Wanderer wandered over to the band. "You guys wanna start playing something? This dead thing's getting old."
The band leader looked up and tried to respond, but the noose around his neck got in the way. He reached up and tried to loosen it, without success.
"Allow me, kimo sabe." Moon Runner threw a tomahawk at it, cutting the rope and dropping the singer to the floor.
He horked and rubbed his throat. "Thanks man. Look, I dunno about this singin’ thing, man, my vocals are squeezed."
Wanderer looked at the rope around his neck. "I wonder why. Get over it and get on with it."
"Sure dude, easy for you to say. You just gotta listen."
"That's easy?"
"Well, guess not. Wouldn't wanna be known as easy listening."
The singer went up to the bar and grabbed a hypodermic needle. He plunged it into Ed's water, sucked up about 50ml, and jabbed it right into a major artery. He shook all over. "Wow, man, that really makes me feel alive!"
"No wonder," said Ed. "It's not you, it's the water."
"Thanks man."
The singer got up on stage, and started to tap his foot on the floor.
"Did you need the rest of the band down?"
"No, their just props, I sing to pre recorded tapes. They just pretend to play the instruments."
He hit play on the tape and a devilish backbeat pounded from the speakers.
"My name is Home Boy Iliad and I'm gonna sing some real down home blues for you all tonight.
"My mama's dead - been dead so long...
My papa's dead - been dead so long...
Now I wish I was dead too - so long...
Lost my job on the factory line - so long...
Lost my wife from the laundry line - so long...
Now I wish I was dead too - so long...
I been the butt of life - so long...
I been caught in strife - so long...
Now I wish I was dead too - so long...
They made me pay - so long...
But I can't stay - so long...
Now I wish I was dead too - so long...
I'm listening for the bell - so long...
Ring me off to hell - so long..."
The tape stopped, and silence hit them like a lead pipe.
"Have you thought of lip synching too?" asked Music Man.
Ed looked at Wanderer. "We didn't order the lead pipe did we?"
"Guess he did."
"Quiet!! Have you no respect for artistic silences?"
"Not on pre-recorded tape, kimo sabe."
"I suppose you could do better."
"Well, as a matter of fact..."
"Okay, funny dude. Go for it."
Moon Runner nodded at Music Man. They took the stage, Moon Runner playing the guitar left handed, Music Man the piano and backing vocals. They started with an apocalyptic rendition of "6 by 9".
"Show off," Home Boy Illiad said.
"My thoughts exactly," said Ed.
Wanderer stepped on stage and picked up a bass.
"Wanderer, you can't play that thing," said Ed.
"I can learn."
"Oh, great."
Moon Runner warped off some chords, and they started "Purple Haze."
The bartender dropped his bottle again and said, "I hope he stops soon. This is too upbeat - people might want to stay here and drink normal stuff."
"Hey Moon, we gonna snag some cash at poker or what" called Wanderer after snapping the G-string on his bass.
"Let us go, kimo sabe."
They all wandered out into the hotel lobby, over to the gambling hall and cashed out some chips.
"Okay, listen. This requires utmost concentration and purity. And," Moon Runner popped some pills, "divine inspiration."
They approached a table. "Mind if I join?"
The other players looked Moon Runner up and down. "Sure you can afford it, pal?"
"No, my friend, I cannot afford not to."
The other players grinned. "Sure, ante in."
The cards were dealt. Moon began chanting under his breath. As he did, a bird appeared behind each of the other players. No one else seemed to notice the ravens.
The bids were made. Moon looked at the ravens and followed the bid without raising. They exchanged some cards, and the bid went around again. Moon Runner doubled his bid after a few nods from the ravens, and the hand was his. Two people folded. The third raised Moon and they exchanged cards again with the dealer for the last time. The raven flapped. Moon smiled, met and raised the bet. The man started to sweat, met Moon's bet and the dealer called his mother. Moon Runner dropped a royal flush, the dealer only had two pair after hanging up, and the man plunked down a measly full house. Moon took his winnings, and decided to try Blackjack.
"Why Blackjack?" asked Wanderer.
"Because no one plays Redjack."
As the cards were dealt, Moon chanted again. This time, one raven appeared over the deck, nimbly avoiding the dealer's hand. It cawed, and Moon drew again. No one else heard the bird.
"Twenty," Moon said.
"Nineteen," said the dealer.
"Eighteen," said the other player. Moon collected. They played again. The bird seemed distracted. In a cold sweat, Moon drew again. The card was not what he wanted. It wasn't even from the right deck. It was the tarot of the Devil.
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