Way Back, A Cantrell Restart
Earth, a Way Back update, Chapter One
Joseph and Louise Cantrell knew their second son was special and not just for his musical prowess that emerged from a very early age, but also for the fact he was conceived on Earth, but was born out in space, just outside of Vulcan jurisdiction. He was actually a natural citizen of Nowhere. So, when the family left Vulcan to attend to the business of Joseph’s uncle, recently deceased, leaving him the infamous Cantrell House in Del Sol Valley, they had this problem to resolve.
The family was in awe to learn the Cantrell’s were one of the oldest families in that region. Joseph wondered what song Erik would write about this venture. He’d had an encounter with a little girl on the playground, and wrote a fabulous song, he titled, “It Hurts Both Ways.” They quickly got the youth registered and learned that since his parents were both natural born citizens of Earth, this qualified Erik to be from Somewhere, over Nowhere, to their relief.
“Welcome home,” Joseph said patting the tall boy on the back. “You are already a citizen of Simarica. If you choose to tell others where you were born, that’s up to you.”
*~~*~~*~~*~~*
The teen was turning into a rather prolific songwriter. Growing up he wrote about everything, to his older brother, Aaron’s dismay. Despite how these boys fought growing up, Aaron was fast becoming Erik’s best ally. Erik, Aaron and Joey, climbed the winder staircase to the second floor.
There was a large bathroom in the corner, overlooking the street, three sinks, one commode and a shower, and perpendicular from that door, there was a large bedroom. Large enough for three single beds, on the wall opposite the windows and an octangular nook of a sort, that was made into a small seating area.
Erik nodded his approval. “This is cool, it’s almost a Bachelor’s pad. Do you suppose our parents are finally realizing we are almost grown?”
“That would be the day,” Aaron said.
“What else could you do with that space?” Joey said. “I rather like it.”
“Oh, I like it, too,” Erik said. “I can sit here and think,” he said, plopping himself down. “Oh, and I’ll take the bed in the middle, if nobody minds.”
“Guess we’re doomed to share a room forever, I’ll take the one closest to the door. In case a fire breaks out in this drafty old Victorian.”
“Which one? There’s another door there.” Erik pointed from his place on the sofa. Aaron walked over to pull open the second door. “Hey, it goes right into the bathroom. Aren’t we the lucky ones. We got the Master suite. How old did Dad say it was?”
“Over four hundred years,” Joey said. “And that leaves me the one opposite the sitting room, as it were.”
“Guess they knew how to build things back then. It’s a tribute to their methods the thing is still standing,” Erik chimed in.
“Yeah, as I recall, the next owner has a mandate to see to its upkeep. For instance, Grand uncle Joe, whom I am also named after, had the wiring fixed and updated the windows, bringing them up to code, that sort of thing. Guess Dad’s on the hook to see to it the exterior is freshly painted.”
“So, Erik, what is your plan now that you’ve graduated early. Can’t believe you pulled that off on Vulcan, whose standards are notoriously hard,” Aaron said. Erik looked up from his phone, which he had been scrolling through.
“I intend to launch my music career,” he said.
“Uh-uh, that won’t fly, you know Dad has mandated we all go to university. All of us, no exceptions,” Aaron said.
“I’m going to be a doctor,” Joey said. “I’ll give the school here one week and then I’m going to graduate early, too, so I can get started on that.”
“If I go to university, and that’s a big IF, I will study Fine Arts,” Erik said, now lounging across the small sofa in the nook, his shoulder length platinum hair splaying across the arm of the couch his head rested on. He already looked the part of a Rock Star. “That way, as Dad put it, if my career either doesn’t launch or craters entirely, I’ll have something to fall back upon. We went round and round on it the other evening. Guess I could teach Music Theory,” he said, screwing up his features in disgust. “I won’t like it much, but I’ll keep writing my songs and publish them all the same.”
“Can’t live off of royalties,” Aaron said with a wink.
“No, but maybe it will scratch the itch.”
*~~*~~ *~~*~~*
The next day, Erik got up early and headed into downtown Del Sol Valley to check things out. While browsing the flyers at the popular Orchid A Go-Go Lounge, he discovered that every Thursday and Sunday the various Karaoke bars held a contest. Erik deemed to practice that form of singing in preparation for Sunday evening. Since he didn’t have school to attend, he was free to pursue these things.
Come Sunday, his family accompanied him over to NewCrest, a district that was designed for the entertainer, particularly catering to the Music Industry. There were two Karaoke bars. Erik flipped a coin. Entering At The Castle on the north side of the small district, he signed up for the contest and then waited, a tad anxious.
Having already establish a Simstagram account, he activated his small red drone, humming along as it streamed Erik purchasing a round of drinks for his party. When his name was called to sing, he also activated the drone again. A couple of Paparazzi took pictures while he performed, a flood of bright flashes blinding him.
He won the contest with an impressive 88 out of 100. And found himself hounded by this pair. "So, what’s your name again? And what’s next for you. And just where have you been? To just suddenly appear on the Scene, like this?” He patiently answered their questions before breaking away. “I have to go; my party is leaving.”
“What was that all about, Mom?” he asked, catching up with Louise moments later.
“They found you interesting, good looking and talented,” she said. “Better get used to it, if this is the career you’re set on.”
His mother would know. Big in the Art World, she was made a Global Superstar while they were on Vulcan.
“Oh, I’m not afraid of it, just mystified. I’m a nobody, appearing out of thin air as one put it.”
*~~*~~*~~*~~*
A week later, as he promised, Joey graduated early. As did their younger and only sister, Brianna. The lone holdout was Aaron. Who, as it turned out was actually doing Erik a favor, buying him time, as it were, since Erik had been noticed. A Notable Newcomer, quickly followed by Rising Star, the teen was on the cusp of becoming a B-Lister. Writing songs constantly, he also scanned for opportunities to deliver singing Telegrams, of sorts.
He was also called, by several publications. The notable Image Magazine, and the rag-mag, SimQuierer, to sit photoshoots so he could adorn their next cover. These gave him a huge boost. Erik was on the fast-track to fame and success. Aaron was quite proud of his younger brother and even felt a tinge of guilt for all the nasty things he said about the songs Erik wrote.
Once he became a Proper Celebrity, with four stars under his belt. Erik went over to Taygeta Studios to record some music. He brought his own work with him, and they attempted to have him, being a newcomer, record covers of others’ work, but once they heard him sing his own music, they gave into him. “Alright, son,” Ryan Ricks, the Record Producer said, “It’s your dime, go ahead, just let us know what you want done, and we’ll see if we can do it for you. You’re going to be a huge star, just so you know.”
Digital copies of Just Erik nearly collapsed the website. Seemed everyone was taken with it. Erik now stood on the cusp of Global Superstardom. Overwhelmed, he had another verbal fight with this father about attending the higher schooling. Then, Erik met a girl named Kayleigh . . .
All for now, thanks for reading!
