Fangs and Fairytales: Orphans

Orphans -- Chapter the First

She stayed as the songs progressed and changed, enjoying the passion the group performed with and the response of the audience This group really seemed to know how to work a crowd. As they neared the close of their set Masha began to make her way back towards the gate, noticing over her shoulder that the vocalist had begun climbing the scaffolding that surrounded the stage area. The crowd was cheering so loudly at that point that she was sure that no one else heard the terrible groan of metal as it started to tear. Quickly she turned toward the source, realizing too late for even her to stop anything that it was the scaffolding the singer was now perched at the very top of. Helplessly she watched as the erection gave way, sending metal fragments raining into the crowd and tumbling the scaling vocalist to the ground where he landed on his side with a sickening thud. Then the screaming started.

The next few minutes were utter chaos as people began to process what had happened. In addition to the now immobile musician, several people had been injured by falling debris. Panicked patrons were running away from the stage area as others rushed towards it to see to the casualties. Masha could smell not just the blood in the air but panic and confusion as well. It was a heady mix under any circumstances, but coming from as many people as were present here it was nearly overwhelming. She closed her eyes momentarily and tried to calm her senses enough to make it through the crowd but she kept being drawn back toward the injured singer. His injuries were profound, and she could feel how close to death he was. When she tried to reach out her awareness she realized his spine was severed. At least he wasn't in any pain. She doubted he was aware at all. She looked at the handsome man where he lay and thought what a tragic waste it was. He had seemed so vibrant and talented. Even after the short time she had been watching him Masha already found herself rather taken with him. She tried to ignore the thought forming at the back of her head. It was a bad idea. She made her way to the man anyway.

Security had begun surrounding the fallen vocalist. When he fell, Masha had observed the band's drummer, who had kept a watchful eye as his band mate had scaled the scaffolding, go practically flying over his kit as he rushed to the injured man's side. He stood there now, the color drained from his face as he took in the severity of the situation. "Jared you fucking asshole! Why do you have to keep climbing shit?!" he shouted at the still form, alternately reaching towards him, then stepping back, seemingly torn between wanting to help and being afraid of causing more damage. He shakily ran his fingers through his dark hair. Masha didn't need any special awareness to feel the grief and anguish coming from him. She watched as he fell to his knees on the hard ground, leaning in close to his dying companion. "Please little brother, please get up. Please don't do this."

The two were brothers. An acute sorrow twisted in Masha as she fought to keep memories buried. The others gathered around were clearly upset but this man's heartbreak was, understandably, so much more profound. As much as she had worked to harden her heart in the past decades the drummer's grief was cutting through every wall she had built, and she knew exactly why. The memories wouldn't stay buried long if she didn't leave. Quickly she closed her eyes and started to back away to save herself from the flood of regret that was threatening to overpower her. She knew she shouldn't intervene, that was the beginning of the journey that had gone so wrong before. But this was so needless. A waste. She looked at the kneeling brother who had begun sobbing now, the reality of the situation becoming brutally clear to him. The younger brother, the one he had called Jared, had not so much as twitched since the fall. His head was at an awkward angle, a small trail of blood running from his ear. She realized even they must be aware of how dire the situation was. Masha could still hear his heartbeat but it was slow and very faint now. It would be over soon. She looked at the older brother again. His despair poured from him in waves as someone wrapped their arms around him, trying futilely to reassure him. She couldn't bear it, and she decided she wasn't going to. This time she was going to get it right.