Darkness Taking Dawn- Lars Ulrich Fanfiction

Imitation of Life

Our story had an unhappy end
But this could change, I still call him friend "Take my advice, and listen to me
A great opportunity, can't you see
I only want what's best for you
The deal of a lifetime, what more can I do"
How many times have you heard this today?
Some stupid sucker says "it's great, we love ya babe"
For them this bullshit, it's their whole life
Cut through their bullshit with a knife
Imitation of life Oh, oh, oh
Anger burns
Bands dress like women with hairspray and lace
I'd pass an image law, stick it in your face!
Let's see how long they keep dressing this way
Wearing this image twenty four hours a day! Did you ever think for yourself??
Just once, did you ever think??
That's all I want to know Imitation of life, living out a lie
You'll never be right, imitation of life
Why are you here??, you're taking up my space
The new imperfect race, imitation of life - Anthrax

When Rita finally got signed to the label her attitude couldn't have been anymore somber and quiet. All of her bandmates; even Lilly, were rather excitable and overflowing with joy when it came to the fact that they were just one step closer to achieving their dream. Rita on the other hand sat Indian style on the ground in her ripped jeans and parka with a plastic cup of alcohol present in her hands. Even when she drank I could hardly see a smile present on her small bird lips. Her somber and quiet attitude for the most part went unnoticed, but when she was asked about her feelings on being signed she would always state that, 'It was one of the best things to happen in my life.' 

Of course the party couldn't last for too long due to the fact that the rest of Metallica and I had to fly out to New York tomorrow to try and find a record label along with a meet up with another growing thrash metal band on the east coast, Anthrax. Yet, when I went up to her room she wasn't partied out or too tired. Instead she sat there in her small beaten down  working desk with an ancient lamp dimly lighting the room. As I peaked open the door she motioned for me to come in and urged me to bed while she only stayed up for what I assumed to be hours jotting down lyrics and chord progressions.

When I woke up a few hours later I was greeted by Rita herself standing over the bed with a lit cigarette and a cup of coffee in hand. She didn't seem physically tired, but the dark round bags under her eyes told a different story. It was clear that she was tormented by sleep depravation among other things. As I moved to sit up on my bed she handed me the cup and quickly retreated back to the same old desk, but this time with her guitar in hand.

As she softly strummed and plucked away I noticed how detached she was. Her eyes were wide open yet her almost mechanical movements gave the impression of a person who was working while sleeping or better yet was nothing but a mere mechanical robot. She was so dazed that she didn't even notice me approach her form until I laid a hand on her shoulder. Even then it took a few good seconds along with some shaking on my behalf for her to snap out of it. What really snapped her out of her daze was when she saw my shadow lean over her form and desk as I observed the song in the making, Metal in a World Made of Plastic. Yet, still when I did she only wordlessly nodded towards me and motioned me out of her room. 

When I entered the living room I saw Tomi and Joanna conversing with each other while Lilly was slowly exiting the room with a cigarette loosely hanging between her lips. Once they saw my figure emerge they immediately stopped talking. 

"Oh, hey your band said to be at the airport by nine. They left some change on the counter for you incase your dirt poor like the rest of us." Joanna sounded off still sounding a bit drunk.

I nodded and thanked her before I exited the small housing complex and waving goodbye to the both of them. As I went outside I saw Lilly propped against the house with the same cigarette still dangling from her lips with her hair tied back in a sloppy bun in a long black t-shirt and her quintessential black tinted heart shaped glasses shading her from the bright sun. "Hey can I bum one from you?" I questioned. She slowly turned towards me still leaning on her hip with a look of disgust that always managed to show up whenever I was around. "What? You couldn't get one off of Rita?" She hissed out. I sighed and rolled my eyes knowing that she had to be difficult; at least when it can to me with everyone else she was a breeze. "No, so can I just get one? I don't feel like taking the cab to the 7/11 then taking it to get to the airport." I complained. She groaned in further disgust and retreated back to the inside and slammed the door in my face. I scratched the back of my head in mild amusement, but mostly annoyance as I hailed a cab to take me to the airport. Yet, still when I was thousands of miles apart my mind still wandered back to her and her alone, Rita. While, I have to admit I was having the time of my life in New York with the guys from Anthrax the somber and tranquil vibes that I got from hanging around Rita couldn't be topped. Almost nothing could take it's place.

Yet, still with missing her I constantly worried about her. While, I did like her composed mannerisms it was almost always hard to tell what she was thinking. It became so deadly silent at times when around her that I would get to the point where she was stuck in a trance while writing or playing. I guess you could say that it was just plainly escapism and that was it, but she always looked so out of it when she was like this. She reminded me of the dead. Like she was just simply trying to exist among the living and that was it. The emptiness that constantly plagued her eyes only served to remind me of a lifeless china doll.

It was like she was trying to put up with the bullshit of life by wearing a mask 24/7. It was almost as if it was a challenge for herself to see how long she keep dressing and acting that way; wearing that 'image' twenty four hours a day! She was trying to fit in with a world full of plastic people. I chuckled to myself looking back at the demo song I saw stranded on her desk. "It was like being metal in a world made of plastic." I concluded to the producer. She was  just an imitation of what life's all about. An imitation of life.