Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic, #1) (19 page)

“Are you serious?” Jason whispered. The
festival showcased eight independent bands from around the region,
at the Statue Garden in Minneapolis. “That’s like ten thousand
people!”

“They had an opening, so the coordinator
dropped us in,” Mitch said. “Apparently a bunch of people had
emailed her our video—”

“But how is that possible? Auditions for that
were four months ago.”

“Well, she may have bumped some local
Minneapolis band to make room for us. But anyway, not bad for a
first gig!”

“Saturday night? Do we have time to get
ready?”

“We don’t
need
to get ready. We just
need to get up on that stage and play. The instruments will do it
all for us. I’ll announce it on our Facebook page. And our YouTube
profile.”

“I’ll announce it, too.” Jason stood up and
looked over the crowd. “Hey, everybody: Assorted Zebras are playing
the Spoon and Cherry Festival this Saturday! Tell your
friends!”

The entire place burst into cheers.

“I think they’ll come,” Jason said into the
phone.

“They can’t, it’s already sold out,” Mitch
said. “We just want everyone to know we played the festival, so
we’ll get more shows out of this. Gotta go, I have to call Dred and
Erin!” Mitch hung up.

Jason’s heart dropped a little at Erin’s
name. They hadn’t spoken since she rejected him. This was going to
be awkward.

A balding fiftyish man in a tie elbowed his
way into the restaurant. Mr. Humphley, the franchise owner. Jason
stood up automatically when he entered.

“What in the blue heck is going on here?” Mr.
Humphley demanded. “Where is Mona?”

“I’m right here!” She waved from the cash
register.

“Where’s your cashier?”

“I’m over here, sir,” Jason said.

“What are you doing sitting at a table,
kid?”

“Signing autographs, sir.”

“Autographs?” Mr. Humphley glared around at
the teenagers packing the restaurant.

“Isn’t it great?” Mona asked. “He draws a
huge crowd every night. He’s the guitarist for the hottest band on
Earth!”

“I don’t care if he’s Elvis Aaron Presley! If
he’s on my payroll, he works. He doesn’t sit around on his fanny!”
Mr. Humphley approached Jason, glaring. “Got that, kid? Back to
work!”

“Most of these customers just came to see
me,” Jason said, and twenty teenagers shouted their agreement.

“This is a family restaurant!” Mr. Humphley
said. “It’s not a disco for teenyboppers!”

“What’s a disco for teenyboppers?” Jason
asked.

“Get back to work or get out of here!”

“Fine.” Jason grabbed the slawburger hat from
his table and threw it into the crowd, who screamed and tore it to
shreds. “I’m so sick of saying ‘hold the slaw.’ Nobody likes the
slaw. It tastes like shredded garbage. Why don’t you just take the
slaw off the menu?”

“You’re fired!” Mr. Humphley barked. “Don’t
show your face in here again!”

Jason pulled off the red Buddy McSlawburger’s
apron, tossed it on the floor, and walked away through the cheering
crowd, most of whom turned to follow him out.

“Isn’t he amazing?” Mona sighed at the
counter.

Jason left work on his bicycle, waving off
the countless people who offered to give him rides. He was in no
hurry to get home. A number of cars followed him until he turned
away from the road, cutting across parking lots, then back yards,
and then across a cow pasture and into the woods, to escape the
horde of fans following him.

Finally alone in the woods, he rode slowly
alongside a small creek. He was worried about how he would act
around Erin now, and whether she would hate him or, worse, feel
pity for him, like he was some clueless little kid.

On top of that, he had to worry about the
goblin that wouldn’t leave his room—Jason was constantly picking up
after Grizlemor, who was a confirmed slob. And the goblin was a
reminder that somewhere, there were fairies that would be very
angry when they found Jason. He couldn’t believe that the little
people with the butterfly wings were really so dangerous, but
Grizlemor seemed terrified of them.

He emerged from the woods a few streets from
his house, free of his fans now. He stopped in his driveway and
took out his phone.

“Yeah?” Mitch answered.

“I have to tell my parents about the
concert,” Jason said. “They won’t want me to go.”

“Why not? It’s a major festival.”

“I’m not even supposed to be in the
band!”

“You can change their minds,” Mitch said.

“How?”

“The music, man! Once they hear the music,
they’ll see how good it is, and then they’ll let you go.”

“Don’t bet on it,” Jason said.

“Just let the music convince them. You know
it will.”

Jason thought about it. “I don’t really feel
comfortable using fairy magic on my parents.”

“Why not? You’re using it on everyone
else.”

“But not to trick them…”

“Tricking them into coming to our shows.
Giving us their money.”

“Yeah, but that’s different.” Jason rubbed
his head, staring at his front door. Inside, the lights were still
on, even Katie’s. Everyone was still awake. “They pay to hear good
music, and they hear good music. Right?”

“Right. And when your parents hear it,
they’ll let you do whatever you want. ‘Cause it’s that good.”

Jason thought of the hordes of fans who kept
showing up at work. He couldn’t imagine his parents acting that
way.

“Erin did it,” Mitch said.

“She did?”

“Even worked on her jerk of a stepdad, and
you know how he is. You’ve got the magic, so use it. I don’t want
you backing out of the show over this.”

“I won’t,” Jason said.

“Then do what you have to.” Mitch hung
up.

Jason sighed, parked his bike in the garage,
and walked into the living room.

“Home a little early, aren’t you, son?” his
dad asked. He was in his recliner reading a Sports Illustrated,
while Jason’s mom watched
Crazy for Ceramics!
on the Home
and Garden channel.

“I got fired,” Jason said, sitting down on
the couch.

“What?” Jason’s dad dropped the
Sports
Illustrated
. “How did that happen?”

“Did you mouth off to somebody?” his mom
asked.

“It’s hard to explain,” Jason said.

“Were you late?” his dad asked. “Or did you
goof up your work?”

“It’s not that. We made this music
video—”

“When you were supposed to be working?”
Jason’s mother gasped.

“Goofing off while on the clock.” His dad
shook his head, looking disappointed. “What did I tell you about
all that music nonsense?”

“No, we didn’t make the video at work,” Jason
said. “We made it a while ago. But Mitch put it on YouTube, and
it’s really popular now.”

“Videos of yourself? Why in the world would
you want to do that?” his mother asked. “Don’t you know the
internet is forever?”

“Um…so anyway, Mitch made this
video…well, actually Tadd made the video…no, this girl from
Mitch’s neighborhood actually made the
first
video—”

“That doesn’t matter,” his dad said. “We want
to know why you got fired.”

“That’s why I’m telling you about the
video.”

“Oh, goodness!” his mom said. “It’s
not…
inappropriate
, is it? You don’t use swear words or
anything?”

“No, we just play music. But it’s really
popular. It’s been watched by a million people or more.”

“They must not have enough to do with their
time,” his mom said. “These kids.”

“It’s…they like the music, Mom!” Jason
said. “That’s why so many people watch it. And they share it on
Facebook and Twitter and that other one…MySpace…so everybody
who sees it shares it with more and more people. And so many people
just really like the music.”

“Stop trying to change the subject,” his dad
said. “We want to know about your job.”

“So a bunch of fans starting coming from all
over to McSlob…McSlawburger’s. And the assistant manager told me
to just sit down and sign autographs. Then the owner came in and
fired me for sitting there and signing autographs.”

“Aha!” his dad said. “Goofing off on the
clock.”

“But I did what the assistant manager told me
to do.”

“Why would anyone want your autograph?” his
mom asked.

“Because, I told you, the video’s a crazy big
hit. In fact…we got invited to play at The Spoon and Cherry
Festival. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.”

“Absolutely not!” his dad said.

“But Mitch already told them yes,” Jason
said. “I can’t let the band down.”

“You’re grounded, you get fired from your
job, and now you want to run around with those kids from that
ridiculous band?” his dad shouted.

“Like that Erin Kavanagh girl,” his mom said.
“I don’t trust her, with all that wild-colored hair.”

“It’s not ridiculous!” Jason said. “And
Erin’s not a bad person. Dad, they’re paying us a thousand dollars
each. For one night!”

“A thousand…” His dad’s eyes went wide, but
then he blinked and shook his head. “The money doesn’t matter. It’s
the principle of the thing. We forbade you to go hanging around
those bad kids, and you ignored us. And you got yourself
fired.”

“But I got a better job,” Jason said. “If I
worked at McSlob…the hamburger place all summer, every day, I
wouldn’t make a thousand dollars.” Jason didn’t mention that all
the money might have to go to Mitch’s mom to repair her house.
There would be plenty of shows ahead, the way things were
going.

“I don’t see why they’d pay so much money,”
his dad said.

“Because everyone wants to see us! We’re
pretty good.” Jason hesitated, then plunged forward. “You should
watch some of the videos. Both of you.”

“I don’t need to see you making an idiot of
yourself,” his dad said.

“We worked pretty hard on the music, Dad,”
Jason said. “We’ve been practicing for a couple of months. I’d
really like you to see it, even if it doesn’t change your mind.
Please?”

“Oh, George, maybe we should watch it,”
Jason’s mom said. “If he’s worked so hard on it.”

His dad grunted. “Make it quick.”

“I’ll show you.” Jason walked to the little
computer table by the half-flight of steps that led up into the
kitchen. He pulled up one of the videos—“First Road Out of
Here”—and played it. He cranked up the speakers.

“That’s too loud!” his dad said. “Turn
it…down…”

Jason’s parents gazed at the screen,
mesmerized by the sound of the music flowing out.

“See?” Jason said. “People like it.”

His parents slowly stood and walked toward
the computer, completely entranced.

“It’s so sad,” his mother said.

“It’s beautiful! Touching!” Jason’s father
choked up, clutching his heart. Jason wasn’t sure his dad had ever
used words like that before.

“Yeah, so you see why I need to go play this
concert, right?” Jason said. “Everyone wants to see us. Mom? Dad?
Are you listening?”

His parents were drifting closer and closer
to the computer speakers, paying him no attention. It was
creepy.

Jason paused the video. “So, can I go and
play Saturday night?”

“What happened to the music?” Jason’s dad
asked.

“I want to hear more!” his mom said. “Right
now, Jason!”

“Then tell me I can go play at the show.”

“Of course you can go and play.” Jason’s
father dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. “The world
shouldn’t have to go without music like that.”

“Okay…great!” Jason said. “Thanks!”

“Would you push ‘Play’?” his mom snapped.

“Sorry!” Jason unpaused the video. “There you
go.”

He watched his parents swaying to the music.
His dad put an arm around his mom, and they swayed slowly
together.

“So…I’ll go tell Mitch, then,” Jason
said.

They didn’t reply. They didn’t seem to hear
him.

Jason shook his head and went upstairs.

“What’s that music?” Katie asked as Jason
passed her door. She was stretched out on her bed, reading
Darkwing Duck
comic books.

“It’s nothing,” Jason said.

“Nah-uh. That’s your music! Everybody’s
talking about it.”

“Oh,
everybody
is, huh?”

“Everybody on the innernet!”

“Wow. Okay, see you later, Katie.” Jason
walked into his room and closed the door. A new, funky smell had
infused his room since Grizlemor moved in.

“I’m hungry!” the goblin said from under his
bed.

Jason knelt and lifted the comforter.
Grizlemor lay on his bed, looking up from his book. He was
surrounded by dirty spoons and empty cans: Beanee Weenies,
Spaghetti-o’s, chili.

“Why don’t you clean up a little?” Jason
asked. He gathered the cans into the trash bag he’d left under his
bed for exactly that purpose.

“Take the trash bag with you when you go get
me more food,” Grizlemor said. “It’s getting full.”

“With no help from you.” Jason gathered up
the sticky, dirty spoons. “Don’t you have anywhere to live
yet?”

“Sure do. Right here.” Grizlemor patted the
carpet. “Nice place, too. Smells a bit like humans, but I’m taking
care of that.”

“You really are,” Jason said. He stood
up.

“Don’t forget my food!” Grizlemor said.

“What do you want now?”

“Saltine crackers, topped with grape jelly,
cheese, and chocolate syrup.”

“Are you kidding?” Jason asked.

“Goblins never kid about food.”

Jason sighed. He took the dirty spoons
downstairs and put them in the dishwasher. He glanced at his
parents, who were both hunched over the computer screen, watching
another video, their eyes glazed. He didn’t bother trying to hide
the bizarre crackers as he put them together for the goblin. His
parents didn’t even seem to know he was there. They were lost in
the music.