Blind Mag stood front and center on the stage of the Sanitarium Square Opera House. The auditorium was void of people; Mag was rehearsing. There was a benefit concert tomorrow night and the soprano was an obvious choice to have as the main attraction. There would be other bands, but it was Mag almost everyone would come to see. She was practicing a new song she'd composed and Rotti had approved of. It was a song of broken hearts and imprisonment of a fradulant love. But Mag was unaware that she had an audience.
"Your unfeeling heart imprisons me.
Careless eyes too blind to see.
Empty words, an iron cage.
Broken heart, bleeding rage."
Nathan Wallace stood in the shadows in the back of the auditorium. His eyes stared at the brunette young woman onstage. Her voice was clear as a bell. He felt so broken; they'd fought the day before and it resulted in her walking out on him. Mag was the love of his life. She'd stolen his heart when she was 19 and they started dating after her eye surgery. But the fight had been terrible. Mag felt like Nathan was just dating her to keep up some sort of appearance. She felt trapped and told him so. When Nathan heard her start her new song, his heart wrenched.
It was the night of the concert. Mag was dressed in a long white gown with red trim. Her black/brown hair had been twisted into elegant messy curls that hung to her waist. Mag's pale shoulders and collar had been decorated with shimmering glitter. Her digital eyes scanned the audience as she peeked behind the curtain. She had a deep feeling that Nathan would be in the audience as he never missed one of her shows. A voice stated, "You're on in five, Ms. DeFoe." Mag nodded at the stage hand and prepared to ascend the stairs leading up to her prop. She heard the band finish its encore song and the audience bursting into applause. She drew on the long, black velvet cloak, making sure to cover her dress. Mag stepped into the large iron cage. A voice announced, "And now the Voice of GeneCo, Blind Mag."
A haunting melody filled the auditorium as the curtain rose. The large cage descended to the stage floor. Mag hung her head to disguise her face, even though the audience knew who it was. She started the song just before the cage touched the floor. Mag flung off her cloak and continued her song.
"Can't wait for you and me.
It's time I break free."
Nathan, who was sitting front and center, widened his eyes. The words Mag sang was like a knife continuously stabbing him in the heart. Just hearing her sing it last night had been hard enough, but hearing her sing it tonight was similar to her telling everyone in the room what had happened.
"Trap of love. Snared by desire.
Trap of love. Burned by your fire.
Trap of love. Snared by desire.
Trap of love. Beware the trap of love."
Nate squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He had no idea he made Mag feel that way. The guilt started in, tearing at his heart. He needed to leave, but the song held him in place. She may have only been singing for a year and a half, but the young woman had talent. His hard was slowly shattering.
"Let me be, it's time we part.
Set me free, uncage my heart.
Can't wait for you and me.
It's time for you two see."
Tears slipped down Mag's cheeks as she delivered the final chorus. She retreated backward and picked up the cloak from the floor. She placed it back on her shoulders and drew the hood again. The cage door slid back down and she ascended into the air. The audience burst into tears, cheers and applause sans Nathan Wallace. As the audience rose, he escaped through them and exited the building. He hurried around to the back and snuck inside. He located Mag's dressing room and quietly pushed open the door. He found the singer sitting at her vanity, sobbing quietly.
"Maggie," Nathan whispered quietly.
The woman didn't acknowledge him. She took a deep breath and raised her head to meet Nathan's gaze in the reflection. She shook her head.
"Nate. Why? Why won't you tell me that you love me?" Mag asked in a whisper. "I-" Nate began. Mag cut him off.
"Don't. But…beware the trap of love…."