Page 489 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

I keep going,

“Electric guitar pulsing under it, kay?”

I show him with my hands⁠—

organ hit,

guitar pulse,

organ hit,

guitar pulse.

“‘Toxic spark’ lyric? Let the guitar bite.

“Floor tom hits on the downbeat.

“Go back and show me.”

When he does,

Callista’s not sitting anymore,

she’s circling Jenkins,

shaking his shoulders,

the excitement,

the energy flaring up her legs.

I adjust my headset.

“Now,” I say, watching the track unfold, carving it out of air. “When the chorus hits, open it wide, not up. Full guitar. Layer the organs with a choir echo—soft at first. Don’t make it swell yet. Then pull back on verse two, layer percussion,

“then when the second chorus hits,

“drop the kick drum—full band.”

Ace rocks with it,

head moving with the bassline.

“Damn, okay.

“I see where you’re going.”

The song breathes. Becomes.

I sing with myself,

every piece falling into place.

Ace is fully in now,

hands flying over the board,

mad-scientist grinning.