tongue of the serpent ➵ a.b.

Chapter 44: Tongue of the Serpent

It seemed like a normal morning when I woke up. I mean, the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the rare airplane's song could be heard over our heads. The air was cool and kept my body from shedding tears known as sweat. A body lay next to me, twisting and turning like he was in some sort of bad dream.

That morning felt different; there was a thin layer of fog rising over us. It clouded our perception. It hurt the ways of our thinking patterns. There seemed to be some worry etched deep into our bodies, unknowing of what was to come.

"You know," Andy speaks, allowing his first words of the day to escape his mouth, "I never told you what the theme is this week."

Half-awake and moaning, I open my eyes. I didn't want to get up today, I honestly just wanted to sit in this bed and lie here forever. I moan, "And? What is it?" My morning voice still had not faded. I was croaking like a frog.

Andy sighs, yawning. "I don't know."

I squint, turning over to his body. "What?"

He stretches his arms and legs, cracking his knuckles and back in the process. The noise makes my spine tingle in enjoyment. "I don't know. They never told me what it was."

"Does Courtney know?" I ask, laying my head down on his chest, facing his beautiful canvas of a face.

He shrugs. "I don't believe." In response to me laying on him, his arms encircle me in happiness. He squeezes tight, reassuring me about everything. "If I am honest here, I think Courtney won't practice a lot this week. She probably believes she has everything in the bag, but we'll show her, won't we?"

Now mostly awake, my eyes catch fire with fury and wanting. I needed to beat Courtney Holiday, even if it was the very end of me.

I had to do it for Margarette and Jasie and Levy. I had to do it for the fans. I had to for Astaroth and Cadell and Frey and Kane. I had to do it to make sure everyone in BVB was proud. I had to! I had to! I had to do it!

I had to prove to Andy...that I truly was worthy.

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As Andy and I walk in the rehearsal building, something tells me everything is headed downwards. Reporters are lined up outside, trying to sneak-a-peek inside the glass building, which wasn't very hard to do.

"Ah!" Cadell announced as he saw the duo of Andy and I approaching. "They're here!"

"Finally!" one of the many crew members shouts. "Hey! Lethia and Andy are here!" she shouts to the cameramen. "Time to get this started!"

"What the hell is going on?" I ask Astaroth as soon as TSOSM and Courtney Holiday form their little groups.

Astaroth looks over at me with an astounded look on his face. "Didn't you hear? They're revealing the last week's theme live on TV!"

"Attention, attention!" a speaker announces, coughing to clear his throat. I recognize him as he makes his way through a crowd of people to stand on a high chair: Pornhoe. "As we all know, this broadcast is live, so keep your harsh words to yourself."

Frey whispers the words, "Butt cheeks," so soft only the bands can hear it. Andy goes into a laughing fit and Kane almost starts crying. I try to contain myself as best as I can and try to avoid Pornhoe's menacing glare.

Much like Joe's usual routine, Pornhoe receives a black envelope from a member of the production crew.

I couldn't imagine what was inside that thing. What was so grand and enticing that it needed to be shielded from the public's eyes? My only guess was that the topic was going to be harder than I expected. And I really couldn't think of any serious topics that could possibly be the theme!