"The ceiling has never looked so empty before."

Melody laid on her bed with her phone in her hand. She knew she had to wait a while before texting back. She would rather wait to text him when he was done and not send him a text right now and wait for a painfully long time to hear anything back.

"Can't be annoying like that, be a little more mature."

She thought back to the past few weeks that turned into a months. She went to record over at Margaret's Andre's place almost every other day. 3 nights here, 2 nights there, stay during the day and come home at night, or vice versa. Melody hadn't bothered to invite her friends over to Mordehaus since she felt as if she couldn't be free there. Mordehaus wasn't made for her. She felt her cousin Charles couldn't really understand that in her perspective. It was a mission still however to get everyone and her friends willing to get thtough a couple music sessions they all were working on especially spending time with Sonny was worth it to Melody.

Sonny not only helped her perfect her craft of guitar and singing but also ho3 to play beer pong, deciding which glassware was better smoking out of, stories about him living on the streets going state to state with friends, she loved spending the time with him while also enjoying all new the company. Locals in the scene Margaret, Athena, Sonny and Andre invited over to the studio that played at many underground shows.

"Mi Vato," "Tourline,""Devolve,""StickSwitch..."

She thought about all those band names and the people in them with their own styles converging to the same studio and having their own personal shows while in the recording room. Melody was there to hear and see the entire creative processes of different genres. But at the end of it, she would have to go back to Mordehaus, continuing playing guitar and singing back at home in the studio basement. It wasn't all bad, it was just that lacked luster to Melody. Something felt she could only have with the people her and her friends surrounding themselves with. She appreciated all of Dethklok help giving her tips and teaching her lessons when recording and mastering songs which she could relay back to Andre's studio. But at the end of it she realized it wasn't apart of the band's world. They were all older and had experiences that just weren't in her reality in comparison to what she had outside of Mordehaus. She couldn't relate the fun sprees they would have with Saudi Princes or the sordid sometimes excessively dangerous games they would do.

However the only solace of recording in the basement studio was Toki putting in the extra effort on her progress and the generous patience he would have teaching her, all the while Melody could feel the butterflies mess around in her stomach.

Despite the expansion on her creative process, she didn't see Charles much or answer his calls or messages. Melody felt past the point of trying to relate with her cousin anymore and was not about to have the robot as her stand-in dad. In turn, Charles had no choice but to have Abigail, Dick, or Nathan relay the messages he wanted to Melody.

"Sorry." Abigail said with a tinge of awkwardness in her voice, "Family worries sometimes, but maybe staying in this weekend will help give you a break. Maybe conjure up some good ideas."

The disappointment in Melody's face said enough as she got up and took off the guitar and exited the basement studio without saying a word.

Nathan asked bluntly to Abigail, "You think you could've waited until the hour was up?"

Arms crossed in jer usual professional style, "What? I didn't think she would take it that bad." Abigail replied, "Besides its just for the weekend I'm sure she's not gonna hold onto any resentment."

Pickles laughed, packing up his gear for the day, "Ooh-ho-ho! You'd be mistaken the way tweens hang on to grudges!"

"She'll be alright." Abigail shrugged. Thinking back to the incident when Melody came home drunk and Charles tried talking to her. She wished the girl had a normal life. "Melody can't hold it against me forever."

After leaving the studio Melody couldn't help but scream into her pillow.

"I have a show tonight. This cannot be happening now? At the worst time?!" She thought. Melody and her friends had been working hard rehearsing the song Andre and his music partner Angel made, also Sonny completing 3 new songs featuring her as a backup singer and playing on guitar. And not to mention the back-breaking work of helping t

out to clear an old abadoned venue spot Margaret and Andre's woild use for the listening party. Also getting two other bands to help fill out time slots, and helping sending out flyers/promoting - all that effort Melody couldn't let go to waste.

Feeling crushed, she texted her friends and Sonny the news of what happened, yet they all thought of ways to still go through with the show.

Athena:"Maybe make up an excuse to get out over to Mags? Like I'll pretend to be in the ER 4 something."

Margaret:"It won't work! Mel's big brother is watching he'll find us out."

Melody:"He's been away for some time now. Idk if he has that close of an eye on me. One of my cousins "friends" had to tell me about staying in tonight."

Sonny:"Ignoring the calls and texts doesn't mean he's given up. He could be tapping you phone rn lol."

Margaret:"Don't say that!"

Athena:" I don't even want to think how creepy that is."

Melody:"I regret telling you all anything about him possibly going through my phone."

Sonny:"Damn if you do damn if you dont. Ik if you really want to go he cant actually stop u."

Pausing Melody read in between the lines and understood.

Melody:"I guess so, i mean its on past midnight right?"

Athena:"Yup, you know the place. We're gonna go either way..."

Margaret:"We'll have a chair with your name on it though...or a guitar...yknow, in spirit. lol"

Sonny:"I'll be there too, I can already feel your presence there haha. See you around."

Melody and her friends knew this time would come. A plan devised loosely in the past and Melody knew exactly what to do.

Getting her bag together, Melody turned off her light and closed her bedroom door behind her. Making her way downstairs she encountered the usually on guard klokateer in the main living space.

Standing against the wall the klokateer wore plain black uniform and hands behind his back. Clearing up her throat as it echoed, "Uhm, excuse me? Kirk was it?" Melody asked.

The shadow behind the eyeholes of the hooded mask unveiled in attention."You can call me "227," easier than names my Lady." Answered in a deep monotone voice.

"If you prefer so, I must ask if my driver Cameron - sorry - uh 3490, is on duty out front?" Melody asked clutching her night bag tighter. She hoped Kirk would buy they casual routine of her going out in the past, she thought maybe he would be convinced.

Kirk tilted his head slightly, "Hm? oh, I didn't know you were on schedule tonight to go out. Didn't hear anything from higher ups."

"Y-yeah it's all last minute. I just got a greenlight from Nathan, so all ready to go!" Melody said while showing the klokateer an old text message conversation her and Nathan had together made to look real.

What seemed like an eternity happened only for a few seconds before the klokateer bought it. "Okay I'll radio him in right now. Allow me to escort you to the front my Lady."

Quietly sighing in relief Melody made her way with the klokateer to the unmarked car outside with Cameron opening the door for her as she got directions ready for her driver.


"Just tells us Nathans who ams the best?"

On the other side of Mordehaus in a recreation room sat the band drinking while going over the creative process. It had been a long day as bandmates aimed to relax, when suddenly the subject on Melody's progress comes up. Both guitarits started pulling a vote from the other 3 members in their spat.

Downing another beer, Pickles replied to Skwisgaar instead, "Yur just there to critisize Toki and the way he teaches her Skwissssgaar. At least yur leavin the blood buckets out."

Crossing his arms in usual fashion Murderface started to chuckle, "Schure on the creative schide youre better than Toki but you schuck as a teacher."

Toki rolled his eyes as he slurred out "Ams just trying my best so she does nots takes lessons from other people."

The rest of the band looked at Toki confused until Nathan spoke up, "Uhhh who else but us would be teaching her?"

"Stupid dumb assholes which am friends with melodys." Toki replied before sliding off the couch and laying onto the floor.

Skwisgaar quickly shushed him but the questions started flying.

"Who the hell is he talking about Skwisgaar?" Nathan asked in a serious tone clutching his bottle.

Sighing heavy before the lead guitarist replied, "Shes ams not friends with 'stupid dumb assholes,' The friends house she goes overs to alls the times also lives with an olders uhh cousins or somethings whos ams nots the friendliests. Says he hasn't done anythings but stays out of eachs others way, still seems like douchebags." He finished as he started strumming his guitar out of anixety.

Smirking as he tried not to say the worst things Pickles replied, "Ooo no, thats not good. You told Charles that?" he asked.

Before the Swede could answer no, Toki perked up, "Whys donts we ask melodys who ams the better teachers?"

Grabbing Toki by the arm, Nathan yelled, "No! Your drunk ass is only gonna barf on her again. I'll get the klokateer to check on her."

Laughing the drummer rubbed his face, "Good thinking Nate," Pickles said as he grabbed another bottle, "She was really upset last we seen her, gotta check on the kid."

A few minutes later the klokateer returned, "My lords? Our Lady is not in her room. And appears to not be on Mordehaus grounds."

Visibly confused but irritated, Nathan thought for a moment the klokateers were not being thorough enough covering the grounds but knew Melody wouldn't have gotten too far.

Unless...

"How?" Nathan barked. Sensing the displeasure, the klokateer panicked, "W-well we can always cover the grounds again or perhaps she wondered to forbidden-"

"Wheres ams Melodys?!" Toki screeched grabbing the klokateer by the throat as he started to choke him. Pickles and Murderface scrambled to get the drunk guitarist off of the servant to prevent killing him.

"Toki cut the schit out!" Murderface yelled at him while tugging and pulling at his arms to no avail.

Grappling at his hands, Pickles tried talking down Toki, "Yeah man stahp it! We don't need you kill 'nother one! Melody probably went to 'er friends house!"

Toki finally let go as the klokateer passed out and collasped to the floor. Swkissgaar pulled Toki by the neck line, "She most likelys left Mordehaus Tokis so we needs to finds hers."

"We gotta see where she went. Otherwise Charles will give us hell." Nathan said while taking out his phone. He couldn't let anything happen to this girl, she was a key that comes around 1 in a million lifetimes.


"Hello! We are LifelessPlay and we are so excited to be here!"

A dark crowd goes wild...

"Our first song is called, Love Stun! One! Two! Three! Four!"

It was something else to Melody. An experience unmatched to any other experience she ever done. Seeing the crowd cheer her and Sonny on, feeling the guitar strings dance around her fingers, the way the stage lights beamed down and made the glitter on her eyelids glistened in her vision. Noticing how her whole body moved to the music they were playing and feeling the silver white wig hair stick to her skin as she sweat out felt like the first time ever her soul was actually living. The high only grew more and more as they moved onto performing to the next song and then the next.

Until a shot was heard...

"What are you doing Mel! Stop playin'! we gotta go!" It was Sonny's voice as he grabbed her shoulders and shook Melody as she clung onto her guitar. Looking around at the crowd again only showed fist flying and bodies slamming into the ground, chairs, tables, etc. Quickly Melody noticed her friends already rushing to the car with their equipment.

Sonny grabbed Melody by her hand as the both ran off the stage to safety. Looking back at the discourse, as they all drove away, Melody finally choked out, "What the hell happened?!" Margaret, wide-eyed, started laughing while Athena held her face in her hands. Margaret shoved a beer to melody as she downed hers, "Take it from your friend Mags, shit like this happens sometimes at shows-"

"Not that bad Margaret!" Athena interrupted, "Sure some small crowd of people fight but not everyone joins in like that! Jeez, just what the hell happened back there."

Andre chuckled loudly as he counted the money that was made at the show, "I tried to figure out just what the hell started it I was hearing "he started it because they did that' or 'this girl started talking shit yak, yak, yak',"

Making his way onto the freeway Sonny's nerves began the relax, "Bullshit reasons aside im not gonna get in trouble for any harm done to you guys you're my friends. Melody you did great tonight but please for the love of God don't drop your guard down like that again."

After the shocked passed Melody let out a laugh in relief. Realizing things would've been really bad if Sonny hadn't snap her out of her trance. "Hey Athena, you get enough footage?"

Looking through her camera library her friend nodded, "Yeah it's all there why?"

Looking out the window Melody saw a full moon out in a clear, dark sky. Remembering the freedom she felt when Charles took her to Mordehaus for the first time ever not knowing it would be another limiting place to her again. She felt her phone vibrate suddenly in her pocket and smiled wider.

"Keep those videos and pics on tight, I don't think I'll be let outside after this one."


Driving closer to the long exit that would leave to Mordehaus, Margaret drove after the girls split riding with Sonny and Andre. Melody's close friends had to keep their promise on keeping her double life a secret.

"Ah Shit... Hey Mags they keep calling me after you make this exit just pull over for a minute."

"Sure thing. You think those band geeks will chew you out?"

Smirking as the car stopped, Melody couldn't help herself, "Let's see. But shut up."

She saw Tokis name flash up on the screen, Melody finally picked up the call and put it on speaker.

"Hey Toki." She said casually.

Slurring drunkenly, a high pitched voice was heard "Heyyyy Nathans! Melodys answered! -"

Suddenly the phone was grabbed and on the other end was a pissed off Nathan Explosion.

"Where the fuck are you? I don't want Ofdenson blaming us for your fuck ups got it?"

A slightly drunk curl to her lips formed across Melody's mouth, "Nice hearing from you, I'm down the street don't worry I'm coming and we can all have a rational-"

"Being rational isn't gonna fucking cut it." Nathan interupted.

Athena raised her eyebrows in surprise and mouthed "Really fucking pissed huh?" as Melody held in her laugh. At this rate she couldnt take it seriously anymore. She wanted to go have fun, not to be doted on all the time feeling suffocated.

"Okay. You're right. I'm almost there I'll be there in 10 mins tops bye."

As the call ended the girls began to laugh together, "Jesus Christ man," Margaret giggled, "Never thought I would hear the frontman of the biggest band in the world ever be talking shit to my friend over the phone about curfew."


Walking into the main livingroom area, Melody noticed only Knubbler and Nathan sitting down awake while Pickels and Murderface laid down on the floor passed out with empty bottles all around them. Both Dick and Nathan were not making eye contanct with her but knew she was there as she sat down at the farthest chair from the area.

Sensing that there was still heavy energy in the air, Melody saw the stress on each others faces as well as the cigarette dish being almost full. She couldn't help but feel aggrivated, thinking that these people shouldn't really have a say in her life. There was no remose, and Melody denied that in her heart.

"You wanna know a secret?" Melody said in a clear tone. Nathan grumbled as Dick drank down a tall glass of vodka.

"Margaret's been trying to move out from Andre's, I'm sure Toki and Skwisgaar have already told you guys about 'em."

Melody then saw their heads turn towards her at attention.

"It's not a great situation. I thought Andre was a type of "dont bother me, I wont bother you," but Margaret has gotten into some fights with him, so she's been trying to move out. Thats why me and Athena have both been going over so much. It's really just for her to avoid interaction with Andre until she has a way out."

For a moment, Melody felt bad about listing out actual grievances about her close friend but she knew it could work better than her telling the truth. They couldn't know, she felt they would only invade on something private she would rather keep sacred.

"You have every right to be mad and upset with me I'm not your kid, true, but please dont tell Charles about this...I need to be there for my friend that doesnt have much of an escape right now."

Silence filled the air as green eyes of sterness met her grey ones. Taking a deep breath, Nathan let out in an exhale, "Ughhhh just please go to bed now."

Getting up and turning around to leave Melody heard Dick speak up, "One more thing babe..."

Looking over her shoulder at the producer rested his hand under his chin as robotic eyes flickered, "You're right. You're not our kid. So next time you fuck up. Ofdenson will know about it. And personally won't feel bad if he locks you up. Verstehe?"

Melody mustered the last bit of politeness in a smile, and nodded back an obediant 'yes' before heading to her room and closing the doors. Pissed, annoyed, and even enraged she turned on a dim lamp she kept next to her bed and saw a familiar gutarist passed out in her bed...