Disclaimer: I own nothing of the sorts. Whoever said I did, don't have a clue of what he's talking about.
Chapter 4
Symphony of Destruction.
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes,
Swaying to the Symphony...
Of Destruction
Acting like a robot,
Its metal brain corrodes
You try to take its pulse,
Before the head explodes
Explodes...
-Megadeath-
I opened the door and walked into the house still thinking about those glowing eyes. What were they? I didn't even look up at first because I was so lost in my thoughts but when I did, I was met by the sight of my pissed off looking brother. Jack was sitting in a chair right inside the door, with his arms crossed and a glare on his face. I raised a surprised and confused eyebrow at him but he didn't ease up.
"Who was that?" his teeth were clenched as he ground out the words angrily.
"A guy who gave me a lift home…" I muttered and prepared myself for the onslaught I knew was coming. My brother had always been protective but ever since I hit 17 and our parents died he got worse.
"Where were you? I was looking for you…and what do you mean; "a guy"? You just let random guys give you rides home?! Do you even know his name!? Do you know how dangerous that is!" his voice got louder and louder and if I hadn't interrupted him he would have continued forever.
"Stop Jack. I was hanging out, making friends. Like you were, I didn't want to interrupt your flirting time." He gave me another glare and was about to continue as I said;
"No it wasn't a random guy, I was with him all night. He took me to a bar…" again I was about to be interrupted by my now red faced brother.
"…and his name is Paul." He stared at me dully and I watched as he mouthed;
"Paul." I sat down next to him on the couch and waited for him to speak again. I knew my brother and I knew that he wouldn't stay quiet for long.
"I'm just worried about you Bailey…you have to be careful this isn't Deakon. We're not in Kansas anymore little one." He gave me a cheeky grin when he said the last line in a high-pitched voice. I laughed and punched him playfully.
"But seriously sis…be careful, alright?" he said in a serious tone. I took in his facial expression and sighed.
"Okay big brother. I promise." We talked for a little while about moving here and grandpa before I trudged upstairs. I lit the lights in my room and started to undress. I walked into the bathroom and put on one of Jacks' old shirts that I slept in. that's when I got this tingling feeling all over me, like someone was watching me. It wasn't possible was it? It had some similarity to the feeling I had when I thought I saw those red eyes…but without the creepiness. Well it was creepy that I felt like I was being watched, but the feeling felt…oddly comforting and familiar. I just couldn't place it. I stepped towards the window, opened it and looked out into the darkness…what was I expecting? Some monsters to jump out of the shadows screaming boo? One of those missing people from Paul's stories? Paul…I smiled when I thought of my new friend. I shook my head and whispered;
"G'night Blondie," out into the quiet night. I closed the window and cut the lights, it was time to sleep.
The annoyingly bright morning light hit me in the eyes as I woke up. I tried to turn away from it but it was so bright that I couldn't escape it. I never was a morning person, I liked the evening better. When I finally gave up on trying to go back to sleep I stretched my tired limbs and climbed out of bed. I looked outside and smiled, the sun was shining brightly and it even looked like it was hot outside. I opened my window and let the warm air hit me in the face. I could get used to this weather, I really could. I headed for the shower and then headed down for breakfast. Grandpa was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. He smiled at me as I grumbled out a greeting. I sat down at the table and started to make me a sandwich and reached for the orange juice but before I could take the carton with the smiling orange on it, it was lifted from the table by a tanned hand. Jack had apparently woken up as well.
"You're welcome. Please, just help yourself," I muttered tiredly but my brother just smiled at me cheekily. He always was a morning person, the complete opposite of me. He sat down and started up a conversation with grandpa about jobs. I didn't really listen even if I knew that I should've. Jack and I had both agreed that we should both get jobs so we weren't descending upon grandpa and his hospitality. We both knew that the old man would think we were ridiculous if we told him the real reason for wanting to get jobs, so we opted against it.
When breakfast was over and done with Jack and I took his bike into town, to go job hunting. We both shared a look and then parted ways, both of us intent on finding something. I walked along the boardwalk looking at the different shops and food places. I started listing off the places I saw in my head…Jerry's Bar, getting felt up by drunkards, no thank you. Mr. Chow's, I don't know Chinese. Frog Comics, definitely not considering the Rambo fanatic glaring at every single customer. Max's Video, maybe, don't know that much about movies though. Flame Tattoo, are you joking, I could never work at a tattoo studio…Mimi's. I stopped when I reached the last one. Mimi's was a clothing store; it was filled with clothes that I could picture myself wearing so I thought that I might as well try in there. I stepped into the store and the loud screeching of a fake bell rang through the room, interrupting the song that was playing on the radio. A young woman with purple hair looked up from the magazine she was reading with a bored expression on her face and another one, this one with black hair, peeked out from behind a rack of clothes.
"Can I help you?" her voice was raspy and as she straightened herself out to her full length I noticed that she was at least a head taller than me. I smiled slightly and answered her with what I hoped was a confident voice;
"Yes actually…I'm looking for a job…" I didn't get any further then that because the one at the disk looked up again and in a bored tone she declared;
"Sorry, we're fully staffed." I looked at her, disappointment probably shining as bright as the sun outside in my eyes.
"Excuse my sisters bluntness but unfortunately she's right." The other woman had my attention again.
"But I heard that Mrs. Ames was looking for an assistant in her bookstore. It's across the street." I nodded at her and thanked her for the tip and headed out again. I swiftly crossed the boardwalk and ended up on the other side. Behind the Arcade and squeezed in between Max's Video and the Santa Carla Diner was a small shop that I hadn't noticed before. Madam Ames' Books was a small building that looked out of place in between the bright neon signs of her neighbours. I took in the rugged "open" sign and the dusty copies of books in the window as I walked closer. I slowly pushed the creaking door open and an old fashioned bell rang the sound echoing in the silent shop. I looked around in the small shop, shelves covered every wall and they were all filled with books. A table stood in the middle, open books lay on it and as I looked them over I saw that most of them were about witchcraft and other occult things.
"Can I help you young lady?" The voice startled me and my head snapped up. Behind the counter that I had managed to overlook stood a lady with long greying hair and the lightest blue eyes I had ever seen. The woman looked at me but it looked like she was looking through me. Realization hit me after staring at her in silence for what felt like hours…She was blind.
"How did you know that I was a girl?" She smiled lightly at my curious question.
"Your steps where to light to be a man's and too heavy to be a child's, you smell of flowers, no boy would smell like that," her voice was slightly raspy and she had a barely noticeable French accent. I slowly stepped forward, towards her and cleared my throat.
"My name is Bailey Grayson…and I heard that you were looking for someone to help out in the store?" I decided to leave it at that since I didn't know if what I just had uttered out loud was in fact true. The old lady's face broke into a smile.
"Qui, that is correct miss. Have you come to offer your help?" I found myself nodding and then kicked myself mentally for my own stupidity, she couldn't see me nodding. I cleared my throat and said;
"Yes, I am looking for a job. What exactly would this job involve?" A smile flittered over her wrinkled face and strangely enough I saw a sparkle in her unseeing eyes.
"Oh not much chére, just help me organize and keep the shop clean. Help me with inventory and the likes. I'm afraid that I can't offer you millions as a salary but…" Half through her explanation a smile broke out on my face. I don't know if it was the instant security and comfortableness I felt with old Madame Ames or the sound of her raspy voice and that genuine smile that made me want to accept her offer. No matter what she paid me. We discussed my working hours; I told her that I didn't mind variation since she explained to me that she might not need assistance all the time or even everyday. Not that I minded that. With a smile on my face and a promise that I would be there at ten the next morning I left Madame Ames Books. The sun shone brightly and blinded me as I stepped out of the dark shop and onto the Boardwalk. I started walking looking around me, happy to have had such good luck in my job hunt. I glanced towards the beach where a lot of people were sunbathing, surfing and everything in between, I mentally promised myself that if I had time I would join them tomorrow. Even if sunbathing wasn't my favourite thing to do, the ocean was something I liked. I wandered around the colourful boardwalk and looked at all the strange people that inhabited this town.
People-watching has always been a hobby of mine. I quickly found out that the boardwalk was just as crowded during the day as it was during the night, albeit even stranger creatures seemed to pop out as the sun went down. I wondered if there was a time of the day that Santa Carla was truly abandoned and quiet, a time when every single one of the towns inhabitants were sleeping, dead to the world. I doubted it. I soon noticed that I had walked closer to the actual town while enjoying the warm weather and my hobby. As I looked at the buildings surrounding me I heard a familiar laugh; Jack. I curiously walked towards the familiar sound and looked at the sign of the building; Car Doctor and Crew. As I walked towards the opened garage doors I spotted Jack talking to three men, all of them laughing and shaking hands. The blonde one that reminded me of Sonny the bar owner from last night noticed me and said;
"What can we do for you little lady?" The others turned to look at me and Jack's face lit up with a bigger smile.
"Bailey! These guys offered me a job! I'm going to work here, as a mechanic!" He was grinning from ear to ear and I couldn't help but grin back at him. As I walked closer and got introduced I found out that the guy I thought looked like Sonny was in fact his brother; Donny. Seth was his son and just as blonde as his dad and uncle. Ben was an older man who reminded me of grandpa and Joey, Joey was a young man my age that resembled Jack personality wise. I knew that my brother had found the perfect place for him to work at, like my new job the pay wasn't great but it would do. I told him about my new job as we walked towards the beach, Jack thought we should have some brother sister quality time while we could since he started working tomorrow too. We headed down to the beach and I quickly changed into a swimsuit I had brought with me. When I wandered over to my brother again he was talking to the girl I saw him talking to last night. I rolled my eyes and threw myself down next to him on the blanket he had thrown on the ground. The girl glared at me and Jack grinned.
"Hey Bailey, this is Josie…Josie this is my little sister Bailey." The sour expression on Josie's face disappeared and she smiled and greeted me I just grinned smugly and laid down to read. I hoped that we wouldn't stay at the beach for too long since I didn't tan…I burned. It had always been like that. It was one of the reasons to why I liked the night better then the day, one time when I was eight years old I had burned so badly that I had to stay indoors for a whole month. The sun freaked me out a bit after that but I enjoyed it at reasonable amounts. We only stayed for about an hour and then we headed home. Jack and I made dinner and before I knew it darkness had fallen outside again.
"Bailey let's head down to the boardwalk. I promise not to lose you this time." I flipped him off when he laughed at me.
"Just let me get changed, okay?" He nodded and sat down to read the TV-Guide.
Jack's POV
Santa Carla, this town that was my new home. Living with the old fart was…different. But it wasn't bad. Bailey and I got our own rooms and as long as we followed Grandpa's small rules we were pretty much left to our own devices. It was good for my sister, for both of us, the change of scenery, people. She took our parents death hard, we both did. But that's where we are so alike, we don't show it. Sure we talked about it with each other; we agreed to help each other out. But living in that house having to see those sympathetic stares from the neighbours every day. It would have killed her spirit slowly but surely. Santa Carla was good for us, it was nothing like Deakon. You could get lost here and emerge as a new person. It was the perfect place for us to start over. I looked up as I heard Bailey close her door and make her way downstairs. I gulped when I saw her. She was wearing a ripped top and the leather jacket I gave her over that, her jeans were ripped as well and her hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush for weeks. I knew that she was 18 now but she was still my baby sister. I didn't like the fact that she was growing up, what big brother did? I was worried about the guy that brought her home last night; I should have been there, not him. But how could I deny her making friends? And I sure couldn't make her change clothes…she wouldn't do it anyway…Her voice broke through my thoughts.
"Are you ready Jack?" I stared at her and nodded with a grunt in agreement. She looked at me with an amused look in her eyes but I chose to ignore it. We said our goodbyes to the old man and left on my precious bike. The wind blew in my face and I relished at the feeling of complete freedom that the speed we were going at supplied. I felt more then heard Bailey laugh behind me as I hit the brakes hard and we screeched to a stop near the end on the boardwalk, near town, much to the annoyance of an elderly couple who glared at us muttering about "kids these days". She jumped off and shook out her blonde mane that had been ruffled even more by the wind.
"Come on Jack! Let's go and try out the rides!" I smiled at the sparkle in her eyes and the huge grin on her face. My sister was like a little kid sometimes and I knew that this night was bound to end with too many rides on the merry-go-round and an unhealthy amount of sugar coated substances. I laughed as she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the area where all the rides were. Through the crowd we went dodging everyone and laughing together. It felt good to be able to laugh so freely with her again, to see her so carefree and happy. We rode the merry-go-round twice before I convinced her to ride one of the roller coasters. She screamed, I screamed, everybody screamed as we went down with a speed even my bike couldn't match. It was thrilling, a rush that always made me feel alive. I laughed when Bailey stepped off on shaky legs, her mind loved the thrill but her body didn't. Her legs were so shaky that she actually toppled off the ramp.
"Bailey!" It was pretty high she could've gotten hurt…probably would have if it wasn't for the tall blondes arms that she fell into. I hurried down the ramp and strode towards the guy holding my baby sister bridal style.
"Brown-eyes! If you wanted to jump my bones all you had to do was ask girlie," the blonde let out a high pitched laugh and it was only then I noticed the shorter curly haired blonde next to him snickering.
"Yeah right Blondie now put me down."
"What, not even a thank you kiss?" I didn't want to see anymore and stormed over to the trio.
"Hey Dickweed put my little sis down!" All three of them looked over at me. My sister looked annoyed; the blonde holding her looked confused and amused. But the curly haired blonde just smirked like he knew something I didn't. I stood directly in front of them when the tall blonde I could only guess was Paul let my sister down on her own two feet. I grabbed her arm and pulled her next to me before she could do anything else, she let out a yelp in surprise and the guys in front of us just smirked. The one I still just assumed to be Paul like he found the whole thing amusing but with something entirely different glinting in his eyes and the one with the patched up and rather triumphant jacket smirked a smirk that reminded me of the Cheshire Cat. His eyes showed an emotion that I couldn't place and that smirk spoke volumes of something he knew and he wanted to make it obvious that I didn't. I didn't like the vibe that I got from them, this was not the kind of guys I wanted my 18 year old sister to hang out with even if they seemed to be close to her age. But something told me that they were older than their appearances, I don't know what it was, just a feeling I had.
"What's your damage Jack?" I looked at Bailey, next to me, once I tore my stare from the smirking boys.
"What? How do you want me to react when I see some punk putting his dirty paws all over you?" A snort reached my ears and I glared at the tall guy who snorted.
"Hey bud my hands aren't dirty." He held up his hands and looked at them with a mock surprised expression when he found that they were actually black here and there from oil. Mine looked just like them thanks to working on my bike every now and then but I hadn't meant it literally, but we all knew that he knew that. He was messing with me, acting dumber than he was…or at least I think that's what he was doing.
"Wow, would you look at that! Marko check it out, dude. Good thing you aren't wearing white brown-eyes," he said first grinning at his companion that was apparently called Marko, he just let out a chuckle and my sister laughed when he turned to her showing off his hands and gesturing to her outfit.
"Totally Blondie. Now Jack would you stop glaring at them, I know him! He actually saved me from falling on the ground for Pete's sake!" She stared at me with a mixture of emotions in her eyes. Pleading for me to stop, embarrassment and irritation all swirling around in her brown eyes so alike my own. I turned to the boys again and held out my hand.
"I guess I should thank you for not letting my clumsy sister break her legs or something heinous like that." The wild blonde grinned and shook my hand while saying;
"No problemo dude. Couldn't let Bailey here hurt herself now could I?" My eyes caught Marko's unreadable smirk at Paul's choice of words but my head snapped back to the other when he continued;
"Looks like you owe me another drink, babe." Bailey just laughed and hit his shoulder.
"Sure thing, Paul. Jack this is the guy I was talking about, Paul this is my pig headed brother Jack. And this is…actually him I don't know…" she trailed off as her eyes turned to the curly haired blonde and he seemed to be laughing to himself when he answered;
"I'm Marko." Stated plainly because we sort of all ready knew that even if we hadn't been properly introduced.
"This is Bailey, the radical chick I was telling you about bud," Paul smiled and threw his arm around my sister and she just laughed and shook Marko's hand. I spotted Josie waving at me and relief shot through my body, finally a reason to leave.
"Hey Bailey, Josie's over there let's go and say hi," I said when I turned my eyes back to her. She looked at me and then back at the boys standing next to her, she better not be thinking what I think she's thinking.
"You go have fun. I'll be alright; I would just be the third wheel anyways," she trailed off with a smile and I gritted my teeth.
"Can I talk to you?" I took a hold of her arm again before she could respond and took her aside, out of earshot.
"What are you playing at Bailey?" My eyes searched hers and found nothing that I could use.
"What do you mean, I sort of know Paul. He's funny, I like him and he's my friend. Why can't I hang with him and his friend rather then watch you and Josie swap spit because don't even deny that's what you're going to do." Her eyes were amused and slightly annoyed. I decided not to beat around the bush anymore, just spit it out.
"Don't you feel it?" I asked. Her amusement faded for a minute but then it was back again but not fast enough for me not to notice the change in her demeanour.
"What do you mean?" I chanced a look at the guys behind her; they were having a conversation with each other. Both of them were looking amused and held cigarettes in their hands.
"Don't lie to me. You have to feel it…the vibe they give off. I don't like it Bay, it's not normal." I stressed on the last word and used the old childhood nickname to make her realize that I was serious. I practically saw her mental gears turning as she sighed.
"Yeah, I feel it. But Paul didn't do anything to me last night. He was funny, slightly crude and cocky sometimes but nothing more. But yeah I feel it, the vibe, and the aura surrounding them both. I don't know what it is Jack but honestly…I don't really care right now." A lie. She cared, it worried her, it was right there in her eyes. But so was the fact that she felt remotely safe around this Paul fellow.
"Don't trust them. If anything seems off. Don't do it. Get away as fast as you can and find me. Okay. Don't stray from the boardwalk." I gave in. I knew it was useless to try and convince her, she was just as stubborn as I was. She grinned slightly and said;
"I don't trust them. And I promise Jack, I'll be okay. I'll come find you or vice versa when we're heading home, okay?" with a nod from me she was off. Smiling like nothing was wrong. The boys grinned at her when she approached and Paul swung his arm around her. The last thing I heard was him saying;
"You up for meeting our little brother, he's been bugging us about riding some rides with him." I don't know what she responded but it set off a howl like laughter from the taller blonde and a chuckle from the curly haired one. If there was going to be a kid with them they couldn't be that bad…right? But as I walked towards Josie I couldn't shake off that feeling that I had just let my sister walk away with the wolves in sheep's clothing.
Bailey's POV.
I watched my brother walk off towards Josie and sighed. His words of worry echoing in my mind. Of course I felt the vibe he was referring to. I felt it the first time I laid eyes on these boys and their other friends who I had yet to meet, I had no doubt I would sooner or later though. That vibe of danger, not normal, warning bells chiming. It was subconscious, the feeling the aura around them created. But at the same time I felt drawn to them, like a moth to a flame. Especially to Paul and not because I saw him as a friend or I thought he was funny to hang around, sure that too but it was something else. This feeling of recognition that I couldn't explain, like I knew him, had known him for years even if I met him just yesterday. But I didn't lie to my brother when I said I didn't trust the boys. I trusted them as far as I could throw them.
Paul grinned as I joined them and threw his arms around my shoulder and spoke of his, their little brother and his wish to ride with them. I thought it was great idea, I liked kids and I would feel safer if there was a little kid around. Somewhere in the back of my mind a voice whispered that it was exactly what they were aiming for, using the kid to make me feel safe. Needless to say; I ignore the voice.
I liked Marko. He was a little bit quieter then Paul, more thoughtful and didn't blurt out everything that came to his mind but he wasn't by any means too quiet either. When he spoke it was always well thought out and often had a hint of sarcasm or seemed to have some kind of hidden meaning behind it. It could have been the smirk that always seemed to play on his lips that made everything that came out of his mouth sound like some witty response or sarcastic comment. But he never stopped himself from saying exactly what he thought about certain things, he just didn't feel the need to blurt out that some dudes cologne smelled like rat-piss like Paul apparently did. He was funny too but not like his friend was funny; Paul's humour was often laced with racy sexual innuendoes, sometimes childish remarks, wordplay or something that was made for easy laughs. Marko on the other hand had a darker more morbid sense of humour. He was always smirking or smiling, like he found life itself amusing like he knew something everyone around him didn't. When I first saw him I thought he was my age but then I looked into his eyes and they told a whole different story. Behind those green eyes and angelic, youthful looks a wisdom that only someone who had experienced life could have. The way he spoke and his eyes betrayed his youthful innocence and revealed wisdom beyond his years. I couldn't understand it really, but it was right there along with the same feeling I got from Paul, they were hiding something. Not only was he just as graceful as Paul but he also had that same spark in his eyes when someone said something in a way they both thought was hilarious, some sort of inside joke I couldn't comprehend. But that's pretty much where the similarities stopped. Paul was loud, wild and some sort of movement seemed to be a must. Marko too oozed rebellion, wildness and danger just like Paul, but a different kind. Despite being shorter, looking younger and over all more innocent I got the feeling that Marko was far more dangerous than his sometimes pot-hazed friend. I didn't let my thoughts show though, or at least I hoped I didn't as I was walking in-between them laughing. They interacted well together, like they had known each other for years, they probably had and it was fun to watch them interact. Paul would blurt out something completely random and hilarious and Marko would counter him with some sardonic response always accompanied by that smirk that would make the Cheshire Cat jealous. It made me wonder where the other two fit in, peroxide blonde and tall, dark and stoic. The two missing links I had yet to meet. Then there was this Laddie person, who was apparently a ten year old kid that lived with the boys. I couldn't really understand their living arrangements or how they came to live together but I decided not to question it.
Soon enough a small kid with shoulder length, dark blonde hair and blue eyes sort of like Paul's, ran at full speed into Pauls legs screaming;
"Paul, Paul can we ride the Dipper please, can we?" I watched as the tall rocker effortlessly lifted up the small kid and swung him around grinning like a kid himself. The sight was endearing and yet slightly disturbing in some way. A grinning Paul turned towards me and said;
"Laddie meet Bailey, Bailey meet this little dude known as Laddie." I smiled and held out my hand to the kid who, as soon as Paul turned him towards me, looked nervous and shy. A small hello was whispered from the small boy in Paul's arms and I smiled widely at him, trying to seem less scary than he obviously thought I was. The silent, shy Laddie I first met disappeared as soon as we stepped off The Dipper after riding it the first time, the kid didn't seem to be able to stop talking.
"Bailey, when we ride the Ghost Ride, can I sit with you?" Marko snorted from behind us when Laddie mentioned the ride he wanted to ride next.
"We're not riding the Ghost Ride," he stated but even if his eyes were unreadable and the smirk was the same as always I could somehow tell he didn't really mind it if we ended up riding the apparently revolting ride after all. Paul seemed more enthusiastic but then again, he also seemed rather high. I was beginning to think that this was just how Paul normally was.
"Little dude, we can ride the Ghost Ride but I'm sitting with Brown-Eyes," Paul stated grinning that same grin that seemed to light up his whole face, his eyes sparkled and I, of course, blushed.
"I would be honoured to ride with you Laddie," I glanced at Paul and found a chocked look etched into his face but it soon changed into a mock crestfallen one and he started to whine. Marko on the other hand was grinning like nothing had happened but I thought I saw a hint of surprise in his eyes and his grin widen for a second, but it was gone so fast that I could have imagined it. Laddie though smiled a huge smile that lit up his whole face and he started bouncing up and down grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the mentioned ride. I could see why Marko seemed reluctant to ride this one when I spotted it. "The Ghost Ride" was spelled in deep red letters with fake blood smeared around them. It looked like any cheesy ride that was meant to scare people. I watched as a group of shaking girls stepped of the ride all of them speaking of how scary it had been. Laddie jumped excitedly next to me and when I glanced at Paul he looked like he could barely contain himself from jumping like his younger "brother". When it was our turn to get on the ride I helped Laddie into the wagon and got in after him myself. Laddie and I sat in the front and Paul and Marko shared the bench behind us. They both looked less than comfortable at the small space they had to share both of them had obviously counted on a different seating arrangement. I just snickered at their disgruntled looks and looked down at a beaming Laddie. It was worth some whining from Paul and sardonic taunts from Marko. The ride jolted sharply as we began to move forward at what seemed to be a snails pace. Well, I thought, at least they're not trying to scare us with speed. We entered a dark tunnel, organ music assaulted my ears and I winced at the pitiful attempt the rides designers had made to make it scary. Paul and Marko snickered behind me and I could feel Laddie shaking in suppressed laughter at the silliness of it all. Suddenly a skeleton flew at us from seemingly nowhere and I jumped, when my attention had previously been focused on the young boy beside me. Paul roared in laughter, laughter that sounded rather crazy accompanied by the organ. I couldn't help myself soon I was laughing along with the boys as one attempt to scare us appeared after the other. When we reached the end of the ride we were all laughing so hard that none of us seemed to be able to breathe. The people standing in line and the guy that was in charge of the ride stared at us in astonishment as we toppled out of the wagon. The people who had just gotten off the ride before us looked most astonished because they were obviously shook up by the ride and here we were…laughing our asses off at the silliness of the whole ride. But I knew that hadn't I went on it with the boys; I would have been slightly shaken up too.
"Man that was bogus. But hilarious!" my blonde rocker friend blurted as he jumped off the ramp. The rest of us just nodded in agreement as we walked off the ramp instead of jumping.
"What now little dude?" he questioned Laddie as he ruffled his hair playfully.
"Cotton Candy!" the boy screamed, throwing his hands up in the air grinning. Paul laughed and with a glance at Marko who shrugged he said;
"Cotton Candy it is." I started walking towards where I thought the booths that sold the sticky clouds of sugar were located only to have an tuxedo clad arm thrown around my shoulders and turning my the opposite way.
"We know the best place to get cotton candy," he explained with a devilish grin on his face as he turned us so we were following Marko. I shook my head in amusement and looked at the rocker besides me as he produced a fag from somewhere on his person casually and lit it. He offered me one and I took it just as casually looking around for my brother in case he was lurking around somewhere. The crowd was thicker than ever but it didn't bother us because just like with Paul last night, the crowds seemed to part for Marko as he walked ahead of us. None of the three boys with me seemed to think that this was unusual so I just went with the flow. Laddie was squeezed in between Paul and me, holding my hand, so he wouldn't get squished by the masses. Soon enough Laddie and Paul were armed with what to me seemed like the largest clouds of pink sweetness I had ever seen. No wonder they wanted to go to their "special place", it was the only booth that made the cotton candy clouds larger than life.
"Let's go sit over there," Marko, who hadn't spoken in awhile, said, with a grin, pointing to a bench near the railings of the boardwalk. We headed there and I sat down on the bench with Laddie besides me. Marko leaned against the railing to my left and Paul opted against sitting safely on the bench and instead flung himself up on the railing to my right with his boot clad feet resting on the bench. I don't know who or how it started but suddenly we were crowd gazing and commenting on everything and everyone we saw. I commented on the varying characters I saw and on the songs that reached our ears from the band area. Paul had us all laughing with his ridiculous comments and staring at him in wonder when he actually said something insightful. Marko offered a rather sardonic and almost cynical approach to everything even Laddie put in his two cents in the conversation, the world from a kids point of view was always interesting. Before I knew it; hours had passed by and I found myself feeling comfortable and having fun with these almost strangers. But the feeling of unease lingered in the back of my mind making itself known every time I saw Paul, Marko or even Laddie do something entirely too graceful. I found them fun to hang with but I couldn't seem to figure them out. The attraction I felt every time my brown eyes landed on Paul was strange, unreal and fascinating, I couldn't understand it. Sure Paul was an attractive guy, both boys were, but it was something else. That powerful force that seemed to draw me to him and that feeling of recognition, it wasn't normal. It wasn't a superficial attraction; it was something deeper, something…I don't know what. And something told me that the feeling was mutual a least to a certain level. I could see it in his eyes sometimes, the same confusion, attraction and fascination I'm sure my own eyes reflected back.
The conversation ended suddenly when I felt a chill run through my body. Paul was looking at something and I turned my head in that direction. It was them, the two boys I had yet to meet. Tall, dark and stoic was looking at me with an expressionless face; his dark eyes held an emotion I couldn't place. But a small smile graced his sharp features when Laddie bounced over to him jabbering about his night. My eyes then travelled to peroxide blonde. He was smirking a, what I thought was a, pretty malicious smirk, his icy blue eyes stared back into mine and sent a shiver through my spine, and not the good kind that Paul's sparkling ones sometimes did, no a shiver of dread and uncertainty. The warning bells that had been chiming in the back of my head ever since I met Paul was now accompanied by fire alarms, church bells and police sirens all blending together into a symphony of dread and awareness. I felt my body stiffen in anticipation of what was to come. Peroxide Blonde flicked the bud he had been smoking away and approached us.
"Paul, Marko…we've been looking for you." I had to clamp my teeth together so I wouldn't gape at the sound of his voice. It was smooth yet raspy, quiet and alluring. Seductive was a word that entered my mind the first time I heard the leader clad in black speak. While he spoke his eyes flickered to the boys but then those eyes turned to me once again.
"We took Laddie out like I promised him," Marko stated with a grin.
"And we ran into the chick I told you about last night so she tagged along. This is Bailey. Brown Eyes meet David," Paul looked at me with a grin on his face but his eyes screamed something else I couldn't comprehend. I hated feeling clueless but I had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time I felt like that hanging with these guys. I turned to David; finally those eyes had a name to go with them. He smirked and nodded at me, I returned the favour.
"And that's Dwayne," Paul continued, I turned my eyes to tall, dark and silent. He apparently didn't speak much but he nodded in acknowledgement before he continued to listen to Laddie's tale. Paul slid off the railing and sat down next to me as the other two leaned against the railing striking up a conversation with Marko, Paul adding something every now and then. I watched them silently noticing that the newcomers had the same graceful air around them as well as the aura of danger, wildness and rebellion. Dwayne was tall, like Paul, but when Paul was practically bursting with life his dark brother was quiet, calm and unreadable. He didn't give me the chills but I found that he was hard to read. David on the other hand seemed dangerous; he was a natural leader and expected everyone to listen to him. His eyes were cold and shadowed his emotions. The smirk was almost always malicious and he too seemed to give the impression that he knew something I didn't. They all did, only Marko and David seemed to be subtly obvious about it. Paul's energy and funny comments were now not only met by Marko's sardonic responses, but now David's "no bullshit" answers and lines filled to the brim with hidden meanings accompanied them. Dwayne spoke seldom, but when he did his dark, low voice uttered intelligent and thoughtful replies that went along well with Paul's silliness, Marko's cynicism and David's vagueness. It was like watching a well oiled machine or a symphony orchestra, every single one of them having their own needed and thought out place. The music they made was intriguing and terrifying at the same time. I was so busy watching them interact with each other in awe that I didn't notice my brother coming up to us until he was standing right in front of me. Conversation quieted down and all eyes were on Jack.
"Bay," he said nodding to Paul and Marko his eyes roaming over the remaining two. I stood and turned towards the boys.
"This is my brother Jack. Jack this is David, Dwayne and Laddie, Paul and Marko's friends," I gestured with my hand to them and David smirked and nodded, Dwayne just gave a nod and Laddie looked at my brother shyly. Jack nodded back and then turned to me.
"We're heading home now." There it was. No chance for me to argue, a command. I knew that I would be in trouble if I didn't just go with him so I nodded.
"It was fun to night…I'll see you around?" my eyes were locked on Paul but both I and they knew that the question was directed to all of them. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be seeing just Paul but the whole gang in a very near future.
"Yeah, it's been fun again. You still owe me that drink though Brown Eyes," Paul winked at me and I laughed.
"Sure Blondie, I'll remember that. Bye," I waved and almost froze when that voice spoke again;
"See you around, Bailey." David was looking at me and I gave a small wave to all of them trying to suppress the chill I felt when those icy eyes met my brown for the third time that night. Jack grabbed my arm and started to walk towards his bike. I turned around one last time and watched the boys engage in conversation again, the orchestra once again playing a tune I knew I wasn't going to be able to ignore. It was like a symphony of destruction…