Little Drummer Dog (13)
#13 of Little Drummer Dog.
Little Drummer Dog. (13)
By Wolfie Steel.
The afternoon session kicks in and again we have to show our metal, because once we leave the arena tonight one of the bands will be out of the competition. As we come to the end of our song my right arm begins to cramp up, but I push on through the pain and the song eventually comes to an end.
Had anyone noticed my slight loss in beat? I had hoped not, but the look of concern on Steve's face told me otherwise, the Rottweiler approaches me and gently brushes a paw across my right arm, I try not to wince but I cannot help it, Steve gently nods and then speaks.
"You are done for the day, you won't be doing any practicing when we get back to the hotel, what you will be doing is getting a decent meal inside of you and then resting up your arms because I know the signs of severe cramp when I see them."
A solitary tear breaches and slowly flows down my face, feelings of inadequacy and failure are encompassed within that single teardrop, Steve speaks again.
"Hey now Sam I don't know why you are crying whether it be through the obvious pain or that you feel as though you have failed us somehow if it is the latter as I very much fear then please don't think that way, we have given two outstanding performances on very little to no sleep, tonight we will rest well and then if we get into the final tomorrow we will be able to do the damage then."
Steve then gently kisses me on the cheek as we head back to our table. I take my seat and Steve stands behind me and uses his hand-paws to help alleviate my cramping by gently massaging my arms and shoulders.
As he works the compare for the day takes his place on the stage and begins to announce the results.
"Well guys and gals we now know who will be leaving the contest, before I give the results I would just like to say this, it has been a privilege for me to be involved with this year's contest, you have all provided us with some of the best music that I have heard in many years. For what it is worth you can all hold your heads up with pride, now for the results, in no particular order the three bands that will return for the final tomorrow are... Def Leopard... Aerosmith and... ."
The sweat begins to trickle down my forehead and I begin to shake uncontrollably as I wait for the third name to be called out.
"... The third band to make it into the final tomorrow is... Jacks and Aces Wild, and so it is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that while Sound As A Hound put up a valiant fight they will take no further part in this year's contest."
I looked over towards Shaun's table, I watched as Karl Banks, Sound As A Hounds keyboard player, threw his napkin at Shaun and then stood from his seat and stormed from the auditorium. I continued to watch as the rest of my ex-band mates followed the keyboard player out leaving just Shaun sat at the table all alone.
Shaun's head finally fell in resignation and he slowly stood from his seat and made his way towards our table, gone was the once confident shit eating grin. He stood just to the left and behind me and then faced Steve, he then did something that I had never thought I would ever see from Shaun, he held out his paw to Steve.
"Well done Mister Jacks, you played the game cleanly and emerged as the better band and while it hurts me to do so a deal is a deal and so I will wind up Sound As A Hound, I will also make good on the cost of the new tyres for your colleague's vehicle and as for AJ's guitar I will bring it back to your studio once you get back from the contest."
The fact that Shaun could not even utter my name did not pass me by, a slight growl left my muzzle as I spoke.
"I have a name you know Shaun, it wouldn't kill you to use it."
Steve's hand-paws squeezed a little tighter on my shoulders in a silent plea to let it go and not to make a scene, for the sake of my lover I bit back any further bile that I had to give. Shaun said nothing as he handed my Rottweiler an amount of cash, he then turned on his heels and left the auditorium.
Finally, Steve gently helped me to stand from my seat he then put my left arm around his neck and helped me to head back towards the bus, the rest of the band following at close quarters.
Once we are back on the bus Steve heads towards Eldon to tell him that we had made it through and also to tell him to get us back to the hotel as quickly as he can, the Shire Horse just gently nods his head and we begin our journey back.
We make it back to the hotel and once we are in the foyer Steve gathers the band around him.
"Okay guys, tonight you will all order room service and eat your meals in your rooms that way you can just fall into bed once you are done, hear this now though I want you all to get a decent nights rest tonight, god knows that we have earned it. Tomorrow we will need to bring our 'A' game as we are going up against two of the best bands on the circuit, I will say this though guys, even if we get knocked out tomorrow I will not look upon it as a failure, and we certainly won't be disbanding."
With that said Steve dismisses us all back to the rooms. Steve and I arrive at our room and he slowly opens the door, he gently leads me into the room and then lowers me down to sit on the edge of the bed, he then heads back to the door and then closes it making sure that it is locked, he then returns to me and gently begins to remove my clothing, as he does so he gently whispers.
"You know Sam, right now I want nothing more than to fuck your goddamn brains out but I will hold off on that because we are going to get our meals from room service, you are getting into bed and I will put your tray on your lap so that you can relax as you eat."
I just gently nod my head which gives my Rottweiler the green light to slowly put me to bed. Once I am comfortable Steve places the call to room service for our meals.
After half an hour of silently eating Steve puts our two trays outside the door of the room, he then puts the Do Not Disturb sign on the handle and then closes and locks the door, he then makes his way over to the bed stripping off as he goes, he then slips under the covers with me and turns out the light.
As we settle down for the night the thoughts of the day run back through my mind and I even allow an evil smile to spread across my muzzle, yes we had scraped through into the final tomorrow and yes we would most likely be handed our asses by the two better bands but that did not matter to me, what mattered to me was that I had a wonderful lover in Steve and that we had sent Sound As A Hound home with their tails between their legs.