Fade To Black

Chapter Ten

So a few weeks after the boys got all the songs together and in order for Kill Em' All, they managed to get signed to a record label, and they started doing more and more gigs and it was getting overwhelming, y'enno all the shows they had to do, eventually it led to a tour, the boys were so excited that we threw a huge party...that was one hangover I'll never forget, that's for sure.

So here we were, just after the tour finished the boys were already brainstorming for new ideas for songs, and thinking of a title for their second album, they still weren't very big yet but I had a good feeling about this, a very good feeling.

I sat in the back corner of the basement as the boys jammed out, trying to make new riffs and solos for a song they had ideas for, I believe it was called Fight Fire With Fire, which already is a sick name by the way.

I was busying myself with a lightning bolt I was drawing, trying to put extra detail in it when I heard my name being called

"Nicole? Whatcha drawin' over there?" Cliff asked me and I shot my head up

"Whu what?" I questioned, pushing a piece of hair out of my face as I stared up at the boys, blushing slightly

"I said whatcha drawing" Cliff repeated

"Ohh, just a lightning bolt" I said and he reached out for the notebook in my hand, I passed it to him, and he started at it for a few moments before looking up at James, "Hey James, what about Ride The Lighting?" He asked and James got a big smile on his face, "I love it! That's genius Cliff" he said and Lars and Kirk nodded their heads in agreement as Cliff shot me a smile

"Thank Nicole, she drew the lightning bolt, gave me the idea" he said and passed me back my notebook, I smiled at the guys and stood up, walking over to James as I wrapped my arms around him from behind and felt his hands rest on my forearms, feeling his heartbeat increase slightly, "So hows the song coming along?" I asked, finally pulling away

"It's pretty good, here we'll play what we have so far for ya, take a seat" James said and gestures to a stool not too far from them, I sat down and listened with eager ears, getting as excited as I was for their first album, and honestly, I didn't think this feeling would ever go away.

The song started and before I knew it, I was tapping my hand against my thigh and nodding my head along, the guitars sounded great so far, now for the lyrics to come in

Do unto others
As they've done to you
But what the hell is
This world coming to?
Blow the universe
Into nothingness
Nuclear warfare
Shall lay us to rest
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear

We all shall die
Time is like a fuse
Short and burning fast
Armageddon's here
Like said in the past
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear

Soon to fill our lungs
The hot winds of death
The Gods are laughing
So take your last breath
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight

I sat there, mesmerized as they played the rest of the song, I didn't know what to make of it, it was just incredible, James guitar was amazing and Cliffs bass was incredible. I didn't even know what to say about Kirks solo nor did I for Lars' drums

"So, whaddya think?" James asked, nervously as if I wouldn't like it

"It's...it's incredible" I said, nearly breathless, music just does that to you ya know?

Relief filled all of their faces, "It means a lot that you like it Nicole" Lars said and I grinned, "Of course I like it! How can one not?" I said, over the top happy for the boys, for the remainder of that day I helped them review lyrics for other songs and what the album cover should look like, and we settled on an electric chair with lightning bolts shooting down and connecting to it, and even what would happen if the album got the boys more successful, which I was sure it would.

*3 weeks later*

"James, baby calm down" I said as I tried to sooth my stressed boyfriend out, it was nearing the date for the album release and tour and the boys were all extremely stressed out, hell even I was stressed and this wasn't even about me!

"I'm trying to, we just really need to figure out the order of the songs and how everything is going to play out, sorry for stressing you out if I did Nic" he said and I sighed and rubbed his back, "Why don't you go take a nap for a bit or relax with the guys or something. I'll figure out the order of the songs Jamie" I said and he looked at me as if asking if I was sure and I nodded reassuringly before walking over to the counter and pulling out a pen and a notepad from the drawers, the same one I drew the lightning bolt in a few weeks ago, maybe it will help with choosing the order of the songs.

I sat there and doodled for a while, before an idea came to my mind, so I wrote out numbers from 1 to 8 on the left side of the page, before writing song titles down beside the numbers, it went like this,

1. Fight Fire With Fire
2. Ride The Lightning
3. For Whom The Bell Tolls
4. Fade To Black
5. Trapped Under Ice
6. Escape
7. Creeping Death
8. The Call Of Ktulu

I just had hoped they would be okay with the order the songs went in..I looked over at the clock on the wall and saw that it had already almost been an hour, hmm I must've been doodling for over half an hour because listing the songs didn't take that long.

I decided to make some lunch for the boys, so they could relax for a little while; I settled on making some grilled cheese and tomato soup, since it was basically the only thing I knew how to make, but I think it's fine, when it was all done I put it on the table, and called down the guys

"Aw thanks Nicky" Kirk said and the rest smiled and sat down, eating as I pulled up a chair and sat down in between James and Cliff as I ate my own Grilled Cheese,

"Okay so, this is the order I put the songs in, if you don't like it that's fine I just think it would go nicely like this" I said as I read the number order off, by the time I read off The Call Of Ktulu, the boys were smiling at me, "It's perfect babe" James said as he kissed my forehead and put his arm around my shoulder and leaned into me, making me smile

"So, next week we can release this and then go on tour" Lars said and we took it all in, another tour so soon? But they've barely had time to rest from the last, oh well. At least I go with them and don't have to stay here by myself without them, that would literally kill me, well, I guess let's prep ourselves for next week.