Page 231 of Fame & Rhythm

Oh my God! He’s too still!

***

The music in my head is wrong now.

Dark. Heavy. Each note crashing like thunder, low and ominous, echoing with something that feels like danger… like something terrible is coming.

I can’t stop it.

I can’t think.

A loud crash jolts through the darkness, and my eyes snap open.

Nothing.

Just black.

I try to move, but my arms won’t cooperate. Panic spikes as I realize they’re wrenched tightly behind my back, bound so hard it burns. My breathing comes in shallow, uneven breaths, my head is foggy and slow.

There’s something over my face.

I jerk, trying to shake it off, but it clings, almost suffocating.

Not just my face.

My whole head.

A burst of adrenaline hits, sharp and sudden. Terror floods my system, and I start thrashing, trying to break free from whatever’s holding me in place. My chest heaves as I drag in shaky breaths through the fabric, my pulse racing out of control.

What the fuck is going on?

Then it hits me…

Loretta.

Aston.

The image slams into me.

Him on the floor.

Blood.

Lots of blood.

A broken sound tears from my throat as I try to scream, forcing it past the fabric, desperate for anyone to hear me.

“Hey. Shut up.”

Her voice.

Close.

The bag is yanked off my head, and I gasp, sucking in air as the dim light stabs into my eyes. I blink rapidly, trying to focus…

And there she is.

Loretta.