Get stomped like a snake,
Lie down in the dirt
Cling to my convictions,
Even when I get hurt
Be an upstanding well-loved man about town,
In your child's mind that's how it goes down
But I tried,
The losing side
I don't want to die in here
I don't want to die in here
Drift down into the new dark light,
Without any reservations
You found my breaking point,
Congratulations
Spent too much of my life now trying to play fair,
Throw my better self overboard,
Shoot at him when he comes up for air,
Come unhinged,
Get revenge,
I don't want to die in here
I don't want to die in here
Stay good under pressure
For years and years and years,
President of the fan club up there
Choking on his tears,
Let all the trash rain down
From way up in the rafters,
I'm walking out of here in one piece,
Don't care what comes after
Drive the wedge,
Torch the bridge,
I don't want to die in here
Salem was walking home from the bus stop, taking the lonesome dirt road that stretched from the gate to his house on the reservation to the designated pick-up point he took to middle school. The sun was happy to see the afternoon, shining bright on the rich earth and grassy fields all around him, but the wind acted as the cooling friend to temper the sun's excitement.
It was refreshing being outside, and made all the moreso by his companion, a nine year old black lab he'd had since he was born. Her jean-denim collar had a nameplate reading "Peeka", named because of her affection towards playing peek-a-boo with the boy, whom she made a point to wait on at the bus stop every afternoon for his walk home.
Wiping some sweat from his brow, Salem hefted his backpack onto his other shoulder, tired of the books weighing on the current side. His house was a ways more up the road, it felt like a mile with his short legs, but he enjoyed the time he got to walk with Peeka, picking up sticks along the way and chucking them for her to fetch and carry proudly between her teeth. He pondered what his mom was cooking for supper as Peeka cocked her head to look behind them, right before Salem could notice the sounds of bicycles pedaling hard on the dirt.
Turning around, Salem was just able to see three boys of relative age closing fast on him, one fishtailing their back tire towards him to spit a wave of dust and dirt into his eyes and clothes, momentarily blinding him. He could hear bikes hitting the ground, boys jeering and shouting things while Peeka barked and snarled, feeling her protectively in-between him and the kids.
He heard a thunk, Peeka yelping and provoking a shout of anger from Salem, lashing out blindly before feeling something stiff hit him in the stomach, doubling him over and onto his knees. The tears from the pain helped wash some of the dust from his eyes, which were red and puffy but could make out the trio circling his dog, kicking at her while arguing who got to hold the one bat they'd shared between them.
Roaring in anger and pain, Salem charged the kid with the wooden object, wrestling him for it as the two other boys began trying to pry Salem away. Unable to get the bat, but throwing fierce elbows at the other two attacking boys, Salem managed to throw a clean fist right into the bat-holding kid's nose, making him reel back and disengage for a second.
Turning around to quickly try and check on his dog, Salem saw she'd laid down, wincing and bleeding from her scalp, and he knelt next to her and started to reassure her she was okay. His lapse in awareness cost him, however, as the boys recovered and - while a bit bloody from lips and noses - were in fit enough shape to continue beating on Salem, who could only cover and shield Peeka with his body best he could as wood, feet, and fists pelted him all over.
Suddenly, the boys got up, startled and hurrying to their bikes as they began taking off in different directions, making their getaway through the wheat fields and off the beaten road as an approaching car pulled up, quickly putting on its hazards and stopping as the driver exited the vehicle, rushing to Salem to assist. Holding his dog, he cried and bled from his cheek, not wanting to be pulled away from Peeka as he closed his eyes and wept from the experience.
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Abruptly, Salem woke up in bed, momentarily thinking he was a kid again recovering from that bully attack, but instead he was laying in the back of his lavish tour bus, feeling aches from a different fight. Taking a deep breath, Salem shook the bad memory out of his mind, turning to peek out the window adjacent to his bed.
The bus seemed to be going through the desert, a familiar vista for him that didn't help to erase his earlier nightmare, but the landscape was veiled in night, only barely shining in places by the light of the moon above. Reaching to the intercom transmitter nearby, he hit the button and spoke into the speaker, his words related to Murphy in the cab.
"Hey Murph, where're we heading?" he asked, a little groggy still but more curious than anything.
"Reservation, boss." Murphy replied promptly and politely.
Groaning with the button still pressed, Salem sighed.
"Murphy, I didn't want to go there right now. Don't need that this second."
"Sorry, boss - got a call while you were sleeping, I was told to bring you out here." the driver replied, sounding somewhat apologetic as though he didn't like the subterfuge.
Before Salem could ask just who could give him an order overriding his wishes, Salem held his tongue, shaking his head in exasperated acceptance.
"Okay." he said, defeatedly. "Tell me when we're close."
With that, Salem got up out of bed and made his way for the shower.
It was refreshing being outside, and made all the moreso by his companion, a nine year old black lab he'd had since he was born. Her jean-denim collar had a nameplate reading "Peeka", named because of her affection towards playing peek-a-boo with the boy, whom she made a point to wait on at the bus stop every afternoon for his walk home.
Wiping some sweat from his brow, Salem hefted his backpack onto his other shoulder, tired of the books weighing on the current side. His house was a ways more up the road, it felt like a mile with his short legs, but he enjoyed the time he got to walk with Peeka, picking up sticks along the way and chucking them for her to fetch and carry proudly between her teeth. He pondered what his mom was cooking for supper as Peeka cocked her head to look behind them, right before Salem could notice the sounds of bicycles pedaling hard on the dirt.
Turning around, Salem was just able to see three boys of relative age closing fast on him, one fishtailing their back tire towards him to spit a wave of dust and dirt into his eyes and clothes, momentarily blinding him. He could hear bikes hitting the ground, boys jeering and shouting things while Peeka barked and snarled, feeling her protectively in-between him and the kids.
He heard a thunk, Peeka yelping and provoking a shout of anger from Salem, lashing out blindly before feeling something stiff hit him in the stomach, doubling him over and onto his knees. The tears from the pain helped wash some of the dust from his eyes, which were red and puffy but could make out the trio circling his dog, kicking at her while arguing who got to hold the one bat they'd shared between them.
Roaring in anger and pain, Salem charged the kid with the wooden object, wrestling him for it as the two other boys began trying to pry Salem away. Unable to get the bat, but throwing fierce elbows at the other two attacking boys, Salem managed to throw a clean fist right into the bat-holding kid's nose, making him reel back and disengage for a second.
Turning around to quickly try and check on his dog, Salem saw she'd laid down, wincing and bleeding from her scalp, and he knelt next to her and started to reassure her she was okay. His lapse in awareness cost him, however, as the boys recovered and - while a bit bloody from lips and noses - were in fit enough shape to continue beating on Salem, who could only cover and shield Peeka with his body best he could as wood, feet, and fists pelted him all over.
Suddenly, the boys got up, startled and hurrying to their bikes as they began taking off in different directions, making their getaway through the wheat fields and off the beaten road as an approaching car pulled up, quickly putting on its hazards and stopping as the driver exited the vehicle, rushing to Salem to assist. Holding his dog, he cried and bled from his cheek, not wanting to be pulled away from Peeka as he closed his eyes and wept from the experience.
--------------------------------------
Abruptly, Salem woke up in bed, momentarily thinking he was a kid again recovering from that bully attack, but instead he was laying in the back of his lavish tour bus, feeling aches from a different fight. Taking a deep breath, Salem shook the bad memory out of his mind, turning to peek out the window adjacent to his bed.
The bus seemed to be going through the desert, a familiar vista for him that didn't help to erase his earlier nightmare, but the landscape was veiled in night, only barely shining in places by the light of the moon above. Reaching to the intercom transmitter nearby, he hit the button and spoke into the speaker, his words related to Murphy in the cab.
"Hey Murph, where're we heading?" he asked, a little groggy still but more curious than anything.
"Reservation, boss." Murphy replied promptly and politely.
Groaning with the button still pressed, Salem sighed.
"Murphy, I didn't want to go there right now. Don't need that this second."
"Sorry, boss - got a call while you were sleeping, I was told to bring you out here." the driver replied, sounding somewhat apologetic as though he didn't like the subterfuge.
Before Salem could ask just who could give him an order overriding his wishes, Salem held his tongue, shaking his head in exasperated acceptance.
"Okay." he said, defeatedly. "Tell me when we're close."
With that, Salem got up out of bed and made his way for the shower.