HER by Amanda (c) 2001
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CHAPTER FIVE - WHERE ARE YOU?
"Five bucks says she's not there."
"Ten bucks says she is."
Pause.
"You're on."
Another pause.
"Twenty that I see her before you do."
"Fifty that Brian sees her before any of us!"
"Yeah, right. Like I'm gonna bet on that?"
A few snickers.
Morons. Brian slowly rotated his head in a circle, trying to loosen up some of the nervous tension that had plagued him for the past few hours. AJ and Nick's bantering didn't help much and he glared silently at both of them as he stood in position, waiting for the signal to get ready. Stepping up to the middle cylinder, he adjusted his headset and breathed in a few deep gulps. Okay, relax, ignore them.
"Hundred says she's not there."
"What? A hundred? Just a minute ago, you said five bucks! Get the bet straight, wouldya?"
Soon. Just a little while more. Hang on. He could hear the muffled explosions, indicating the beginning sequence of the opening number. Eyes tightly shut, Brian concentrated, trying to squeeze out Nick and AJ's joking.
"You never pay up. Two hundred says you won't pay up."
"What kind of bet is that? Okay, three hundred that she..."
Brian's eyes flew open. "I'll give you each five hundred to shut the hell up!"
Startled by Brian's sudden outburst, Nick and AJ opened their mouths, but before either could agree, the staggered cylindrical columns propelled them upwards to the stage, the massive amounts of smoke and noise from the crowd making it impossible for anyone to speak. Brian hated this part, the vertical elevation a constant, painful reminder of his fear of heights. Still, it gave him a good view, and he was determined to take full advantage of it. He scoured the crowd below, looking, searching for her. Brian sensed that Nick and AJ were doing the same thing and it riled him, angry that they were making a mockery out of it. Well not for long, he vowed. His fear was replaced by a fierce determination; he didn't care anymore how he did it, he only knew that he was going to make them see, show them that he was not crazy, that he was not making things up. As the smoke cleared and the cylinders slowly lowered them to the ground, Brian hurried forward to the edge of the stage, holding his breath, afraid to breathe, afraid to even blink, least he miss her. He frantically scanned the front row wordlessly chanting please be here, please be here, please...oh God.
She was.
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That was all it took.
In a flash, Brian was off the stage, the song forgotten. Ignoring the surprised shouts of his bandmates, the startled screams of the crowd, Brian surged forward. Straining, frenzied hands reached out, trying to snag his shirt, his arm, anything they could. Brian savagely ripped away, pushing and shoving at anyone who tried to grab him. "Where is she?" he yelled in a panic, frantic at the thought of losing site of her. A sea of standing fans swelled closely around him and with a desperate thrust, Brian broke free of the circle, giving him the split second he needed to pinpoint her. Rushing up, he disregarded the pandemonium his unexpected arrival created, his sole purposed focused now on apprehending her.
Brian gazed down at her, a grin of fierce, angry joy displayed across his face. With sharp, jagged breaths of excitement, he stood there, staring at her, feeling a thrill of victory course through him. I've got you, he thought savagely, and I'm not letting you go!
She stared solemnly back at him, her hands folded daintily in her lap as she sat, large, luminous eyes shining back at him with a deep intensity. With a triumphant shout, Brian turned back to the stage, yelling excitedly "here she is!" as he reached out, snatching her right arm and hauling her roughly out of her seat.
A violent shudder of excruciating pain exploded through Brian, his body frozen in such intense suffering that he could only gape at her, too traumatized to scream out loud. His face contorted into a tortured grimace, the pain now erupting into the innermost regions of his mind, bursting, igniting every living cell with horrific agony.
Glancing down, he shrieked silently for his hand to release hers, to break free from the unbearable, hideous pain that streaked through him. Anonymous screams, unknown shouts of "let her go, Brian, let her go!" barely registered within him, his body and brain refusing to acknowledge any presence other than hers.
She continued to gaze at him, unmoving, her eyes filled with an empty darkness as her fingers entwined firmly around his. The pain continued, it's strength never wavering, and Brian started to shake uncontrollably, unable to escape from her. Small bursts of light sparked, his vision wavered, dimmed, as he felt the blinding agony of her touch consume him. The blaze of the arena's overhead lights flooding to life was miniscule compared to the brilliance that exploded in his mind, as he slumped to the floor, closing his eyes to await the blessed relief of unconsciousness.