Chapter 1 – Godeatgod
It had been a long day. She and the band, the recently discovered ‘Saints Talons’, had been recording songs for their second album all day. She was tired, but had agreed to go with Ozzy to the after party of a gig of a friend of his. What Ozzy had failed to mention was that the gig had been…Marilyn Manson. She’d ask him why she needed to be here later…he’d vanished as soon as they’d gone through the door.
That party was behind her, inside the lushly decorated room off which was a balcony on which she now stood. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the cool night breeze against the bare skin of her arms and face, as she leant against the railing. She heard two, incredibly feminine voices join her on the balcony and she opened her eyes to look at them. Yep, very Goth. Just her kind of people. They both looked over at her and smiled slightly and she smiled back.
“Hey,” she waved a hand at them both non-committedly, gesturing to the door behind them all. “Bit stuffy, huh?”
“Yeah, a bit.” The one with purple streaks through her hair replied. “Hi, I’m Jessica…this is Magenta.”
She pointed to herself. “Jessie.”
She watched the two giggle, whispering to themselves for a moment, fangirling like all fans did once in a while. She couldn’t really blame them. That was Marilyn-freaking-Manson in there!
Magenta finally spoke to Jessie. “What’s your favourite song?”
Jessie frowned momentarily. “Ever or from just the new album?”
“New album.” Magenta replied, a nervous smile on her face.
“Probably Disposable Teens.” Jessie smirked to herself, remembering the first time she’d heard the song…blasting it in her car.
Both girls squealed with excitement after a moments conferring. “You’re…Jessie Talon…from Saints Talons…right?” Jessica was grinning from ear to ear.
Jessie looked away, she was still getting used to total strangers recognising her. “Yeah, I am.” She jumped slightly when both girls shouted ‘Oh my God!’ in unison, and chuckled. “Thanks.”
They took a few steps towards her, and the balcony they were stood on…jolted. Jessie listened to the supports groan and felt the balcony shudder again. The girls screamed.
“Oh, God, what was that?!” Jessica clung to the railing beside Jessie, terrified.
“No one…move…” Jessie held her hands out in a none-confrontational manner, surprised when they listened. She could hear a beeping sound…it sounded like…
“Jessie!” she looked at the doorway and saw Ozzy about to step outside.
“No!” her hand shot out towards him as the beeping quickened and stopped.
***
“I loved The Nobodies…but I couldn’t figure out who it was about…” the girl looked at him, terrified.
He shrugged. “No one in particular.” He was lying, but this girl didn’t need to know the truth.
“Marilyn!” He heard Ozzy call his name from somewhere behind him and he turned.
“Hey Ozzy.” Marilyn gave a half smile. “Wasn’t expecting you to show after I didn’t see you before the gig.”
“I had to grab someone.” Ozzy grinned idiotically. “But we did see the show.”
“We?” Marilyn asked sceptically.
Ozzy’s grin widened. “There’s someone I think you should meet.”
“Really?” Marilyn smirked. Another one of Ozzy’s odd friends.
He followed him around the group of people currently congregating in the centre of the room, nodding to one of the security guards as he passed. Ozzy seemed to be unable to locate his friend it seemed…until he spotted the door leading to the balcony overlooking the car park.
He followed, shaking his head, as Ozzy made his way towards the door. Ozzy turned back to Marilyn and pointed out the door with a smile and shouted out to his friend.
“Jessie!” Ozzy yelled, meaning to step outside.
“There’s a bomb!” shouted one of the security guards.
“No!” the girl he’d yelled out to screamed at him as a rumble shook the building.
Marilyn’s eyes widened as his eyes fell on the girl. There was an explosion of rubble and dust, and, in the middle of it all was… “Jessie?!”
***
Time stopped. There was a loud bang, rubble flew in every direction. Jessie grasped the railing that was still attached, grabbing Jessica as she fell, a pained groan escaping her as their momentum stopped suddenly and she took both her own weight, and Jessica’s.
She heard both girls scream, so she knew Magenta hadn’t fallen off the balcony…yet. She groaned as Jessica struggled. “Stop moving…please!” she looked down at the terrified girl, trying to remain calm herself as they dangled off the edge of an exploded sixth-story balcony rail. “Okay…it’s okay, I’ve got you…I…I need you to try and stay calm, okay? That way, we won’t die.” Or, at least, they’d last a bit longer. Jessie looked up towards the door that had once led onto the balcony, several faces were leaning over the side. She saw her friends, Twiggy and Zim; and she saw Ozzy. They could make that climb…if they were careful. Jessie began to hatch her own ‘self-rescue’ plan. She looked down at Jessica, holding onto her hand for dear life. “Okay, Jess…Jess! I need you to focus for a moment, okay?” Jessica nodded, so Jessie continued. “Okay…good. I need you wrap your arms around my waist as tight as you can.”
“What are you going to do?” Jessica asked, quite rightly too.
“I’m just going to lift us both up a bit higher so you can reach the railing too, okay?” Jessie explained calmly, half smiling. “Sound good?” Jessica nodded vigorously, and Jessie looked up. She helped Jessica to climb and wrap her arms and legs around her, and began to lift them both, one railing bar at a time, towards the door. When Jessica was level with the railings, Jessie helped her to grab a hold. She looked up towards the door, “I’m getting her to climb up to you! If you could grab her and pull her up when you can, we’d be much obliged.” She received shouts from above and helped Jessica climb up.
Just as she was pulled over the edge to safety, the collapsing balcony groaned and shuddered again, a significant chunk of it falling with a deafening crash to the ground below. Jessie heard Magenta’s petrified scream and looked down. Hanging onto a piece of rail that was about to give way, was Magenta. Jessie looked up at the guys, yelling at her to climb up to them, and then began to slide, carefully and steadily, down what little floor to the balcony was left towards Magenta.
“I’m coming!” Jessie called down to her, a cry of her own escaping her as the balcony remains shuddered again. She slid down, lying on her stomach, and reached out towards Magenta. “Grab on!”
Magenta’s hand came up to take Jessie’s. Her hand slipped and she fell back, grabbing onto the railing she’d been clinging to before, eyes tight shut. “I can’t!”
“Come on!” Jessie would have rolled her eyes if both their lives weren’t in danger. “If you don’t take my hand now…you will die!” she gave Magenta a reassuring look and reached out to her again. Magenta took Jessie’s hand just as the railing gave way. Jessie pulled her up next to her, dragging her back up along the crumbling balcony towards the door.
The balcony frame groaned again as Magenta was pulled up over the edge, and to safety, and Jessie looked down, feeling the balcony finally give way completely. Her eyes shut and she screamed. Her fall was cut short however. Someone had caught a hold of her arm. She looked up to see her saviour…it was the person everyone here wanted to see…it was Marilyn Manson.
***
“Here we go.” Marilyn grunted as he pulled Ozzy’s friend to safety, looking back over the edge to see the balcony, now in pieces, six floors down, on the ground below. He shook his head at the girls stupidity in saving the other girl. Marilyn turned to look at her again. She was shaking, her head in her hands. “You okay?”
She laughed nervously. “I’ll be right...” he looked at her curiously as her arms wrapped about herself and her head leant back against the wall.
“You’re lucky Marilyn caught you, you stupid, brave girl.” Ozzy scolded her as he knelt in front of her. “Otherwise…”
“It would have been a short drop and sudden stop…” he felt for her as she shuddered, nodding, not looking at anyone. “Goodnight Jessie…” she sighed, her eyes closing. “At least no one was hurt…” she opened her eyes again, anxious. “Right?”
“No one was hurt, no.” Ozzy placed a hand on her knee reassuringly. “And you saved the only two that could’ve died…you try getting rid of the press after this little stunt.” He paused, “They won’t leave you alone now.”
She gave Ozzy a cheeky smile as she laughed. “Just let them try.” She looked at Marilyn. “By the way…thank you…for saving my life.”
Marilyn shrugged as Ozzy spoke again. “Yes, purely by chance, the man I wanted to introduce you to… saved you.”
Marilyn looked at Ozzy, then at the girl. This was the friend he wanted him to meet? This girl who looked exactly like… “Jessie Talon?”
She smiled at him. The same smile his Jessie had always smiled at him. “That’s me!” she replied, mock enthusiastic.
“Her band was discovered much the same way you were Marilyn.” Ozzy smiled and gave Jessie’s head an affectionate tap. “Nothing Records found her…six hit singles and one phenomenal album later…and here we are.”
Marilyn watched Jessie, not believing his eyes as she shook her head. “I can’t live up to anything you say about me, Ozzy. You made me sound…awesome!”
“You are!” Ozzy grinned. “You’re-”
“Extraordinary.” Marilyn stated blankly, his mind half in the past…remembering the last time he’d seen her alive…
“That’s how I wold describe you.” Marilyn snapped back to the present. She was smiling sadly. “Not how I would describe me.”
“The Gods of Hard Rock and Pop Rock.” Ozzy raised an eyebrow at Marilyn. Perhaps he was looking at Jessie a little too much.
“No, we can’t both be Gods…” he looked at Jessie as she smirked at him. “Otherwise it would turn into a case of God eat God.”
He watched with wide eyes as she stood and, shakily, made her way over to the two girls she’d saved and listened to her making sure they were alright. This was impossible…but she was right in front of him! Yet, as he watched the two girls thank her, she turned back to look at him. As she smiled her beautiful, shy smile of hers, Marilyn thought to himself ‘Maybe there is a God…’
___________________________________________
Dun Dun Daaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Hey again guys! As promised, sequel to 'Coma White'. Let's see if I can't make this one end a little more cheerfully. Hmm?? ;)