Chapter Sixty-Five
John placed his hand over his heart, lifting his chin with pride as the American flag was raised in the music class. "Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hail, at the twilight's last gleaming, who's broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O're the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming, and the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof to the night, that our flag was still there, oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave… O're the land of the free and the home of the brave…" John let his voice use it's full force, showing his pride of being an American. He'd always wanted to be a soldier, but he'd never really known if he wanted to die an honorable death as one, or if he wanted to be one to protect his country. Of course, after he'd broken his leg and it hadn't healed right, he'd been forced to give up that dream.
The music teacher looked at him, her jaw dropping at John's vocal power. She watched as he pushed his voice to the limit, his rough tones rising above everyone else's, drowning them out in a wave of passion. "Johnathan, will you come here for a moment?" She asked, noticing how his eyes had lightened with the song.
John nodded, stepping forward. "What is it?" He asked, hooking his thumbs in his pockets and leaning back on his heals.
She looked him over, wondering just how high he could go. "What's your highest note you can hit?" She asked, noticing that he looked at his friends who'd all moved with him.
"You got a song in mind for me to sing?" He asked, nodding to the others in the band they'd began to form over the last few months. "Because I've got some backup if you do."
She shook her head, chuckling as the others in John's group seemed ready to play something. "Sing something that you all like." She smiled, flinching as John gave a shrill whistle and the teens bolted for the instrument of their choice.
John picked up an electric guitar, plugging it into an amp and tuning it up. "Hells Bells, guys." He stated, smirking as they nodded. He didn't use a mic, instead relying on his power and force to carry his voice to the class. "I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain I'm comin' on like a hurricane My lightning's flashing across the sky You're only young but you're gonna die I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives Nobody's putting up a fight I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell I'm gonna get you, Satan get you Hell's bells Yeah, hell's bells You got me ringing hell's bells My temperature's high, hell's bells I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine If you're into evil you're a friend of mine See the white light flashing as I split the night 'Cause if good's on the left, Then I'm stickin' to the right I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives Nobody's puttin' up a fight I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell I'm gonna get you, Satan get you Hell's bells Yeah, hell's bells You got me ringing hell's bells My temperature's high, hell's bells Yeow Hell's bells, Satan's comin' to you Hell's bells, he's ringing them now Hell's bells, the temperature's high Hell's bells, across the sky Hell's bells, they're takin' you down Hell's bells, they're draggin' you around Hell's bells, gonna split the night Hell's bells, there's no way to fight, yeah Ow, ow, ow, ow Hell's bells!" He touched a hand to his throat as the last note grated in his voice, looking up at the group as they noticed the odd sound. No one else seemed to hear it though, and the music teacher clapped pulling a flier from a stack on her desk. "Take this home to your mother, have her look it over and see if you can compete in the battle of the bands on the fifth."
John took the paper from her, letting the others crowd around him as he read it over. "Grand prize is ten-thousand-dollars?" He asked, sensing the excitement going through the band. "Sponsored by Ashbend Rebuilds and Construction, Hillside Realtors, Hamilton Surf…" He looked up at Dominic, his question of Ashbend Rebuilds sounding familiar clear in his eyes. "What do you guys think?" He asked, shying away from them as they all jumped and started grapping each other in excitement. "I guess that's a yes." He laughed, letting Allison gently touch him while trying to show her excitement without hurting him.