Drillmington: Grenade Pen

In the light snow, the crowd still lined up around the corner. The audience inside felt the thump of the bass to the opening act Grenade Pen. But people didn’t even realize they were opening for TSL. Excitement built up in the crowd nevertheless.

Inside the building, the laser lights and the smoke machines all added to the atmosphere. And the warmth. Sweat formed on the foreheads of the ausience members.

Grenade Pen consisted of an all black woman band with two bass players, a drummer, a rhythm guitarist, and two dueling lead vocalists. It shocked everyone that wasn’t prepared for it. Their set kept the audience enthralled and they rocked with the band.

Their lyrics, written by their one drummer, Sella Falworth, all had the edge and bite of the band’s name. They took their time to blast the place with sound that reverberated like a lost language on the tongues of scholars.

When they finally finished, the place turned into a tinderbox. The contrast between the outside and the inside became ever apparent as the doors swung open. They all looked at each other as their instruments rotated and TSL’s set became apparent.

TSL’s deejay, DJ Offer, kept stoking the coals.

“Alright! If you’re ready to see TSL, scream until your tongue flies out of your mouth!”

The call and response worked. The door had admitted everyone and the venue swelled l to capacity.

“Let me hear you say, ‘TSL!’” DJ Offer sounded.

The chant was like a tribal call that arose to the rafters. Everyone on the floor swayed left to right in a tight pattern.

Backstage the scene showed Julisia and Top Shelf trading back his rhymes. They looked like they engaged in a battle themselves.

“You have this,” Julisia said and kissed TSL’s neck.

TSL took to the stage. The tinder box spilled over and the fire roared. Top Shelf kept rapping. He made the mistake of taking his phone out on stage. His attire consisted of white pants and white shirt, it kept ringing and thus illuminating. He didn't feel it but he saw it light up. He was sure that hundreds of others had seen it. They zoomed in and the light from his phone ended up on social media.

He still finished the set. Once the lights came up and the murmur of the crowd began to turn into tremors, TSL ran backstage and Julisia showed a picture of his illuminated pocket.

“What the hell?”

“That was my mistake. I know. I know.”

“This could cost us everything.”

“I get that. I get that. Goddamnit!”

“We’ll just have to ensure that we don’t have to take a call while we’re rapping next time.”

“I know. I’ll do this on my own. I’ll allow you to check my clothes. I know that you’ll be the frontlines in this battle.”

“They’re going to wonder who’s calling you. The jokes will be the truth. Who was calling you, anyway?”

“It was my brother. I told him not to call or message me during my sets. He knew I had a show.”

“I know he shouldn’t have called but you know people are going to say it’s ‘the rat phone’ and the snitch line.’”

“I understand that. That’s why I’m being extra careful in the future. I know that now. It won’t happen again.”

“Let’s make sure it doesn’t.”

TSL felt torn. He wanted to let the world know of his deeds but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to go on with the rap career or the snitchery. He wished he could keep both.