Ghastly Familiar
By BeckyLynnetteCohen
Disclaimer: I own Anna Maria, Samantha, Jean Claude, Sydney, and Savannah. That is it.
Chapter 12: Night Club of Doom
Anna Maria walked downstairs in her little black dress. Her parents were out for the evening and Anna Maria was in the house all alone. She carefully walked through the hall way, her heels clacking as they hit the floor.
"Anna." said a voice at the top of the stairs.
"Erik, I'm going to this."
"I know.... You look beautiful..."
Anna Maria looked at Erik. "Um... thanks."
"Have fun tonight." said Erik.
"Erik, is something wrong?" said Anna Maria.
"No, I guess I'm just tired of being lonely all the time."
"You're human now. You can go out." said Anna Maria. "Find someone that's better than Christine."
'I have. And she's standing in a little black dress in front of me.' thought Erik. To Anna Maria, though, he just smiled.
"Yes, human... but I also have the face of a monster."
"Will you stop with the face? It's not that bad Erik!!!" said Anna Maria.
"Yes it is! Anna, I went 7 years being called 'The Devil's Child.' I don't think people's mentality has changed much since my days at the gypsy circus." said Erik.
"Whatever, Erik. I've got to get going." said Anna Maria, bolting out of the house as fast as she could.
Erik stood at the top of the stairs for a few minutes before attempting to leave the house himself. He got halfway off of the porch and was pulled back through the house. 'Anna, use your head. I can't save you.' thought Erik.
Anna Maria reached the nightclub she had chosen and met Ryan out front. Giving him a forced smile, she took his outstretched arm and walked into the nightclub.
"Ryan, what is this?" said Anna Maria.
"Welcome to Parisian nightclubs." said Ryan, shoving Anna Maria against a wall.
Anna Maria could smell the alcohol on Ryan's breath as he ground against her small frame, nearly tearing her apart. Looking around the nightclub while trying not to scream out in pain, Anna Maria found the security guards moving towards Ryan. 'Thank you God.'
"Sir, if you are going to perform such a heinous act do it with someone who wants it done to them." said a taller security guard with a thick persian accent.
"She loves it." slurred Ryan.
"No she doesn't." Anna Maria said.
"Oh, come on, babe." Ryan slurred.
"I think you've had too much pal." said the shorter more muscular security guard, escorting Ryan out.
"You're name's Anna Maria Noveux, am I correct?" said the tall security guard.
"Yes. How do you know me?" said Anna Maria.
"A man named Erik called me. I'm Nadir. Nadir Khan."
"N-nadir?!"
"He explained everything and a little more. Why are you here with someone who raped you?"
"I was attempting to get Erik jealous." Anna Maria said, sheepishly.
"You like him?" said Nadir.
"Yes... a little." said Anna Maria.
"I'd say he was jealous.... He was all but screaming at me over the phone. Erik's an old friend of mine." said Nadir.
Anna Maria chuckled. "He told you about the books then?"
"Yes... he told me to bring you home as soon as I found you and kicked Ryan out. Is that what you wish me to do?" said Nadir.
"Sure." said Anna Maria.
Nadir nodded to the other security guard and he nodded back. Nadir then rushed Anna Maria out of the nightclub and into the front seat of a police car. Anna Maria buckled her seatbelt and looked towards Nadir.
"You're wondering how I'm still alive aren't you?" said Nadir.
"A bit." said Anna Maria.
"Erik's thing is singing. Mine is protection of the little guy." said Nadir.
"So as long as there is crime, you'll be alive?" said Anna Maria.
"In a way yes. As long as there is a police force, I will be alive." said Nadir.
"That's kinda neat." said Anna Maria.
"Erik tells me that you helped him go back to being human." said Nadir.
"I tried." said Anna Maria. "We were up until 3am singing last night."
"Do you know if he has his heart yet?" said Nadir.
"How am I supposed to know that?" said Anna Maria.
"He hasn't told you how he felt yet?" said Nadir.
"No..." said Anna Maria.
"Have him sing with you again tonight. Trust me." said Nadir.
"Ok." said Anna Maria, raising an eyebrow.
"And we are here." said Nadir.
"Thank you, Mr. Khan." said Anna Maria.
"Please, call me Nadir." said Nadir.
"Have a good night, Nadir." said Anna Maria.
"Likewise Anna Maria." said Nadir, as he drove off.
Anna Maria walked in the house and looked around. Sydney and Savannah weren't home yet and she half expected Erik to be at the top of the stairs still. She sighed and threw her keys on the kitchen table before turning and walking to her room.
"Are you ok?" said Erik, standing right outside the music room.
"Yeah, Nadir found me." said Anna Maria. "He's a really nice guy."
"Yes. Well, I'm glad your home safely." said Erik, turning to go back into the music room.
"Wait. Erik, do you want to sing with me again tonight?" said Anna Maria.
"Yes... Yes definitely." said Erik, a slight smile on his lips.
"Ok, I have the perfect warm up song for us." said Anna Maria, running into her room with Erik at her heels.
Finding the CD and popping it in to the CD player. Anna Maria kicked off her heels, handed Erik the sheet music she was looking at earlier and pushed play.
ANNA MARIA:
I've been living
with a shadow over head
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my
bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just
can't seem to move on
ERIK:
I've been hiding all my hopes and
dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again someday
I've
been setting aside time,to clear a little space in the corners of my
mind
BOTH:
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I
can't make it through without a way back into love
ohhh
ANNA
MARIA:
I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
Ive
been searching but I just dont see the signs
I know that its out
there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere
ERIK:
I've
been looking for someone to shed some light
Not just somebody to
get me through the night
I could use some direction, and I'm open
to your suggestions
BOTH:
All I want to do is find a way back
into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
and
If I open my heart again
I guess Im hoping you'll be there for me
in the end
ANNA MARIA:
There are moments when I dont know if
it's real
or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need
inspiration, not just another negotiation
BOTH:
All I want to
do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a
way back into love
and If I open my heart to you
Im hoping
you'll show me what to do
and if you help me to start again
you
know that I'll be there for you in the end.
Erik smiled. "You know that song kinda fits us."
"How so?" said Anna Maria, going through her CDs again.
"We both are trying to find someone to love us."
Anna Maria stopped. "Yeah, I guess we are."
"Do you mind if I choose a song?" said Erik.
"Go for it." said Anna Maria.
"I was kinda invading your privacy a bit earlier and I found a song that I kinda liked on one of your CDs." said Erik.
"Hey, that's fine. I don't mind that." said Anna Maria.
"It's on this one." said Erik, handing a CD case to Anna Maria.
"Beauty and the Beast? Really?" said Anna Maria
"Um... yes. This song." said Erik, reaching around her and pointing to the number.
"'If I Can't Love Her?' Awesome choice. I love that song. You want to sing it right?" said Anna Maria.
"If I could." said Erik.
"Go for it!" said Anna Maria.
And in my twisted face
There's
not the slightest trace
Of anything that even hints of
kindness
And from my tortured shape
No comfort, no escape
I
see, but deep within is utter blindness
Hopeless
As my dream
dies
As the time flies
Love a lost
illusion
Helpless
Unforgiven
Cold and driven
To this sad
conclusion
No beauty could move me
No goodness improve me
No
power on earth, if I can't love her
No passion could reach me
No
lesson could teach me
How I could have love her and made her love
me too
If I can't love her, then who?
Long ago I should have
seen
All the things I could have been
Careless and unthinking,
I moved onward
No pain could be deeper
No life could be
cheaper
No point anymore, if I can't love her
No spirit could
win me
No hope left within me
Hope I could have loved her and
that she'd set me free
But it's not to be
If I can't love
her
Let the world be done with me.
"When you sing that, it's so much better." said Anna Maria, smiling at Erik.
Erik blushed a little. "Thank you, Anna."
"You can pick another one if you would like." said Anna Maria.
"No, you choose this one. I'll choose the next one." said Erik with a smile.
"Ok, I'll probably sing this again before I leave in August but...."
"You're leaving in August? Why?"
"Um... School. Going back to the states to finish my Music Education degree."
"Music Education?"
"I wanna be a Music teacher."
"Ah..." said Erik, sadness filling his eyes at the thought of Anna Maria leaving.
"Anyway, here's the song."
Quando sono solasogno all'orizzonte
e mancan le parole,
si lo so che non c'è luce
in una stanza quando manca il sole,
se non ci sei tu con me, con me.
Su le finestre
mostra a tutti il mio cuore
che hai accesso,
chiudi dentro me
la luce che
hai incontrato per strada. Time to say goodbye. -- Con te partirò.
Paesi che non ho mai
veduto e vissuto con te,
adesso sì li vivrò.
Con te partirò
su navi per mari
che, io lo so,
no, no, non esistono più,
it's time to say goodbye. -- con te io li vivrò. Quando sei lontana
sogno all'orizzonte
e mancan le parole,
e io si lo so
che sei con me, con me,
tu mia luna tu sei qui con me,
mio sole tu sei qui con me,
con me, con me, con me. Time to say goodbye. -- Con te partirò.
Paesi che non ho mai
veduto e vissuto con te,
adesso sì li vivrò.
Con te partirò
su navi per mari
che, io lo so,
no, no, non esistono più, con te io li rivivrò.
Con te partirò
su navi per mari
che, io lo so,
no, no, non esistono più,
con te io li rivivrò.
Con te partirò Io con te.
"Told you... I hate music education." said Anna Maria, quietly. "7 years of choir and I'm not good enough to sing psudo opera."
"Anna, that was beautiful. Don't think that you aren't good... or beautiful at that." said Erik.
"Erik..." said Anna Maria.
"I'm being serious. I wouldn't have sent Nadir after you if I didn't care about your well being. Or if I thought you weren't worth saving. Anna, what I'm trying to say is that I really enjoy being around you." said Erik.
Anna Maria smiled. "Thanks Erik. I needed that after dealing with Ryan. It irks me a bit that he took advantage of my friendship with him when he knew that he was the only friend I really had."
Anna Maria turned her head away from Erik because she felt herself starting to cry. Sniffling a little, she composed herself shortly after and looked Erik dead in the eye.
"Would you consider us friends or just acquaintances?" said Anna Maria.
"Definitely friends." said Erik.
"Ok, I need to laugh... um... let's see..." said Anna Maria, going back through her music.
"I got one. It's not exactly funny, but it's a song." said Erik.
"Alright. Go for it, Erik." said Anna Maria.
"You sure you're ok?" said Erik.
"Yeah... I think." said Anna Maria.
"I can give you a minute if you need it...." said Erik.
"Nah, I'm good." said Anna Maria.
Erik got up from where he was seated on the bed and cupped Anna Maria's face in his hands. "You are amazing. Do I need to say it again?"
Anna Maria smiled and gave Erik a slight chuckle. "Thank you, Erik."
"Your welcome." said Erik.
Anna Maria hugged Erik tightly. Erik's eyes widened a bit but he hugged back soon after.
"God, I feel so short." said Anna Maria.
"I am 6'1" Anna."
Anna Maria laughed.
"Ok, song time. Um... where the hell is it...." said Erik, Sitting on Anna Maria's bed and flipping through her CD's again.
"What you lookin' at?" said Anna Maria, hopping up alongside Erik on the bed.
"Um... Hunchback of Notre Dame. It sounds French."
"Yeah, that's cuz it's a Cathedral in France!" said Anna Maria. "One which I really want to see one of these days."
"Heh. I would take you if I could." said Erik, sadly.
"You tried going outside?" asked Anna Maria.
"Yes. And failed miserably." said Erik.
"Damn. I would rather you take me to Notre Dame than my parents." said Anna Maria.
Erik laughed.
"I'd suggest for a song, either "Out There" or "Hellfire" by the sound of your voice that I've heard."
"Getting professional?"
"Oh dammit! I'm doing it again."
Erik laughed. "It's fine. I'll do "Out There.""
"Good choice." said Anna Maria, hopping off the bed with the CD, popping it in and pushing play.
Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone
Gazing at the people down below me
All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone
Hungry for the histories they show me
All my life I memorize their faces
Knowing them as they will never know me
All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day
Not above them
But part of them
And out there
Living in the sun
Give me one day out there
All I ask is one
To hold forever
Out there
Where they all live unaware
What I'd give
What I'd dare
Just to live one day out there
Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives
Through the roofs and gables I can see them
Ev'ry day they shout and scold and go about their lives
Heedless of the gift it is to be them
If I was in their skin
I'd treasure ev'ry instant
Out there
Strolling by the Seine
Taste a morning out there
Like ordinary men
Who freely walk about there
Just one day and then
I swear I'll be content
With my share
Won't resent
Won't despair
Old and bent
I won't care
I'll have spent
One day
Out there
"Not bad." said Anna Maria, who had rejoined Erik on the bed.
"I didn't think I was gonna be able to hold that last note." said Erik, flopping back on the bed.
"But you did." said Anna Maria, laughing.
"Yes, yes I did." said Erik.
The two friends sang songs into the wee hours of the morning.
