CRASHING OUT

ROAD TO HELL Chapter 1

Early October 1983, at London's famous and very stylish Dorchester Hotel, former ABBA superstar Agnetha Faltskog was packing her cases at the end of a long, successful but very tiring trip to promote her first solo album in several years. It had been a long, somewhat exhausting experience, for the first time in so many years she was doing this alone, without Frida, without Benny, her two best friends and of course without Bjorn, who she'd admit privately was very much the love of her life. Facing the press alone, being asked many personal questions, many regarding her private life, was something she really did not enjoy. Her private life was just that, private and that was how she wanted it to stay, she had no intention of revealing the details of her life to anyone in the media. She smiled to herself as she finished packing her cases, finally she was now due a break and was heading back to Sweden, to her childhood hometown of Jonkoping, for some much needed family time, privately she was hoping that Bjorn would be at the coach station to collect her, a thought that filled her with joy. As she thought of him a smile crossed her beautiful face "Hmm, if only they knew eh Bjorn!" she spoke quietly to herself, the press and the world at large would be shocked if they knew the truth, not that she'd ever tell! For now though, she had to put thoughts of him and her true feelings aside as she was soon to depart on the coach to begin the long journey home, by coach to Newcastle, by ferry to Gothenburg and then returning to the coach to head to Jonkoping. Longtime friend Gorel Hanser had intended to travel with her but, as was always seemingly the case, Stig Anderson had other ideas, he insisted that Gorel fly home immediately to undertake what he described as "Vital work! Get your little ass back here now!", so Agnetha was to travel alone for the most part, but the journey out of London was not to be the quiet alone time she craved, Stig had in typically greedy fashion, taken money from journalist Brita Ahman to allow her on board, for an interview. Agnetha had objected strongly "Stig, I don't want her on the coach! She's one of the journalists who badger me with gossip, tittle tattle and bare faced lies. She only wants to ask about my private life and I won't have it!" Stig shrugged and harumphed ignorantly "oh for fuck's sake! You're a grown woman, fucking play along with her, hint that you're shagging someone new, he fucks you all night and you can't get enough! It'll sell fucking loads of records, guys will get horny and buy your crap album. So tough shit, she's coming with you!" And so her fate was sealed, Bjorn had tried to intervene on her behalf but Stig had told him to "Fucking stick to that shitty musical you won't let me be part of, you prick!" So, as her departure neared Agnetha braced herself for more unsubtle probing from Ahman and sighed as she checked that she had everything and picking up her cases headed out and into the lift, taking it down to the foyer. Walking over to the reception desk she smiled at the receptionist and handed over her keys "Here are the room keys. I'm checking out. Thank you for a lovely stay, everyone has been so nice, so kind and helpful" the receptionist, named Lisa smiled in response, she was a huge ABBA fan and the presence of Agnetha had thrilled her immensely, she'd managed an autograph and a picture with one of her idols and this had been the highlight of her year "It's been our absolute pleasure to have you staying with us Miss Faltskog. We hope to see you again soon" she paused for a moment and leaned over the desk to whisper very quietly "And from me, thank you for the autograph and the picture. My boss would kill me if he knew!" she looked both ways to make sure no one was watching or listening "And when you get a chance say hi to Bjorn for me. Benny and Frida too, but especially Bjorn!" Agnetha laughed gently, she would be only too happy to pass a message to Bjorn "I promise! And better than that, if you'll give me your address I'll get a signed picture of all of us posted to you!" Lisa hurriedly wrote her address down and handed a slip of paper over, just as they said their farewells, as she headed towards the doorway a doorman, dressed in full Dorchester uniform of Black top hat, dark Green flop tail coat and Black trousers came to carry her bags to the coach and as he handed them to the driver Agnetha kindly tipped him with a few English pounds much to his delight. She boarded the coach and settled down for a moment of peace, which lasted all too briefly as Brita Ahman came rushing onboard, smiling insincerely and parking herself right opposite Agnetha at the table "Well now, here we are. All alone at last, chance to get everything out in the open. Let's give my readers all the juicy stuff they crave about you eh?" Inwardly Agnetha groaned, she knew what was coming, she'd faced it so many times before, ever since the split with Bjorn in 1979 the media had obsessed with her, focusing on an imaginary, outrageous and promiscuous sex life that she'd allegedly had. Ahman was one of the architects of this type of article and Agnetha knew why she was here and what she was after. The bus headed out of London, weaving through the traffic towards the Motorway and to the port of Newcastle, thankfully Ahman was not going the whole journey, she was getting off at the first stop, but this was likely to be more than long enough! Having been quiet as they passed through London, eyeing the sights, as they hit the Motorway Ahman reached into her bag and produced a tape recorder "Okay, let's get started" she smiled falsely and Agnetha braced herself for what she knew was coming "So Agnetha, as we leave London, you've been here all alone apparently, but what my readers want to know is, Is your lover going to meet you when you get home? Or is he waiting at home to take you straight to bed for sex?" Agnetha rolled her eyes, this was so typical "I haven't got a lover Brita. I've told you that before, many times, even since we've been in London" Ahman narrowed her eyes suspiciously and shook her head, sniggering "Oh don't give me that! I know all about you! I know you've hooked up with a hunky Policeman, that he lives with you, has done for some time. And from what I hear he's well endowed in the dick department and takes every chance to screw you, good and hard!" she paused to study Agnetha's reaction before pressing on "So, are you going to deny it? Or are you going to give me all the juicy details of what you get up to in bed..,and elsewhere!" she licked he lips, positively salivating at the prospect of salacious, lurid details of Agnetha's sex life, a story she could sell over and over again "Brita, please. This is getting too much. All you ask me about ever, is sex and what guy I'm supposedly sleeping with. Can't you see what hurt this causes my Children, my Parents? They have to live with this, all this rubbish, this scandal you promote" Ahman shrugged "You're a celebrity, it's part of the job, the game. Besides, you must know that whenever you appear on TV, in a Newspaper, guys get massive erections about you and want to get in your pants! So give them a little hint about what you like in the sack, what the guys who's fucking you does to you and let them dream. There's no harm in it!" Agnetha groaned, this was just what she'd feared, a so called interview, designed expressly to try and trap her into a sex chat, a trashy and gossipy piece intended as a cheap cash in "Brita, I will never, ever do that kind of interview. I'm a Mother of two children, not a man eating tart! There is no one in my life, or my bed right now! I am exactly as I was when you last asked me, my situation hasn't changed. So I'm sorry but asking over and over won't get you the story you're after" She wasn't exactly lying, her situation had remained unchanged for several years, there was something that no one outside of her family and closest friends knew, a fact she had no intention of sharing now or ever. If Ahman ever found out her life and the life of someone else would become pure hell, living back in the goldfish bowl that she had during ABBA's years, something she wanted to avoid. her personal circumstances were exactly that, personal and very private, they involved a certain someone, that special someone who she fought strenuously to protect from the gossip that surrounded her. He didn't need attention for being with her, he needed to avoid that particular circle, to remain in the shadows, to be her hidden strength in life and to be the one person who she could lean on at all times. Ahman finally got the message after repeated attempts at finding out something and as the coach pulled in for a scheduled stop she finally left, heading off to pick up a National Express coach to Heathrow Airport. Finally alone, Agnetha could at last relax and revel in the fact that the press duties were over and soon enough she could return to her normal daily life, surrounded by family, spending time with her children and of course her special someone. She smiled as she thought of the secrets she carried with her, of how Brita Ahman and others would react if they knew or ever found out "There'd be a riot! Just imagine her and everyone else knowing what I do!" she was whispering away to herself, partly out of amusement, partly from relief, scandal was something she wanted to avoid, there had been more than enough focus on her private life, all of it pure fantasy, without the truth ever getting out. A relaxing ride to Newcastle was just what she'd needed, time alone, in peace and quiet, allowing her to focus on the moments she was most looking forward to, reuniting with her family, spending time with her one and only and a smile as an image of Bjorn popped into her mind "I should have guessed you'd pop into my mind! Just like always, you rascal!" she spoke under her breath to the mental image of him and smiled as she wondered what he'd say if he saw her talking to herself and knew he'd be amused by it instantly. She made a mental note to tell him how much she'd missed him these last few days and weeks, she'd say that privately away from prying ears, she didn't want to complicate his life, nor hers either, but all the same she'd tell him when the time was right, after all, there was nothing wrong with the truth! She pondered for a moment and smiled as she imagined his face when she told him, he'd smile, blush a little and just be his usual charming self. They shared so much, had so much deep love for one another, she wondered, not for the first time, how they ever broke up, everyone who ever saw them together could see just how much love there was still between them and she imagined for a moment that 1979 had been different, that they'd stayed together instead of splitting and wondered how different things would be right now. She smiled contentedly as she thought of a different life with him but then focused on the now, the reality. She was happy, in love, and in a good place in life. Things had been good these last few years, much less work, an end to the circus surrounding ABBA, a happy home, someone who adored her and did everything he could to make her happy. What could go wrong? Well, two people back in Sweden had plans to make everything go wrong. A plan of despicable cruelty that they were at that very moment putting into action....