1 Reviewers rock my world!!!!! LOL
2
3 Snow White And The 7 Spooky Kids
It all started after she, Snow White, joined the band. But it wasn't really the beginning. I guess I'll begin there.
None of us runaway street punks had real names, like Todd, or Matthew, for example.
We choose our own odd names that would set us apart. It was our way of being different, unique. It was also a good way to give the finger to society. We were The 7 Spooky Kids, one of the top underground New York City rave bands.
One gunshot ended it all. Our front man, Chase, ended his life on the eve of Halloween. Then it was chaos.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Maybe I'm too being vague, or skipping around too much. I started writing this to sort out what has happened to my friends and me. You know, the others in the band. I know I'm probably not the right one to write this, I've never been to good with words, Talyn always did that. Again, from the beginning... Maybe I should tell you about The 7 Spooky Kids.
Ragnor, the bassist, is the moodiest of us all, and we often have him talk to the pesky major record label recruiters to scare them off.
Cloven, the guitarist is the hippie of us. So quiet and thoughtful, it's still surprising to everyone that he became best friends with Ragnor. He's also the youngest, which makes him the most likely to be teased.
Our manager, Nicholas, is the one who sets all of our gigs. I don't think he's ever known what it's like to not be the boss, or not be in control. He's also the "Old man," a joke among us band members. He's the oldest of us all, 24, while the rest of us are still in our late teen years.
Talyn, the lyricist, is often seen chewing menacingly on the end of his pencil; he has some deep, inner hatred towards pens. I think it's because they don't have erasers. He calls his writing talent "the muse", and even at restaurants he would be busy writing away into a napkin. He has a bit of a dare devil streak.
Quinn, Talyn's twin, is our music writer. He always can be found, humming tunes, tapping his fingers to make out music rhythms or arguing with Talyn. He's also a skateboarder and he has a hard time remembering stuff.
Chase had been the late singer of our band. He had been the one to bring all of us misfits together and to unite us through our love of music. Now, he is gone.
It had been rainy when he was laid to rest. Almost symbolizing our feelings.
Now I guess, I should tell you who I am. My name is Hunter and I'm the drummer of The 7 Spooky Kids. I really don't know how to describe myself accurately. I guess I'm one of the weirder looking guys in the band. 3 piercings, one on the eyebrow, one on the corner of my lip, and a stud in my tongue. With bright blue hair spiked as high as I can get it, I'm often the subject of most people's blunt, and obvious staring. Nicholas sports a few tattoos, a dragon on his arm and a medieval cross on his shoulder, which in a way is blasphemy, Nicholas is as unassociated with religion as one can possibly get.
The 7 Spooky Kids had disbanded for a while after the eve of Halloween. And our New York flat, which we all lived in together, save for Nicholas, who lived with his girlfriend, became a quiet, empty place for months.
I believe it was almost 4 months after until we met her and our destinies were redirected forever….
Look I did it again! I keep on skipping ahead! Sorry! Now where was I?
Oh yes. It had been like any other day… Except Ragnor had seemed in particularly annoyed. I think he had been mad at Talyn for leaving crumbled up sheets of writing paper in his room.
Now I remember…
"You little freak! Pick all those papers up now! I want them out!" He yelled, pointing to his room, his face turning a familiar red.
"Shut up Ragnor, I'll do it in a second." Talyn reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the Sunny D. He unscrewed the cap and began to gulp it down.
"Don't do that Talyn," I said automatically.
He glared at me as he set the orange juice carton down, and then wiped his mouth with his tee shirt.
"Why is everyone on my case anyways?" He growled.
"Get your freakin' papers out of my room, or I will stab your eyes out with your freakin' pencils!" Ragnor said, his squeezed fists turning white.
Talyn groaned, rolling his eyes, then slouched out of the kitchen and into Ragnor's room.
Ragnor looked at me.
"Hey dude. Where is everyone anyways? I think me, you and Talyn are the only ones home." Ragnor said.
"Well. I think Cloven's out with Nicholas; they went shopping for some new guitar strings. And Quinn should be at the city skate park."
"Cool, cool. So what's your plan tonight buddy? Hitting any raves?"
"Nah man. I think I'm just gonna stay at home and chill." I replied.
"All of us are hitting Angel Wings, even old man Nic's gonna be there."
I smirked.
"One day he's gonna beat us up for calling him that."
"He's too old for that." Ragnor replied.
We both laughed.
Later that night…
Angel Wings was packed. I had been there before, most of the time on the stage though. The unique thing about Angel Wings was that everyone wore wings. My pair was long and black. Raven wings, I mused. Rave girls were everywhere, with sheer, translucent wings and glittery faces and long, dyed hair.
I nodded to Quinn, who was in a dark corner observing the crowds of glitter people and fairy children.
Cloven was with a group of hippies, in deep conversation.
In the corner of my eye I saw Nicholas flirting with some girl, who batted her wings at him coquettishly. I wondered what Tammy, his girlfriend would think if she were here. Her blonde friend saw me looking and smiled at me in a 'come here' kind of way. She looked hurt when I ignored her.
I wished Chase were here.
Already I felt tired, I scanned the dancing crowds for Ragnor but couldn't see his head. Then I saw him being tossed upwards. Crowd surfing as the band spit out their angry speed metal.
I sighed aloud and sat down at the bar. I heard a voice from behind me.
"Anything to drink?"
I turned around. A bartender.
"Oh, no thanks."
He squinted at me.
"I've seen you here before. You one of those Spook Kids ain't ya?" He asked.
"Yep, I am. The drummer actually."
"You haven't played here in a while." He said, pouring a green haired hipster with artfully tattered neon yellow wings a tropic looking drink.
"Yeah well things haven't been to great recently." I said.
"I know the feeling." He said and smiled at me if I was an old pal.
The green haired girl sipped her drink and looked at me thoughtfully. Then a look of recognition passed through her eyes.
"Oh my God! You're the drummer for The 7 Spooky Kids! I saw you guys twice last year!"
"Thanks." I said.
"Yeah I heard about your singer too… that's so messed up. I cried when I heard about it."
"Oh." I said, I decided not to talk anymore. She frowned at me, obviously thinking I was rude. I got off my seat and I made my way through the mosh pits, angry kids with spiked fairy wings pushed and shoved. Fighting to the music. I think I hit a few of them back.
"Owww." One of them said as he banged heads with me.
"Talyn!" I said as some one pushed me.
He looked at me, confused, and we pushed ourselves out of the pit.
"We need to leave!" I shouted over the roar of the music.
"What?!" He shouted back.
"WE NEED TO LEAVE!" I screamed.
He nodded.
"Yeah cool. This place is full of posers anyways."
What seemed like an eternity later, all 6 of us were packed into Nicholas' van. We were heading home to the flat. Quinn turned the music up as loud as it went and I could feel the bass vibrating the seats.
Nicholas made a left turn and we parked across the street.
When we were inside, I inspected our open door.
"Who was the last person out?" I said.
"It was Ragnor." Talyn said.
"It wasn't me you freak, it was you." Ragnor replied, pushing Talyn's shoulder.
"Actually," Cloven said. "I think it was me. But I know I shut it, the doorknob was loose though."
Nicholas groaned.
"Did you lock it?" I asked.
Cloven looked flustered.
"Ummm, I don't know…"
"Just great!" Quinn said sarcastically. "Someone broke in and stole all my cds, I know it!"
"Your cds! What about my laptop? It has our band's complete lyrical data base in it!" Talyn said.
"Shut up!" Ragnor said. "What do we do Hunter? I can go in there and see if anyone's still there and pound their face in…"
"No Ragnor." I shook my head. "We'll go in nice and quietly and see if anyone's there and if there's anything's missing and if anything like that happens, we'll call the police."
Six heads nodded simultaneously to show agreement. And I swung the door wide open…
Everything appeared normal, and the digital clock read 12:22. Nothing looked broken into; everything was still in a light clutter the way it was when we left had left for Angel Wings.
Everyone ran into their rooms to check their stuff, while Nicholas checked the kitchen and living room.
"Nothing missing here." He declared. He opened the refrigerator.
"Man you guys need to go grocery shopping!"
"Nothing missing here!" Clovis yelled.
"Not here either." Said the twins.
"Nothing wrong here." Ragnor said.
I checked my room, and was pleased to see my drum set the same as it had been for the 4 months since Chase's death, untouched.
But beside the 2 bathrooms, there was only one room left to check, I looked out in the hallway to see my friends staring back at me, waiting by Chase's closed door.
I looked at Nicholas. He gazed back at me then opened the door.
It was dark inside, but he didn't flip the light switch. For it was light enough to see what was going on.
A beautiful brunette, with snow white skin, was sleeping on Chase's bed.
We stood in shock for a minute, and the only sound was the light breathing coming from the girl.
"Umm Miss?" Said Cloven softly, in a whisper.
Ragnor shoot him a dirty look.
"Hey!" He said loudly.
The girl awoke with a tired groan, and slowly opened her eyes. She took in all six of us slowly, and we did the same to her, studying her dirty, tear stained face and torn, ragged clothes.
"What are you doing here?" Ragnor asked, trying to sound harsh, but he only came out sympathetic sounding.
"I ran away from home." She said. "And your door was open."
We all looked at Cloven.
"It's not my fault! I told you the doorknob felt loose."
We all looked at the girl again.
I felt an odd kinship with her.
"My name is Hunter." I said handing her a tissue from Chase's desk.
She blew her nose.
"This is Cloven, Ragnor, Talyn, Nicholas, and Quinn." They each nodded and smiled at her.
"Strange names. Did your parents give you those?"
Ragnor laughed.
"My parents didn't give me anything except a kick out the door when I turned 17."
The others laughed in agreement.
"No," Clovis said smiling at her. "We all made up these names, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only true name I've ever known."
"Now what's your name?" Quinn asked.
"My name is Lau… I mean… Snow White."
"Good choice." Talyn said smiling at her.
She smiled back.
"Yes, it is isn't?"
It was then we met Snow White. She became our dearest friend and lived with us, in Chase's room. She cleaned house for us when we were away and the rest of the boys and me nicknamed her Snow.
Though try as we might, we could never get her to tell us about her past and why she had run away.
Days passed, then weeks. I was alone at home staring hatefully at my drum set. I just couldn't bring myself to touch it, much less make music with it anymore. Just looking at it depressed me.
I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the soft strum of an acoustic guitar. Someone had left the radio on I thought. I listened to the beginning of the song for a minute, the music wasn't really that good, and the tune needed a good shine. The melody tried too hard to be complex.
"The crap they have on the radio these days," I said aloud, standing up to go turn the radio off. But then I heard something. The voice. That voice.
She sang the words to the song beautifully, her voice falling on my ears like that of a Siren to Odysseus. Entranced, I opened my door and followed the sound. It led me to Snow's doorway. I paused outside of it, mesmerized. I opened the door and the music stopped abruptly.
Snow looked up at me from the bed, Chase's old acoustic guitar laid on her lap.
"Oh hello Hunter," she said. "I didn't know you were here, Quinn told me you went to the cd store."
"I didn't know you sing, Snow." I replied.
She looked embarrassed.
"It's not really singing, just, well me, fooling around on the guitar."
"It sounded like a lot more then just fooling around." I said.
"It was one of the most wonderful things I have ever heard."
She smiled brightly at me.
"Well thanks. I was having a bit of a problem with the melody though."
"Yeah, I noticed." I said, leaning against the door. "Quinn could help you with that."
"Really?"
I nodded.
"So where did you get your singing talent? Your mom?"
"Yes, I did. Although we never got the chance to sing together."
"What happened? Did she run out on your dad for someone younger? That's what happened with Ragnor's father."
She shook her head.
"She died a little after I was born. Then, when I was seven, he married someone else."
"Ugh, evil stepmother?"
"You could say that."
"So what happened?"
"It's a long story and if I told you, you'd probably think I'm completely delusional and insane."
"No I wouldn't," I crossed my fingers to show her. "I promise."
"Well, it started when I had turned 17, for my birthday, my dad got me this really great car, a jaguar convertible, and I had a really great boyfriend, Garret Prince," she smiled remembering him.
"My stepmother got pregnant and then, 4 months later she miscarried. Then my stepmother tried to talk my dad into sending me to boarding school, he refused and it was… just like… she despised me all of a sudden. She became really cruel to me when my father wasn't around. She started getting into black magic; she was always reading books about it. It was just so odd. She had just completely changed from whom my dad had married.
"Is that why you ran away?" I asked.
"No. I ran away because I got in a car accident when I was driving home from school."
"I'm confused." I said.
"Two men tried to run me off the road. I know it's weird but when I looked into the window and saw their faces, I recognized them. I know it's crazy, but I remembered when I had been eight and was at my father's wedding, and I remembered the men smiling at me when I had walked down the aisle throwing flowers. Afterwards, one of them had patted me on my head, and I just got the feeling that something wasn't right about them. So when I saw them again, 10 years later, I just knew them, I knew who they were, there wasn't an once of doubt in my mind."
"That's horrible Snow. So how did you find us?"
"Well it's a bit of coincidence. After the accident, I was too afraid to go home, I maxed out my credit card on a trip to New York City, I was afraid to go anywhere else, because I knew she would find me. New York seemed like the best place to be anonymous."
"Your right, it is. So what happened next?" I asked.
"When I got there, it was around 9. I got a taxi and I realized as I got in that I didn't have any place to go. I was thinking about a hotel, but I realized that I really didn't have enough cash on me and that if I used my credit card again my stepmother might be able to find me. So I looked at the rearview mirror and saw that the driver had stuck his ID in the frame. It had his address on it so I just told him that that was where I lived." He dropped me off in front of the flats and I went up the stairs as far as I could, then I kept on feeling like I was going to faint. So I grabbed your doorknob to steady myself, and it turned in my hands. So I collapsed on the floor, and maybe an hour later, I woke up and walked down the hallway. I didn't open any of the other doors, I don't know why, but I felt a strange connection to the very last door. I was so out of it, that I just opened it up and fell on the bed."
I couldn't say anything.
"Wow, I mean… that's like," I patted her shoulder. "I'm just so glad that you found this place."
She smiled sadly.
"Me too."
"So have you like tried to contact your dad? Or your boyfriend? Does he know your here?"
"No. I've been too afraid to talk to either of them." can take you
"You should tell the police. I'm serious. I there right now and you can tell them everything."
"Like they'd believe me." She said bitterly. "My stepmother is a high society lady. To the police, I would just be seen as another drug crazed street punk."
"Your right. Listen, I'll talk to the others, and we'll come up with something, I promise. Your safe with us."
I told the other guys that night about Snow over dinner. We all came up with a pact to help her in any way we possibly could.
I also told them that Snow was a singer.
We began practice again, this time with Snow singing Talyn's words, and the rest of us playing the music we knew best, punk rock.
And best of all, I began to love my forgotten drum set again. I began to appreciate the pounding rhythms that I could create.
Nicholas was so pleased; he started planning gigs for us again.
I took Snow everywhere, to Angel Wings with the guys, and everywhere else.
Our first show after six months was a success, and word got out on the streets again that the 7 Spooky Kids were back. Some of our most devoted fans even began calling us Snow White And The 7 spooky kids. Even though Chase was gone, everyone knew he was still a member of the band.
Everything was great, but we knew we had to help Snow White, and her evil stepmother was never far from our greatest fears.
One day she came to me in my room when I was practicing with my drums.
"Hey Hunter." She said softly.
I took one look at her and knew something was wrong.
"What happened?"
"I've just been feeling so weird lately…"
"Like what kind of weird?"
"Like something's happening. I don't know. When I'm out, I feel like someone's watching me. Or following me. I don't know."
"Do you think your stepmother knows about where you are?"
"Maybe." She shook her head. "I don't know. The weirdest thing happened yesterday, I was crossing the street and all of a sudden it was like my feet were frozen or something, I just couldn't move them. I was so panicked when I saw a car heading right for me, they stopped though, and as soon as they did my legs were unfrozen again. And then I saw a big black crow watching me. "
"We'll have to be more careful till we come up with something." I said.
Quinn came in.
"Hey guys. There's a band meeting going on in the living room, I need to talk to everyone about the melodies for Ever and a day, so come on," He said opening up the door.
"We'll talk about this later Snow." I said giving her a reassuring smile.
We walked out of them room together, following Quinn into the living room.
And that was the last time we were alone together.
The next day, everyone left for lunch. Snow didn't want to go though, she said she wasn't feeling well, and she wanted to stay home. I wanted to stay with her, but she said that she would be fine for an hour or two. And I was feeling really hungry, so I left. Besides not being there for Chase more, that was one of the things I regretted, leaving Snow there, without knowing what was going to happen.
We left for lunch and had a Chinese lunch at Chow's.
Afterwards, I was filled with this feeling, I don't know how to describe it, it was just this weird on the edge feeling, and I would've jumped at the sound of a whisper. I rushed the other guys and Nicholas droved as fast as he could. Finally after what seemed like hours of New York traffic, we finally got back to our flat. I rushed up the stairs faster then the others, already pulling out my house key. But there was no need. The door was unlocked and wide open, and the most horrible thing was lying sprawled out on the floor. Snow White holding a shiny red apple that had one bite mark. And she looked so stiff and pale, like Chase had…I slid down to the floor, my back against the wall and began to cry, my head buried in my hands. The others rushed up the stairs, when they heard me screaming. Clovis started crying too, and Nicholas called an ambulance. Everything faded around me.
3 days later I was a pallbearer.
3 days since I had smiled.
Her coffin was beautiful, glass with fairies and angels caved all over it.
The others wore suits, the same ones they had worn for Chase's funeral.
But there was someone there I had never seen before. A tall guy with light brown hair. He wasn't a punk, and he wasn't wearing a suit.
I walked over to him. Did he know Snow?
"Hello. Were you good friends with Snow?" I asked.
"Snow? Snow White? How do you know that name?"
I looked at him.
He peered at the coffin, trying to see into its smooth glass.
"Is it her?" He asked. I could see that he had started to cry.
"What are you talking about?" I said blankly.
"I've been looking for Snow White for months. Her father is worried sick about her. Her credit card bill lead me here. I've been staying at a hotel for weeks now, looking, searching. I've gone everywhere I could, finally I got a lead at a rave club, a bartender there told me she'd seen her with this punk rock band, The 7 Spooky Kids. I met some of their fans and they told me she had died." He shook his head. "I though they were lying or confused her with someone else. But I knew they weren't, I used to call Laura Snow White, as a nickname. I knew it was her. I found out where her funeral was."
"Your Garret Prince, aren't you?"
He started to cry again.
"Yes I am. I was her boyfriend."
"I'm so sorry." I said awkwardly.
"She can't be dead." He said. "It's not possible."
Before I could stop him he was touching the lid of Snow's coffin. The guys looked at me curiously from their side. I knew they wanted to know how this guy was.
Garret Prince pressed his face against the glass.
"I saw her eyes move. I know it!" He said looking at me.
I looked away. Poor guy.
Then all of a sudden he had pulled the lid off, and it fell to the floor and the glass broke into tiny, broken pieces.
"Snow White!" He screamed, pleading with her, shaking her shoulders. In the corner of my eye, I saw Ragnor looking very angry, walking over to Garret. I knew he was going to hurt him. Desperately, he kissed her lips.
"Snow White!" He said again, sobbing, hugging her body.
Ragnor grabbed him and threw him on the floor; he started punching Garret's face.
Suddenly there was a sound, different then that of the two boys struggling on the floor.
It was the sound of Snow White coughing and gagging and spiting out her bite of the apple.
She was alive.
Immediately, Garret pushed Ragnor off of him and ran forward to Snow, he talked soothingly to her, touching her hair, and we gathered around Garret and Snow, not sure whether to laugh or cry in happiness.
The next day Snow and Garret left back for Rhode Island, where her father and stepmother was. With Garret, Snow was going to tell her father everything. She promised to call the others and me as soon as she talked to him.
She called four days later. Her stepmother had been put in jail, apparently they had tracked down the two hit men and had gotten them to confess, they also gave the courts enough illegal documents for Snow White's stepmother to be in jail for a LONG time.
The apple bite that Snow White had spit out had been studied from top scientists all over the world. No conclusion could be reached, it was later said that some sort of substance had been rubbed on it. Some sort of narcotic. But no one knew what it was.
Later, almost two weeks later, Snow and Garret visited New York again. We met at Angel Wings, and Snow White took the stage with the spooky kids again and Garret watched from the audience. That night we made the decision to sign with a label. And everyone lived happily ever after. (I've always wanted to write that)
2
3 Snow White And The 7 Spooky Kids
It all started after she, Snow White, joined the band. But it wasn't really the beginning. I guess I'll begin there.
None of us runaway street punks had real names, like Todd, or Matthew, for example.
We choose our own odd names that would set us apart. It was our way of being different, unique. It was also a good way to give the finger to society. We were The 7 Spooky Kids, one of the top underground New York City rave bands.
One gunshot ended it all. Our front man, Chase, ended his life on the eve of Halloween. Then it was chaos.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Maybe I'm too being vague, or skipping around too much. I started writing this to sort out what has happened to my friends and me. You know, the others in the band. I know I'm probably not the right one to write this, I've never been to good with words, Talyn always did that. Again, from the beginning... Maybe I should tell you about The 7 Spooky Kids.
Ragnor, the bassist, is the moodiest of us all, and we often have him talk to the pesky major record label recruiters to scare them off.
Cloven, the guitarist is the hippie of us. So quiet and thoughtful, it's still surprising to everyone that he became best friends with Ragnor. He's also the youngest, which makes him the most likely to be teased.
Our manager, Nicholas, is the one who sets all of our gigs. I don't think he's ever known what it's like to not be the boss, or not be in control. He's also the "Old man," a joke among us band members. He's the oldest of us all, 24, while the rest of us are still in our late teen years.
Talyn, the lyricist, is often seen chewing menacingly on the end of his pencil; he has some deep, inner hatred towards pens. I think it's because they don't have erasers. He calls his writing talent "the muse", and even at restaurants he would be busy writing away into a napkin. He has a bit of a dare devil streak.
Quinn, Talyn's twin, is our music writer. He always can be found, humming tunes, tapping his fingers to make out music rhythms or arguing with Talyn. He's also a skateboarder and he has a hard time remembering stuff.
Chase had been the late singer of our band. He had been the one to bring all of us misfits together and to unite us through our love of music. Now, he is gone.
It had been rainy when he was laid to rest. Almost symbolizing our feelings.
Now I guess, I should tell you who I am. My name is Hunter and I'm the drummer of The 7 Spooky Kids. I really don't know how to describe myself accurately. I guess I'm one of the weirder looking guys in the band. 3 piercings, one on the eyebrow, one on the corner of my lip, and a stud in my tongue. With bright blue hair spiked as high as I can get it, I'm often the subject of most people's blunt, and obvious staring. Nicholas sports a few tattoos, a dragon on his arm and a medieval cross on his shoulder, which in a way is blasphemy, Nicholas is as unassociated with religion as one can possibly get.
The 7 Spooky Kids had disbanded for a while after the eve of Halloween. And our New York flat, which we all lived in together, save for Nicholas, who lived with his girlfriend, became a quiet, empty place for months.
I believe it was almost 4 months after until we met her and our destinies were redirected forever….
Look I did it again! I keep on skipping ahead! Sorry! Now where was I?
Oh yes. It had been like any other day… Except Ragnor had seemed in particularly annoyed. I think he had been mad at Talyn for leaving crumbled up sheets of writing paper in his room.
Now I remember…
"You little freak! Pick all those papers up now! I want them out!" He yelled, pointing to his room, his face turning a familiar red.
"Shut up Ragnor, I'll do it in a second." Talyn reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the Sunny D. He unscrewed the cap and began to gulp it down.
"Don't do that Talyn," I said automatically.
He glared at me as he set the orange juice carton down, and then wiped his mouth with his tee shirt.
"Why is everyone on my case anyways?" He growled.
"Get your freakin' papers out of my room, or I will stab your eyes out with your freakin' pencils!" Ragnor said, his squeezed fists turning white.
Talyn groaned, rolling his eyes, then slouched out of the kitchen and into Ragnor's room.
Ragnor looked at me.
"Hey dude. Where is everyone anyways? I think me, you and Talyn are the only ones home." Ragnor said.
"Well. I think Cloven's out with Nicholas; they went shopping for some new guitar strings. And Quinn should be at the city skate park."
"Cool, cool. So what's your plan tonight buddy? Hitting any raves?"
"Nah man. I think I'm just gonna stay at home and chill." I replied.
"All of us are hitting Angel Wings, even old man Nic's gonna be there."
I smirked.
"One day he's gonna beat us up for calling him that."
"He's too old for that." Ragnor replied.
We both laughed.
Later that night…
Angel Wings was packed. I had been there before, most of the time on the stage though. The unique thing about Angel Wings was that everyone wore wings. My pair was long and black. Raven wings, I mused. Rave girls were everywhere, with sheer, translucent wings and glittery faces and long, dyed hair.
I nodded to Quinn, who was in a dark corner observing the crowds of glitter people and fairy children.
Cloven was with a group of hippies, in deep conversation.
In the corner of my eye I saw Nicholas flirting with some girl, who batted her wings at him coquettishly. I wondered what Tammy, his girlfriend would think if she were here. Her blonde friend saw me looking and smiled at me in a 'come here' kind of way. She looked hurt when I ignored her.
I wished Chase were here.
Already I felt tired, I scanned the dancing crowds for Ragnor but couldn't see his head. Then I saw him being tossed upwards. Crowd surfing as the band spit out their angry speed metal.
I sighed aloud and sat down at the bar. I heard a voice from behind me.
"Anything to drink?"
I turned around. A bartender.
"Oh, no thanks."
He squinted at me.
"I've seen you here before. You one of those Spook Kids ain't ya?" He asked.
"Yep, I am. The drummer actually."
"You haven't played here in a while." He said, pouring a green haired hipster with artfully tattered neon yellow wings a tropic looking drink.
"Yeah well things haven't been to great recently." I said.
"I know the feeling." He said and smiled at me if I was an old pal.
The green haired girl sipped her drink and looked at me thoughtfully. Then a look of recognition passed through her eyes.
"Oh my God! You're the drummer for The 7 Spooky Kids! I saw you guys twice last year!"
"Thanks." I said.
"Yeah I heard about your singer too… that's so messed up. I cried when I heard about it."
"Oh." I said, I decided not to talk anymore. She frowned at me, obviously thinking I was rude. I got off my seat and I made my way through the mosh pits, angry kids with spiked fairy wings pushed and shoved. Fighting to the music. I think I hit a few of them back.
"Owww." One of them said as he banged heads with me.
"Talyn!" I said as some one pushed me.
He looked at me, confused, and we pushed ourselves out of the pit.
"We need to leave!" I shouted over the roar of the music.
"What?!" He shouted back.
"WE NEED TO LEAVE!" I screamed.
He nodded.
"Yeah cool. This place is full of posers anyways."
What seemed like an eternity later, all 6 of us were packed into Nicholas' van. We were heading home to the flat. Quinn turned the music up as loud as it went and I could feel the bass vibrating the seats.
Nicholas made a left turn and we parked across the street.
When we were inside, I inspected our open door.
"Who was the last person out?" I said.
"It was Ragnor." Talyn said.
"It wasn't me you freak, it was you." Ragnor replied, pushing Talyn's shoulder.
"Actually," Cloven said. "I think it was me. But I know I shut it, the doorknob was loose though."
Nicholas groaned.
"Did you lock it?" I asked.
Cloven looked flustered.
"Ummm, I don't know…"
"Just great!" Quinn said sarcastically. "Someone broke in and stole all my cds, I know it!"
"Your cds! What about my laptop? It has our band's complete lyrical data base in it!" Talyn said.
"Shut up!" Ragnor said. "What do we do Hunter? I can go in there and see if anyone's still there and pound their face in…"
"No Ragnor." I shook my head. "We'll go in nice and quietly and see if anyone's there and if there's anything's missing and if anything like that happens, we'll call the police."
Six heads nodded simultaneously to show agreement. And I swung the door wide open…
Everything appeared normal, and the digital clock read 12:22. Nothing looked broken into; everything was still in a light clutter the way it was when we left had left for Angel Wings.
Everyone ran into their rooms to check their stuff, while Nicholas checked the kitchen and living room.
"Nothing missing here." He declared. He opened the refrigerator.
"Man you guys need to go grocery shopping!"
"Nothing missing here!" Clovis yelled.
"Not here either." Said the twins.
"Nothing wrong here." Ragnor said.
I checked my room, and was pleased to see my drum set the same as it had been for the 4 months since Chase's death, untouched.
But beside the 2 bathrooms, there was only one room left to check, I looked out in the hallway to see my friends staring back at me, waiting by Chase's closed door.
I looked at Nicholas. He gazed back at me then opened the door.
It was dark inside, but he didn't flip the light switch. For it was light enough to see what was going on.
A beautiful brunette, with snow white skin, was sleeping on Chase's bed.
We stood in shock for a minute, and the only sound was the light breathing coming from the girl.
"Umm Miss?" Said Cloven softly, in a whisper.
Ragnor shoot him a dirty look.
"Hey!" He said loudly.
The girl awoke with a tired groan, and slowly opened her eyes. She took in all six of us slowly, and we did the same to her, studying her dirty, tear stained face and torn, ragged clothes.
"What are you doing here?" Ragnor asked, trying to sound harsh, but he only came out sympathetic sounding.
"I ran away from home." She said. "And your door was open."
We all looked at Cloven.
"It's not my fault! I told you the doorknob felt loose."
We all looked at the girl again.
I felt an odd kinship with her.
"My name is Hunter." I said handing her a tissue from Chase's desk.
She blew her nose.
"This is Cloven, Ragnor, Talyn, Nicholas, and Quinn." They each nodded and smiled at her.
"Strange names. Did your parents give you those?"
Ragnor laughed.
"My parents didn't give me anything except a kick out the door when I turned 17."
The others laughed in agreement.
"No," Clovis said smiling at her. "We all made up these names, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only true name I've ever known."
"Now what's your name?" Quinn asked.
"My name is Lau… I mean… Snow White."
"Good choice." Talyn said smiling at her.
She smiled back.
"Yes, it is isn't?"
It was then we met Snow White. She became our dearest friend and lived with us, in Chase's room. She cleaned house for us when we were away and the rest of the boys and me nicknamed her Snow.
Though try as we might, we could never get her to tell us about her past and why she had run away.
Days passed, then weeks. I was alone at home staring hatefully at my drum set. I just couldn't bring myself to touch it, much less make music with it anymore. Just looking at it depressed me.
I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the soft strum of an acoustic guitar. Someone had left the radio on I thought. I listened to the beginning of the song for a minute, the music wasn't really that good, and the tune needed a good shine. The melody tried too hard to be complex.
"The crap they have on the radio these days," I said aloud, standing up to go turn the radio off. But then I heard something. The voice. That voice.
She sang the words to the song beautifully, her voice falling on my ears like that of a Siren to Odysseus. Entranced, I opened my door and followed the sound. It led me to Snow's doorway. I paused outside of it, mesmerized. I opened the door and the music stopped abruptly.
Snow looked up at me from the bed, Chase's old acoustic guitar laid on her lap.
"Oh hello Hunter," she said. "I didn't know you were here, Quinn told me you went to the cd store."
"I didn't know you sing, Snow." I replied.
She looked embarrassed.
"It's not really singing, just, well me, fooling around on the guitar."
"It sounded like a lot more then just fooling around." I said.
"It was one of the most wonderful things I have ever heard."
She smiled brightly at me.
"Well thanks. I was having a bit of a problem with the melody though."
"Yeah, I noticed." I said, leaning against the door. "Quinn could help you with that."
"Really?"
I nodded.
"So where did you get your singing talent? Your mom?"
"Yes, I did. Although we never got the chance to sing together."
"What happened? Did she run out on your dad for someone younger? That's what happened with Ragnor's father."
She shook her head.
"She died a little after I was born. Then, when I was seven, he married someone else."
"Ugh, evil stepmother?"
"You could say that."
"So what happened?"
"It's a long story and if I told you, you'd probably think I'm completely delusional and insane."
"No I wouldn't," I crossed my fingers to show her. "I promise."
"Well, it started when I had turned 17, for my birthday, my dad got me this really great car, a jaguar convertible, and I had a really great boyfriend, Garret Prince," she smiled remembering him.
"My stepmother got pregnant and then, 4 months later she miscarried. Then my stepmother tried to talk my dad into sending me to boarding school, he refused and it was… just like… she despised me all of a sudden. She became really cruel to me when my father wasn't around. She started getting into black magic; she was always reading books about it. It was just so odd. She had just completely changed from whom my dad had married.
"Is that why you ran away?" I asked.
"No. I ran away because I got in a car accident when I was driving home from school."
"I'm confused." I said.
"Two men tried to run me off the road. I know it's weird but when I looked into the window and saw their faces, I recognized them. I know it's crazy, but I remembered when I had been eight and was at my father's wedding, and I remembered the men smiling at me when I had walked down the aisle throwing flowers. Afterwards, one of them had patted me on my head, and I just got the feeling that something wasn't right about them. So when I saw them again, 10 years later, I just knew them, I knew who they were, there wasn't an once of doubt in my mind."
"That's horrible Snow. So how did you find us?"
"Well it's a bit of coincidence. After the accident, I was too afraid to go home, I maxed out my credit card on a trip to New York City, I was afraid to go anywhere else, because I knew she would find me. New York seemed like the best place to be anonymous."
"Your right, it is. So what happened next?" I asked.
"When I got there, it was around 9. I got a taxi and I realized as I got in that I didn't have any place to go. I was thinking about a hotel, but I realized that I really didn't have enough cash on me and that if I used my credit card again my stepmother might be able to find me. So I looked at the rearview mirror and saw that the driver had stuck his ID in the frame. It had his address on it so I just told him that that was where I lived." He dropped me off in front of the flats and I went up the stairs as far as I could, then I kept on feeling like I was going to faint. So I grabbed your doorknob to steady myself, and it turned in my hands. So I collapsed on the floor, and maybe an hour later, I woke up and walked down the hallway. I didn't open any of the other doors, I don't know why, but I felt a strange connection to the very last door. I was so out of it, that I just opened it up and fell on the bed."
I couldn't say anything.
"Wow, I mean… that's like," I patted her shoulder. "I'm just so glad that you found this place."
She smiled sadly.
"Me too."
"So have you like tried to contact your dad? Or your boyfriend? Does he know your here?"
"No. I've been too afraid to talk to either of them." can take you
"You should tell the police. I'm serious. I there right now and you can tell them everything."
"Like they'd believe me." She said bitterly. "My stepmother is a high society lady. To the police, I would just be seen as another drug crazed street punk."
"Your right. Listen, I'll talk to the others, and we'll come up with something, I promise. Your safe with us."
I told the other guys that night about Snow over dinner. We all came up with a pact to help her in any way we possibly could.
I also told them that Snow was a singer.
We began practice again, this time with Snow singing Talyn's words, and the rest of us playing the music we knew best, punk rock.
And best of all, I began to love my forgotten drum set again. I began to appreciate the pounding rhythms that I could create.
Nicholas was so pleased; he started planning gigs for us again.
I took Snow everywhere, to Angel Wings with the guys, and everywhere else.
Our first show after six months was a success, and word got out on the streets again that the 7 Spooky Kids were back. Some of our most devoted fans even began calling us Snow White And The 7 spooky kids. Even though Chase was gone, everyone knew he was still a member of the band.
Everything was great, but we knew we had to help Snow White, and her evil stepmother was never far from our greatest fears.
One day she came to me in my room when I was practicing with my drums.
"Hey Hunter." She said softly.
I took one look at her and knew something was wrong.
"What happened?"
"I've just been feeling so weird lately…"
"Like what kind of weird?"
"Like something's happening. I don't know. When I'm out, I feel like someone's watching me. Or following me. I don't know."
"Do you think your stepmother knows about where you are?"
"Maybe." She shook her head. "I don't know. The weirdest thing happened yesterday, I was crossing the street and all of a sudden it was like my feet were frozen or something, I just couldn't move them. I was so panicked when I saw a car heading right for me, they stopped though, and as soon as they did my legs were unfrozen again. And then I saw a big black crow watching me. "
"We'll have to be more careful till we come up with something." I said.
Quinn came in.
"Hey guys. There's a band meeting going on in the living room, I need to talk to everyone about the melodies for Ever and a day, so come on," He said opening up the door.
"We'll talk about this later Snow." I said giving her a reassuring smile.
We walked out of them room together, following Quinn into the living room.
And that was the last time we were alone together.
The next day, everyone left for lunch. Snow didn't want to go though, she said she wasn't feeling well, and she wanted to stay home. I wanted to stay with her, but she said that she would be fine for an hour or two. And I was feeling really hungry, so I left. Besides not being there for Chase more, that was one of the things I regretted, leaving Snow there, without knowing what was going to happen.
We left for lunch and had a Chinese lunch at Chow's.
Afterwards, I was filled with this feeling, I don't know how to describe it, it was just this weird on the edge feeling, and I would've jumped at the sound of a whisper. I rushed the other guys and Nicholas droved as fast as he could. Finally after what seemed like hours of New York traffic, we finally got back to our flat. I rushed up the stairs faster then the others, already pulling out my house key. But there was no need. The door was unlocked and wide open, and the most horrible thing was lying sprawled out on the floor. Snow White holding a shiny red apple that had one bite mark. And she looked so stiff and pale, like Chase had…I slid down to the floor, my back against the wall and began to cry, my head buried in my hands. The others rushed up the stairs, when they heard me screaming. Clovis started crying too, and Nicholas called an ambulance. Everything faded around me.
3 days later I was a pallbearer.
3 days since I had smiled.
Her coffin was beautiful, glass with fairies and angels caved all over it.
The others wore suits, the same ones they had worn for Chase's funeral.
But there was someone there I had never seen before. A tall guy with light brown hair. He wasn't a punk, and he wasn't wearing a suit.
I walked over to him. Did he know Snow?
"Hello. Were you good friends with Snow?" I asked.
"Snow? Snow White? How do you know that name?"
I looked at him.
He peered at the coffin, trying to see into its smooth glass.
"Is it her?" He asked. I could see that he had started to cry.
"What are you talking about?" I said blankly.
"I've been looking for Snow White for months. Her father is worried sick about her. Her credit card bill lead me here. I've been staying at a hotel for weeks now, looking, searching. I've gone everywhere I could, finally I got a lead at a rave club, a bartender there told me she'd seen her with this punk rock band, The 7 Spooky Kids. I met some of their fans and they told me she had died." He shook his head. "I though they were lying or confused her with someone else. But I knew they weren't, I used to call Laura Snow White, as a nickname. I knew it was her. I found out where her funeral was."
"Your Garret Prince, aren't you?"
He started to cry again.
"Yes I am. I was her boyfriend."
"I'm so sorry." I said awkwardly.
"She can't be dead." He said. "It's not possible."
Before I could stop him he was touching the lid of Snow's coffin. The guys looked at me curiously from their side. I knew they wanted to know how this guy was.
Garret Prince pressed his face against the glass.
"I saw her eyes move. I know it!" He said looking at me.
I looked away. Poor guy.
Then all of a sudden he had pulled the lid off, and it fell to the floor and the glass broke into tiny, broken pieces.
"Snow White!" He screamed, pleading with her, shaking her shoulders. In the corner of my eye, I saw Ragnor looking very angry, walking over to Garret. I knew he was going to hurt him. Desperately, he kissed her lips.
"Snow White!" He said again, sobbing, hugging her body.
Ragnor grabbed him and threw him on the floor; he started punching Garret's face.
Suddenly there was a sound, different then that of the two boys struggling on the floor.
It was the sound of Snow White coughing and gagging and spiting out her bite of the apple.
She was alive.
Immediately, Garret pushed Ragnor off of him and ran forward to Snow, he talked soothingly to her, touching her hair, and we gathered around Garret and Snow, not sure whether to laugh or cry in happiness.
The next day Snow and Garret left back for Rhode Island, where her father and stepmother was. With Garret, Snow was going to tell her father everything. She promised to call the others and me as soon as she talked to him.
She called four days later. Her stepmother had been put in jail, apparently they had tracked down the two hit men and had gotten them to confess, they also gave the courts enough illegal documents for Snow White's stepmother to be in jail for a LONG time.
The apple bite that Snow White had spit out had been studied from top scientists all over the world. No conclusion could be reached, it was later said that some sort of substance had been rubbed on it. Some sort of narcotic. But no one knew what it was.
Later, almost two weeks later, Snow and Garret visited New York again. We met at Angel Wings, and Snow White took the stage with the spooky kids again and Garret watched from the audience. That night we made the decision to sign with a label. And everyone lived happily ever after. (I've always wanted to write that)