Rock On From Beyond. (Rerecording.)

An old man sat across from me backstage, He sat there silent just tapping his finger on my guitar case. "Dude we gotta go on." Terri my somewhat of a girlfriend, had signed us up for a Battle of the Bands contest. I couldn't take my eyes off of the creepy dude. My concentration was shattered by my guitar case being thrown into my lap. "Dude, GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!!!!" The guy was gone, it was like he was never there. She pulled me out of my chair and dragged me stage-side. "Stay here while I get Jamie" Jamie was my little brother by three years probably drinking away his stage fright. Our little three man band was gonna take the prize. I sat down on the stool next to the stage door and went to work tuning my guitar. I found tuning my guitar calming, all the stress just flows out y'know? A familiar hand perched on my shoulder, Manuel Garcia's. Manuel was what you could call our manager, but that's the legal term.

"What do you want Manuel?" I kept tuning my guitar, every few seconds strumming to make sure.

"Oh nothing much, just what you owe me, amigo."

"I've told you a thousand times, when we get the money,"

"It'll be put in my pocket, but your word isn't good enough,"

"Trust me, Manuel once tonight is over, we'll never have to speak to each other again." I smiled wide.

"You get me the money, or else."

"Or else what?" My grin grew even wider.

"I'll shove my foot so far up your ass, you'll be tasting steel."

"The feeling's mutual." He grumbled and stormed off to his seat in the front row. Terri walked in with Jamie, who was a little buzzed. "You guys ready to rock?"

"Yeah, let's rock their world." Jamie was as always eager to hit the drums.

"Let's go."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our next contestant Dragon Fire!" The announcer called over the loudspeaker.

"That's our cue, Let's rock this joint!" I shouted as we ran onstage. The crowd was cheering, the lights were on me I had the whole world in front of me, then the earthquake. The entire crowd was thrown around like tomatoes at a bad comic. I managed to turn and loo up. The stage lights were coming undone. Without so much as a thought, I tackled Terri and the light smashed me instead. As my vision grew dark I saw the catwalk fall on Jamie and Terri. I woke up to sharp pain in my chest. I roll onto my back, and grab for my heart, it wasn't beating.

"Elijah Cantor, 5 foot 11 inches, blonde, self proclaimed rock-star," That creepy dude had a folder and read it out loud.

"What are you some kind of fan-boy?"

"Well I have been following you for quite some time."

"Are they okay?"

"Who?" He was completely ignorant.

"Terri and Jamie."

"Dead,"

"Am I dead?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck,"

"No thanks I'm straight." I sat up and raised an eyebrow.

"Several questions, one, who are you? Two, how am I talking to you?, Three, what do I do now?"

"One I am Death, two I am Death, three you owe me twenty years,"

"What do you mean twenty years?"

"Remember April fourth, 1992?"

"My fifth birthday," Images started rushing through my head. My mother laying limp over the steering wheel.

"You were supposed die that day." I reach for my necklace. "But that thing saved you." My fifth birthday present really was lucky. "Hence twenty years." This guy made a good point. "And that is why you'll be working for me."

"What?"

"The Wraith Program, I take souls that die early, deserve a second chance, or in your very rare case of dying late, and give them a new life, in exchange for service."

"What kind of service, and what happens after my time is up?"

"Fight for me, and no one's survived that long, or turned rogue."

"That's reassuring, you got a deal." I held out my hand and he helped me up. "Can they come too?"

"Why do you ask?"

"They're the only family I got,"

"I don't know yet, we'll see." He held out a small coffin shaped suitcase. "Here,"

"This some kinda joke?"

"Just take the damn thing,"

"Fine." I rolled my eyes and took the case. It was extremely light.

"Now, through that door you will find your new life awaits," He pointed to a stage door as it creaked open. He pushed me through it. "Oh and Happy Birthday." The door slammed shut. It was about sunset here, the weather was perfect, the air was fresh. This place isn't so bad, maybe dying was a good thing, I found a bench and sat down. I had stayed up all last night writing a song I didn't get to sing, I stretched my arms and let out a big yawn. Whatever he needs me to do can wait till tomorrow right. I laid down on the grass propping my head with the case. The sun had set, the stars were out, and the crickets were chirping. With another yawn and some more stretching I drifted off to sleep, listening to the songs in my head. Lullaby