Bloodred Senseless - Chapter 6: Away somewhere
Michael watches in the rearview mirror as three men get out of a black Mercedes behind him. They move quickly, opening the unlocked door, scooping up the woman sitting beside him. The last of them gently shuts the door; they've assumed he is asleep.
He still keeps his eyes on them, sees two slide into the front seats. The other sits in back, pulling Sydney in with him, reaching over her to shut the door. Michael is surprised, surprised he can see such detail in the darkness that two o'clock in the morning brings. He sees her literally flop on him, her head falling into his lap.
The man pulls off his mask as the car drives past him. Michael starts, his muscles tensing. He revs the engine and follows them, now unsure if she is truly in the proper hands.
-
The sun was bright—too bright, but it was noon according to her watch so the unnatural brightness was apparently supposed to happen. Luckily, she was wearing a tight gray top and black shorts. The heat enveloping those around her seemed to pass her by. She ran along the green grass of the park, timing her footsteps to the pumping music on her headphones. She usually ignored the words; it was the beat that drove her.
'I can see it in your eyes
there is something
something you will not tell me'
This run was different. The sun had been the first indication of that. The second was that she was listening to the words. What startled her, what threw her off for about a nanosecond, was that she could understand and comprehend them. She found herself lipsynching along after a while, and stopped immediately, forcing only the resounding beat into her mind.
'I see it in your eyes
there is something
something you hide from me'
Of course she was hiding something; she hid everything from everyone. Sometimes she was not entirely sure of her own feelings. Michael—her Michael, the one she had loved for so long—knew more about her than she did. He knew, knew when she was upset over a disagreement with her father or mother, when she was excited over something small like a new hairstyle. They had been told to publicize their relationship, but hadn't done it themselves because it had leaked out. They did nothing, said nothing; acted as if all were the same as it had been before. When civillians were around, people who remained unknown, they acted like any other couple. She felt a smile spread her lips and a warm feeling filled her. Suddenly aware of those around her, she cleared her mind. Focused on the pounding beat yet again.
stops near a bench, leaning on it, catching her breath. vaughn suddenly appears in front of her and starts debriefing her. she has no idea what he is saying. she stretches a little and starts running again. she looks back and sees vaughn staring at her.
Sydney stopped suddenly, a sharp pain on her left side. This was odd; she was in great shape and didn't get stitches. She moved off the path towards a bench. Not far off was a black man who looked like he had seen better days. From her place leaning on the bench, she could just make out a cardboard sign reading "Vietnam Veteran" beside him. She turned to the road and rubbed her side gently.
"Hey, Syd."
She looked up, surprised. It was Vaughn. "Hi. What are you doing here?"
He smiled, his dimpled grin somehow removing all doubt from her mind. "Cute." He then proceeded to debrief her, a professional look covering his momentarily boyish countenance. The mission he spoke about, it was unfamiliar at best. Sydney blamed herself inwardly for this lapse of her memory, but didn't have the heart to stop Vaughn and ask what the hell he was talking about. A flash of sadness pulsed through her as he appeared to finish; this wasn't planned, she couldn't wrap her arms around him, couldn't kiss him goodbye. As he added his usual "Be careful" she stepped back away from him, returned to the path once more. She could feel his eyes on her, his wrinkles appearing on his forehead, as he tried to decipher the message she was sending him.
There was no message. She had remembered the angry words shot towards him in a frenzy of emotion—emotion different than the type she usually gave him. She couldn't forgive herself just yet.
-
Sydney's run had slowly reduced to a jog, and somehow morphed into a moving meditation period. She recognized no one around her—a good thing, for a familiar face would have jarred her from the calm phase she was in. Her music, long since forgotten, was secretly seeping into the thoughts running across her mind.
Not far off was a small sidewalk cafe, one of those things usually seen in a documentary of Europe. The sun was bouncing off the black metal chairs and tables, creating the illusion of steel. Hypocritical as it was, Sydney found herself itching for a hot mocha as several beads of sweat rolled down her neck. The people drinking and eating and talking came into focus, all bringing an oxymoron to life as they sipped on coffee less than one hundred yards from her. A couple close to the edge of the road caught her attention and held it for a little too long.
A woman with closely cropped blonde hair was sitting, smiling brightly at the man beside her. She looked familiar to Sydney for reasons unknown. The man's face was hidden from view, but a slight look to his left proved her first instinct to be true.
The man was none other than Michael Vaughn, whom she had grown to think of as her Michael. Him sitting with another woman was more than unfathomable. It was impossible.
'I saw you yesterday with an old friend
It was the same old same how have you been
Since you been gone my world's been dark and gray'
Her breath caught in her throat as she passed the cafe, nearing an intersection. The light turned red just as Sydney reached it. She held on to the poll, unable to stand straight. Her state of mind was muddled as her brain went into overdrive, speeding up everything from her heartbeat to her theories.
'I put your picture away
Sat down and cried today'
The light changed and she crossed quickly, leaving behind her questions, not looking for answers.
'Livin' my life in a slow hell'
-
"This is it?"
"Yeah. Wake her up."
"I thought we were—"
"So did I, but while you were snoring I got a call from the boss."
"Of all places he could have transferred her to, he picked this one? We drive two fucking hours and this is where we drop her? Why not some hotel back in LA?"
"Do I look okay with it or something? I think it was because of the guy who found her."
"The guy in the car?"
"Yeah. Know who his dad is?"
"Why would I? I thought he was an agent."
"He's not an agent. His father's Alain Christophe himself."
-
i am so sorry this has taken so long; i've never written a lyric-inspired section before, and i've just overcome a huge block. the lyrics are from 'something' by lasko, 'picture' by kid rock and sheryl crow.
the mood is lightening—i'm begging my angsty touch to come back.
i agree with you, alud. this is confusing in a good way. this way i kind of know what's going on.
note: the use of the word 'black' in place of 'African-American' is meant to show how the average person's mind works. please do not take it as anything more.
Michael watches in the rearview mirror as three men get out of a black Mercedes behind him. They move quickly, opening the unlocked door, scooping up the woman sitting beside him. The last of them gently shuts the door; they've assumed he is asleep.
He still keeps his eyes on them, sees two slide into the front seats. The other sits in back, pulling Sydney in with him, reaching over her to shut the door. Michael is surprised, surprised he can see such detail in the darkness that two o'clock in the morning brings. He sees her literally flop on him, her head falling into his lap.
The man pulls off his mask as the car drives past him. Michael starts, his muscles tensing. He revs the engine and follows them, now unsure if she is truly in the proper hands.
-
The sun was bright—too bright, but it was noon according to her watch so the unnatural brightness was apparently supposed to happen. Luckily, she was wearing a tight gray top and black shorts. The heat enveloping those around her seemed to pass her by. She ran along the green grass of the park, timing her footsteps to the pumping music on her headphones. She usually ignored the words; it was the beat that drove her.
'I can see it in your eyes
there is something
something you will not tell me'
This run was different. The sun had been the first indication of that. The second was that she was listening to the words. What startled her, what threw her off for about a nanosecond, was that she could understand and comprehend them. She found herself lipsynching along after a while, and stopped immediately, forcing only the resounding beat into her mind.
'I see it in your eyes
there is something
something you hide from me'
Of course she was hiding something; she hid everything from everyone. Sometimes she was not entirely sure of her own feelings. Michael—her Michael, the one she had loved for so long—knew more about her than she did. He knew, knew when she was upset over a disagreement with her father or mother, when she was excited over something small like a new hairstyle. They had been told to publicize their relationship, but hadn't done it themselves because it had leaked out. They did nothing, said nothing; acted as if all were the same as it had been before. When civillians were around, people who remained unknown, they acted like any other couple. She felt a smile spread her lips and a warm feeling filled her. Suddenly aware of those around her, she cleared her mind. Focused on the pounding beat yet again.
stops near a bench, leaning on it, catching her breath. vaughn suddenly appears in front of her and starts debriefing her. she has no idea what he is saying. she stretches a little and starts running again. she looks back and sees vaughn staring at her.
Sydney stopped suddenly, a sharp pain on her left side. This was odd; she was in great shape and didn't get stitches. She moved off the path towards a bench. Not far off was a black man who looked like he had seen better days. From her place leaning on the bench, she could just make out a cardboard sign reading "Vietnam Veteran" beside him. She turned to the road and rubbed her side gently.
"Hey, Syd."
She looked up, surprised. It was Vaughn. "Hi. What are you doing here?"
He smiled, his dimpled grin somehow removing all doubt from her mind. "Cute." He then proceeded to debrief her, a professional look covering his momentarily boyish countenance. The mission he spoke about, it was unfamiliar at best. Sydney blamed herself inwardly for this lapse of her memory, but didn't have the heart to stop Vaughn and ask what the hell he was talking about. A flash of sadness pulsed through her as he appeared to finish; this wasn't planned, she couldn't wrap her arms around him, couldn't kiss him goodbye. As he added his usual "Be careful" she stepped back away from him, returned to the path once more. She could feel his eyes on her, his wrinkles appearing on his forehead, as he tried to decipher the message she was sending him.
There was no message. She had remembered the angry words shot towards him in a frenzy of emotion—emotion different than the type she usually gave him. She couldn't forgive herself just yet.
-
Sydney's run had slowly reduced to a jog, and somehow morphed into a moving meditation period. She recognized no one around her—a good thing, for a familiar face would have jarred her from the calm phase she was in. Her music, long since forgotten, was secretly seeping into the thoughts running across her mind.
Not far off was a small sidewalk cafe, one of those things usually seen in a documentary of Europe. The sun was bouncing off the black metal chairs and tables, creating the illusion of steel. Hypocritical as it was, Sydney found herself itching for a hot mocha as several beads of sweat rolled down her neck. The people drinking and eating and talking came into focus, all bringing an oxymoron to life as they sipped on coffee less than one hundred yards from her. A couple close to the edge of the road caught her attention and held it for a little too long.
A woman with closely cropped blonde hair was sitting, smiling brightly at the man beside her. She looked familiar to Sydney for reasons unknown. The man's face was hidden from view, but a slight look to his left proved her first instinct to be true.
The man was none other than Michael Vaughn, whom she had grown to think of as her Michael. Him sitting with another woman was more than unfathomable. It was impossible.
'I saw you yesterday with an old friend
It was the same old same how have you been
Since you been gone my world's been dark and gray'
Her breath caught in her throat as she passed the cafe, nearing an intersection. The light turned red just as Sydney reached it. She held on to the poll, unable to stand straight. Her state of mind was muddled as her brain went into overdrive, speeding up everything from her heartbeat to her theories.
'I put your picture away
Sat down and cried today'
The light changed and she crossed quickly, leaving behind her questions, not looking for answers.
'Livin' my life in a slow hell'
-
"This is it?"
"Yeah. Wake her up."
"I thought we were—"
"So did I, but while you were snoring I got a call from the boss."
"Of all places he could have transferred her to, he picked this one? We drive two fucking hours and this is where we drop her? Why not some hotel back in LA?"
"Do I look okay with it or something? I think it was because of the guy who found her."
"The guy in the car?"
"Yeah. Know who his dad is?"
"Why would I? I thought he was an agent."
"He's not an agent. His father's Alain Christophe himself."
-
i am so sorry this has taken so long; i've never written a lyric-inspired section before, and i've just overcome a huge block. the lyrics are from 'something' by lasko, 'picture' by kid rock and sheryl crow.
the mood is lightening—i'm begging my angsty touch to come back.
i agree with you, alud. this is confusing in a good way. this way i kind of know what's going on.
note: the use of the word 'black' in place of 'African-American' is meant to show how the average person's mind works. please do not take it as anything more.