I was sleeping when it happened.
I heard singing so bad I was sure my ears were bleeding.
Ok, so maybe I didn't wake up like that. It was more like it was raining so hard that the sound of the rain hitting my window sounded like gunshots, which woke me up, and then I heard loud, horrible singing.
I groaned and pulled the pillow out from under my head and put it over my head. Unfortunately, though, it didn't work, as I could still hear the singing. I groaned again, but got up out of bed instead, deciding I would go punch the crap out of whoever was trying to deafen me.
The noise was coming from downstairs, so I could safely assume that whoever was trying to sing was in the living room. As I got closer and closer to the source of the so-called "singing", I realized it was a woman who was singing. I stepped off the last stair and put my fingers in my ears.
"God, who's singing?! It's freaking horrible! Whoever it is stop!" I yelled, so loud that I could've sworn I heard an echo even with my fingers in my ears. I turned to find my Flock and Ella standing around something that looked suspiciously like a karaoke machine. All of them turned and stared at me.
Including Mom, who was standing in the middle of everyone.
Holding the microphone.
Oh, wow, I thought.
Mom looked really, really mad. I pulled my fingers out of my ears and just stood there, not knowing what to do or say. "I, uh, I mean, I uh-" "I know I'm not the greatest singer out there, Max," Mom cut in. "But I didn't know I was that bad." I gulped, not knowing what to say.
Mom handed the microphone to Ella, saying, "I'm gonna go. I have, uh, things to do…" She smoothed down her shirt and walked away, going to her study.
"Nice, Max. That was great," Ella said, sarcasm dripping her voice. I looked wide-eyed at them all. "What?!" I asked. "I didn't know it was Mom! I woke up to horrible singing; I thought it was one of you guys!" Ella raised her eyebrows at me. "Right, whatever." I just stood there awkwardly for a moment, then I turned to go back to bed, when Ella's voice stopped me.
"Wait, Max, now you have to sing!"
I turned around on my heels, facing them. "No." I said firmly. "Yes," Ella said, looking determined. "Mom was singing, but since you interrupted her, you have to take her place now." "Uh, no." I said, turning again and climbing up the stairs. "Yes, Max, you have to!" Ella yelled. I just ignored her and kept on climbing.
And then I felt it: that weird, tugging sensation you get when a certain someone is mind controlling you and forces you to walk back down the stairs and go to where they all stood.
"Angel," I said through my teeth. She smiled angelically at me, but I knew better. "Stop controlling me now, or you won't get to see another one of your barbies again. Ever." Angel's eyes widened, and I immediately felt the strained, tugged feeling go away. I smiled at her. "Good girl. Now, I'll be leaving." I tried to turn around, but Ella caught my wrist. "No, Max," she said, sounding more menacing than usual. "You have to sing now."
I tried to pull away, but surprisingly, her grip was incredibly strong. "You have to, Max. There is no escape from this," she said again, sounding very dark and evil. I burst out laughing. "You've got to be kidding me, right?" Ella shook her head no, staring at me intently. "Now are you gonna do it, or are we just gonna have to force you to do it?" Iggy asked, sounding bored. "Just get it over with, Max. If Ella doesn't have her way, then you'll end up regretting not doing what she wanted you to do," Fang said, sounding like he could care less.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, not fully understanding what he meant when he said I should let Ella have her way. Fang turned to me, looking really scared. "Trust me, you don't want to know." Ella smiled sweetly at him, and Fang visibly cringed. Oh, jeez, I thought, realizing my situation was worse than previously thought.
"Fine, I'll do it," I said, not wanting Ella to do something horrible to me. "Finally!" Iggy moaned. Ella smiled at me. "Great," she said, handing me the microphone. I looked down at it, the very thing which will earn me the ridicule of everyone here.
What have I gotten myself into?