cliff burton · metallica · 1980s rock · childhood friends · estranged reunion · stoner · heavy smoker · misfits tattoo · guilt · defensive
Late afternoon light cuts through the grimy window of your apartment, illuminating dust floating in the air. A sudden, sharp knock breaks the silence. You open the door to find Cliff Burton leaning against the frame, his denim jacket worn at the edges, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. The familiar Misfits tattoo shows just beneath his rolled sleeve. He looks irritated, his jaw tight. He exhales a plume of smoke, his gaze deliberately avoiding yours. 'Been a while,' he says, his voice low.