By: s.Imple P.Ain
2130 ZULU
Locked Box Karaoke Bar
As Mac entered the karaoke bar she looked around for her friends. She had known for a while that a bunch of her co-workers got together on Friday evenings to sing karaoke but she had never shown much interest in going. Well actually they had never asked her to join them. But earlier that day Harriet had changed that.
Taking a deep breath she headed over to where she spotted Harriet, Bud, Vulkovic, PO Coates, General Cresswell, Sturgis and Harm. Smiling at them all she took the empty seat next to Harm and Harriet.
Same Time
Same Place
As he sat there talking with Bud he felt her come up behind him. Turning he found Mac sitting down to his right.
"hey Mac."
"hey, sorry im late I had a bit of trouble finding this place."
Smiling at this slight mishap he tucked it away in case he ever needed to recall a day when she was late.
" No problem. Harriet's decided that all songs sung tonight must reflex your past in some way or another." He watched as her expression went from surprise to the look of nervous apprehension.
Her mind reeled. She new everyone had to sing a song on these nights. It was one of the requirements for coming. Gulping she turned towards Harriet as she addressed the table.
"as you know tonight's songs must tell us about your past in one way or another. Now to make this more interesting we have written the name of everyone here on pieces of paper. When your name is picked from the pile you go up to sing. And the first person is… Col. MacKenzie!"
pasting on a forced smile Mac stood up. "alright Harriet."
Turning away from the table she moved over to the DJ. Walking onto the stage she picked up the microphone as the first strains of the song played. Taking a deep breath she searched her out across the crowd till she found the familiar faces of her co-workers waiting. Opening her mouth she started to sing.
She
walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's
holdin' back
Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday
She
hides the bruises with linen and lace
Gulping quickly as some of her friends realized what the song was about she continued her voice trembling for a moment then holding steady.
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's
hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a
secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born
Mac voice grew stronger. There was no way she was backing out. Vulkovic, Harriet and everyone else would have found out eventually why not now?
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard
as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams
give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's
loved
Concrete angel
Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The
neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights
A fragile soul caught
in the hands of fate
When morning comes it'll be too late
Closing her eyes briefly she tried to suppress the multitude of memories threatening to spill over. Looking out into the crowd her eyes locked on Harms. He new about her childhood and she could see in his eyes how he was willing her to continue past the pain.
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard
as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams
give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's
loved
Concrete angel
Moving her eyes away from his she saw the looks on everyone's faces. Harriet's showed pity for her. Mac almost laughed out loud. The last thing she needed was pity. Moving on to Bud's face he looked embarrassed. About what? Its not like this was his life she was singing about up here. Vulkovic was shocked. But there was something else to. Looking closer she recognized it from so many years ago. It was the same look that was captured on her dear old dads face countless times. Disgust. Forcing her eyes to see what the others thought she was a bit surprised to see Sturgis, Jen and the General all taking it in stride. Coming back to Harm she was surprised to find a new look there. It almost looked like.. love.
Drawing a breathe she continued with the last of the song. This last part was always the hardest for her.
A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl
with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A
broken heart that the world forgot
Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard
as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams
give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's
loved
Concrete angel
As the music died out she bowed her head momentarily before exiting the stage. Walking to the door she new she could not face them again tonight. it would be awkward. She told herself just another time I would be a receiver of there fake sympathy when there really thinking 'god how did such a messed up person like her get to where she is now?
Reaching her car Mac couldn't take it anymore. Driving out of the parking lot she tried to run once again from her demons.