It was a sight that sent Beary transfixed, his favorite band back together getting ready for the show after 11 years of being broke up. The Bears where tuning their instruments back stage, while Beary sat by watching. He stood up and said "Good luck you guys." And was about to walk off. "Hey, where are you going?" Tennessee asked. "To sit in the Audience." Beary said. "Well that's a weird place for a Country to sit during a Country Bears concert." Ted said. "Yeah, yeah, you're one of us now" Tennessee said as he held out Beary's guitar. Beary was speechless, his heart exploded with joy. He looked up to the Bears, and ted read the expression on his face. "Welcome aboard kid." Ted said with a smile on his face. 'A-am I hearing right! Is this REALLY happening! Am I DREAMING!' Beary thought as he stood there with is mouth wide open. Beary snapped out of his trance and swiped his guitar out of Tennessee's paws. He shouted "YES! YES! YES! I'M A COUNTRY BEAR!" The Bears laughed as they saw their little buddy dance around happily. Ted said "Alright, show time!" Beary stopped dancing and went with the Bears to the stage. This had to be the BEST Day of his life.
The girl (who is actually Reed's teenage daughter Ashley) watched from under the main stage as the audience cheered. Finally Henry stepped to the microphone. "Well folks, here's the good news. The count is in, AND WE SAVED COUNTRY BEAR HALL!" The audience gave a thunderous applause, while Ashley sighed. Henry enthusiastically waved his hat around, and laughed with glee. "Hear we go. Bears. Bears. Bears." Henry started chanting, as did the audience. The chanting did not help with Ashley's tension. Her father forced her to be a part of his 'backup plan' to sabotage the concert, by threatening to kick her out of the house. 'How could my own dad force me to do his bidding!' she thought to herself. Even though he wasn't much of a father, he was the only thing she had. And without him, she had nothing.
She ducked down as a hand jerked her back under the stage. "what?" she said with angry nervousness, the person who with her was her boyfriend Troy, who agreed to help her with this job. "You listen to me. I want you to know what you're getting into. Pull that string hard. And when you do and feel that bucket go, run. You don't stick around to hear the screams or anything. This is criminal assault, They'll throw you in jail and throw the key over their shoulder. When that bucket goes, I'm going to run. And I'll hop in my car and drive away. If you aren't there, I'll leave you. And if you spill the beans, I'll kill you. Do you understand?" "Yes." she said as she glared at him with eyes full of rage. He lets go of her arm, and a unwilling shadow-grin touched his face. "Okay."
"Show time."
Ashley stuck her head out from the stage again and gazed up.
High in the rafters, a bucket with rope tied to its handle swung and dangled high above the stage.
In the bucket was a crimson liquid everyone knows.
BLOOD.
