The Story of My Salvation

By: Reo Star

Chapter 2: The Power of Vanilla

Call it luck, fate, destiny…call it whatever the hell you please, but that night I strayed from my usual hang outs. There was this little bar a few blocks from my place that just opened last week and I decided to try it out. The place was called 'Alive', ironic considering the majority of its costumers were vamps…but it was an interesting little place. It had live music, quick service and one other thing I wasn't expecting to find…

I was sitting at the bar on one of the stools; I had been for nearly four hours. I really hadn't had as much to drink as would have liked to…but I was busy thinking. I hated how pathetic I was. Just sitting there, feeling sorry for my self…I hate people like that.

At last I decided to try and take my mind off Angel, and focus on other things. I turned away from the bar, secretly enjoying the squeaky noise my stool made as I did. The bands were changing, and I watched the new one set up. 'Vanilla', that was their name. I wasn't really impressed by any of them…they looked like any other band.

I was so busy watching the band set up, that I hadn't noticed some one site next to me.

"Hey."

I turned around to see who was talking to me. He was tall and was wearing a long black trench coat with the arms cut off. Underneath we had on a black shirt and a pair of blue jeans, holes in both the knees. He also wore a pair of black leather fingerless gloves, but what drew my eyes first was his hair. His long hair was a light grey-blue-tied back with a black band-which was unusual because of how young he seemed to be.

"Hi." I said quietly, not entirely interested.

"You look a little out of it…" He smiled as he talked, and took a sip out of a glass that had been sitting on the bar.

"Yeah, well it's been a rough day." I don't know why I didn't tell him to bugger off, I guess I was just a little lonely. I turned around in my stool, disappointed it didn't make that neat squeak, and took a sip of my drink. The smile left the stranger's face, and he looked genuinely concerned.

"Who is he?"

I turned to him. "What?" I said, only half understanding what he meant.

"The guy who did this to you, who is he?"

A little shocked, and on the defense, I snapped at him. "What the bloody hell are you talking about? Do I look like some kind of poof?"

"Whoa, easy! I'm not trying to offend, but you look like you've been dragged through the metaphorical mud. Just making convo, that's all." He looked at me a little offended.

"What makes you think it's a guy anyway?"

He smirked. "Well this is a gay bar and, call me crazy, but I just took a wild guess…"

"What?" I looked around me a realized there wasn't one chick in the joint…I hadn't bothered to notice. I bumped my head down on the bar. "Fuck."

"Hoping to pick up some ladies?"

I looked up at the stranger, and smirked. "No. Just needed a place to get away from by problems. I guess I fucked that one up, didn't I?"

He understood exactly where I was coming from. "So you're a newbie."

"No…yeah…Oh I don't bloody know any more."

"The name's Silece." He held out a hand, I took it. "Most call me Si."

We sat for a moment is silence, watching the band set up.

"Think they'll be any good?" I asked casually.

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"They look like a bunch of wankers to me…they better have one hell of a vocalist."

Si smiled, and laughed a little. "Well let's hope they do…" At that moment he got up, and walked toward the stage. He was greeted by one of the band members, and I immediately felt embarrassed. He was their vocalist.

I listened to them perform, mesmerized by Si's voice. He was amazing. The music was good, something worth buying a CD for…but it was their last song that really got to me.

Clipped wings and broken dreams,

I stumble through the darkness.

Black shadows watching me, they reach for me,

I feel so lifeless.

I fell into the darkened waters,

Hope slipped through my fingers.

Everything, it seems so distant,

Loneliness and cold are all that lingers.

My soul is damaged, tattered, torn.

I can not find my happiness.

You have placed me here,

In this deep, dark, nothingness.

You have forced me to face this pain alone.

I struggle to find salvation.

Suffering and anguish are all I know

And it's you who've place me here.

Every word hit home. I was glad that was their last song, I wouldn't have been able to handle much more. I saw Si walking to wards me, and I turned away…not even noticing the squeak in my stool this time.

"So, was I good? Or am I just another 'wanker'?" he smiled and slapped my back.

"You were good." I said, quietly.

"You're still bummed, aren't you?" He sounded very comforting.

"Not really. Just…." I stopped, I'm not the type to be all blubbery around strangers, hell I barely talk to those I care about…

"Lonely?" It was like he was reading my mind. I didn't say anything; I just sat there, pretending to be fascinated with my drink.

Silece sighed, and took a pen out of his pocket while grabbing a near by napkin. "Well, I'm gunna get going. If you don't feel like being alone tonight, give me a call. Don't worry about what time it is, just call." He slid the napkin with is number towards me, I didn't even look at it. He got up and patted me on the back before he left.

An hour went by before I even looked down at that napkin, another twenty minutes before I picked it up, and thirty minutes before I took it home.

After I closed my apartment door, not even five seconds went by before I picked up the phone.