Goldnote gave me the okay to post this. If there's a positive response I'll finish out the episode. Give me your thoughts.
(This would be Chapter 50 of the Hearts of Glass story by Goldnote)
Thomas sent his irritation towards the snares through his whistle for the sixth time. From the ladder he could see the effects the heat was having on the band. Guys were losing focus as tempers rose with the heat. Missed steps, rushing and dragging were happening all at the same time, leaving Thomas no choice but to stop the band again.
"Snares, what were you thinking? That rushing was going to help us pull back together?!" Thomas yelled, pointing the bullhorn directly at Andrew. The heat was affecting him too, and his usually professional attitude.
"Maybe if we were under better direction," Andrew said loud enough to reach Thomas's ear.
"Did you have an answer to my question, Andrew?"
"Yeah Thomas," Andrew raised his voice for the whole band to hear, "if you were a better director we wouldn't be rushing or off-step." There was a long silence on the field, during which Jon stole another glances at Laura to make sure she hadn't fainted yet. Laura was the only one left with a shirt on (for obvious reasons) she was not okay. Muscles throbbed and whined as she tried to regain herself. Thomas eventually stated his reply, bringing everyone back together.
"Laps. Now." Andrew moved to take off his carrier, "I don't recall telling you to remove your drum," Thomas spoke like ice. Andrew followed orders and began his unnumbered laps. "Measure 34, again," Thomas continued.
Supper came and an exhausted and terribly sunburnt Laura lumbered into the dining hall. She was too tired even to chew. Jon tried to convince her, but the thought of food simply disgusted her. Although she knew she hadn't eaten anything all day and that there was more practice to come, Laura merely pushed her food around on her plate. She felt awful. I can't break down at the supper table, I'm a boy now. Strong, boys are strong. And they don't cry over a silly marching practice. . . how will I ever make it through the week? The summer?
Another four hours of marching left Laura nearly sleep walking to her room. Jon had invited her to play poker with the trumpets, but she beelined it to bed, not noticing anything but the ground directly in front of her. She didn't bother turning the lights and therefore didn't notice the figure waiting for her in the dark.
"I knew you'd be hitting the hay early, Princess," a menacing voice sneered at Laura. His special emphasis on Princess lead her to believe this was not the mystery last roommate, but a problem. Breathing heavily, due to her tired, racing heart, she paused for only a moment before turning back toward the door. But the problem was quick to react, grabbing her from behind. "I thought you and I'd teach Thomas a lesson tonight. Doesn't that sound like fun?"
Andrew spoke matter-of-factly, as if the three of them were going to sit down and play board games and eat snacks. Panicked, Laura knew she had no chance of freeing herself after a full days marching with no food. Surrendering to the snare player, Laura went limp in his grasp. "Oh, too tired to struggle Princess? All that marching was hard for a girl, wasn't it?" He pushed her to the floor and pulled out roll duct tape and began liberally binding her wrists and ankles.
"Andrew, please" Laura pleaded, her salty cheek rubbing against the tile as he roughly applied more tape above and below her knees. "Why are you doing this?"
"I can't have you running off on me, Princess Laura. Then your boyfriend wouldn't have any reason to come visit me tonight." Andrew flipped Laura onto her back and ripped off another piece of duct tape as she gained some steam.
"We are NOT dating you-mmmph!" He didn't get to find out what he was, because he plastered that piece to her mouth. And just out of spite he applied a second strip on top of the first.
"Let's go Princess, Thomas could be back here any minute and that'd ruin our fun." Andrew picked Laura up and tossed her over his shoulder. After a quick peak to see the hall was empty he headed down the back stairwell and out towards the fieldhouse.
"Man, I'm ready to hit the hay after today's rehearsal," Chris yawned to Jon as they arrived back from their poker game.
"Ya, it's time for some well earned shut-eye just like Laura here," Jon motioned to Laura's empty bunk. "Huh, she must have gone to shower off," he shrugged. The two continued chatting about the tough practice while they changed. Minutes later the lights were off again and a chorus of snores filled the room.
Equally tired and sunburnt, Thomas entered the room. He kept the lights out so as not to disturb the choir. Preoccupied with thoughts of the day and late because of his meeting with Jake, threw down his giant folder of marchingness and sighed audibly. Tomorrow was forecasted to be warmer and Thomas couldn't afford to lose his temper on Andrew, or anyone again. Feeling his mattress for his pajama pants, he ran across a small piece of paper. Not recalling what it could be, he flipped open his cell phone and used the faint light to read the follow message.
Be a knight and come rescue your princess from the dragon in the fieldhouse.
Thomas read the note three more times before turning the light toward Laura's bed. The glow was faint, but there was enough there to show it was empty. Then he gazed out the window, where, in the moonlight, he could see the fieldhouse. He realized all at once how smart Andrew was. Thomas hadn't allowed himself to believe that Laura was more than just the fourth soprano to him. That Laura was his weakness.
"He wouldn't dare," he breathed with the ice voice again. Clinching the note in his fist, he imagined with no end what Andrew was capable of. If he could actually. . .If he. . .
Not bothering to wake Chris or Jon, Thomas dashed out of the room. Moments later his tall figure could be seen through their dorm window, running toward the fieldhouse.
