Yeah, I’m bleeding, year I’m scarred.
But I’m still breathing with a shattered heart.”
Her voice soars, a raw power that changes everything. It’s ethereal and real, and juxtaposed with my deeper, rougher tones, our sound is everything our voices can never be alone. It’s something original. Something fierce. Something unique.
"Fuck yeah!" Otis shouts
"About time," Cody yells.
I point at the keyboard we’ve set up to entice Ruby in. She hesitates for a split second, but then she’s there, playing a breakdown. Her red hair flies as she loses herself, loses the fight, and lets it all go. She sings and plays, and everything around us blurs into a furious pulse.
“Guitar screams, thunder rolls
I found life inside these holes
You thought I’d fade, thought I’d be gone
But I’m still here, I’m moving on.
Still breathing…
Stil breathing…
With a warriors heart…”
The notes crash down like thunder until the last bar is complete.
Then silence.
Deafening, brilliant silence.
I look around and see the fire in their eyes. I know theyfeel it too. This is it. This is the real deal. And for a moment, the rest of it, the fights, the fears, and the doubts, all fades away.
If only we can keep it together like this…
Then my head gives way to my heart. Hell yes, we can. Bring it.
four
. . .
Sebastian
"What are you doing here?"Cody's voice cuts through the room.
All eyes turn to me as I enter with bass guitar in my tattooed hand, fringe flopping over my eyes.
"Heard there was a band forming. Thought I'd check it out." I glance around at them all. "Because it’s about fucking time!”
Cody’s eyes narrow, and I can see his jaw tightening, ticking like a time bomb.
"We don't need your help," he says turning his back to me.
It’s safe to say that my brother and I don’t get on. We used to be close, thick as thieves and always in trouble when we were young, but puberty hit and we changed, drifted apart. The fight two years ago was the last straw, but the irony is it only happened because we’re far too much alike to admit it.
No one else is brave enough to say anything until Otisclears his throat, the sound more nervous than his usual confident bark.
"I, uh, didn't know we were allowing visitors." His voice is cautious.
