Disclaimers: Technically, these swinging chicks belong only to me, but?they may resemble a couple of cool ladies that belong to RenPics. This is not for profit just a little fun and what a bad case of writers' block, a boring job, and a jolt of inspiration can inspire.
Violence: There's a couple of moments of swift ass-kicking. On a scale of 1 to 5, I'd give it: 3 or maybe 4 buckets of blood.
Sex: Where? When? How much? And how come nobody told me? Nothing too bad, just some sweet grrl on grrl fumbling. If that gets your panties all in bunch then look elsewhere, no harm no foul.
Language: I didn't think virgin ears was still a concept, so naturally, I ignored it.
Other Crap: 'Charm City' is my home when I'm not at school, so it inspired me. I've taken a few liberties with the landscape, but in an off hand sort of way, it's right. Uh, I'm supposed to warn about hurt/comfort?so I'm warning.
'By the Ways' and 'Thank Yous': Yes, this is my first jaunt into the genre of UBER!!! By the way the Serenity prayer isn't mine. I'd like to say that I came up with all those wonderful lyrics but actually they belong to: Gershwin (The Man I Love); Young, Crosby, Washington (Ghost of a Chance); Webster/Livingston (12th of Never); Ellington, Gordon,Mills (Prelude to a Kiss); Strayhorn(Lush Life); (Angel eyes). I don't really have anyone to directly thank, but special big-ups go to all those kick ass writers (T. Novan, Missy Good, Morrig, LN James, yada yada, the list goes on) who have kept me up way past my bedtime and have made all my last minute paper writing sessions possible.
Lunchtime: Feel free to drop me a line and tell me whatcha' think, whatcha' hate, whatcha' like and all that. Be easy, be gentle, but if it's constructive criticism give me your best shot. Catwoman59@hotmail.com
Suggested Reading Tips: Fix a Martini and grab a stack of cd's that include: Diana Krall, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Cassandra Wilson( just to name a few) and then
Enjoy the show?.
Part 1
Tonight, she was without her shadows, it was just her and the girls. They were three girls in the middle of Baltimore city after 11:00p.m. in search of a jazz club, that Sara laughingly referred to as 'a hole in the wall'. They found their 'hole in the wall' on Eager Street. After Sara managed to wheel her 400 Series Mercedes into a parallel parking spot they walked three abreast on the sidewalk towards the club. Connor walked in between her two friends with her hands shoved loosely into the pockets of her dark slacks. She wore a deep blue button down oxford, with the cuffs rolled up her forearm, and the collar open just enough to form a cradle for a smooth silver cross that teetered on the promise of cleavage beneath it's point. As they stood before the door to the club, Sara swung the door open and swept her free arm across her body as she did a semi-curtsey and beckoned her two friends forward. Conner flashed her a blazing smile, while Terry giggled and followed behind.
The club actually turned out to be a lot larger than a hole in the wall. Connor observed the quaint surroundings as she dug out her wallet and handed her id over to the thick necked gentleman on the stool to her right. He handed it back to her and hit her with a smile that said, 'just doing my job'. She kept herself from laughing by winking at him and walking off behind Sara and Terry. They found their way to a table about midway into the crowd. The room was filled with the chattering of businessman and college students. The clinking of glasses and the swirling of ice cubes were partnered with laughter and the snapping of lighters open and closed.
Connor had volunteered to buy the first round of drinks as she waded through the small cluster of people between the tables and the bar only to find herself searching for a small opening in the crowd at the bar. She let out a small sigh as she thought to herself, 'I can't be that freakin' short'. She gave her thoughts a smirk as she realized most people were on stools and that her 5'4" frame still made her average. She ran a bejeweled hand through her short strawberry blonde hair and absently tried to smooth a loose strand behind her ear. She laughed on the inside as she acknowledged the fact that she was still getting used to her new short hair do. She let her hand drift to her pocket as she squeezed into an opening at the corner of the bar. She found the railing on the floor and stood on top of it, just to make sure she got the bartender's attention. Sure enough, he spied her reddish-blonde spikes of hair and nodded in her direction.
"What ya' need?". He popped the top off a Miller Lite and glanced at her as he set the bottle down in front of him.
"Yeah, let me get a glass of Merlot, a Vodka cranberry, and uh, Blue Moon."
"The Martini?"
"Indeed." She flashed the dark man a big smile as she waited on her order.
She was digging through her pocket for her credit card when she heard it. Moments before she had only been peripherally aware of the bass tuning and the saxophone running the scales. But as Connor placed her credit card on the counter of the bar she became aware of a low and mournful humming. The sound grew stronger and the melody became a little bit clearer as Conner passed off her credit card to the bartender without looking at him. Unfortunately, her height was getting the best of her as she edged her way through what seemed like a standing room only crowd with three drinks balanced in her hands. Connor plopped down in her seat and the entire world opened up in that instant.
The spotlight might as well have been emanating from the whites of Conner's eyes since they were both transfixed on the figure on the stage. Conner's eyes seemed to dance with the music as they traversed the body of the singer. One bare foot rested on the floor of the stage while the other tangled itself in the bar of the stool. Conner followed the feet up a pair of legs that were draped in black linen trousers. Even though the singer was seated, Connor could tell that the legs went on forever. She followed those legs up to a torso covered in a white silk shirt. The shirt tapered in at the waist which in turn caused the material to fit snugly against the swell of a pair of breasts. The open collar gave way to a hollow of a neck that rose up languidly to support a chiseled jaw, high cheekbones, an aquiline nose, a pair of tapered eyebrows, and a mane of blue-black hair that cradled her face. The eyes were hidden behind closed lids. Connor could only imagine what rested behind those lids as she focused on the full red lips that sang out for the man she loved.
'No wait', Conner thought, 'she didn't say 'man' did she. She barely managed to raise her glass to her lips as she listened intently.
"I'll understand and in a little while, she'll take my hand and though it seems absurd - I know we both won't say a word." Connor held the Vodka in her mouth as she let the words and the drink set in. She closed her own eyes and sang the lyrics in her head. "Maybe I shall meet her someday, maybe Monday- maybe not. Still I'm sure to meet her one day, maybe Tuesday will be my good news day." As the last note was sung the saxophone took over and Conner opened her eyes.
She held onto the mic for dear life, like always, and she closed her eyes like always. Behind her lids she sought out forgiveness. She sought out hope and mostly she sought out love. She always found it in the same pair of eyes. There was never a face, just the eyes. They were a pair of misty green eyes that gave way to golden-brown flecks when the sun hit them just right. The eyes were honest and compassionate. The eyes were bright and full of hope. Most importantly the eyes were filled with love and forgiveness. She sought them out behind closed lids and held onto the mic for dear life, like always. She almost wanted to collapse in grief with the last note, but Samuel slowly crept in on the tail note and took over as she faded out, and then she opened her eyes.
Where had her breath gone? Furthermore where was the oxygen? Hell, where was everybody else? If Connor believed that you could see someone across a crowded room and know they were the one, she would have leapt from her seat and tackled the woman on stage, but Connor didn't want to believe.
The singer let her hands fall haphazardly across her lap and she waited a beat for Rod Serling to step from the shadows and tell her she was in the Twilight Zone. She needed a drink, but she couldn't remember where she put it. Oh, yes the piano, but that meant movement, and if her legs weren't Jell-O then they were nailed to the floor. Maybe she was crazy, those eyes weren't misty green, it was dark out there and smoke was in the air, and she probably had too much to drink. She nodded internally but couldn't tear her eyes away from the strawberry blonde that seemed to fill the room.
'My God,' Conner thought, 'I've never seen eyes that blue before.' They were like the sky on a clear summer day. No clouds, no smog, nothing. Just a light breeze, sun, and a blue sky that promised of heaven. Connor thought her heart had stopped and apparently so had her friends.
"Connor? Connor?" A waving of hands in front of her face.
"Hello, earth to Connor, this is your captain speaking?" A snapping of fingers. Finally the spell was broken with a swift slapping of Connor's shoulder.
"Jesus! What the hell?" Connor's eyes snapped shut and then back open and focused on the spots of red that speckled the table.
"Good grief Con, we thought we lost you." Terry spoke into her drink as she took a swig of her Vodka Cranberry.
Connor let out a nervous laugh and then took a large swig of her Martini. The chilled alcohol made no dent in the heat that had consumed her insides. "What's up Conner ?" Sara let her hand graze Conner's arm as she spoke.
"Nada. I-I just got lost there for a second."
"Lost. Ha. Lost my ass." Terry took a quick drag from her cigarette. "Girlie, you looked like you were about to rush the stage"
"Shut up, Terry." Conner shot her a quick glare and palmed her glass.
"No, seriously, have a tissue," Terry held out her out her napkin, "you look like you got a little drool on your lip." She reached out as if to dab the napkin at Conner's mouth. Conner swatted the hand away gently, but hard enough to show her discomfort. She formed perfectly pink lips into a pout, just to add fuel to the fire.
"She's right Con, do we need to strap you down?" Sara creased her brows in mock concern. Conner opened her mouth in the want to say something back, but instead she opted to take another drink, almost draining her glass.
"Screw you guys, I'm going home." She pouted playfully this time as she got up and walked to the bar. Sara and Terry only laughed.
True she needed another drink, but really she needed air- and honestly she wanted another look at the woman on stage. Conner managed to find an empty stool on the corner of the bar facing the stage. She sat down and waited patiently for the bartender to notice her hand that casually palmed an empty glass. She kept one eye on the bartender and kept the other focused on the stage. The woman on stage was still sitting as she swayed in time with the drummer. The audience erupted into applause as the saxophone solo ended and the woman on stage finished the line. "Someday she'll come along, the girl I love." Conner didn't even touch her new drink as she listened to the song end. She jerked from her stupor as applause cascaded throughout the crowd. She barely held onto her drink, as her being shivered involuntarily at the light husk that was breathed into the words, "thank you". Conner found her seat again and sat down with her eyes focused on the table. Sara and Terry smiled at each other, sharing a private joke.
"So, should we take bets on how long it's going to take you to get those di-gits?" Sara let a heavy New York accent accompany the last word. Then both Sara and Terry burst into giggles as Conner rolled her eyes and flipped them both the finger.
"Fuck you both.", was Conner's reply.
"I'm sure you would enjoy her more." Terry waggled a finger in the direction of the stage. Conner just shook her head and took a drink.
The set continued for at least another half and hour, and all the while, Conner fought between staring at the stage and fending off her friends non sequitors and one-liners. Whether it was the good drinks and good music, or Conner's obvious attraction, she found herself hooting and hollering as well as whistling loudly as the set ended. Sara and Terry leaned into one another as they laughed themselves silly at Conner's antics.
She exited the stage as quickly as her legs would allow her, with minor lulls in her forward motion as she flashed toothy grins at patrons congratulating her. She made her way down the florescent-lit hallway to the back office/ dressing room. She found the nearest couch and collapsed into its cushions. She rested her hands on her knees and cradled her head-letting her hair surround her face and forearms. She sat like that until Sam's deep laugh interrupted her silent musings.
"Blue!", he boomed. "Chickie, that was a slammin' set. Whoo! Fire, baby, fire." Blue looked up from her hands and laughed sincerely. "Hey Sam.", she breathed. She sat back on the couch and ran a hand through her dark locks as she sighed.
"What's up baby doll? You have one too many, huh?" He let out a light chuckle as he sat down next to Blue and begin to twist the mouthpiece out of his horn.
"I think maybe I did. I don't know Sam." She shook her head and sat forward letting her hands rest on her knees. She let out a puff of air and stood up stretching her hands above her head until she heard the light crackling of her spine adjusting. She tousled her hair and walked to an empty table on the left and retrieved her watered down Scotch and water. Sam just watched the tall woman as he polished his horn and went to place it in its carrying case.
"You know I'm not gonna pry chica, but if you need to talk-well you know." Blue whirled around towards Sam and flashed him a bright smile.
"Yeah, ya nosy bastard." A light Boston accent caressed the curse word as she took a swig from her drink. "It's nothing that horrifying I promise, just a feeling I got, 'as all." She shrugged and stared off towards the door as she sipped her drink and thought to herself. 'I wonder if she's still out there. Hell, there probably isn't anybody out there, I was hallucinating, those weren't the eyes. Too much smoke, too much smoke to be sure.'
"Whatever, chica. You headin' out with us or what?" Blue snapped from her stupor and rested her cool blue eyes on the lanky black man with a saxophone slung over his right shoulder. "Yeah, baby, I'm right behind you." She drained her drink, sat the cup on the table and grabbed her jacket off of the hook by the door as she followed Sam out.
Conner had waited as long as Sara and Terry would let her. It had been at least a half-and hour since the set had ended and the bartender had flashed the lights to indicate last call. "Look goofball, either go and wait for her or bring your skinny ass on!" Terry shot Conner a fierce look as she got up from the table. Conner waved off her glance as she downed the rest of her fourth Martini.
"Jesus, girl how the hell can you drink those like that, eych!" Sara reacted to an imaginary shiver and stood up. "Terry's right, baby, come on." Sara's comments were accompanied with a soft smile and caring eyes. Conner gave into the silent entreaty and stood as well.
"Well, since you asked so nicely," She dragged out her last word as she glared at Terry. ", I will oblige."
Terry rolled her deep brown eyes. "Whatever," she glanced back at Conner who was poking out her tongue, "ya midget." Terry didn't bother to wait for Conner's reaction to her taunt as she quickly scurried out the front door. Sara wanted to break into laughter as she watched Conner's ears redden. She walked ahead of her and backwards so to face her.
"Now Conner, it was just a joke, she's playin." Conner really wasn't on the verge of some violent outburst but she hated the taunt none the less. Conner had always been the small fry and she had spent 24 years of her life proving that size didn't matter and that good and useful things came in small packages. She was sure to show Terry a few things about midgets if she could just get past Sara. Sara was continuing to walk backwards towards the door as she pleaded with Conner to calm herself. Just as she was about to flash Sara one of her more disarming smiles, Sara's path was interrupted by a tall figure wearing a black silk swing coat. Conner reached out to catch Sara as she ran smack into the wall of a human and stumbled backwards.
Sara felt herself falling, and she thought of how bad her rear end was going to hurt when she met the ground, but it never happened. Instead she felt a strong arm at her back and one arm gripping her upper arm in a forceful yet gentle manner. "Holy shit!" Sara spat out when she realized she wasn't' on the floor. Warm blue eyes locked on her own blue eyes and smiled. "Well, if that's a thank you, than you're very welcome." The voice had a smooth husk to it and an accent she couldn't place.
"Oh good grief I'm sorry." Sara quickly relayed as she was brought up to her full height of 5'7". "I am such an ass, I'm sorry and thank you." She smoothed her auburn hair down with a shaky hand and let out a giggle. "Come on Conner, let's go before psycho leaves." Sara smiled again at the woman and walked out of the door.
Conner found herself stifling a giggle as she watched her friend scramble for her feet and then she lost the urge to laugh as she focused on the waves of black cornsilk that adorned the head of Sara's savior. The hair was a deep black, probably blue-black, and it rippled out in waves of dark oblivion down the sturdy back blending in with the jacket. Conner snapped her eyes shut hard and willed herself not to think stupid thoughts. She regained her smile as she watched Sara turn around and walk out the door. Conner walked towards the door and stopped to place her hand on the arm of Sara's helper. When she did, the faceless figure turned to face her.
It was brief, but it was long enough to scare the mess out of Conner. The eyes were now a deep blue and uncovered by smoke and unfettered by stage lighting. They were piercing and full of fire and it was a fire that was directed at Conner. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, at least a thank you, instead all she could come up with was, "Holy shit."
"Is that a new language they're teaching in college?" She watched the lithe girl step back and then she watched as a sweet smile crawled across her face. The laugh she let out, allowed Blue to gather her own senses and break their gaze.
"No?no, no it's not." 'Jesus I can't think of anything else to say besides holy shit and you are the most beautiful entity that I have ever laid eyes on, in my whole entire life.' "Uh..it's, not, just you look familiar."
Blue watched the mental struggle that the young girl was having and only drew her full lips into a smile instead of laughing. "Yeah, I was up there singing."
"Ha. Exactly, that's what I meant. I figured you guys walked out the back or something." Conner flashed her a confident smile and looked anywhere but the woman's face.
"That's probably the safest route, huh?"
"Safe you say?"
"Yeah, your friend, backwards, stumble." Blue fought hard to hold back a laugh as the statement finally registered with the young woman.
"Holy shit!" Conner's eyes grew wide as she realized Sara and Terry were waiting one her.
"There it is again, I gotta get a dictionary."
Conner laughed and gave the tall woman a smirk as she glanced up at her. "I gotta go, uh, maybe I'll buy you that dictionary." Conner's green eyes sparkled with want as she scurried out of the door.
Blue started to say, "only if you read it to me", but Conner had all ready disappeared out of the door way and ran down the side walk. Sam, who had watched the encounter unfold, placed a hand on Blue's shoulder to get here attention.
"What's up chica?" The two stood toe to toe at six feet even and locked eyes for a moment. Sam waited out the glazed over look in his friends eyes before he took his hand off of her shoulder. Blue searched for an answer for Sam, but could only come up with one. She focused on Sam's face and smiled. "So," he prodded.
She merely stated the words: "Holy shit."
CH II
It had been two nights since Blue's encounter with the girl with the green eyes. She had all but convinced herself that she was just a figment of her imagination and that she never even met her. It was a Thursday night and the club on Eager was filling with business men and women, college professors, and students with early weekends. It was still a little early, so Blue found herself on stage still in her jeans, t-shirt, and range hat tuning the piano. She turned the hat around so that the brim obscured her ponytail and quietly ran the scales. She allowed her eyes to drift over the crowd briefly as exercised her fingers. She let her hands still as she silently cursed herself. 'Blue get over it, she's not here, so move your ass'. She smirked at her own chastising and moved away from the piano. She was tossing her hat up in the air as she walked towards the back, so she never saw the compact strawberry blonde walk in the club unattended.
As much as Conner was ready to return to the club, she was kicking herself that it had to be tonight, but he had insisted and she had put him off for two days. Why in the hell she suggested they meet here, was still beyond her own comprehension, but she knew she couldn't wait any longer to come back to this place. She had racked her brain, while Sara and Terry offered no help as to how she could make a better impression than a few choice expletives for a greeting. Conner found a stool at the corner of the bar that was back near the door. She could see the door off to her right and she had a straight line of sight to the stage. She signaled the bartender with a nod as she absently stroked a phantom lock behind her ear. "What can I get you, miss?" Conner passed him her credit card as she asked for a blue moon. He took her card with a smile and went to run it through the machine. He raised an eyebrow and came back to stand in front of Conner. "What's up?", she asked with mild curiosity. He held the card out to her. "There's no need for a tab, it's taken care of." His mouth crinkled in the corners as he smiled. Conner let out a light laugh and took the card back. "Look, uh..what's your name?" "Greg." "Look Greg, do me a favor, charge me anyway," He opened his mouth to protest, but Conner held up a manicured hand. ", charge me anyway and at the end of the night you can consider it a big ass tip, how 'bout that." Soft green eyes focused on light brown ones and smiled. Greg smiled back nervously and ran a hand through short sandy brown hair. "Please. Greg." She reigned in her smile as a faint blush begin to creep into his cheeks. "Ok, but only if you let me make you a one of a kind shot." He gave her a gleaming smile, which she returned. "Deal."
He nodded triumphantly as he begin mixing her Martini and starting his own concoction. As he settled her Martini in front of her, Conner's attention was drawn to the stage by the sound of the bass tuning and the saxophone softly running the scales. She felt her stomach muscles grow tight with anticipation as the lights dimmed. She took a healthy sip of her Martini and let her eyes grow wide as she watched a flame hover before her. Greg was walking towards her with a glass that had been set aflame. He blew out the flame and gulped down the liquid. He placed another glass in front of Conner who still held her mouth agape. Greg smiled at her wickedly. "You ready?" Conner could only smile. "After I light it, just blow the flame out and knock it back." She couldn't help but find his enthusiasm contagious. "All right barkeep, but if this is bad, I'm suing." They shared a smile as he lit a match and touched it to the rim of the glass. In a flash Conner saw herself staring into a blue that was familiar. The heat of the flame was the same that burned behind the eyes of the singer who had just taken the stage. Conner blew out the flame as if making a birthday wish and let the contents pour down her throat in the same instance in an attempt to burn away her past and blaze a path to her future. As she pounded the glass to the counter top she closed her eyes in a silent prayer. Greg watched her closely for a reaction.
"You okay?"
Conner shook down the alcohol and smiled. "Remind me to tell your boss to never let you go." Greg blushed at her compliment.
"It's the least I could do miss."
"Name's Conner and thanks." Greg smiled as if to say 'I know' and walked to the other side of the bar. Before Conner had the chance to berate herself she felt her stomach muscles clinch at the sound of a husky, "good evening". Conner turned her head towards the stage and followed the soft lights of overhead lamps to focus on a pair of smoldering blue eyes.
Blue gripped the mic hard so as not to lose her balance. She found her. She controlled her body's want to break into a gleaming smile, and instead she arched her eyebrow to an impossible angle and ran her tongue smoothly across red painted lips. She could see her barely sipping at her drink as she begun to hum the opening bars of "Prelude to a kiss". Blue didn't have to turn to see Sam, who was smiling from ear to ear as he wrapped his lips around his mouthpiece and began to play. 'Yeah, Sam, I'm showing off, and the reasons in the back corner.'
Conner had no intention of breaking the gaze with the singer, but she could feel the blush creeping up into her cheeks with speed. She finally managed to break away when the singer closed her eyes and begun to sing.
Conner sipped at her drink gingerly as she kept her eyes affixed to the dark haired beauty on the stage. She unconsciously hooked her foot into the leg of the barstool in an attempt to keep herself from swaying off the seat. She smiled on the outside and inside as she listened the woman's rich alto seep honey into the lyrics.
As Blue finished the second verse, she decided it was time to up the ante. As Carl began his solo on the bass, she walked over to the piano and straddled the seat while taking a sip from her drink. Sam did his best not to laugh into his mouthpiece as he watched her saunter to the piano. Blue waited a full two measures before she began to stroke the keys. This time Conner found herself gripping the counter itself to keep from falling off the chair. Oh, she was mesmerized-she was gone. This lady was singing her a siren song and Conner was a willing sailor far from being weary, but dying of need and want all the same. Her lips formed a silent wow, as she listened and watched the woman tease the keys with easy strokes. Conner felt her ears redden as she wondered about the fingers upclose. Conner blindly reached out for her drink which had been refilled by a dutiful Greg, who knew Conner was far from paying attention to him. Conner let her eyes burn holes into the woman's frame as she played and then she began to sing again. Blue closed her eyes once again as she brushed the keys as she sang. She smiled a feral smile that was reflected only in the black lacquer of the piano and then turned her gaze directly at Conner.
Blue's fingers barely brushed the keys as she let Sam fill in the melody. Her full attention was being given to the blonde in the corner, whose green eyes were doing their best to bore into her soul. Blue wanted to give her the same as well, so she did it the only way she knew how, in her voice. The alto that was normally only laced with honey, poured out the sweet confection that was wrapped up in the blue blaze of her eyes. She sang slow and deep as she let her lips caress the words as if they were lapping up the smooth ivory of Conner's neck. "Oh how my love song gently cries for the tenderness within your eyes, my love is a prelude that never dies-a prelude to a kiss." Blue held onto the last note as if it was the last drop of oxygen in the room and she was breathing it into Conner's mouth. Blue couldn't tell if it was the smoke or the lights, but it almost looked as if the young girl was on the verge of tears. She breathed out a 'thank you' and stood from the piano. The applause that echoed through the room allowed her to pull herself together as she shot a toothy grin at Sam, who only shook his head. Blue snapped her fingers indicating a quick tempo and the band erupted into a jaunty version of "Nice work if you can get it".
Conner didn't know if she was reeling from the alcohol or the music, but two things were clear: she needed some air and she had to relieve her bladder. She managed to tell Greg to hold her spot as she got up and scurried to the bathroom on the other side of the room. Conner lost herself in the rumble of the toilet flushing as she gathered her pants and replaced the belt and zipped them up. She walked out of the stall and stared into the mirror. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. 'Ha, she thought to herself, that's new.' Conner got a handful of water and rubbed it through her all ready disheveled hair. A few more spikes of reddish-blonde hair poked out when she was done. She smoothed stray hairs behind both her ears and reached for a paper towel. She glanced at her watch without thinking and her heart stopped. It was nearly 11:00p.m., which meant he was on his way, if he wasn't all ready here. "Damn it, Ewan." She spoke out loud to her reflection. 'This isn't all Ewan's fault, Con. You're waist deep in shit you created.' "Yeah, yeah. Fuck you." She spoke aloud again and tossed the used papertowel into the trashcan at the entrance. Conner grabbed a hold of the handle on the door and took a deep breath. She fixed a quaint smirk on her face and thought, 'maybe she won't mind if you tell right out that you're a murderer.' She mocked herself with laughter as she exited the bathroom and back out into the smoky dark of the club.
CH III
Technically, Conner was not a murderer. The last thing Conner had actually killed was a deer when she was 12, and it was at the behest of her Great Uncle Charles who liked to take her and her brothers on trips to Allegheny, Maryland for camping trips. Emotionally, Conner equated herself with Jim Jones. Emotionally, Conner felt responsible for thousands of people and not just the eight that hung on her every word. Technically, Conner just kept the books clean and the money accounted for. Technically, she was a small voice of reason amongst mercenaries. In reality, Conner was a member of the clan. By birth and by right she was a princess in a dark dynasty that had reeked of blood for at least four centuries. In reality Conner was at the top of the food chain relishing in the spoils of victory and conquest. In truth, Conner wanted out.
His suit cost him $3,000., not including the black dress shirt or black silk tie. He wore black leather motorcycle boots that were tipped with silver. Except for the glints of silver on his wrists, ears, fingers, and the canines in his mouth-he was a shadow. His curly dark brown locks hung loosely just above his shoulders. He wasn't a hulking mass of muscles, but his level of fitness was clearly apparent as it was balanced through his 6'2" frame. He had a smooth and young looking face. Besides the fact that his goatee implied that he had gone through puberty, his ruddy cheeks and round face gave him a school boy charm. However, his eyes betrayed him. They were misty green that harbored green and gold flecks when he was in the right mood. Mostly, they whispered his age and they bellowed out his life story. To say that one saw death behind his eyes was too easy, too know of that death was the last thing that most people saw if they got that close.
Ewan McGreely walked into the club on Eager like a superstar. He walked in with only two bodyguards and left the other three out front. He flashed even white teeth at those around him as he made his way into the club. He did a quick search for Conner, but he didn't see her. An olive-skinned man who wore leather gloves, pulled out a chair for Ewan and then stood behind him as he took a seat. The other man sat across from Ewan with his hands folded across his chest. Before Ewan could even tap out a cigarette on his case a thin black girl sat a bourbon neat in front of him and walked away. Ewan put on his game face as made no obvious attempt to even act aware of the eyes that fell upon him in recognition. Instead he lit his cigarette and started chatting with the man across from him as he waited for Conner.
It was the middle of the set and Benny was working his way threw spastic bass solo which he would hand off to Max on the drums and then back to Blue to end the song. She was hamming it up with Sam as she took a swig of drink and rested on her stool. She had found the woman again as she leaned against the back wall next to the archway that led to the bathrooms. Blue made no qualms about the fact that she was sizing up the young girl and Conner did her best to stand up straight and give her an unhindered view. Conner slid her hands into the pockets of her black slacks and let a small smile grace her pink lips. Conner wore a tan long-sleeve v-neck tonight that clung to her body, giving a small hint to the muscles that lay underneath. A small silver chain with a Celtic cross hung below the dip in her shirt. She reminded Blue of an imp, with the mischievous smirk that graced her round face and the reddish-blonde spikes of hair that pointed to imaginary vectors. Blue found herself smiling at her genuinely. 'Well if she isn't the one, she certainly is a cutie.' Blue laughed inaudibly at her thought as she continued to keep time with the drums. Blue let her eyes wash over the crowd as she waited out the next four measures to come in.
A full measure before she was ready to come in, she saw him. He was sitting where Conner had sat only two days before and she could almost swear he had the same eyes. But no, it wasn't the tender green of young girl she had been flirting with, it was the malicious green of a murderer. It was a green that gave way to oblivion and pointed to her own hell as it had a decade ago. Blue felt herself drifting off into images of blood and screams that sounded like saxophones. She snapped her head in Sam's direction as she realized she had missed her beat. She let Sam play for another bar as she came in and finish the song at least a minute earlier than normal. Sam raised a concerned eyebrow at the woman seated on the stool and she only shrugged in reply. She leaned away from the mic, and mouthed 'instrumental' to Sam, who shook his head in understanding. Blue figured if she sat at the piano she wouldn't have to look at Ewan's face and then she could rush to the back and clear her head. She didn't want to rush the song, but apparently the other band members sensed her need to rest and sped the song along. The spotlight dimmed as the song was finished and the applause started. Blue didn't even look up to the corner, she just jumped off the stage and hurried down the back hallway. Blue ignored the sound of her name behind her, and walked past the office and right out the back entrance. She was well aware that she shouldn't be smoking, but right now she needed something to chase away the past.
Conner still continued to hold up the wall, as she watched the tall woman flee from the stage. She had watched blue eyes widen in response to something. Had that been fear, no anger. Conner wasn't sure, but a wave of nausea rushed over her all the same as she tracked the singers gaze to Ewan's table, and made the assumption that it had something to do with Ewan.
When Conner had exited the bathroom she saw the back of a person who was unmistakably Richard. She was familiar with the black suit and the wide build, as well as the thick brown hair that adorned his head. She heaved a heavy sigh as she pushed off of the wall and made her way to Ewan. Conner pressed her body through several seated patrons and showed up at Ewan's side, at the same time that Rick made eye contact with her. Rick was seated across from Ewan, and his thin lips curved into a tight smile as his eyes rested on Conner's small frame. Ewan saw the smile form on the mans' lips and knew that it was only Conner that could elicit such a response. Ewan turned his head to his right and looked up. Two seats of misty green eyes locked in on one another and smiled.
"Rabbit." He beamed. A thick Scottish accent rolled around the aficionado. Conner smiled and leaned down to plant a quick kiss on Ewan's cheek. Richard moved behind Conner and pulled out a chair for her, which she accepted and sat down.
"Hey Ewe, what's up?"
"Just enjoying the sounds, rabbit. You need a drink?"
"Please."
"Hey Rick-" The seated man stood up before Ewan finished his sentence.
"I got it.", he replied to the unspoken request.
"Hey, tell the bartender, who it's for, and he'll know what I want." Conner gave Rick a toothy grin.
"Sure thing Conner, I'm on it." He returned her smile and waded into the crowd of people
Conner turned her attention to Ewan as she folded her hands on top of the table. "So, what's the word daddy-O?"
"What's the word? I haven't talked to you in days, kid."
She sucked her teeth. "Ewan, I talked to you last night." Her tone held slight irritation, but Ewan ignored it.
"Yeah, for a split second and besides, I haven't seen that face in at least a week."
"Well good thing I didn't get that plastic surgery done, or you would have never found me." She shot him a light smirk to ease her own tension and he responded in kind.
"Whatever smartass, but look enough chit-chat. what's up with bills?"
"Ah, your true motive." Before Ewan could come up with a comeback, Rick found his way back to the table, laid out a napkin, and placed a blue tinted Martine glass down in front of Conner. "Thank you sir." She bowed her head in a regal manner, and Rick blushed slightly. Ewan just shook his head.
"Rick, you marshmallow." Rick stood up straight and lost his grin.
"Uh, I'll be at the door." He scurried off, as Ewan just nodded.
"Anyway, where were we?"
"You were just explaining your real motives for missing me." Conner took a gingerly sip from her drink and waited.
"Ha. I confess your pretty face and witty banter is no longer enough."
Conner closed her eyes in a mock moment of pain and said "ouch". They shared a quick giggle and then both reached for their respective glasses.
"So seriously, the bills."
"Yes. The bills. Do you need something special?"
"Well besides the usual, Manny told me there were some discrepancies." Conner ran a hand through spikey hair and silently willed Ewan to continue. "Just minor ones, but they were occurring often enough to warrant an inquiry."
"Well, I'll get on it. I haven't seen anything of late, though. Is it off shore accounts or mainland?"
"Little bit of both."
Conner scrunched her brow in thought. "Well, yeah, I'll get on it." She released a breath and took a sip from her drink. "Other than that, what else is new?"
Ewan opened his mouth to speak again, but he was silenced as Conner turned her head towards the dimming lights and light thumping of the bass drum on stage. He watched Conner with a thoughtful expression as her eyes focused on the tall woman that stepped onto the stage to the sound of light applause. Ewan did find himself transfixed as the dark woman took a seat on the stage, and a brief wave of déjà vu passed over him. Unlike Conner, Ewan's gaze was not filled with admiration and awe, but with anger and anxiety. He tried to shrug it off, but his uneasiness clung to his words.
"I doubt if she's your type."
"Huh?" Conner turned her head back in Ewan's direction.
"That beast of a woman on stage," He crooked a finger in the direction of the stage. ",I say I doubt if she's your type."
Conner let out a deep laugh. "Beast of a woman, huh? Perhaps she's not your type Ewan, but I'm quite sure she's mine." Conner smiled a little harder than she wanted too, but quickly curbed her expression by taking a large gulp of her drink.
"What is she-6 feet, maybe 6'2". You'd look like a dwarf."
Conner slitted her eyes at Ewan's rib and ran her tongue across her teeth in thought. "On the contrary Ewan, I've got a feeling I would fit rather nicely into all the right places." She let a wicked grin spread across pink lips and then she quickly downed her Martini.
Blue took a seat on her stool and listened to the tune up. She closed her eyes and ran over lyrics, the song list, piano solos, how many drinks she had, and the score from the basketball game. Anything. Anything, to not have to look out into the crowd and see was she thought she saw.
There she was again. The little strawberry blonde, with the sweet pink lips, and the misty green eyes. Her misty green eyes. She was seated next to Ewan and they were in an animated conversation. Blue watched as the girl smiled lasciviously at Ewan and gulped her drink. She saw Ewan smile at the girl and lean into her, whispering into her ear. She watched as the girl threw back her head in laughter exposing what she imagined to be smooth alabaster skin. The girl leaned in and squeezed Ewan's arm and held on as she said something to him that he found equally funny. Blue watched the two interact and felt her stomach clench. She couldn't decide if she was jealous or disgusted that the young woman was with Ewan. Blue raised an eyebrow unconsciously as she asked herself a silent question: "Are they together?" What does it matter, they're breathing the same air. Blue shook the thoughts from her mind as Sam started the intro to "Lush Life". She watched the young girl lean over and embrace Ewan. She could see that it was an embrace filled with emotion, maybe they were together. Blue felt her heart break as she closed her eyes and let a soft moan bleed into lyrics.
Conner pulled away from her embrace with Ewan with a shudder. Conner sat there staring up at the seated woman hanging on her voice and trying to comprehend the swell of emotion that she was feeling. And just as she was about to pass it off as paranoia, something broke inside of her as well, as the words pierced something on her insides. "Life is lonely again and only last year, everything seemed so sure. Now life is awful again, a trough full of hearts would only be a bore?..I'll forget you I will, while yet you are still burning inside my brain, romance is mush, stifling those who strive, I'll live a lush life in some small dive?.." Blue was pushing her out of her thoughts with as much force as she could muster just short of screaming. She watched the pair embrace and she was no longer concerned with being worthy, she was just angry.
Ewan watched as Conner's face lost its bright smile and became stone. The look in her eyes gave way to something he couldn't quite register as pain, but she certainly looked as if something was gnawing at her.
"Rabbit? Rabbit." He touched her arm gently as he spoke. "Rab-" She jerked her head back in his direction and they locked eyes. One pair of green eyes were old and ravaged by unspeakable acts, while the other pair seemed to be paling as if someone was slowly dimming the lights.
Conner realized Ewan hadn't said anything. She breathed out, "what?", and even managed to smile.
"You okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I've got good music and good drink." She held up an empty glass. "That may be the problem." She stood up and Ewan stood with her.
He straightened out his jacket with a few quick brushstrokes, and wished he could do the same with the tension. "Well, I'm gonna get out of here. I gotta' go to the club." He smiled a wicked grin as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Shut up you perv. Walk me to the bar." Conner walked back to her original corner and was pleasantly surprised to see her barstool unoccupied.
"Hey cutie. Saved your seat." Conner looked over at Greg, the bartender, who was giving her tooth-filled grin. Then she found herself almost bursting into laughter as the color drained from his face. Ewan was sending out mental daggers in the direction of Greg's face.
"Oh God." Greg looked down at the counter avoiding Ewan's green-eyed glare. "Mr?Mr. McGreely. I-I uh, apologize, um.."
Conner placed her hand on top of the young boy, who was fiddling with his dishtowel. "It's alright Greg, Mr. McGreely is just about to leave." She smiled up at Ewan, who was beginning to let the muscles in his jaw relax. "But not before paying his tab of course." Conner used a smile to cut through the green glare that Ewan gave her, as his eyes widened in surprise. Greg bit his lip and wiped absently at the countertop. Ewan rolled his eyes at Conner as he dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a wad of money clipped with a silver circle that outlined a Celtic symbol. Ewan flipped off a couple of twenties without thought and handed them to Greg.
"Thereya' go Greg, keep the change. And uh, keep your eye on my cutie." He raised an eyebrow at Greg and pouted his lips playfully at Conner. He received a kiss on the cheek for his efforts. Conner held her smile as she watched Ewan exit the club with his two brick walls right behind him. Conner slumped onto the stool and leaned into the wall on her side. Thankfully, the saxophonist was ripping up his solo, so Conner didn't have to be assaulted by the lull of a smooth alto that sounded like honey laced with arsenic, as it hit her ears.
"Greg, hit me with a couple of those flame thingys, and a nice tall black Russian." Greg's brown eyes grew wide.
"I can only handle two myself, are you.." Conner cut him off with a wave of her hand. "You set 'im up Greg, and I'll knock 'em down."
Ch IV
Conner was hurt and she didn't want to believe that it could be because of her, but there was no other explanation. She didn't even know the woman's name. Conner had an inkling about what most likely happened, and Conner felt guilty; all the way down to her toes. No matter how hard she tried the woman on stage refused to make eye contact with her. Maybe she had imagined her attraction, maybe it was all some romanticized vision, or maybe she did have it right all along, and this was karma biting her in the ass. Conner gently passed her hand over the back of her exposed neck as she watched Greg set down two shot glasses in front of her. Her fingertips gently grazed the quarter-sized tattoo that adorned her neck. It was a useless attempt at hoping it had disappeared and it only served to remind her that it would always remain.
Conner blew out the flame on the shot glass just as a second fire begin to blaze on stage. The second flame burned with eyes made of blue ice. The second flame charred her body with a tale about cocktails at noon and life in a dive. It was a non existent and lonely life and she was singing straight to Conner. Conner didn't even bother to look up at the stage again as she sipped her Black Russian. She could feel eyes on her, and she felt dirty and exposed.
Greg watched the petite strawberry blonde suck down two more flamers, a Black Russian, and here she was, working on what was probably her third Martini; and her eyes were barely even glassy. The band was crawling off the stage and Greg was making the sign for last call. he called out to Conner, who stared blankly at the stage.
"Hey Conner? Conner?" he waved a hand in her face and she smiled loosely after a split second.
"Greg-what up?"
"Time's up, that's what."
"Time, time-so fleeting-so something."
"You want some coffee, a cab."
"No cab, no coffee, just gonna sit here." Conner leaned into the bar on her elbows and let her head loll to the side.
"You want to help me clean up then?"
"No, not really, but I'll watch." She shot Greg another loose grin and repositioned her elbows on the countertop. They wobbled this time, but Conner straightened out her back and steadied herself.
However, the wobble did not go unnoticed by Greg. "Hey Conner, how 'bout some water." It was a statement not a request. He smiled at the green eyed girl to lessen his condescension.
"No water." Conner spun herself on the stool and lost her balance. She fell back hard on the wall but managed to stay on the stool. Greg practically leapt the bar to help her sit up straight.
"Jeez. Conner, look go sit in one of the seats, I'll call a cab."
"I don't need a freakin' cab, Greg. I'm perfectly fine. See." Conner sat up straight on the stool without aid of the wall. "I'm perfect. I can even touch my nose."
She actually did touch her nose, twice, before equilibrium got the best of her and Conner careened backwards. She fell onto cushions that felt like silk, and yet so supportive to one's head. The fall was comfy and warm and it smelled of Pantene shampoo and Fahrenheit cologne. It was at this point that Conner's eyes snapped open. She was staring up at smooth tanned skin and whomever this person was, she was convinced they had no face. Conner's panic subsided as the faceless person turned down to her and the mass of flesh became a nothing more than a chin. But it was a chin that was attached to those lips, that hovered below that nose, that was surrounded by those cheeks, that led to two sharp black eyebrows, that protected two perfectly round and seaswept beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.
She felt herself being pushed upright and the warm arms were replaced by a small hand at her back. She could see that it was Greg out of the corner of her eye. Conner gripped the counter and exhaled.
"Holy Shit!" Conner turned to look over her shoulder and watched as the tall woman backed away and leaned down to pick up a bookbag. "Hey, uh, thank you." Conner tried to make eye contact, but the woman looked past her towards Greg. and said "you're welcome".
"Greg, call her a cab." Greg nodded at the tall woman's order and headed for the phone.
Conner felt herself fill with anger as she hopped off the stool and stood. "I have a ride." She glared at the tall woman who stared back at her with cold blue eyes.
"Oh yeah, that's right-Greg call her boyfriend and get this little girl some water." Blue had noticed the wall of anger the girl put up earlier, but she didn't notice as it dissolved into watery green eyes at her words. She didn't see how Conner staggered back into the counter as if she'd taken a blow to the midsection. Greg watched her slump into a chair and cradle her head in her hands. He knelt beside her with a glass of water.
"Hey," he spoke almost at a whisper. "She's not all that bad. She doesn't mean to be that way-she can't help it. I'm sure she's just tired, ya' know." Conner spoke softy and unintelligibly, through her hands. "Huh?"
Conner removed her hands and left her head hanging down. "What's her name?"
"Name? Uh, it's Blue."
Conner sat up straight in the chair and almost smiled. Greg gave her a tentative smile back and Conner the glass of water. "Blue, huh? Ha!" She drank a healthy gulp and relaxed in to the softly padded chair.
"Yup. Could be for the eyes. All though, I heard that it was due to the fact that she once held a note so long her face turned blue." Greg looked at her seriously and then broke into a smile as he listened to Conner's soft giggles.
"Yeah right.", she mumbled.
"It's true, it's true. Or the fact that she always seems so sad, I don't know." He spoke quickly and softly. He stood up at that and walked to a barstool as Conner held the glass with both hands and drank like a toddler minus the dribblings. Conner put the glass on the table and stood slowly. She was satisfied that she wasn't impaired and let out a big breath. She ran bother her hands through her hair and ruffled her spikes. She smoothed out her clothes and smiled at Greg.
"What do I owe you, Greg?"
"Just get home and go to sleep, and when I see you again, I'll give you a nice hangover remedy."
"Just as long as it's not accompanied by a flame, it'll be great." They shared a laugh as they walked towards the door.
"Where are you parked?"
"Right there." She pointed a finger at the red and white 1964 Corvette that sat under a lamppost across the street. She didn't even have to look at Greg to see the huge smile that was plastered across his face.
"Oh wow, Conner. She's gorgeous."
"Yep." He walked in step with Conner to the car. "Well aren't you gonna get my door?"
"Wow, can I?"
She smiled. "As long as your arms work." Greg blushed to his toes as he gently grasped the chrome handle on the door and opened it for Conner.
"This is awesome Conner, really." He closed the door as Conner nestled into the leather bucket seats. "Thanks a lot and hey thank you for tonight." She flashed a slight smile that was tinged with embarrassment and relief. "Now get out of here, go do ya' job- and I'll see you around."
She watched Greg walk backwards across the street and finally into the bar. She was still smiling as she started the car and turned the radio on low. She checked her side mirrors and adjusted her rearview mirror. "There you are." she said quietly to herself. Conner had noticed her shadow when she and Greg had walked out of the bar. It was off to the right and blending in nicely with gated alleyway. Conner merely smiled and pulled off. She made a quick left two blocks up and came around the block slow. She stopped at the corner of Read street and watched her shadow walk across the street, with its raven hair shrouding what she knew to be two intense blue eyes. "So, she wants to play."
Conner smiled wildly as her canines bared themselves. She pressed the play button on the stereo console as she backed up on the street, made a u-turn and echoed Robert Plant's "American Woman" as she sped down the city streets.
CH V:
Blue cursed at herself the whole walk home. She cursed as she turned on to 23rd street and cursed as she ascended the stoop to her apartment. The expletives were working their way through another language as her key hit the lock and opened the door. She had all ready been through English, and Spanish and she was willing to continue through all the Greek she knew and any other stray language she knew. Blue dumped her bag on the hardwood floor at the entrance way and walked through her apartment. She turned on lights-cursing, the stereo-cursing, taking off her clothes-cursing, and finally turned on the shower-cursing.
She leaned her head hard against the white tile of the shower and let the hot water douse muscled bronze skin that reeked of cigarettes and Bourbon. She yelled out one final "fuck" as she pounded the white tile with a wet fist. After another ten minutes of steam torture, she walked naked into her living/ dining room and hit the shuffle button on the stereo. Billy Holiday's aching voice swam through the mid-sized apartment as she walked back to her room and slid on a pair of boxers and a faded Boston Sox's t-shirt. Blue fell back onto the bed and lay prostrate on her queen sized bed, staring up at the ceiling. She wanted to drown in Billy's voice as she damned Ewan McGreely to hell and back and for once she let somebody else do the moaning.
Blue didn't know why she had followed the girl. She found herself saying 'Conner' out loud. She cringed on the inside as she listened to the name roll off of her lips. The sound of it got stuck in the back of her throat and she couldn't swallow it or spit it out to save her life. She rolled over to and stomach and then up on her knees. She rolled her neck around until she heard the vertebrae shift, and then inadvertently cracked her back as she moved to get off the bed. "Why the hell did I wait?", she asked into the air. A six inch long Oscar gulped at the water and swam by her question. The Dempsy was only eager for food and not her words as he stayed in his corner of the tank. "Hey boys, time for dinner." She took a pinch of fish food and crushed it into the tank as the fish sprang to life. Only the algae eater remained where he was, having something better to eat on the wall. "You'd think I was going to talk to her or something. I can't believe Sam actually suggested that I apologize to her." She stared at the tank for a moment as the fish swam by oblivious to her musings. "Ahh, you guys suck." The Dempsy butted the glass as if to give Blue the finger, she smiled and walked to the kitchen.
She pulled out the milk, Capn' Crunch with Crunchberries cereal, a bowl, and a spoon and sat them on the island in the middle of the kitchen. She stood at the island and ate her cereal as she hummed along with Ella Fitzgerald in the background. Just as she turned up the bowl to drink out the strawberry milk, the phone rang. She wiped at a small line of pink liquid as she picked up the phone and walked to the couch in the living room.
"Sam.", she growled.
"Hey puddin' pop."
"Sam it's like-uh- 3:00 a.m. in the morning, what?"
"Like your sleep, punk."
"Yeah, ya mama. What!?"
"Didja'?"
"Did I what?"
"Scale the Eiffel tower you amazon! You know what."
"No." She spoke softly.
"What? I'm going deaf."
"I said no, smart ass."
"Blue," he whined.
"I have nothing to apologize for."
"You didn't see her face, I did. It looked like you kicked her in the head."
"Sam, I'm going to kick you in the head, if you don't get off it."
"What happened to getting' a feeling and all that?"
"I lost it." She spoke flatly as she ran a hand through still damp hair and tried to stifle a yawn.
"Well?you.." he began to hum.
"Don't sing Sam." He ignored her and continued to plow through the Righteous Brothers lyrics. He got all the way to "lovin" before she hung up. Blue drew her knees up to her chest as she sat back on the couch. She put both hands in her hair and let her neck relax. She sighed and wasn't sure if it was Billy's voice or singing that had her on the verge of tears. More than likely, it was the on the revelation that she couldn't have what she wanted; even if she deserved it, or even if she apologized. Ewan McGreely had all ready taken her youth and most of her life, in turn she sucked out his soul. It was only appropriate that he was capable of taking her future before she could even build one.
CH VI:
15 years ago.
The three of them exited the Alewife bound 'T' at ______ and transferred to the green heading back to the south side of Boston. They presented a surreal vision of siblings as they walked three abreast on the sidewalk: the oldest boy on the left, the girl in the middle, and the youngest boy on the right. The oldest was a lanky reed, standing 6'2" with his sister close behind him at 5'9", and the youngest was slowly working his way up from 4'9". Three sets of deep blue eyes looked out into the street as three heads crowned with blue-black hair turned from left to right checking for cars.
The projects weren't that bad, it was just a way of life. It was a community with its own rules and laws and its own judges and juries. In a city full of Irishman, the Scots ruled this borough of Boston. The McGreely's were descended from Scottish royalty that traced its roots back to the Highlanders. They were stout young men and women usually with ruddy round faces, dark hair and dark eyes. The McGreely's that roamed these parts were not the usual. Their leader was tall and svelte, with pale eyes and blonde hair. He tried to approach the straight not with brow beating and garishness, but rather, an enigmatic smile and humor that border on the sadistic. He was known as 'Chuckles' to his family and his followers. It was his hearty chuckled that alerted two siblings sneaking a cigarette in the stairwell of his presence. Two sets of blue eyes darted up towards the window and stared as they heard the laugh accompanied by voices carrying Scottish accents.
"Should I look?'", the boy asked.
"What for, you know who it is?" She threw the cigarette at the wall and watched the sparks fly as it connected and then fell without sound to the concrete floor. The boy was standing now and peering out of the frosted window. It wasn't really frosted, it just hadn't been washed in about 6 years, but Gi-Gi insisted that they were frosted.
She looked up at her older brother who was still trying to peer out of the window. She tugged at his pants leg. "Armie, what the hell are you doing? Sit 'da fuck down."
He cut surprised blue eyes down her. "Hey, a young lady doesn't use that language."
"Yeah, I'm such a fucking lady."
"Hey!"
"Whatever, sir. Can you please sit your narrow rear end down on this rather cool concrete and stop ogling the visitors." She put on her best English accent and even crossed her legs at the knee for emphasis. He rolled his eyes at his sister, but gave her a smile anyway. He walked down the steps until he stood in front of the girl.
"Look, uh, I need to go out there."
She shot up like a reed and towered over her brother, as she stood on the step and he stood on the landing. He looked up into the pupils of two hard blue eyes that had grown small in fear. "Jasmine, c'mon, no worries." He reached out to grab her hand. She whipped her hand behind her back and scowled.
"Don't you Jasmine me. Why do you have to go out there? Send Clyde, send Milos, whoever." She flailed her hands wildly as she spoke.
"Look, Jaz, this will take just a few minutes, no big deal. I promise."
She folder her arms across her chest and let out a puff of air. "Armie, if you out there your promise is worth shit!"
They stared at each for a while, neither one ready to give in, but the nearing voices made him flinch. She made fists of her hands and dropped them at her sides. "Screw you Armie." She turned on her heels and bounded up the stairs before he could open his mouth. "I'll be up in a few." He called after her. he heard the echo of a door slamming in reply. He sighed and ran a slightly shaky hand through black hair. "Easy boy, just be cool."
The sky was a somber red-gold as the sun sank into the horizon, and Armie exited the stairwell. There were five of them and they were walking towards the tall dark boy. Chuckles stood out amongst the group not only because of his height but the blonde hair that crowned his round hair glistened even as the sun set.
"Armie, Armie." Chuckles spoke in a sing-song voice. His pale gray eyes were listless and held none of the humor that he was known for. "What's up buddy-boy?" He flashed a pearly smile at Armie. Armie didn't return the smile as both stopped walking. They stood at least two arm lengths apart and Armie held his arms at his sides. "Armie, I want you to meet my cousin and my brother." He gestured for the two shortest, and most likely the youngest, boys to come stand next to him. "This is Ewan." he put his hand on the shoulder of a green- eyed boy who was only a little taller than his brother Gi-Gi. "And, this is William." He placed his other hand on the shoulder of a pudgy body with brown eyes. Armie made no move. "Now, as you can see Armie, I'm not here to intimidate you. These boys are harmless and I want to show you that I believe you. So, that's why I'm going to be sending them back here tonight to get my money." His thick Scottish accent held onto every word he said, but luckily he was speaking slow enough for Armie to understand. Not that it mattered, because he knew what was going to be said, he just wanted to know how much time he had.
"So, look Armie, I'm gonna send 'em back in a coupla' hours, so make me happy, Armie." He flashed Armie another tooth-filled smile and turned around. Armie hadn't moved in the whole of three minutes, nor had he breathed. He watched the five of them walk across the parking lot to their cars, and he did his best to bore holes into the tattoos on their necks with his eyes. Another set of blue eyes watched the group walk across the parking lot and pile into two mustangs as well
And hour and a half had gone by and Carmen was on edge. She refused to leave her home. She refused to have her and her children run out but some, "skirt wearing brigands". She let out a quick paced stream of Greek expletives and stood next to her husband. It was from Robert that her children got their height, as he stood at 6'6", but it was Carmen who gave them the raven hair and blue eyes that shone with determination. Little Gi-Gi had unknowingly ratted out his brother. It had only been an attempt to prove to Armie that he could be quiet and spy when he needed to, but their mother overhead and went ballistic.
The knock came on time and it shook the cheap wooden door. "Jasmine. take Gi-Gi to the back and stay there." Her father ordered calmly. She growled at her dad, but took Gi-Gi's hand anyway. They stalked towards the bedroom they shared and waited in the dark. Gi-Gi had promised her he wasn't scared, but he made her sing to him none the less. She had reached the second verse of Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World", when the door exploded. She clutched tightly to Gi-Gi who was frozen stiff with fear. She could fee a warm spot grow in her crotch and she didn't know if it was her or the package on her lap. She whispered "it's okay" into little ears as they waited.
The Scotsman were yelling and her mother was yelling, no bawling and then she could hear Armie trying to be calm, but as her own temper rose, so did Armie's. In her own concentration she had loosened her grip on Gi-Gi, who slowly slipped out of her arms and walked to the door. They were yelling outside. Something about money and then something about 5 people and no deal and no trust. She was focusing so hard that she barely even realized that the level of the voices had risen until a shaft of light cut across the floor and she realized the door was open.
She was so busy lunging out of the door looking for Gi-Gi that she didn't see the young green-eyed boy off to her right, or hear the swoosh of the bat unit it connected with her back. She went down hard and felt pain shoot through her legs. She could hear the boy say, "I got the little one and found her". He was standing with the bat in both his hands with his head directed towards the archway. He didn't see her moving, but as the shadow beside him grew longer, he realized she was hovering over him. She unfolded to her full height of 5'7" and dwarfed his 5- foot frame. He would have pissed his pants if he had the chance, but the blue eyed demon slammed her knee into his groin and head-butted him at the same time. He slumped into the darkness on the floor. She picked up the bat and walked to the archway, peered out into the living room, and stopped breathing.
Her father, (or what she assumed was her dad, given the form was missing most of its skull); lay in a pool of maroon that was serving as a pond for chunks of wood that had blown away from the door. Her mothers' body was draped over her his in an eternal pose of grief with a bloodied head resting over his chest. Gi-Gi had barely made it through the archway. Besides the fact that his neck was at an awkward angle, Gi-Gi looked like he was sleeping. Blood was covering almost everything. There was one body that she didn't recognize, who lay dead on the floor to the right of Gi-Gi. His remnants sprayed the back wall as she observed the bullet holes that littered his chest. His killer stood in the middle of the room with the smoking gun still in his hands. The bullets had been spent-the chamber was open and empty. Armie stood toe to toe with Chuckles. The blonde had a gun raised to her brother's head and his ears were blood red with rage. He was saying something through gnashed teeth, but she couldn't hear a thing. The vision moved frame by frame as she watched the blonde man's finger constrict around the trigger. She could make no sound as she watched the shards of skull and brain matter explode out of Armie's head.
It started as a low moan and became a feral wailing that not only brought the young green-eyed boy at her feet out of his dark hole, but grabbed the attention of the three men left standing. Chuckles whipped his head in the direction of the sound, but he only saw a streak of black hair. She stepped out of a perfect batters' stance and swung the polished wood at one of the boys head. She heard a satisfying crack as he landed on the floor in heap. She raised the bat again and felt a something plow into her. It was a little curly headed boy that had been standing in the corner near her parents. He moved her, but found that she wasn't as easy to take down as he had surmised. She staggered forward, but remained on her feet. She made a stutter step, causing the boy to trip up and then with her free hand she grabbed his wrist and swung him around into the wall. She could feel the bones break in his wrist as she whipped him around. The scream that he emitted in response was quelled when he hit the wall. He drew his other hand to the bloody pulp that was his nose and stepped backwards away from the wall on wobbly legs. She started to laugh as a bullet whizzed by her head. She quickly grabbed the dazed boy by the shirt and threw him in front of her as three bullets ripped through his torso. She heard the click of the empty chamber and dropped the body.
She stood up from her semi-crouch, regripped the bat and charged the remaining guy: Chuckles. She never saw him pull out the revolver or even feel the bullet as it ripped through her side. her long stride easily ate up the few feet that separated them, as she drove the bat into his gut. It sent him reeling back into the wall. He grabbed at a vase on the shelf and threw it at her. It shattered against her shoulder, but she kept walking towards him. He was starting to reach for something else as she slammed the bat down on his arm. He clutched his arm to his body as the bat crushed his kneecap, sending him to the floor. She swung the bat until her arms got tired and then she kicked at his limp body until her legs ached. Finally, she fell to her knees, oblivious of the pool of blood that was gathering around his body. She wanted to punch at his lifeless form some more, but his face was all ready indistinguishable and her body ached from the blood she was losing. She just sat there in a daze, swimming in blood , until she heard a whimper.
She turned ice blue eyes towards the remains of the front door, where the small green-eyed boy stood, with tears streaming down his face mixing with the blood from a gash on his forehead. He was caught in her line of sight. If nothing else stayed with him from this night, her eyes would. From this night hell was no longer burning with flames of orange and red. Now they burned blue. Her eyes seared him to his insides. He was so entrance that he barely heard her speak. The voice was so low, it was almost inhuman.
"Name." His eyes just grew wide at the command. She bared her teeth and he stepped back. She breathed it again and his voice cracked at her request. He tried to straighten his back and stand tall. "Ewan.", he cracked. She nodded and stood slowly. He soiled himself without hesitation and felt the acid creep into his throat. She was a bronze statue bathed in blood. Her smooth face was obscured by blood and matted black hair. Her shoulder peeked out from a shredded shirt as she pressed a hand to the wound on her side. She never took her gaze off the boy. "Ewan." Her voice lingered somewhere between a purr and a growl. She bared her teeth like an animal at the boy. " Get out. Of my house." She turned her back on the boy and he watched her as she knealt beside the lifeless body of her little brother.
He stood there while she cradled the little body and rocked back and forth. He heard her breathe heavy and he thought she was going to break into tears, but what he heard was not exactly crying nor was it praying. It was a wailing much like what had awakened him earlier. It was a wailing that echoed the emptying of his soul, as he stared at the body of his own brother-who lay in an unrecognizable heap of flesh and clothing. It was a wailing that clung to the insides of his ears even as the scream of sirens filled the parking lot.
The wailing had become the soundtrack to his nightmares. It lulled him to sleep and awakened him in the night. He had cut out her face 15 years later and even tried to remove the her eyes or at least dim the fire he saw within them, but the song never left him. It was the emptying of both their souls-and tonight he had heard it again.
Ewan McGreely found himself lying naked on his own bedroom floor, dripping with sweat. His covers had been ripped from the bed and he had sprung from it in order to avoid the deluge of blood that was threatening to drown him as he slept. He opened his eyes and stared out into the black of his room He shot out his hand as if to reach for his gun, but he knew no one was there. It was just him-reduced to a frightened 15 year old again, watching his brother die. But it wasn't' the image of his death that had awakened him with such a start, it was her. The woman who sang tonight. Her voice seemed so familiar to him. And while he had only taken a cursory look at her, her eyes did strike him. He shuddered in remembrance. But the eyes from tonight did not make his soul ache, they just made him think. The eyes he saw tonight seem filled, not void and lifeless, like he remembered. He ran a sweaty hand through damp hair and got up to shower. He decided not to talk to Conner about this, he had to be wrong, but he knew he would check anyway. There was no question in that, the only question rested in what he would do if it was her.