We’d just finished performing to another sell out crowd; life was good for us Backstreet Boys.

We stripped off out of our sweaty stage clothes and wrapped up in white towelling robes before heading to the venue’s bathroom facilities. We weren’t staying in a hotel tonight, so would have to shower and change here or suffer a lukewarm trickle of a shower on our tour bus later. We chose to shower here!

After showering and changing into comfortable travelling clothes, we were ready to go. We could’ve eaten at the venue, but after voting, decided we’d make a stop at a KFC along the way. Not that there was anything wrong with the catering provided of course, but sometimes you just crave something…greasy.

We waved to the few loitering fans who were waiting outside the gates, laughing at some of the suggestive banners they held up for us to read, and then we were heading away from the arena and the bright city lights, out onto the dark and deserted highway.

“Cards anyone?” Howie asked a little later as we sat around the table having just finished eating KFC.

“Sure” Brian replied and produced a deck of cards.

“What are we playing this time?” I asked, knowing that whatever we played, I was sure to lose. I always did.

Then before anyone had a chance to answer, the bus jerked violently before grinding to a halt.

“What the hell” AJ said, rubbing his head where he’d knocked it on the table.

“I’ll just go up front and see what’s happening” Kevin announced and got up from the table to go and ask Dave the driver what was going on.

We sat and waited for a few minutes, the bus wasn’t going anywhere and Kevin hadn’t come back. Howie got a little curious and went to find out for himself what was happening. Me, AJ and Brian stayed where we were, sitting around the table.

“Guys, have any of you got a signal on your phones?” Kevin asked as he walked back up the bus a few minutes later, while waving his phone around trying to get a signal.

I knew for sure that I didn’t, my battery was dead after playing games on my phone backstage and I’d not had chance to charge it yet. Brian’s phone had no signal either. AJ pulled his phone out of his pocket and walked up and down the bus to see whether he could get a signal.

“No, nothing” he declared “I’ll try outside”

Both AJ and Kevin got off the bus and held their phone in the air, trying frantically to get a signal, but it was no use.

“Right then, Dave and I will have to walk for help, or until we get a signal” Kevin said “you guys stay here with the bus and we’ll be back just as soon as we can”

“What do you think it is?” I asked

“Not sure, could be the head gasket or something though” Dave replied, probably just as stumped as the rest of us were.

They left the bus and began their trek to find help, leaving the rest of us where we were. It was such a lonely stretch of road, a supposed shortcut; I wondered whether anyone would even pass by. Half an hour passed and still nothing. I wondered how far they would have to walk, especially since it was so dark outside.

“I’m going out for a smoke” AJ said, pulling a cigarette out of his pack and hitting the button to open the doors.

“Hang on, I’m coming too” I called after him. I wasn’t as heavy a smoker as AJ, but it was still a habit I wished I hadn’t picked up.

The two of us stood outside in the darkness, the stars and moon the only illumination on this clear night. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, we heard a strange sound, like nothing I’d ever heard before.

“Shit, dude, what was that?” AJ asked looking around.

“I have no clue” I replied “but we are out in the country, it’s probably an animal of some kind”

“That did not sound like any animal I’ve ever heard before” AJ responded “it sounded like something being tortured”

“Dude, you’ve been watching too many horror movies” I laughed, thinking of our recent trip to the movies.

“Well…whatever, I’m going back in the bus” he said and quickly finished his cigarette, stubbed it out with his boot and then climbed back on the bus.

“He’s such a girl” I murmured to myself and laughed.

But I didn’t laugh for long.

As I stood there finishing my cigarette (we weren’t allowed to smoke on the bus), I heard that noise again. It sounded closer, more menacing, and I had to admit that I felt scared too. I ground out my near finished cigarette and moved quickly to the doors of the bus. I heard it again and my heart began to beat a little faster as I jabbed at the button to open the doors.

“Everything OK Nick?” Brian asked, noticing my flushed looking face

“I think there’s something outside” I said as my heart rate slowed down now that I was safe.

“Well, we are in the middle of nowhere, it’s probably just an owl or a coyote or something like that” Brian explained “nothing to worry about”

“You didn’t hear it” AJ stated “it was friggin scary”

“We’re in the country, what do you expect?” Brian laughed, and then went to sit back down.

“He’s right boys” Howie said and shook his head and laughed.

I realised I was just over reacting, probably AJ’s fault, and went to sit with the others. We were just about to begin our neglected card game when we all heard it, that noise. It sounded like it was getting nearer.

“I’m telling you man, there’s something fucking out there” AJ said as he bit his nails with worry.

“Jeepers Creepers, where’d you get those peepers, jeepers creepers, where’d you get those eyes” Brian sang and laughed “come on guys, it’ll be an animal, don’t worry”

We sat together, talking about what it might or might not be, frightening ourselves in the process. Then all of a sudden, we heard the crack of thunder and a fork of lightening lit up the sky, making all of us freeze for a moment. Even Howie and Brian gulped audibly.

“Just like the movies” AJ said and shivered.

“Come on dude, we are not in some horror film, shit like that isn’t real” I said, trying to convince myself. I wasn’t usually such a big wimp, but breaking down on an isolated road in the darkness, and hearing those strange noises, it was doing things to my mind.

“Just saying” AJ shrugged

We heard a scraping noise coming from the front of the bus and AJ and I automatically clung to each other.

“Oh god” AJ said as the doors to the bus swung open.

“We’re back” called Kevin “and we’ve brought a mechanic, we’ll be on our way just as soon…what the hell?”

AJ and I let go of each other and moved apart whilst Howie and Brian began to laugh.

“These two thought you were some crazed killer out of a horror film” Brian said between fits of laughter.

“Well, he’s not…but I might be” came an unfamiliar voice, making us all gasp and hold our breath “…just kidding!”

Needless to say, he wasn’t some serial killer, and after a bit of tinkering with the engine, we were soon on our way, AJ and I vowing to lay off the horror films for a little while.