Stowaway Daze by Justin Christopher

Author:Justin Christopher
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Road Stories, Young Adult, Humor, Brothers, Family, Boys, Music, Friendship, Action & Adventure
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2022-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER 22

Was this a dream? It must have been because the next night was a new city, Omaha, and another free concert!

This time the opening band killed it. The audience lapped up songs by the The Pun Police and especially loved their top ten hits, "Nothing Succeeds Like a Parrot" and "Geology Rocks!" There weren’t any fights backstage, and Max was asked by roadie Reagan if he would like to set off the pyrotechnics - otherwise known as fireworks.

"What?" Max asked. "I mean, sure I will do it, but why me? Haven’t you got other people who can do it?"

"You and your little squirt brother are the talk of the town," he said.

"Huh?" Max asked.

"We heard about your concert in the tour bus."

Suddenly other roadies who hadn’t given Max a second glance offered to buy him soft drinks and hotdogs. Now he was given the chance to push the big red button which was normally reserved for Very Important People.

As well as being a roadie, Reagan was also a sound engineer. His job was to stand in a closed booth in the middle of the crowd and mix live audio for the show.

Max hung close to Reagan. How fascinating it was to see all of the buttons glowing like Christmas tree lights on the sound desk. Reagan’s finger hovered over a bright red button covered with plastic casing. There was a sign next to it which read DO NOT TOUCH.

"So yeah," yelled Reagan. "This is the button you’re gonna hit when I say."

Max paused. "But it says-"

"I know what it says, kid, that sign is for imbeciles who don’t know how to tie their own shoelaces or break into cafe wifis without a password. You can hit it, no probs."

"Really? And I won’t get into trouble?"

"Sure, you can."

"What does it do?" Max asked.

Reagan’s teeth glowed in the dark, matching his eyes. "Pyrotechnics."

"Fire?" Max asked.

"Ah, yep! Big fire," said Reagan, and pointed to the cylinders which stood tall at the front of the stage. They had the appearance of five gigantic black toilet rolls. "You hit that button during the final chorus of "Sleepwalker," but make sure you get the timing right. If you don’t, you’ll blow everyone up. Sizzle, sizzle, good night nurse."

Max looked delighted. "So, when Taylor starts singing the final chorus, I hit that button? And then what happens?"

"Magic," said Reagan. "Heat, fire, music! Show time! After you’ve hit that button, you’ll feel like the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, or the ringmaster of the Cirque Medrano in Paris. You will hold power over 20,000 people, who will jump and scream with delight. And all because you pushed the button. It is a moment you will never forget!"

Suddenly Max felt a huge amount of responsibility. "Okay," he said, "I’ll do it."

"Knew you would," Reagan replied.

"But, sir, when is the encore, cos I really gotta pee! I’m sorry to say, I’ve got a Walmart bladder."

Reagan looked at his watch and then at the set list, which was typed out in large letters on his mixing desk.

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