1988 Going 2020

Chapitre 2

You were standing in the middle of your living room, arms crossed on your chest. In front of you, the three guys were sat on your couch, looking like three children about to get grounded.

You didn't say anything and pointed at the guy at the left. He cleared his throat and started quietly, as he wasn't sure of him: "I'm Nikki. I'm a bassist and I play in a band called Motley Crue." Axl chuckled at the other side of the couch. "I was in LA at a party when I..." He paused and looked right and left before carrying on: "When I blacked out and some minutes ago I opened my eyes and I was on... on your balcony." It was a statement but went out more as a question than anything else. He tightened the blanket you gave him around him. His eyebrows were raised, disappearing behind his bangs, as he couldn't believe what he was saying.

He seemed to have finished and your gaze shifted to the man next to him. Jon seemed lost like the others, but smiled as he started talking nonetheless. "Hi, I'm Jon, I'm 26. I already know Nikki, and Axl but only by name, so we can say I finally meet him." Nikki shrugged to his apparent enthusiasm and Axl sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm the lead singer of my band, called Bon Jovi. That's after my name actually." You nodded to him, as he looked like he was lecturing you. "And yesterday, I was performing with my band in Cleveland. We're doing a tour of the USA for our new album, New Jersey, and at a moment Rich-" He stopped as Nikki nudged at him at his side. "Well, what I want to say is that the last memory I have from yesterday is that I was at a party after the show with the boys, and then darkness, and then when I opened my eyes I was on the floor of a bathroom, well, your bathroom. To be honest, I had to switch on the light first to notice it was a bathroom, but not a bathroom like in arenas, more like a particular bathroom. Then I heard yells and I hid in the bath behind the curtain." He stopped his long monologue and looked at you.

"Thank you, Jon." He smiled. You looked at Axl, who was elbow on the armrest, somewhere between pissed and anxious. He was looking in the vague, but he felt your three gazes on him, sat straight and finally talked. His voice was a bit rough from not talking for a while. "I'm Axl. I'm a singer, my band's called Guns n' Roses. Last night I was in Vegas, and this morning I woke up in this kitchen. I opened the first cupboard I saw and took a pan to defend myself if ever." You shrugged, as you imagined what it would have been if he had found the drawer with the knives. He lifted his arm and let it fall in a surrendering movement. "And you know the rest."

You opened your mouth to say something when Nikki gasped. You looked at him; he was palming at the pocket of his shirt and took something from it; it was a plasticized card at the end of a cord. Jon huffed: "Why do you have a pass for your own show on you?" Axl raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's not mine."

Jon scoffed and Nikki presented it to you after grinning at him. You took it and eyed him, not getting why he gave you that. "Look at the date." You eyed the ticket: "MOTLEY CRUE" was written in big on the blue paper. Three little cases were filled with numbers, indicating the price, the seat and the row. "BACKSTAGE ACCESS" was written on the upper corner, next to... the date.

JUN 23, 1988

You looked back at him and threw it back. You said out loud, but more for yourself: "So, you're from 1988."

"And you from 2020."

"And you don't know us."

Axl chuckled to Nikki's answer: "Not surprised you didn't survive the decade man."

He raised his eyebrows and grabbed a cushion he threw in his direction, brushing Jon's face in the process. "Hey!" Axl went to do the same when you bent to tap on the living room table with your hand. "I never wanted children, so it's not to have three at the same time, right?" Axl stopped his movement.

You suddenly had an idea and went on your knees in front of the table as you took your portable computer from below it. "What the fuck!"

You threw Nikki a look, but then you got it. Oh yeah. 1988.

You got up and went to sit between Jon and him. All along the time you opened it, switched it on, and opened Google it felt like air had escaped their lungs as they got mesmerised by your actions. You repressed a laugh and put your hands together: "So. This is like a big dictionary, right? You type something, you've got results."

You turned to Axl: "What is your band's name already?"

He answered through greeted teeth: "Guns n' Roses." You started typing, and he scooted closer to Jon to watch, but kept his casual expression for the form. "No, with... With an n between."

You complied and entered. The database gave you results about everything and nothing but a rock band. Nikki nudged at you. "Try mine." Axl made an annoyed noise and you typed the other name.

Nothing relevant.

You tried for Bon Jovi, and nothing happened either.

Jon took his head between his hands and let out in a cry: "We don't exist... We're nothing." He suddenly lifted his head and it made you jump. "Does it... Does it mean our friends don't exist either?"

Nikki and Axl had looked at Jon mockingly first, but their grin faded away as they acknowledged what he said. "I can try typing their names. If they have Facebook..." You stopped as they threw you looks. "...if they have a... well... Well if they exist, there are a lot of chances there is a trace of it there." You looked at them, expecting for a name. Jon sniffed at your side: "Richie Sambora." The others were about to say something, but closed their mouths as they saw him affected.

You typed and got several results. "Do you... Do you have another element?"

"Well... He's born on the 11th of July 1959."

You entered the data and skimmed the results. "Where does he live? Assuming..." ...you don't exist?

"He's from New Jersey. Like... The title of our new album." You heard Axl chuckle slightly and air leaving Nikki's nose. "Right. Let me see."

You scrolled some seconds and spotted something that could match.

It was the website of a local manufacture, and the names of the employees were listed. There was indeed a certain Richard S. Sambora working there. Jon gasped: "Oh! It's him!" Nikki frowned: "How could you know? There's only the name. He could share it you know." Jon didn't pay attention to his remark: "His second name is Stephen, and his father worked in this factory. There can't be two Richard Sambora whose second name is Stephen from New Jersey, right?" His face has enlightened, but he was seeking hope in your eyes. "Can we go and meet him? Please?"

Axl spoke: "For what? You'll see him, he won't recognize you, you'll be sad. And we won't have answers." Jon's eyes widened and Nikki let out a "Not nice, dude."

They started bickering as your eyes suddenly fell on the virtual clock of your screen. You cleared your throat: "Guys, I know what we'll do. Right?"

The three of them looked at you from their spots. "I start work in an hour. You come with me. Out of the question you stay here alone." Axl frowned and pouted. "After, if we have time, we go to the factory, right?"

You eyed Nikki at your right. He nodded. You looked Jon and Axl at your left; the blond nodded quickly to the hope of seeing his friend and Axl nodded too, less convinced.

"Plus, a record shop is your element, right?" You nudged at Nikki. "Even if you're not in it."