said. "I'm not here to fight or rule the world if that's what you're thinking."
     Robert raised an eyebrow noticing Ember checking him out. His tank-top was a little tight this morning. But he shook it off. "Then what are you here for?" He asked.
     "I got a gig at a local truce bar on the other side of town." She said. "And i need to practice."
     Bullshit! Robert thought. She's here more than a little rehersal time.
     "I heard your singing." She said as she walked over to look at his guitars. "You're pretty good." She looked at the guitar he was holding. "And you can handle the strings pretty well. Gretch Duojet right?"
     "Yeah." He noticed the way attempted to look away from him. He knew her all too well to let it go. "You're here for more than rehersal, are you?" he interrogated. Ember didn't answer. He sighed and put his guitar on the stand next to him. "Ember," he said as he walked up behind her. "That wasn't me. That was my grandfather." He tried to sympathize with her as much he could. He notice it before, but they were standing awful close. So close that her firm butt was touching his thigh awful close to his...bulge. It was probably her purfume. "But," he breathed. Ember turned to face him. "I don't see why we can't get along."
     Ember thought about it and licked her upper lip knowing what was coming. "Ya got anyone to sing a duet with ya?" she asked with a seductive twinkle in her eye.
     "Lemme think." He said. He looked up as if he was trying to roll his eyes into the back of his head. "No. Nobody comes to mind. Are challegin' me?"
     "I'm sure I can handle you."
     "You're welcome to try." This is gonna get real dirty real fast. Before he knew it they were kissing. Good thing Danny wasn't here otherwise he'd freak out. He took the open mouth as a hint to move in his tounge and he did as she did at the same time. I know she's a good kisser! He thought to his-nevermind! Well I'm hoping for a long term so shut up!

     Just after the sun finally went down, Robert and Ember just arrived separately, in dress code too. Robert was wearing a white fedora (those hats that those italian gangsters wear) with a black strap and a black oxford shirt with rolled up sleeves and an untied white bowtie plus white dress pants but kept his boots and wallet chain. He was also wearing an unbuttoned white tux vest. Ember was all dressed up as well. She was wearing a black dress with a big belt that had spikes on the buckle and shoulder straps and high heeled shoes plus a very petite looking skirt and bracelets. "You look good in black." Ember complimented.
     Robert took a look at Ember attire as well and couldn't help but notice her tone of voice. "You look good in a black dress." He said playfully.
     Ember sniffed the air and tracked to its source. "Are you wearing cologn?" she asked.
     "Yeah, why?"
     Ember steps closer to get a better wiff. "Cuz it smells good."
     The stage manager interupted. "Okay kids," he said "show starts in five."
     Robert bends into his car to grab his Gibson SG or "Racheal". "Wish me luck." He said before going on stage.
     "Good luck, Slick." Ember said playfully. From backstage she could hear the crowd cheering for Robert and his band: "Route 66".
     After Robert's band went through all the songs for tonight, Robert wasn't finished yet as he grabbed his favorite bass guitar: his dad's Hofner Bass. (the guitar that looks like a big ass violin.) He grabbed the mike and raised it to his lips to announce: "Alright! What would ya do to have Ember McLane walk out on stage right here, right now?" The crowd cheered to agree that she was a good singer, but not loud enough. "C'mon! That was pathetic! Say it again!" He points the mike to the audience and they went crazy for Ember to come out on stage tonight and she doing so only made the crowd louder.
     She walked up to Robert as seductivly as she could to catch the boys' attention and Robert's. "That was good music, Slick," she told him through the mike in her hand. "But can you handle a duet with me?"
     The crowd went wild expecting Robert to accept the challenge. "I thought you didn't do duets." He said. "So I guess the question is can you handle a duet?" The crowd 'Oohed' at Robert's snappy reply.
     "Oh, I'm sure I can take you." She said with a dirty tone. "I accept."
     The audience cheered. "Then let's do it."
     Just as the lights dimmed, omeone handed Ember her guitar and she strapped it around her as the audience quieted down.
     Robert played the first few notes on his bass, then the drumsa and trumpets came in and Robert played the same notes again with a piano, the drums again, then Robert's bass again, then the drums then nothing remained except the piano. Ember strummed her guitar next then the drums sounded again. Then Ember strummed again 'till just the symbols were heard. The piano played three notes, each one lower than the last. Then piano again with violins. And another seven higher notes from the piano.

Robert: Another ringer with the slick trigger finger
For Her Majesty
     Robert looks over to Ember as she swings her hips from one side tot he next as she sang her lines.
Ember: Another one with the golden tongue
Poisoning your fantasy
     She looks at Robert as he moved closer for the mike and looked over back at her winking.
Robert: Another bill from a killer
Turned a thriller to a tragedy

      They focus back on the audience beyond the stage as they continued strumming their guitars getting ready for the chorus and sudden change in tembo.

Both: A door left open
A woman walking by (Robert remembers his grandfather's flashbacks about Ember)
A drop in the water (Bob's tear distorts Ember's image in the water of the bay)
A look in the eye (Ember, telling that by the look in Bob's eyes that it was over)
A phone on the table (Waiting for eachother to call)
A man on your side (Ember hearing that Bob got married, she was devastated!)
Oh, someone that you think that you can trust
Is just
Another way to die (Ember dieing in the fire, Bob feeling lost without her)

     Feeling the growing emotional tension between her and Robert, Ember hums the next notes into her mike. Then pianos high notes again. Then the same hummed notes with the trumpets.

Robert: Another tricky little gun
Giving solace to the one
That will never see the sunshine

     Robert remembers the time he first met Ember, when she tried to take over the world using her music and getting help from Robert three years earlier.
Ember: Another inch of your life sacrificed for your brother,
In the nick of time
     Sam saving Robert from Ember's spell just before her world-wide broadcast.
Robert: Another dirty money heaven sent honey,
Both: Turning on a dime


Both: Well, a door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think that you can trust
Is just
Another way to die

     After the chorus, they began to feel th tempo slow down. It also signified them starting to feel anger for what they did to eachother. Bob, breaking up with Ember. Robert being hypnotized.
     As they played the next notes, their emotion showed through their body movements. Robert showing his anger by flinging his bass from one side to another just hammering on the strings, Ember showing her hurt through her voice and the way she played the notes.

Robert: (It's just another)
Ember: Hey! Another way to die!

     The drum players start getting into it as do the other instrument players in the band behind them. The tension between them growing with the notes.

Robert: (Another way to die)
Ember:  Shoot em, bang bang!
Both: Whoa oh oh oh oh oh!
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh!
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh!
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh!

     Robert remembers all the fighting they did the whole they knew each other. But he knew Ember and how to get to her emotions, how access them and appeal to her hurt. And this feeling showed through his solo notes, him wanting to stop fighting and start over.

Robert: Another girl with her finger
On the world singing to
You what you wanna hear (Robert and Ember try dating but it didn't work out too well because he was doing it to make her feel better, not because he loved her.)
Ember: Another gun thrown down and surrendered
Took away your fears (Ember realising that the fake dating was pointless, he wasn't Bob, so she accepted it and moved on.)
Hey!
Both: Another man that stands right behind you
Looking in the mirror (They relise how much they need eachother)

     They emotion tension was gone but their feelings for eachother remained as they sang the chorus in perfect harmony.

Both: Oh, a door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think that you can trust
Is just
Another way to die

     They sing the rest as if they were born to sing together, that it was fate that brought them together. They were supposed to be in love.

Robert: It's just another, nother.
Ember: It's just another way!
Shoot em up, bang bang! (Ember and Robert break up because they enjoyed old times better, playing hard to get)
Ember: Hey!
Robert: (plays his notes agreeing with her)
Ember: Hey!
Robert: (agrees)
Ember: Hey!
Robert: (agrees)
Ember: Hey!
Robert: (Another way, another way)
Ember: Yeah!
(Another way, another way)
Bang bang bang bang!

     The guitar and drums are gone leaving the piano only, until Robert and Ember aim their guitars as if aiming guns at eachother shooting the notes at their target.
     The crowd roars cheering for the two seventeen-year-old frenemies as the lights suddenly black out and backstage, Robert and Ember can hear the crowd screaming, whistling and cheering. Ember inhailed deeply. "Ah." She said. "Nothing like the fresh smell of new fans to wake you up."
     Robert turned and looked at her with a seductive twinkle. "I couldn't agree more."
     Ember steps closer and kisses him again. "That's because you're a good guitar player." She said. Then she slapped him. "And that's for your crappy band. They missed a note!"
     "Really?" he asked. "Cuz I couldn't hear over how awesome we were."
     Ember smirked with a clever glow to it as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Wanna head back to your place and find out what other talents you hold?"
     "At the risk of being hypnotized by you? Not this time." He removed her arms from his neck.
     Ember shrugged. "Oh well, I tried." She turned around to head out of the building through the back door. "See ya, Slick." And with that, she disappeared in her own long flowing blue hair.
     "Later, Baby."