My Tourniquet
|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~| CHAPTER 9 |~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|
West Island, Orb, Fall CE 72:
"Lovely," Amy grumbled as she shifted her black backpack on her shoulder. "Another year of hell."
"I understand junior year is supposed to be a fun year," Paul tried to cheer his moody leader up. Her gratitude came back at him in the form of a rock. "Hey!"
Their band mates laughed at they strolled through the front doors. It was a whole new year at Nishi Public Academy.
The last year, the six were a band of troublemaking misfits, much like a cheap quilt. A goth-punk bitch, a goth boy-hater, a hot-headed playboy and his geek counterpart, a quiet songwriter, and a local violin loving slut all occasionally accompanied by a teen father and his little angel. All were ignored or looked down on with hell's hounds always at their heels. The past summer had seen the emergence of something totally different.
A unified entity in control.
An award winning human quilt now, Evanescence's reputation had grown throughout the last summer and school year. The club where their unofficial debut took place, the Crow's Nest, became the site of their performances every third Friday of the month. By New Year's, the one year anniversary of Evanescence, the Crow's Nest was booked solid those nights. New Year's Eve was far more crowded, if that was possible. With their summer earnings not committed to rent and bills, the band managed to sneak in some studio time to record their first EP of seven songs.
Of course, this popularity was, by all means, no positive influence on their school life. Paul's practical jokes with Dave often landed said Pinky and Brain in detention, hence activating the domino effect. Detention meant less practice time; less practice time meant a thoroughly pissed off Amy; a thoroughly pissed off Amy meant pain and hell on earth for the two; on rare occasions, reigning down hell would land Amy in detention, thus adding to the ever vicious cycle. One such rare occasion involved water and the teacher's desk the day of a public performance of a new song. Deanna even got involved in trying to save her drumsticks yet again from fatal abuse. Simply put, Kara and Kira enjoyed a quiet afternoon working on the song and then setting up.
Kira weaved through the mass of bodies for his locker when he bumped into a new face, one he'd see here and there recently. She was very cute, a little shorter than him with dark hair highlighted with blue-purple streaks that surprisingly complimented her brown eyes and sweet face. She seemed like the girl Amy would love as least for the style.
"Hi, sorry," she smiled in apology. Her accent was American. "My bad."
"It's okay," Kira said. "You look new?"
She nodded and stuck out her hand. "Celeste Cresthill. I just moved here from the US. School exchange program."
"Oh, welcome to Orb," he replied, shaking her hand. "I'm Kira Yamato."
"Nice to meet ya," Celeste said. "Now, where do I go for room W-232?"
"Don't you know by now?" Classes had started a couple weeks ago. Most have the school figured out plenty by now.
"I changed classes. Couldn't stand the teacher in writing," Celeste explained. "Boooring!"
He nodded, knowing the pain of that particular teacher. "Asian literature?" Kira asked, seeing her schedule. "Headed that way myself. Come on."
Celeste smiled and followed. "So what's to do around here?" She twisted to avoid shouldering a student passing by. He shrugged.
"Uh…not much," he admitted. "There's a beach a couple miles out of town, but this is an island so that's expected. Lot of local shows, some clubs, and an awful drama club performance here and there. It's pretty easy going here, activity wise. What, uh, are you into?"
"Well, Krys plays percussion and I'm on guitar back home with Tanner and Jim. Called ourselves the Falsehood," she replied. Then she noticed Kira grinning, almost laughing. "What? It's a good name? Better than some."
"Not that," he said. "We just seem to have a lot of musicians around this part of town. East Public has a couple new bands. In NPA, we have Evanescence. Out and around, there's Harlequin Red, In the Flesh, Malady, and so on. My group's Evanescence."
"You play?" Her eyes were wide and excited. "Sweet!"
"Guitar plus songwriter," he replied.
"Really? We should hang, play a few songs together," she suggested. Her eyes were bright at the idea.
"We should." Kira decided he liked her. So far, she was enthusiastic, fun, and ambitious. "We hang out in the old music rooms around lunch if you want to join us."
She nodded. "Sounds great, Kira."
"Here's the room. I'll catch you around."
"Kei! Move it!" Amy yelled over the crowd. A few cringed away from her. He rolled his eyes but left after her. "Then again…"
"Later! And thanks," the new girl said, giggling.
When the lunch bell rang a few hours later, Kira found Celeste pouting at her locker. Apparently she had received a tricky one. After watching over her should as she input the numbers a few times to no avail, he spoke up. She started and flushed. "Hey!"
"Sorry," he replied and then he reached around her. "Helps to minus one from each number." He showed her, using her combination, each number a notch before her assigned numbers. It opened.
"Well whadda ya know?" she huffed. "Stupid things." She threw in her couple heavy texts and slammed it shut. "So, now what?"
"Amy said you could hang with us for lunch," Kira said.
"Lead on!" Celeste exclaimed, linking her arm with his. He tensed just noticeable at the close contact and she sheepishly let go. "Sorry. I guess us Americans are kinda touchy feely."
"It's okay," Kira replied. "I'm just not used to it."
Celeste just smiled and walked along side him to the music rooms. They were both greeted by slow, tantalizing piano notes. The boy beside her explained it was their newer song, 'My Immortal', which was mostly piano for Amy with a short big finish that Paul was still writing. Even rough, it sounded better than most of her band's music. The school would be a lot more fun than she anticipated.
He was a boy, she was a girl
Can I make it any more obvious
He was a punk, she did ballet
What more can I say
He wanted her, she'd never tell
Secretly she wanted him as well
But all of her friends stuck up their nose
And they had problem with his petty clothes
Five years from now, she sits as home
Feeding the baby she's all alone
She turns on TV, guess who she sees
Skater boy rocking up MTV
She calls up her friends, they already know
And they've all got tickets to see his show
She tags along, and stands in the crowd
Looks up at the man that she turned down
"Who's this skank?" Amy stared angrily at the club's narrow stage where a group of three boys and pretty faced blonde were riling up the crowd. The music was upbeat and admittedly fun to listen to, except that the voice grated on Amy's nerves, or was that her ego? Kira wasn't sure but wisely kept silent. He caught Celeste's gaze and hinted to just stay out of it.
"Steena," Deanna replied. "Heard she's from EPA. Just started performing like hell recently. Apparently her stuffs becoming all the rage. I wouldn't worry about it so much. And you two get a room!" Her last snappy remark was directed at Kira and Celeste who were snuggled close together in the booth.
He looked defensive. "We're not doing anything, Deanna."
"Yeah, just enjoying company," Celeste added.
"Bleh."
Amy smirked. She didn't mind Celeste. Here and there she acted completely like an American schoolgirl but it wasn't annoying most times. Girl had great taste, which was more than she could say for the obnoxious girl on stage. She was also a lot of fun to mess with. Virgins always were.
"Yeah, cuddling and kissing all she knows at this point," Amy remarked. "When you're ready to take a tumble in bed with Kei, let us know."
Deanna added, "We can probably borrow Paul's stash."
"Good stuff. He's got this one with the girls handcuffed to the bed, face down and the men are …what?"
Upon promptly turning beet red, Celeste was up and pulling a chuckling Kira after her to the dance floor away from Amy. Deanna and Amy high-fived each other on their achievement.
He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy
He wasn't good enough for her
She had a pretty face but her head was up in space
She needed to come back down to Earth
He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy
He wasn't good enough for her
Now he's a superstar, celebing on his guitar
To show pretty face, see what he's worth
He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy
He wasn't good enough for her
Now he's a superstar, celebing on his guitar
To show pretty face, see what he's worth
Sorry girl but you missed out
Well tough luck that boy's mine now
We are more than just good friends
This is how the story ends
"Paul's not into bondage," the goth remarked lightly.
"TMI." Amy shuddered. "Males."
"Too bad the other three couldn't make it," Deanna said, not really meaning it.
"On the bright side, fast food isn't forever, or so we hope. Grease is disgusting to work in. Why the hell did Kei get the nice little officey job?"
The other girl just shrugged. "I guess stuck up school was worth something."
A moment later. "God damn it! That bitch is awful to listen to!"
"Technically not bad," Deanna said, "but not up my alley."
"Let's blow, Dee," the singer begged. "My brain's rotting in my skull."
"Nice."
Too bad that you couldn't see
See the man that boy can be
There is more than meets the eye
I see the soul that is inside
He's just a boy, and I'm just a girl
Can I make it anymore obvious?
We are in love, haven't you heard
And we rock each other to Earth
I'm with the Skater boy, I said see you later boy
I'll be backstage after the show
I'll be in at a studio, singing the song we wrote
About a girl you used to know
I'm with the Skater boy, I said see you later boy
I'll be backstage after the show
I'll be in at a studio, singing the song we wrote
About a girl you used to know
They were trying to get Kira and Celeste's attention when the show finally ended. Opting instead to stay now that tolerable music was playing over head, the two relaxed back in the booth, picking through the last bits of their dinner. The lights were flashing a little more as the club settled back into its R&B theme for the night. Not their favored genre but okay.
A moment later, Steena herself walked up to their table. Flashing a bright smile, she kept her hands planted on her hips. "You're Amy, Evanescence?"
Said girl narrowed her eyes, looking the opposing singer up and down. "What about it?"
"Just curious," she replied. "Heard you're the big rock stars around here. Can't wait to see if that's true or not."
"Uh huh. I know it's not the case with you," Amy replied. "Your voice gives Manson a run for his money!"
Next to her, Deanna started laughing as Steena's jaw dropped at the insult. "Bitch." She stalked off into the crowd.
"I'm a bitch?"
"Their empress."
"Cool."
It was a couple days after New Year's when the cruel human society threw its next nightmare. This nightmare came in the form of two girls. The oldest was 13 by the name of Charm. Lyra, her sister, was five. As Mrs. O'Dreary put it, the two had been seen wandering around aimlessly, abandoned by their parents. Sympathetic of the two girls, the landlady set them up in the room next to her own.
The first days were fine until Charm's secret came into the open.
Apparently she had some form of progressive psychosis. After the first couple of outbursts, the complaints of neighboring tenets drove the unfortunate pair to the top floor, in the last room of the hall. In short, the sisters became the band's new neighbors. Mrs. O'Dreary left their welfare checks to Amy and her friends as her older bones did not agree with the stairs. That alone won her bonus points with Amy…not.
"Just the thing I needed to add to my miserable life," Amy whined. "Babysitting for a sociopathic bitch and her brat sister."
"It's not that bad," Deanna shot back. "Just make sure they're still alive and deliver the groceries. It's not hard, Amy."
"Whatever," Amy muttered. "We ready to leave?"
"I'll get the guys," Deanna nodded and left the apartment to pound on the other door. "Move it!"
The door opened and the three guys walked out with their guitars. Amy picked up the black violin case and joined them in the hallway.
"Forward," she commanded dramatically. Upon leaving the building they were greeted by the sight of the cemetery doused in a golden hew from the evening sun. Long black shadows cast themselves along the ground.
The group walked along the empty streets towards their favored club for a night of raving fans and fun. As they passed by the Lazy Owl Inn, Kara joined them, dressed hastily back into her usual clothes.
"You know, if I didn't know any better," Amy began, "I would've thought you were doing something very naughty."
Kara playfully pushed the girl off the sidewalk, which in turn got her knocked into a nearby wall. It took Kira walking in between the two to end the battle.
As always, the Crow's Nest was crowded with dancing teens shaking to the blaring music. After the first few rounds, the group learned to go the back entrance to get in. The instruments were set up behind a thin purple curtain. Paul tested the amp on his with a few random notes. Kara handed Amy a water bottle she had brought along.
"So what's on the agenda tonight?" Dave asked.
"I say we run through most of what we had to date," Amy said.
"Nyah, it's our one year celebration, Ames," Dave whined. "They've been listening to our first songs long enough. Let's try out the new stuff, ya know? 'Going Under', 'Haunted', 'Whisper'?"
Amy shrugged, looking up for the idea. "You got a point. I'm game."
"Are we good to perform those?" Paul inquired. "We've just managed to run through them a couple of times just this week."
Amy smirked, folding her arms across her chest. "What? Can't handle it, Paul?"
"I hope so," he replied skeptically. "If I miss some notes, don't blame me about playing this one prematurely."
Amy only needed to take three steps to be in his face. "Just play. And for some incentive, play it right and I will let you live."
"All right, all right," Paul backed off.
Amy took her place behind the microphone as the curtains parted to reveal their ever enthusiastic crowd. Before the curtain had opened all the way, the band opened up with Kara running the newly sounds recorded by Dave who was opening with the other guys in a slow, haunting melody.
Amy began singing with Deanna and Kara playing the deepest vocals and soon after, the lightest echoes. "Long lost words whisper slowly to me. Still can't find what keeps me here…When all this time I've been so hallow inside." Deanna stopped while Amy continued, "But I know you're still there." The band threw itself in full swing, drawing the fans screams from their throats.
"Watching me, wanting me. I can feel you hold me down. Fearing you, loving you. I won't let you hold me down." Amy began walking around the stage more, putting motion into the song. She bent more into the mic and punched through the air.
"Haunting you I can smell you…alive," she deeply sang, rocking her body. "Your heart pounding in my head-"
"Watching me, wanting me. I can feel you hold me down. Saving me, raping me. Watching me-" Paul took over the stage playing a hard solo, fingers dancing across the strings of his guitar, with Dee's light effort support. Amy wandered the length of the stage. Then together in chorus, the band members all together sang. "Watching me, wanting me. I can feel you hold me. Fearing you, loving you. I won't let you hold me down."
The captivated audience cheered and howled, overriding any last efforts from the players. Amy smirked and allowed a few seconds for the group to breathe before the next song. With a nod from Amy nearly forty seconds later, Kira began playing the opening notes and blended his guitar with the lead player from Paul as the girl began singing in a strong voice. "Perfect by Nature, icons of self indulgence. Just what we all need, more lies about a world that never was and never will be! Have you no shame? Don't you see me? You know you've got everybody fooled."
She leaned a little forward close to the stage's edge, singing passionately into the microphone. "Look here she comes now. Bow down and stare in wonder. Oh how, we love you. No flaws when you're pretending. But now I know she never was and never will be. You don't know how you've betrayed me and somehow you've got everybody fooled."
Her voice smoothed out as she airily began the next verse, "Without the mask, where will you hide? Can't find yourself, lost in your lies! I know the truth now…I know who you are. And I don't love you anymore…" Her eyes made eye contact with anyone willing to meet her icy eyes. Few could hold her gaze for longer than two seconds. "It never was and never will be. You don't know how you've betrayed me. And somehow you've got everybody fooled." Deanna held the last word as Amy restarted the chorus.
"It never was and never will be. You're not real and you can't save me. And somehow now you're everybody's fool-!"
The band was once again lost in a wave of cheers as Amy faded off. A couple of songs later, the curtains rolled back into place, cutting off the band from the sight of their fans. The thick curtains muffled the cheers only slightly. Paul set his guitar back into its wore black case.
"That went well," Kira said, stretching his arms back. Amy smirked.
"True," she agreed. She snatched up a bottle of water and gulped down a third of the cool liquid. "So, do we hang or fly?"
"I say call it dead for the night," Deanna replied.
There was a chorus of agreement and disagreement, the latter part coming from Dave and Paul. Amy eyed the two skeptically, crossing her arms.
"Hang around for all I care," she said, and then her voice grew cold, "but if you two end up in trouble, I'll murder the pair of you, got it?"
The two frightened musicians nodded quickly and took off to join the crowd. Meanwhile, the other four packed up for the evening and walking out the back door. Amy asked where Celeste was. Kira simply said she caught a nasty cold and was staying in by order of the host family. The sun was long gone, leaving behind a crisp evening chill. The walk back to the apartments was quiet and peaceful since the two loud mouths were gone for the evening. It was a rarity in itself.
Oni Street was usually dead silent on a Friday night. Most were in the clubs blocks away. But as Amy and her three friends walked into the top floor of their building quiet Friday turned into a frantic Friday. Curling up in a cowering ball was Lyra, frail arms hugging her knees tight. When she apparently heard their footsteps against the wooden floor, she lifted her head up, a hand hold her left eye. Kira and Amy winced as they saw the blood coating the entire side of her bruised face. Dried blood and cuts weren't the only thing on her face. Tears also stained her face.
Amy didn't move any closer, feeling her stomach turn upside down. Kira was the first to stride over to the crying child. Kara hurried into the apartment and came back seconds later with a wet cloth. Kira took it and pressed it against Lyra's temple were a nasty knot lay. When he gently dabbed around the wound, the dried blood gave way to fresh blood. While Kara and Kira tended to Lyra, Amy and Deanna stormed down to Charm's apartment.
Anti-climatically, what met their eyes wasn't as violent as Kira's incident was. The room was a mess, granted. What little belongings the two girls had were strewn around the floor, obviously thrown. A mirror was shattered into many little silver shards mixed with blood. In the midst of the crimson glass was the ghost white corpse of Charm, glazed eyes staring into nothingness. Red covered her hands and wrists, staining her sweet lilac blouse and denim skirt.
Amy didn't look on long enough to take in the sight any more. She made her way back to the waiting three on unsteady legs. Behind her, Deanna grimly followed. Kira and Kara looked up at Amy as she took deep breaths.
"Charm's history," she declared, beating down that nauseous turning in her stomach. "Something wrong?"
Kira's attention was back on the hurt child as he finally got a good look under her hand.
"I think Charm hit her in the eye with something. She needs a hospital," he said grimly.
By the time the sun rose, Mrs. O'Dreary was shooing away the last of the police and paramedics, who took Lyra and Mrs. O'Dreary. The group was greeted by the confused duo of Paul and Dave half way through the process. When the excitement had settled about six forty-eight in the morning, Mrs. O'Dreary returned with a patched up Lyra. It was at the old lady's instance that Lyra remained with them. As she put it, they would put her through horrible procedures only to drop her in the Dominion Orphanage. It was the only orphanage for the west side of town and its reputation left much to be desired. It was common knowledge kids didn't last long there. However, like many things in that part of town, it was left to rot away.
"I hate to ask such a thing," Mrs. O'Dreary started, closing the first aid kit, "but perhaps you could take in Lyra."
Amy choked. Literally. In the process of trying to breathe again, she spilled her cup of hot chocolate all over her favorite pair of black leather pants. As for the chocolate, it had been helping her mood until the landlady's comment.
"What!?" she exclaimed. "Are you crazy?"
The other three nodded.
"I can only watch her so much," Mrs. O'Dreary said, her elderly eyes pleading. "I'll take her when you're at school. But she would be better off staying with you."
"Again," Amy said sharply, "are you crazy? We're not even capable of taking care of the brat, let alone supporting her."
"I'll take care of most of the expenses," Mrs. O'Dreary calmly stated. "I sleep like a log at night. A combination of thunder, earthquake, and sirens would wake the dead faster than me. I'm old and not in the best condition for a small child. Besides, you know how to handle her type."
"Ouch," Amy dramatically touched her chest. She sighed and stared at the silent girl, then at her friends.
"It'll be a pain trying to fit her in our rooms," Kira slowly said, "and lives. However, isn't Em looking to move in away from his mother?"
Amy's eyes lit up and she grinned. "Perfect. Mr. Daddy could pull it off. She could live with him and Emmaleigh. I'm sure Emmaleigh would like the company. I always end up babysitting her anyway. But it could work."
"We'll run the idea by him tomorrow morning," Kira said.
Amy suddenly glowered. "Will we ever have a nice normal New Years?"
West Island, Orb, Spring CE 73:
Until Em moved in the following week, Lyra stayed in the girls' apartment. Most of the time, she was silent, hardly moving unless told to. Amy treated the little girl like an obligated pain, which no one complained about. More than ever, she was short tempered and curt. By the fifth day, Kira snapped at Amy, flat out telling her to lighten up. Amy toned down the attitude afterwards.
As for Em, he was exasperated but agreed to let Lyra room with Emmaleigh, provided she behaved. So far, as Amy put it, Lyra didn't behave or even misbehave. She was just there.
Emmaleigh was excited, eyes lit up like it was her birthday again. The first sparkle was she was going to living by her Auntie Amy. The second was from the news of having an older sister staying with her. Lyra's silence and emotionless face did nothing to dampen the smaller girl's energy. It was like Emmaleigh saw something behind her one blank eye.
As the calendar flipped to February then to March, the spring break finally rolled in. It was the week the group spent fixing up Em's place. The girls were redoing Emmaleigh's room, with Em attempting to supervise. Apparently he didn't trust an ex-whore, a gothic-tomboy, and his best friend to decorate accordingly for a little girl. To his amazement, it didn't turn out half bad.
Grey walls were painted over with light milky purple with large wall stickers of Sweet Kitty pasted all over them. The old plush carpet was scrubbed back to its original cream color, complementing the walls nicely. Two beds made up with Sweet Kitty bed sets occupied opposite sides of the room with a small low table for the girls to share. Toys, coloring books, and clothing with the little purple kitten cartoon were kept stashed in the closet.
The spring semester started up without further incident, which Amy counted as a miracle. Granted, the only thing that went remotely wrong was Steena's band bumping Evanescence's from most of their hot spots- the Crow's Nest, Crypt, and Rockin' Diner- insistently. All that did was make for a grumpier than usual Amy.
"Wait! Hey, hold up a sec, Walters!" Amy rolled her eyes and bothered to look over her shoulder to see the school nerd squad approach. It was an exaggeration but as close as she could describe.
"What the hell do you two dweebs want?" Amy asked impatiently. The rest of the band slowed down and waited for her.
"We heard you and Steena going at it the other day," Cyrus said quickly. He was referring to another near-duke-it-out fight between the two singers over the stolen venue for Jerry's Fundraiser.
"Your fucking point?"
"We're curious if you were going to do anything about her?" Jeorge inquired.
"Like what? Kill her? Lynch her? Go all Jason on her?" Amy asked sarcastically. "Get lost."
"Wait," Jeorge begged. "We were thinking, maybe seeing if you're interested in challenging her band for the title of the best."
"And this conversation is going…where?" Kara popped in.
"A battle of the bands," Cyrus declared. "Get any band who can play and pit them against each other. Make this the coolest event ever. Like, prove who is really the best."
Amy's eyebrows went up and she thoughtfully looked back at her band mates. The idea seemed to strike an interest. Paul nodded. "Many birds with one stone. Hell ya."
"Not bad," Amy agreed. "Arrange it and we're in."
"Right," Jeorge said. "We'll send out a challenge to Steena's group and anyone else. We'll get right on it."
"Good luck," Amy said and walked back to the band.
"This is going to get interesting," Amy smirked.
Celeste jumped up excitedly. "Battle of the bands! Those are so much fun. I was in one before I came here. Didn't end well but it was still awesome."
"Don't tell me you expect much from those lazy nerds?" Deanna scoffed. "They're as pathetic as they come."
"True," their leader nodded. "So if they don't come through, it's all on them. We're just taking the invitation to the party."
Point.
"I have a feeling," Kira began, "if they get Steena and her band into it, this little event might turn into something else all together."
"As long as I get to kick Steena's bony ass off the stage, I could care less."