The Artists live forever (2016)- full story

The story is not suitable for younger than 17 years. Potentially disturbing, shocking and depressing scenes (as in other stories), self-destructive behavior, consumption of milder narcotic drugs, milder curses. The lyrics were also part of the story, I would add them if there are opportunities for it because the text itself doesn't mean much without a melody, but the story is complete and without lyrics. Don't try any of the above, some parts (especially with the Sage) can leave the consequences and be fatal.
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10/16/2016

Below the bridge it was calm, only the noise of the vehicles from above was heard. With fast steps one girl arrives to agreed place, nervously looking at the distance. "How will I agree with them? What if they reject my ideas or think that I am not good enough and worthy to be here ... "

The voice behind her returned her to reality- "Hey, are you Sage?" Sage (nervously): "Yes ... you see, nothing special. You are Reydan, am I right? You play bass?" Reydan: "Yeah. I was expecting, you know, a different girl ... You look like a child , no offense. I mean, it's sweet, but it's a metal band ... " The voice behind them:" Shut up starched one, girl doesn't have to be six feet tall to rock. You don't leave the impression of a tough metalhead either, but no one attacks you for that. By the way, I'm Hale." Reydan:" I didn't attack, I just said she looks too gentle for ..." Sage:" You'll see that the first impression lies, starting from voice to personality. I look gentle, but I know to be tough. In any case, no problem, I agree with Reydan, we won't seem like a baby metal." Hale:" Here's another guy, I think it's drummer Shade. " Shade: "Hello everyone, you've arrived already!" Reydan: "Here also goes the keyboardist Alton."

When they got together, they began to plan the band's functioning. Reydan: "Does any of you write lyrics?" Sage: "I do. I think there will be some good enough..." Hale: "Surely it will, don't be so insecure. Even if you don't have the experience, slowly, it builds up. "Shade:" I have a place to practice. " Alton: "You said you had a speakers equipment." Sage: "Yes. You, I assume, have the equipment for your instruments?" Altogether: "Yes." Shade: "What do you think we'll meet there tomorrow?" Everyone else: "Okay, deal!"

Next day:

Sage reappeared first, but now Alton has arrived a little after her. Alton: "What's your reason to do this?" Sage: "Artistic vision. I want to create songs that will remain forever, even after my death. Your reason? " Alton: "I love metal and I like to play. Here, merging those two. It brings me inner satisfaction." Sage: "And to me as well, it keeps me here." Alton: "Why are you scared?" Sage: "I don't spend much time with people and all this is a little scary." Alton: "Am I also scary to you?" Sage: "No, on the contrary, your deep voice suits me, it's just soothing." Alton: "People tell me I'm weird and scary, they think I'm going to hurt them or something." Sage: "They either think that to me too or they laugh to me. I would rather that they are afraid of me, when they can't understand me. " Shade (comes and unlocks the place): "Come on, come in. Now, we'll rock the hell out! Have you prepared?" Alton and Sage (together): "Yes."

Hale and Reydan came together. After the sound setup, it was time for a rehearsal. They wanted to play the song they agreed on. Initially, they had little problems to synchronize, but they got the beat and then Sage started singing, surprising guys behind her. Reydan: "I'm taking the word back, this is good."

After the song, they talked about the band's name: Hale:"Have you come up with a name or shall we say the first thing that comes to our mind?" Sage: "I thought it to be a "Blue Tower" although if it's not good ..." Alton: "It suits me." Reydan: "Me too." Shade: "It's better than my idea, definitely." Hale: "And what's your idea?" Shade: "Rotten stumps." Reydan: "Bro, how you come up with this?" Shade: "I have no idea at all."

At first glance, they didn't seem like they could be a good band that worked, somehow they even looked too different. Reydan is a red-haired young man with blue eyes, usually dressed in a shirt and trousers, a piercing glance that won girls. Alton is a guy with longer black hair, dressed in a dark suit that gives him a dose of mystery and elegance. His bright eyes are usually framed by a black eyeliner, and for this reason people look him strangely. Shade was a member of the alternative metal band, has a short blond hair with "spikes" and his style is casual and youthful. Regardless of what his name means shadow he is the complete opposite of that - he is a rebel and does things that no one else would have thought of. Hale is older than others, he already has experience in power metal gigs. He has the same length of hair as Alton and the light brown colored beard. He has a tattooed skull on his arm, mostly wears rock-styled clothes. From the previous band he came out because he constantly had argues with the frontman. Sage is an artist who struggles with her inner demons, but she doesn't want it to stop her from making music. She tried to make her band, and now she finally succeeded in it. She is short, changeable eye-color and dark brown hair, the gentle face on which is and piercing that she pierced by herself. She wears dark clothes, her style is androgen, although she adores the various styles of women's clothes-she simply doesn't have the courage to dress like that. Inspired by female metal, mostly by "gentle" genres, but enjoys even the tougher things like black power metal.

At the next practice, Sage brought the lyrics and they "played" with potential tunes for their first song. At the end of the practice they decided to talk in order to get to know each other better.

Reydan: "Let's get to know each other, anyway, the band should be like a family. For example, are you in relationship, were you in a relationship before and now you are single ..." Hale: "I have a fiancé , we've been known each other for five years ... Maybe I'll be a father in the coming years, but no hurry. " Shade: "I have a girlfriend, she is more for a punk style, we go to concerts together, enjoy, what else would we do? Like,we completely get each other. We are together for several months. "Alton:" I am alone. My ex girlfriend went to another city, there she changed and found another guy, I stayed here and continued the same way. " Reydan: "We need to find you a nice girl. Just tell me what kind you like, I know a lot of girls. I'm single too, I like one night stands." Alton: "It suits me to be alone, I dedicate myself to other things. " Shade: "And our frontgirl? Is there anyone in your life?" Sage: "I've never been in a relationship and I don't want to be in one (they all look at her) What? It's unusual, but not impossible." Reydan: "Maybe you like girls?" Sage: "I'm not sure, I would say that I'm not attracted to something specific ... I'm too busy with other things and I don't have enough emotions for love. Love is complex, I have some unhealed things in me and to that other person I would be just a burden, and I don't want that. " Shade: "You haven't yet met the right person, you will change the story when you meet him." Sage: "No, I am impossible to love, no one can stand it in the long run." Reydan: "Why? You seem fine." Sage: "You'll see it after a while. I just hope you won't mind working with me." Hale: "No, I doubt you're so hard to cooperate with."

Alton: "What are you in the horoscope? I'm Scorpio." Hale: "Aries." Shade: "Sagittarius." Sage: "Cancer,ascendant Capricorn." Reydan: "Libra." Sage: "You also like astrology?" Alton: "Magic, astrology and such things are interesting to me." Sage: "Me too. I don't practice magic, but I know a bit about it. We are different, we may be able to create a perfect band." Shade: "Or we'll be killing each other!" (laughter) "Reydan:" We won't, the diversity is good. "Hale:" We will complement each other. In addition, bands with female vocals have an average less argues and change of members. " Shade: "Okay, people, I'll slowly look for a place for a gig, we will practice some songs in two weeks." Alton: "So fast?" Shade: "Why should we rock here when we can rock out on the shows?" Hale: "Well, we have time, we're still young, life is ahead of us." Sage (nervously): "It's right we'd better start with performances as soon as possible. We have so many things to do."

Two weeks later, in a backstage:

The tyning of the instruments and the warming of the throat was completed. The show is about to start. They had to perform three songs that evening, just to break the ice with its first performance as "Blue Tower."

Somewhat before show Sage appeared in the hall, thinking that no one can see her, and took one pill. Reydan appeared behind her and asked, "Are you okay? Are you sick?" Sage: "No, no ... these are just sedatives." Reydan: "You take them often? You know that pills are not good for the body?" Sage: "I know, but I need them. When I know that I will be surrounded by people, then I need them to stay calm. At least until I get used to it." Reydan: "There are natural alternatives, try it next time." Sage: "I will, but you don't worry about anything, it doesn't really matter to me at all - this is my third pill tonight and I'm fine." Reydan: "The third one! Do you want to die, that's a lot!" Sage (returning inside): "If three would make me die, I would be dead for a long time. It's all right, let's go to the rest . " Reydan: "Okay ... let it be."

Sage, Alton, and Reydan had the first performance that evening. Sage sang timid at first, then in her full shine, and Alton and Reydan didn't get embarrassed neither, on the contrary, while Hale and Shade recalled their performances. The public was looking for encore and they played one more cover.

At the end of the show, in the wardrobe, Sage watched herself in a mirror somehow numb, removing make-up from her face. Shade and Reydan had already left and Hale was about to leave. Alton took a chair and sat near Sage. Alton: "I see in yours eyes that you hide something from us, something we should know. Your lyrics have some darkness in them, I feel it." Sage:" These are just ... lyrics. I'm not hiding anything. " Alton: "I don't blame you if you don't want to share it with us, we know each other for two weeks only. But, I really noticed that you were actually sad, so I wanted to check if everything was fine." Sage: "Yes , more or less. There is nothing to change here. Thanks for the conversation, it was nice to talk to someone. " Alton: "Okay, I'll be here if you need more conversations."

Noon. Shade practices on drums. Reydan's coming.

Reydan: "You are diligent - we haven't even agreed to meet today." Shade: "You were bored too?" Reydan: "I walked girl home- a tall, slim, brown-eyed blonde. I think I'm going to go out with her again, we had a lot of fun last night." Shade: "Why don't you change the image of a nice guy?" Reydan: "The girls are crazy about it. I want a bunch of fans who will love me, and I'm not exactly for the pop-rock band. I love a harsh sound, but I don't want to look like a metalhead or rocker. That's what I am." Shade:" Maybe it's going to be like some sort of thing and stuff. " Reydan: "Yes, I suppose." Shade: "I can't wait for people to hear about for us. We sound powerful, we can do a lot of things for the commercial. I think people want to be shocked." Reydan: "And the girls want their idol." Shade: "Hale thinks the key is in the power, that is, the heaviness of the song, Alton in the mystic and Sage in emotions. How can we connect that?" Reydan: "With sincerity. You know, Sage puts on the emotional side, Hale adds a harshness with the riffs, Alton adds mystical tunes that drag you inside, you shock as much you wish and I'll just do what I do." Shade: "Man, do you know that I was doing all kinds of insanity in high school? They almost suspended me permanently! I once broke the window of the classroom when teacher didn't give me a positive grade! I made various protests at school, pointed middle finger to students and professors ... I brought alcohol and weed in the school,too. I'm telling you, I barely finished it. Did you have any incidents at school? " Reydan (laughing): "They only found me in a cabinet with a girl. I mean, kissing, nothing more than that. I also had a warning when I was caught with cigarette at school. That's all. But I had problems with the girls - this one is hurt, the other one says I'm a jerk ... I couldn't walk through the hallway without some of them having something to say. " Shade:" So, you are like a popular guy from high school? " Reydan: "Something like that."

During the next weeks, they made enough songs for the album. Hale had a friend who owns the studio, so they decided to record it all there. They also went to the photo studio to make some professional photos, posted their videos on social networks and even made their own site. In the beginning, viewers were more people from performances and fans of Hale and Shade's former bands, and then a new audience slowly formed.

Like on every project, there were some haters too. Hale (reading comments): "The bastard will tell me that I have felt from the horse to the donkey, your mom is a donkey, fool!" Reydan: "Keep calm, they wrote bunch of things for my non-metal look, some of them have offended Alton, and neither did Sage get it better, on the contrary. I hope she won't see the comments, she is sensitive. Shade had the bit of bad comments. " Shade: "Because they didn't even see me. (laughter) These people have never even taken the instrument in their hands, but they have experience in blabbing. Read these positive comments 'Bro, AWESOME !!! ' or 'This is genius, good luck in further career' and not that stupidity. "Alton:" Say that to Sage. It seems to me that she thinks she's not good enough because of a few malicious comments. I wanted to talk to her, but she says that everything is in fine. " Hale: "Here, I am going to try. Where is she?" Alton: "In the bathroom, I heard her crying."

Hale (knocking on the door): "Sage, are you there?" Sage: "Yes." (wipes her tears and puts something in his bag quickly): "Here I come to practice right away." Hale: "I didn't come for practice, but to check if everything is fine." Sage (opens the door): "Yes, why not? We are doing well, everything is fine ... Now I will come there, just to ..." Hale (noticing the blood stain on the sink): "Where does this blood came from ?! "Sage (nervously): "Blood ... from the nose. It started just like that ... (quickly flushed ) It happens sometimes. " Hale: "It's better now?" Sage: "Yes, it's over."

Hale: "Come on, let's go then. I wanted to tell you that you have to ignore the hatred of the haters because most of them write something that they don't think. They seem jealous that we have a purpose in life while they just surf the Internet and spit on everything what they don't like. You write about how you see the world and of course someone will not agree, or maybe someone likes a different type of vocals, but that doesn't mean that you are bad." Sage: "Don't. Every time I hear something like 'You're not that and that, only that and that' I get disappointed in the end, because in translation it means 'you're not good enough- you are good like this, but not ENOUGH'. One day you will kick me out of the band, it's only a matter of time. " Hale: "We are not going to do it, stop thinking so negatively! You have to relax, you will mentally break if you think so all the time." (entering the room where others were) "Sage (quietly)" That might be good advice if I haven't been broken for a long time ... "

They applied for participation in an underground festival where they chose to perform the first song from the album, "Blue Towers." This included a two-day trip to the festival. They settled in the hotel, Shade and Alton in one room, Hale and Reydan in the second and Sage alone in the third. After the rehearsal and everything there was a question of a styling, so they held a discussion of how they wanted to appear in this place.

Alton: "I will put a cape and I will wear black as usual. " Hale: "I'm wearing a red sleeveless shirt and black trousers." Reydan: "I'll have a black shirt with a few open buttons and down the jeans." Sage: "I'll wear a black dress, over it some vest, under leggings and short boots. I'll put more accents on my face and hair." Shade: "I'll throw a shirt in the audience after the show!" Sage (imitating the old woman): "Hey, son, don't catch a cold!" Alton: "If you have the courage, just go ahead." Hale: "Great, tomorrow we will have an appearance in front of the most people to date. Let's get some sleep and we'll be kicking it tomorrow!" Reydan: "Okay, that's one song - it's nothing terrible." Shade: "This is a great chance for us, much things depends on this song."

By the end of the evening, Reydan flirted with the girls, Hale exercised, Shade sat in a room with a lit joint, Alton decided to go to the roof to see the full moon better.

He thought that he was alone there, so he began to pronounce some spells in Latin but, when he turned, he saw Sage standing at the other end of the building near the edge and went to her. Alton: "Why you are on the roof?" Sage (numb): "I don't know. It doesn't matter." Alton: "You see, just a minute ago... what I said ..." Sage: "Spell? No problem, I won't tell anyone." Alton: "I have no power or something, I didn't hurt anyone." Sage: "It's OK, I also occasionally say some spell and use methods to predict the future. It's nothing unusual." Alton: "Now it's your turn, tell me why you're here because you seem as if you could do something terrible." Sage (smiled slightly, but still numb): "You think I could push you out of the roof? In that case it is better to get away from me." Alton: "I'm not worried about myself, you don't look very well." Sage: "And I don't think I look very well or even good. Maybe this band would success more quickly if I'm not in it, I spoil the image of the band. Can you leave and let me think before I say something that I'd better hide? " Alton: "I would if I don't feel a strong negative energy around you. Would you like to talk to someone else from the band?" Sage: "No. I'm going to sleep. I see what you want to know." Alton: "If you have a problem, call one of us. I will always be available." Sage: "Thank you, it won't be necessary."

He returned to the room where Shade was already lying in bed. Shade: "So where are you till now, man? You scare people in the dark streets? I'm just kidding, I missed a bit of humor. Did you notice that Sage was actually witty? What happened to you to be so gloomy? "Alton:" When you've already mentioned Sage, we met a couple of minutes ago on the roof. " Shade (confused): "On the roof? What will the two of you do on the roof ... alone ... Oh, it's not that you were being together? It's like some gothic romance and stuff?" Alton: "I went for a full moon and she was already there. She seemed sad to me. She otherwise seems sad, but now she worried me. I'm afraid she can do something bad. " Shade: "Everyone has bad phases, she will go through it. She's not used to all this, let her get a little tougher and, you'll see, everything will be fine." Alton: "Did you lit a joint here or something? " Shade: "Just one. Would you like one too?" Alton: "No, I just want to sleep and everything to be fine tomorrow."

The audience was eagerly waiting for the performers to go out on the stage. They got on the scene slowly, one by one, and Sage came in the end with completely different behavior than before. She worked as if someone gave her an injection of self-esteem. Music started.

The audience rewarded the band with ovations. They knew they had succeeded in planned, the rest was only a matter of time.

The evening; guys wanted to celebrate at the nearby club,so they came to ask Sage if she would go with them. Hale knocked on the door, but no one responded. Reydan: "Maybe she's asleep?" Shade: "Bro, it's eight o'clock now. " Hale: "Today she was great, let her rest." Alton: "You know what, I will stay in the hotel. I don't feel like going anywhere." Reydan: "You know where we are if you change your mind."

After they went down, Alton closed his eyes and focused on the door. "She's inside," he thought, "I feel like she's in the room." He knocked and said louder : "You are inside, I know you are. Please open the door, just to see if you are well." The door opened and behind them Sage appeared in a bad state. Alton: "What's going on?!" Sage: "Since when is your job to keep me safe? You are not my babysitter, nor am I a baby." Alton (look at her neck): "What kind of scar is it? It's like something was around your neck or ... let me in." Sage: "I can't now, I ..." Alton (enters and searches what he suspects of): "Where'd you get that scar?" Sage: "From necklace. Why are you so much bothered about me, you don't have a need for that ..." Alton: "You were completely different today, and now ... You even have a different tone of voice than before. I can't just let you go without explanation." Sage:" I pulled that little energy I have on the stage today. I'm empty now, so you don't expect me to be cheerful and so. One tip, don't try to find out, it can be bad for you because I'm too attached to those who are too close to me. I'm used to this myself, another person would disturb it all. " Alton (quieter than before): "You can't go through it all alone. Actually, you haven't even given me the right explanation. When I saw you up on the roof I was afraid that you might not jump, Shade told me to give you time, but today you are worse than yesterday." Sage:" Shade is right. I'm fine. " Alton: "And you think I'm just going to leave?" Sage: "What the hell is up with you? Leave me alone!" Alton (noticing something strange in the bathroom when leaving, entering and gets shocked): "Everywhere on the sink is blood! What did you do?!" Sage: "It's not blood, it's shower gel. I'm clumsy, so I spilled it over the sink . " Alton (sighed deeply): "I know it's your private thing, but the band is like a family, which means I have an obligation to be there for you." Sage: "No drama for the shower gel." Alton: "I'm not naive, it's blood." Sage: "Oh, you may not have killed someone so the blood is familiar to you?!" Alton: "I haven't, but one of my high school classmates had." Sage: "Leave me alone, all this is a big misunderstanding: I was on the roof to enjoy the view, this is blood, but I didn't hurt myself, the scar on my neck is from the necklace and it will pass for a day or two. You have another question or will you still watch me like a lunatic? " Alton: "No, I'm going. However, I still don't believe you completely. I don't want you to consider me as an enemy." Sage: "Frankly, you will rather make me get too close to you." Alton: "Is that a bad thing?" Sage: "Yes. Sooner or later I annoy people and they can easily leave me, and I stay broken." Alton: "And what if somebody wants to stay with you regardless of everything? What if such a person appears?" Sage (nervously): "Don't give me hope, I have reconciled with the fact that this is impossible. I have to be alone, I'm forbidden to ruin someone else's life. " Alton: "Okay ... I guess ... but, if I see another sign, I will not let you go until you tell me. (going away)"

Sage (after he left): "Damn it, he almost found out ... He mustn't find out ... Damn, I had to hide the scar on my neck, but at least I removed the cable from the bed so he won't suspect ... "

After two days, Sage practiced singing in the practice room. She sang a popular song written in the 1940s in Hungary ... "A Gloomy Sunday."

Sunday is gloomy, my hours are stumberless,
Dearest, the shadow I live with are numberless,
Little white flower will never awake you
Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought of ever returning you
Would they be angry if I thought of join you?
Gloomy Sunday.

"A Gloomy Sunday? You are singing a Hungarian suicide song?!" - Alton asked. Sage: "I didn't get to the happy part when she wakes up and realizes that it was just a dream ... Don't you listen to Gothic metal? You know well how melancholic genre it is. I don't know why you make such a drama of "Gloomy Sunday" when it's more positive than many Gothic metal songs. "Alton:" Okay, you're right. I was only worried by symbolism, that's all. " Hale enters: "What's up people, you come to practice?" Alton: "Do you want to practice with us?" Hale: "I didn't plan to practice, I just came in. Merian went to her family so I'm bored, I'm not exactly the guy who just likes to sit on the couch." Sage: "Why don't we try the piano version of a song , I would love to sing more operatic, it's my favorite. " Alton: "Do you want me to play the song that you started singing when I came?" Sage: "How do you know to play that song?" Alton: "I tried several times ... I liked the melody ..." Sage: "Okay, let's try it." Alton sat for keyboards and began to play, and Sage followed him with classical singing.

Hale (in the end): "Oh, man, I've been blown away. We have to have some ballad in this style!" Sage: "I already have lyrics that suit it. I have lyrics that are even darker than this song, I was planning to use them one day. " Hale: "Of course! That darker style is quite right." Alton (Hale): "Can we talk for a while?" Hale: "Okay. Sage, we'll be right back."

Alton (when they came out): "I don't think these lyrics are her style, that is her!" Hale: "I don't get you at all." Alton: "I'm not sure, but I think she has some psychological problem, her behavior is worrying me." Hale: "Come on, Alti, we all have a weak spot or a period. I was in prison for a month because of a club fight and even that passed. Nobody's perfect. " Alton: "Man, how often do you see the beginners who write lyrics, sound like more professional singers, understand the singing technique and live for music? I'm just worried not to lose her ..." Hale: "I didn't complain about a girl, she's great, but I don't understand why you're so nervous about that? " Alton: "I don't know, maybe it's just because of my protective instinct, I have a younger sister who my mother took with her and I never saw her again, but I had always protected and looked her by then. However, the fact is that with Sage something strange happens. "Hale:" She's not a child, I'm sure she knows what she's doing. "

Reydan danced with a long-haired blonde in the club. Reydan: "I was at the festival these days, would you like to see the video later?" Girl: "So, you're a musician? You want to play something for me?" Reydan (moves her closer to him): "I'll play my love song to you tonight. You will not be able to resist." Girl: "Do you think I can hear the part of the song?" Reydan: "Okay, it goes like this ... (kisses her), and after that intro goes a seductive rhythm." Girl: "I want to hear your whole song. Come on, I'm impatient. Let's go to my apartment. Does the instrument suits you or you love some specific color? " Reydan: "I'm not picky until it's appealing to play." Girl: "Then you'll enjoy it."

Shade and his girlfriend Alice sat in the park and finished their joints. Alice: "I was expecting you to take off more than a shirt at the concert. In the "Unkempt Monsters" you were only in the laundry several times." Shade: "Well, this is not the type of band. In bands with a girl I can't exaggerate." Alice: "Then try something on the side. I know you, you're created for crazy things. You see that fountain out there? Real you would take me by the hand and we would go to splash with water." Shade: "Well, I won't take you by the hand, but I'll carry you there!" (lifts her with his arms,takes to the fountain, puts her inside and then he gets in.) Does this look like me, ha?" Alice:" Yes, that's you. Don't be anybody else. "

Morning. The practice of the new song. Sage appears in the end, visibly enthusiastic and different than usual. Reydan: "Oh, Sage, since when are you coming last?" Sage: "Since I've figured out what should we do. No matter how good are we, something needs to be done to help us. Exaggeration. " Alton: "Explain." Sage: "We're a metal band and not a gospel musicians, we don't have to restrain ourselves!" Shade: "What's got into you, Sage? We haven't seen you like this before." Sage: "It's because I'm not really sane for a years. Don't even try to catch all strings that hold this terrible puppet on her feet. So-exaggeration.Reydan loves one night stand relationships- why wouldn't it be some more famous lady? Or, at least to looks as if you're in a relationship? " Reydan: "Uh, I like this idea. No one could resist me to day, so why wouldn't I try with that?" Sage: "Hale is energetic at performances, but I see you have to stop yourself. No need to beat someone, but you can freely do some more aggressive things-you're mean to be a bad guy in a band. " Hale: "That's what I wanted in the last band, but they said they wouldn't be aggressive. I mean, what you said, this is metal, I will not act like nuns." Sage: "Shade ... I know you had specific performances in the previous band... yes, I found it on the Internet ... although it would be a little unpleasant to me, I don't see the problem of repeating it here too. " Shade: "To repeat? I'll do a lot crazier stuff than that!" Alton: "I'm just wondering what you'll say for me and for you." Reydan: "Match, haha!" Sage: "No, you're a mystery... I'm kidding. You know that magic easy pulls you to itself? You will be that magical part that will drag introverts like you and me. People like us like to see the depth, to have something that intrigues them. I would like to tell you, whatever activity you do, take care of safety so as not to hurt yourself. "

Hale: "And you?" Sage: "I'm doing exactly that. I'm hurting myself." Reydan: "In what sense?" Sage (took out a razor blade from her pocket with her index finger and middle finger and lifted her hand at the face level): "Literally." Alton (scared): "You can't do it, it's crazy! You think we'll let you do that?" Sage: "I've been doing it for years, but it seems like I'm good in hiding secrets as soon as no one has found out. Who knows how long could I keep hiding it, but I think that these few years have been enough." Shade: "Woah, Alton is right, you can die if something goes bad! And wait, why didn't you tell us earlier? "Sage:" Would that change something? I'm here for music, just like you, you don't need to look at me differently for this. " Reydan: "Isn't that a bit too extreme? I mean, it's still a real injury ..." Sage: "Don't worry, nothing is too extreme and brutal in the metal. Actually, the more extreme it is-better, at least for me it's not the problem to look after that part. "

Alton: "So, I was right! Sage, you need to seek the professional help, you are a danger for yourself! I saw your scar on the neck, most likely from choking, and the blood for which I am now sure that is from injury, and you can't lie to me that you were on the rooft to enjoy the view, you looked down and you were depressed when I came in! "Sage:" I didn't try to kill myself, if that's your point. I do that to not kill myself . You see, I'm not a constant danger for myself, I will not hurt anybody else either. I live to create music and, until you take it away from me, everything will be under control. I know my limits of self destruction. Well, guys, the deal is in on? " Hale: "Yes, but watch what you're doing. Stage is one thing, death is different." Reydan: "The conscience says no but, if you're ready to go so far, who am I to disagree? I got the best part!" Shade: "Does this mean that there are no more your jokes?" Sage: "I'm the same, goofing around one way or another (laughs). Alton, you? I apologize for lying to you, I didn't want to get you in the whole this mess. Thank you for being concerned about me, you shouldn't have to lose time on me, I'm already used to this. " Alton: "I accept under one condition- you mustn't try to kill yourself." Sage: "You mean, on the stage?" Alton: "I mean, anyway. You could go only to that border you have." Sage: "But ..." Shade: "Sounds fair." Reydan: "It's good that you remembered that." Hale: "Accept, we will be here." Sage: "Damn it, you put me in a position to choose between you and something I can't control ... This band means a lot to me and I will do my best, so let's see how far can we get. "

The performance at the festival brought about a thousand fans of their site, just like a lot of video views. Alice inquired about a punk club in a neighboring city and arranged a gig. Alice: "You will be the stars of the evening - you will play all five songs!" Hale :"We'll add a new one, but ... it won't be a problem we're not a punk band? " Alice: "No! Friday night is the reserved for rock and metal bands. They will put flyers in the city, so more people will hear about you." Sage: "We need to be synchronized, this is like a mini-concert." Alice: "That's right, you'll soon have your first concert and this is like some kind of practice for it." Shade: "Of all five of us only Hale had a real concert. I only had performances in smaller and slightly larger objects. Concert is a big thing. " Reydan: "There is the first time for everything and, after that, everything is already seen and less scary." Alice: "Sage, I'll help you with makeup. I have experience in this, and it's less likely to hurt your piercing. BTW, you pierced it by yourself? " Sage: "Yeah. I just wanted that piercing and I made it with a needle." Alice: "Mad, man! I was trembling when I put septum piercing, that's my first piercing. Shade wanted to put one but he was scared (laughs)." Shade: "I wasn't, but I changed my mind at the last minute!" Alice: "You was, just when you saw a needle." Shade: "Okay, maybe a little. I hate needless." Sage: "Alice, thank you for helping me with makeup. Can you give me some kind of advice about what kind of clothes goes for a punk style? I have ideas about what I think is going, but I'm not completely sure, I'm not much concerned with other underground styles other than gothic and rock style. " Alice (enthusiastically): "Of course! We'll get everything done tomorrow, you don't have anything to worry about."

Friday came. On the medium-sized scene, the band performed all of their songs, and for encore left the last song they planned for the second album.

During the song, the audience swayed left and right, some couples danced next to each other. Silent and gentle, the song enchanted the audience. At the end, "Blue Towers" was awarded with a great applause.
For the first time they had the situation to crowd of people suddenly begin to search for autographs. Reydan: "Slowly girls, there is enough Reddy for everyone." Sage (in herself): "I have to get used to this, even if I freak out when I'm surrounded by people." Alton: "One autograph to you, other one to you ... strange feeling." Shade: "Who's got the craziest place for an autograph? You with a hat? Ha, you won!" Hale: " "For fans from Hale". That sounds like a grandma wrote it. "Hellish Hale", well that sounds better!"

When they finished thirteen songs, it was time to hold the first concert. Each of them started with their part of the deal. Hale was already recognized as a "bad guy" of the band, and it attracted those guys (and girls) who liked the heavier performance , Reydan was closer to the girls from the audience and had several "more famous girls", Alton became the "Prince of the Darkness" of the band, Shade with his spontaneity shocked people (during a performance he wore a costume with characters from different religions in the style of caricature ) and Sage sang lyrics about her thoughts, emotions, etc. She still couldn't shock people on the way she was planning, but some lyrics were shocking enough on their own.

Backstage of concert. Sage enters the room with a bloody shirt on her and a bloody knife in her hands.

Alton (frightened): "Are you okay? What did you do ?!" Sage: "I'm fine, don't whine right after you see the blood. Hell yeah with your title Prince of Darkness. I took the blood with a needle and sprayed my shirt and knife. " Reydan: "That's how you go out on the stage?" Sage: "Yes." Hale: "You could hold a knife in your mouth when you enter the scene, it will look brutal!" Sage: "Great idea!" Shade: "I have drawn the pentagrams around the body, is that tough enough?" Reydan: "It's not bad, but do you have any more cards in your pocket?" Shade: "Whatever comes to my mind, haha."

One of the new songs, "Lifebreaker" starts and Sage begins to sing.

Towards the end Shade pulled out a bottle of champagne and shouted, "Who is not ready for the rain, scream!" - and then sprayed the crowd with champagne, accidentally spraying Reydan. Shade: "Oops, I'm sorry!" Reydan: "Well ... it doesn't matter. I have a champagne for you too! (takes a bottle behind the gear) Ha! (opens it and sprays Shade) " Shade:" Woah. I didn't expect it. We are now a even. " Sage: "Thanks to all of you who were in the concert. Judging by these guys, if you come again, and I hope you will, take umbrellas. See you at the next performance, you were great!"

Again, ovations and screams. Sage (when they got out of the scene): "Poor ones who have to clean after you." (laughter) " Shade:" It was awesome! Wooohooo! " Reydan: "Three girls from the audience have already invited me to their place to 'wash my shirt'." Alton: "Hale, you were great tonight, I think people in the first two rows felt the shaking under their feet! " Hale: "That's what I was aiming for. Next time, we will cause the ground to move!" Sage: "I hope we'll have money to make a video soon. That will be a good investment." Reydan: "Leave it to me, I have a connection for that." Alton: "We can slowly think about the tour, they already know about us in this part of the country." Hale: "Not yet. First we will make a video, because that would be the next logical move." Reydan: "First to rest, we will arrange tomorrow." One by one, everyone went home.

At the practice place, band members came to find Reydan surfing the Internet. Reydan: Ta-da! "The Blue Tower" made a great concert yesterday in the "Crash" Hall! " Hale: "Have you found the text? Have they already posted?" Shade (reads): "The young metal band, 'Blue Tower' , fronted by the female vocal Sage, in which besides her are Hale, a former guitarist of the band 'Smash the Rash', a former drummer of 'Unkempt Monsters' - Shade, as well as bass guitarist Reydan and keyboardist Alton, held its first solo concert. On this occasion, band introduced the audience with songs from the second album, which will soon be on their site. Band has become more and more famous recently because quality, also because of the unusual image. At the very beginning of the concert, singer Sage came out in a bloody shirt with a knife in her mouth ... "Hale:" You see that the idea is great. "Shade (continued):" ... with that shocking an audience that sees a gentle girl in her, but it was a surprise that the songs became darker and more brutal than before. Prince Of Darkness, Alton, played with the disappearance of the scene, and Hale seemed so angry that we thought that maybe he could smash the guitar. Luckily, it's gone without breaking things, but there was spraying with champagne when Shade, the most spontaneous member of the band, took a bottle and sprayed the audience, along with his colleague from the band Reydan, who then 'revenged' by doing the same to him! This is a really unusual concert and it left a strong impression on me . Of course, I don't have to tell you about the quality of music or vocals, you can check it on this video [link]. "

Alton: "We did it, we have to use this in the best way." Reydan: "I called a man for a video, he asked me if we have some ideas." Shade: "Like, the band is standing in a cool place and playing!" Hale: "What I know, we should include a story. (turning to Sage) And you probably have an idea?" Sage: "I have a bunch of ideas, I don't know what would be the best of it. This is a great opportunity for creativity." Alton: "Song is about death, do you want the video to be more positive?" Sage: "Get off with a positivity, this is not a place for cheerful things. Will you perhaps want us to dance samba on the set?" Alton: "I'm just trying to turn your thoughts away, but it's not working."

All five gave a some idea and, finally, the video looked like this: At the very beginning, Alton plays keyboards in a dark room surrounded by candles, the scene moves to Reydan, playing under the bright light in a room full of smoke, Hale then plays surrounded with flames, Shade smashes a glass board with title "Blue Towers-Lifebreaker." When the vocal part begins, Sage is in a white shirt of wide sleeves, sits on the floor, the scene returns to the guys again, but not in the same order, then returns again to the Sage, this time wearing the same shirt stained with a bit of blood. Then, follows a scene in which the whole band plays together (chords), again for a moment, Sage returns with even bloodier shirt, then shows the guys during the operatic part,all together during the instrumental, the last one again returns the Sage in the clothes soaked with blood as she puts head down to the floor, the candles at Alton's scene are slowly turning down, the smoke in Reydan's scene increases, the flames in the Hale's scene get higher, Shade breaks the glass with the names of band members on them. Shot shows them together for the next time, then each member appears once more: Hale is completely overwhelmed by fire, Alton stays in the dark after the last candle burns, Reydan disappears in the smoke and Shade breaks the last glass with the band name.Sage, completely covered with blood , dies in the blood puddle. The band appears for the last time and then disappears as a ghost, while the instruments and gear remain in place. There video ends.

Alton was sitting near the practice room in the fresh air. Sage approached and started the conversation: "Thinking? I won't bother you if you don't want to." Alton: "Sit with me. (sigh) You and I are the most similar here, although you may not see it. " Sage: "Because we both wear an eyeliner? (laughter) I'm kidding, I like that about you. "Alton:"Really? You don't mind? " Sage: "No, on the contrary, it gives depth to your eyes ... you have beautiful eyes. I am avoiding to look people directly in the eyes, but I can not resist watching yours, they keep me inside ..." Alton: "And I love yours, they look magical in light, so gently and yet seductively, plus framed with natural long eyelashes ... " Sage (blushes):" You've come up with it now? "Alton (blushing):" No, I noticed before. Sometimes you make me feel like a child, so serene and calm, I see your darkness being replaced by a child's innocence, so my darkness shines too. " Sage: "Darkness? Do you hide the darkness in yourself too?" Alton: "Yes. That's why I care of you so much, I won't let anything happen to you." Sage: "You mustn't worry about me so much, I'm not worth enough for someone to care for me so much." Alton (grabs her hand): "I'm sorry that you underestimate yourself so much, you're probably doing it because you're scared to believe how you can really mean to someone. Regardless of everything, realize that someone can love you, although you don't think that's possible, even if you don't love yourself-you will be the center of the world to someone. " Sage: "Yes ... to someone (disappointed). Someone who doesn't exist. I can't hope for such things, I am able to destroy everything. It is difficult when you can no longer bear that weight inside your lungs and you have a duty to live ... Perhaps it would be the best for the band that I go, I didn't bring you anything but suffering ... (leaves) "Alton (rises and goes after her):" Hey, stop, what's not allright? Did I say something wrong? " Sage: "I'm afraid, Alton. I'm afraid of life. I wonder is this what I'm doing worth enough to be here. It won't be better tomorrow, everything will be the same, only I will be a zombie without emotion." Alton (embraced her): "Don't give up on your dream, we haven't reached the end yet. We weren't even on tour together. It could keep you here, right?" Sage: "I guess I have to concentrate on staying alive because of this tour." Alton: "It's good. Let's go in, we can have some tea to calm down."

Although they have already given interviews for some portals and newspapers, they have now received an offer from the one tabloid to give an interview, mostly because of controversial things about the band. Band talked about the offer.

Shade: "People, I know that tabloid , they ask some personal questions. I don't mind, but I doubt that you will agree to go so deep." Reydan:" Come on people, we are not criminals that we should hide! " Sage: "How personal questions? You mean about life before the band or just the current life?" Shade: "All they find." Sage: "Swell. You go, I don't want to." Hale: "They wanted a great interview with everyone." Sage: "Damn it." Alton: "How much I get media, you don't always have to say how it is, but give them what could sell the newspaper." Sage: "You want to say that we have to be sold souls, as if we are someone who sells the purity of music for a handful of money?" Hale: "Sorry, Sage, but this can only help in career. You told it by yourself -exaggeration. Exaggerate. " Sage:"The paranoia overwhelms me when I just think about what they could ask ..."

The interview begins.

Journalist: "We are starting from Reydan. You were on our pages when you were in a short relationship with Lola. Why did you break up?" Reydan: "We weren't compatible, she is really a dear girl, but I love wild ones. (wink at her) Do you know such a girl? " Journalist: "Oh, maybe I know someone who will be good. You had a lot of relationships, shorter and longer, means you are experienced in relationships. What's your best experience?" Reydan: "We think of the same type of experience?" Journalist (Seductive): "Depends. What do you think?" Reydan: "I think that every experience is important and unrepeatable." Journalist: "Great answer. Did you prepare for the interview for a long time?" Reydan: "No, I have it in me." Journalist: "It seems to me that we will cooperate for a long time. Thank you for the interview." Reydan: "No problem, a beautiful lady."

Reydan (while the reporter didn't hear): "You see? You must be nonchalant and cooperate if you want the media to love you." Sage: "Wow, like we're in the police." Hale: "I agree, should we endure and paparazzi if they interfere with our privacy?" Shade: "Everything will be fine. Be optimistic! (Everyone except Reydan looks at him grumpily) Okay, be what you are, but it will be OK."

Journalist: "Shade, we have prepared you some questions that our readers were interested in. First, would you take pictures without clothes for a magazine, since you showed that you are not shy?" Shade: "Well, I don't know (remember Reydan's words), but I would consider it depending on circumstances. If the atmosphere would be good, maybe. " Journalist: "The atmosphere is in this case money?" Shade: "No, I'm not a materialist." Journalist: "Is there any chance that your girlfriend might see you with another girl in the newspaper?" Shade: "There is, but hardly that some of them would to be in relationship with me." Journalist: "Many relationships break down when one of the partners becomes famous. Have you talked about it?" Shade: "We support each other in everything, why my career would be a problem?" Journalist: "Is it true that at the performance of 'Unkempt Monsters' you brought a dead chicken to the concert?" Shade: "No, but a rooster." Journalist: "What will you bring to the 'Blue Towers' concert?Will there be more dead animals? " Shade: "I wouldn't say so, but there will definitely be blood."

Alton was next interviewed. Journalist: "You are a very mysterious figure in the band. Some speculation is that you are in a cult, that you love the same gender, that you are dangerous... Is there any truth in it?" Alton: " When people want to see something, they will see it however you turn it. I think it's not fair to immediately think that a person without a relationship likes the same gender. " Journalist: "What type of girls attract you?" Alton: "It's not something you're planning, you just meet such a person and feel that connection inside of you." Journalist: "Well, did you meet her?" Alton: "Maybe..." Journalist: "Really? Who is she?" Alton (blushing): "I mean, maybe I met her, but I still haven't paid attention." Journalist: "Some sources say they saw you at a cemetery in the middle of the night." Alton: "I'm going sometimes. It's so peaceful, there's a lot of energy around. It's inspiring." Journalist: "Have you performed some rituals at the cemetery?" Alton: "In my teens I did... I'm not really sure they were successful." Journalist: "Do you have a good relationship with your father?" Alton: "He has his new family, we are not in contact." Journalist: "How long have you not seen your parents?" Alton (quiet,holds his head): "I haven't seen my father since the nineteenth year." Journalist: "How about your mother?" Alton (nervously): "It doesn't matter." Sage (to Hale): "I see that he can no longer bear these questions, these people are monsters!" Hale: "I'll make a move." Journalist (to Alton): "To our readers it may be." Hale: "Okay, Miss, I'm answering now, you've asked Alton a lot." Journalist: "But we did not finish ..." Hale: "Yes, it's my turn."

Alton gets out of the room, Sage goes after him.Sage: "They're really rude, I can't believe how far they're ready to go! (put her hand on his shoulder) Sorry." Alton: "Maybe you should skip an interview, you don't have to go through this. " Sage: "If you could, then I'll hold on too. So, you didn't see your parents for so long?" Alton:" They divorced when I was fourteen and my sister was five years old. Mother took her abroad, there married a foreigner, my father found a woman here, they have children... I was angry with both of them, so I became like this. It's a shame I can't see my sister, and I don't care about them anymore. " Sage (hugs him): "Don't hate them, I doubt they wanted to be so, but I agree that they should have paid more attention of your emotions and, in the first place, to try to save their marriage. (looks into his eyes) Love is not enough by itself, understanding and equal trying are also important. " Alton: "They are. Maybe they rushed with their marriage, they didn't even see if they were for each other, they stayed married for a while because of me, then because of my sister... it was a matter of time when it will break." Sage:" When you have already mentioned a sister who is growing up away from you, have I ever told you that I have a half-brother who lived in another family? " Alton: "Really?" Sage: "Yes, it was one family situation, so they made my mother to separate from him... I'll tell you about it when we have time." Alton: "Oh, I can't believe, you and I are similar in many things! Are you real?" Sage: "Unfortunately, I am. But I wasn't at the cemetery at night. (laughs) "Alton (laughs): "It's not as scary as it sounds. We can go together sometime."Sage: "Okay, if I survive this interview." Alton: "I'll be here."

Hale (after they entered): "Bro, this journalist is making a file, not an interview! She was questioning me about a fight from eight years ago more than police!" Sage breathed in and sat next to a journalist.

Journalist: "You don't look like a frontman of a band at all. From someone in that position more is expected, if nothing else showing of more skin. According to our information, you wear a jacket and during the summer! Are you embarrassed when you do it? (fake smile) "Sage:" No, because it's part of my personality. It's more embarrassing to confess to someone who shouldn't care so much about my clothes. When it's hot, only I feel it and others make drama like I'm having bombs underneath clothes, not that it's just the most ordinary clothes at the wrong time of the year." Journalist: "But it's shocking!" Sage: "Just as it's shocking in India when two kiss in public or see a woman in Arabia without a veil, but that's happening. We don't have to follow the mass blindly as lost sheep which wander around the fields. Sometimes it hurts to be different, but it's worth risking. " Journalist: "What are your love interests? Are you in a relationship?" Sage: "No, I'm on the ground." Journalist: "Ground?" Sage: "Well, yes,we are not floating with the ship, we are on the ground." Journalist: "But the question is whether you are in relationship!" Sage (still goofing around): "I am not related to any sheep." Journalist (slightly angry): "You were in a bloody shirt at the concert. Was it real blood?" Sage: "Yes, we lured one man into a dark alley, massacred him and then I figured I had blood on my shirt and I was like 'OMG! We have a show in a half an hour!' but I thought, like, "Well, I can go like this too, it's cool!" and so I went out on the stage. "

Shade barely resisted laughing, Alton and Hale raised their thumbs in support, while Reydan was afraid how everything will end.

Journalist: "Since in the place where you live we didn't get any interesting information about you, we decided to try to find out more about you in your hometown." Sage (upset): "Why, did it matter to you so much that you have informations about me? " The journalist smiled sarcastically: "There is not much information about you, but you are frontmen of group, people want to know more about you. It was hard to find out anything on the street, as if you didn't exist! We tried to see the house where you lived, in which school you went and things like that, but we only found information about your elementary school, so we did a search for people who know you. "Sage (upset and furious at the same time):" What the hell?! I'm not a criminal, so you are asking so much about me, are you insane ?!" Reydan: "Really, people, it's a bit too much." Sage (gets angry and looks at the journalist): "And what did those who didn't know me told you? Something interesting? I doubt it."

Journalist: "The people we contacted said that you were silent and that you didn't hang out with them, so then we contacted a person who, as they say, was close to you." Sage :, Who is this person? " Journalist: "You probably know who you were close to." Sage: "My answer is not the same as their, they only saw one side of the story." Journalist: "We don't disclose our sources, and these are all your friends anyway..." Sage (eyes full of tears): "Yes, of course, friends. If you were a girl whose parents in several years lost a lot of money to solve damn lawsuits with damn neighbors who killed their animals, threatened them, entered their yard and much more, would you hang out with people who laughed at your poverty? Would you bear that your "poor little friend" who keeps stabbing a knife in your back while you protect her and because of who you lost all your friends, they all consider as some martyr, while they are gossiping you during the class with a damn bastard who puts his nose into something he shouldn't?! Hell yeah they know me. You are interested in information about me? You were looking for them in the wrong place. In that town we existed when we needed to give money, but not when we were left without anything and when we were harassed. In that school I existed when I was supposed to on the class, otherwise nobody cared what's going on, only a system is important, not the individuals that built up this system. In that school, they notice that someone has a problem only when they disappear from this world, but they quickly push it away from them and forget it. Write a bit about such things, about reality, and not who wore what, who puts which picture on the Internet ... Return the empathy to the people. If the media already has such power, don't allow such stories to be just a sensation for a day or two, but to reach one's mind, someone's humanity, and not to be just an unimportant reading that makes less sense than the essay of the child in the third grade. Awake compassion and goodness in people, don't intensify condemnation and ridicule. We are all just human beings." Journalist (lighter tone): " Well, I see that this has made you so upset ... do you want us to publish this, I mean, because it's personal ... " Sage:" Publish, I don't feel ashamed of my life and my thoughts. Even when I sing, I do it honestly, every lyrics is not only from the hand, but from the heart as well."

Journalist:" I have only questions about the band, no more personal questions ... Is the album autobiographical or not? " Sage: "A combination of fiction and real life. It is an uncontrolled darkness that is created when negative energy is not discharged in time." Journalist: "And will there be blood on performances?" "We just started," said Sage, and thus completed her part of the interview.

In the evening, in the practice room:

Sage: "I'm sorry I ruined everything." Hale: "You didn't, you were honest, well responded to them speaking about how they acted. I almost freaked out and broke everything, then it would be real mess." Shade: "At least we found out something new about each of us." Alton: "Rooster in the show? That's really crazy." Shade: "There was a bet who was crazy enough to run among the crowd with a dead rooster. So, I took the rooster and screamed like insane." Reydan: "And what were these rituals at the cemetery?" Alton: "There are various spells for random things I've cast with friends during the highschool. It's not important if they worked, it's fun when you think they are working." Hale: "But all this spying at Sage's birthplace is the bottom of it all. Very stupid from them. " Sage: "Most of all I'm interested in what she told them and who is this, but I'm afraid of the answer. But, I don't even know what I'm worried about, I was a quiet child and a good student, they hardly knew anything about me, and worst that person knows is what I'm singing about in songs anyway and what I will soon do on the stage ... "Alton (scared):" We told you it wouldn't be necessary, don't even think of it. " Reydan: "What you said to journalist ... that's true?" Sage: "All of it. But I'll tell you that story the other time. We'll start with the third album tomorrow." Hale: "Already? Why are you so hurrying, the band is only two years old!" Shade: "This album was great, let's wait a bit longer." Reydan: "Alton and you can start with that piano song you planned and we'll take a day off to spend with our girlfriends." Hale: "You got a girlfriend again?" Reydan: "Selar." Shade: "No way, Selar Thomson?" Reydan: "That's her." Hale: "Actress whose popularity is increasing? You're aiming for a lot, but that's good." Reydan: "I have to, and we both have benefits." Shade: "Bro, madness!"

Rainy morning. Alton came in, Sage has already come. She had very little makeup on her, her hair was only slightly tied while rest was down, she wore a white tunic and black trousers, hanging earrings and a glittering necklace. Alton (seeing her): "Did I came to wrong place or that's really you?" Sage: "Why?" Alton: "Because you look like an angel." Sage (blushing): "More like fallen angel." Alton: "I still like it." Sage: "Your clothes are completely wet, you will get cold." Alton: "Will you mind if I leave my shirt to dry? I have a sleeveless shirt in the bag, I'll put it on." Sage: "Of course, I'll go out ..." Alton: "You don't have to, I'm not shy. (laughter) I'm not as brave as Shade, but I'm not ashamed of you." Sage (looking to the ground while he was changing):" I would definitely be ashamed, I don't change clothes in the dressing room, but I usually do it on the side ... "Alton (he approaches her, without a shirt on him):" Why are you so shy? Have you never seen a guy without a shirt on him (laughs)?" Sage (still looking down):" I did, of course ... " Alton: "You blushed like a rose. I never saw so much shy girl like you, you're so cute." Sage (looking into his eyes): "Me, cute? It's easy for you to be brave here when you have nothing to hide, while I have and I don't look as good as you ... "Alton:" Look better. I have something that I hide too. "

She looked down and saw the old scar in the form of pentagram. Sage (shivers): "You did it yourself?" Alton: "I did, five years ago. You see that we are similar, only I have only one scar and you. .. (pulling her sleeve gently) ... you have many of them. " Sage: "You're the first to ever see my arm since I've got the scars on it. Sorry for the scene." Alton: "You have nothing to be ashamed of, neither scars nor your body. This is part of your inner struggle, I understand that, so I don't condemn you. " Sage (eyes full of tears, gently): "Thank you. Shall we start to compose before melancholy takes me?" Alton (dressing up a shirt, goes to the keyboard and adjusts them): "Of course. Let's compose." At the end of the day, the composition was there.

They recorded their work and went together to the place where Alton promised to take her. The evening had already descended over a quiet cemetery, so Sage and Alton walked through it slowly due to less light. Alton: "Take my hand, I know the way. "Sage:" This is a bit scary, only you, me and these graves. If there was another girl, she would be suspicious. " Alton (turning): "I would not hurt either you or any other girl, don't be scared." Sage: "I'm not scared that you will hurt me, but the night outside. It's ironic, I know." Alton: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. Here are the old graves that you said you like, they look so fascinating ... Some of them have no names how old they are." Sage (looking at one grave without a name): "This could be my grave, it doesn't say who it is anyway." Alton (approaching her): "Don't think about the graves, but about the fact that these people existed, they were real." Sage: "And then they died as all of us on the planet will. They will bury me somewhere on the side , as they do with all the suicides." Alton: "It won't happen for the next several dozens of years, and maybe something changes. I think, I hope so. I want us to create more albums, to do more things... I believe that in ten years you will be the best vocal I've ever heard." Sage:" You're exaggerating. There'll always be better than us, that's inevitable. Wait a minute, shouldn't you be a pessimist or something? " Alton: "I feel some weird connection with you. I can't think negatively about you, I'm afraid to invoke bad energy." Sage: "I'm a bad energy by myself. My ad has called you, and you are in fact good energy. ( looks into his eyes and then their eyes met) It seems that is happening what I was afraid of, that is to start idealizing you. Damn borderline disorder. We are too close, it always means disappointment, especially because I bond to those who show me some humanity. I have to get to put myself together before I ruin our relation because I won't find a better musician than you. You didn't come to the band to be my guardian, but for the music. I'm sorry for everything. (turns and starts walking)"

Alton took her hand, turned her to him and said: "Sage, what I feel is more than a show of humanity, don't be afraid that I'll hurt you. You are my music. I love you, I feel it with my whole heart."

He kissed her gently, gently touching her long hair that fell over her back, then caught her by the hand. She felt that what she was doing was wrong, fearing the future of the band, but she couldn't stop the moment and indulged in her feelings. She put her hand on his torso, while the other was in Alton's hand. The moon lightly illuminated the empty cemetery, adding a magical but still dark atmosphere.

Sage (nervously): "Sorry for this." Alton: "You have nothing to apologize, this was magical." Sage: "This was the first kiss in my life." Alton: "Wait, really? Have you ever kissed someone before?" Sage: "No." Alton: "That explains why you blushed so much today, I should have guessed... Is everything all right? You seem nervous." Sage: "I don't know how smart this was." Alton: "The kiss was wrong or you don't like me?" Sage: "The kiss was perfect and I have strong emotions towards you for a while, I'm just afraid to bother you or something to change, so that I can be left broken again, because I'm bond to you. I'm afraid how will this in the long run affect the band. "Alton:" It's okay, we don't have to go fast, we have the whole eternity in front of us. What matter is that both of us are sure of the other's emotions. Everything will be fine with the band, we will behave as before and no one will know anything- whatever happens, in the band music will be in the first place. The signs have indicated that I should call about the ad, that's the best thing that happened in my life. " Sage: "But don't you want a relationship where you can be intimate with a girlfriend?" Alton: "It's a minor thing, physical satisfaction. Your glance and presence bring me inner satisfaction, creating a sublime feeling more important and more intense than passion. " Sage: "I wish I could indulge, my feelings are mixed with fear." Alton (takes her hand and kisses her in the forehead): "Know that I'm here for you, regardless of everything, time will take care of the rest. Come on, let's get out of here. "

After several concerts, performing as a band or as opening band, three videos, a lot of interviews and even more gained fans, the band a few months after hard work on composing presented the third album. What was about "feeding" the media: Hale got angry at a coffee shop when an unknown young man flirted with Merian,so he hit him. He was in jail and band paid him a bail. Alton decided to join some religious communities, where he was not as much as it was just to intrigue the media. Reydan is photographed in various situations with the girls, and one of them threatened him that she'll publish the pictures from a private party, but didn't do it at the end. Shade put photo without clothes on his profile on which were written a lot of curses all around his body. Sage, regardless of the fact that the band persuaded that there was no need for it, performed various acts of self-harming on the scene, which was accepted as a regular part of the performance, shocking and at the same time intriguing crowd.

It was a time to hold a tour that would accompany the third album. This time, there was a team of people who worked with them- sound engineers, set designers ... They traveled with a rented mini bus. Sage and Alton sat together, with headphones on, watching videos on the Internet, in this case, Sage's vocal range. Alton: "They didn't start from the second octave, but from D3. I'm sure you went deeper, at least with frying. Much better you use a deeper voice than the middle register." Sage: "It seems to me that my main voice got better for the past three years, that was the most important thing to me. " Alton: "And the tessitura has moved a little from the beginning, here is the improvement of tone." Sage: "I'm wondering if they have put my staccato parts." Alton: "They should,you usually sang at the end of the fifth octave and the beginning of the sixth there. Oh, here's the mixed voice, note F5." Sage: "Frankly, I don't like belting in the chest voice as a technique, most people do it wrong and then it sounds tense, also it damages the voice. Nothing should be forced - I like to growl here and there, but I know how much I am allowed to. The video has reached my favorite part - the head voice! Have you noticed that most of the sopranos, when they keep that last note at the end of a part or whole song, usually sing G5, G5# or A5? B5 already comes as some transit between the highest notes and those of the medium high, and from there it is not possible to sing any understandable word. Therefore, they use mostly the fifth octave for singing and the six for effects. And here's D6. E6 is too rare, I would like to have that note for singing. " Alton: "It's not a bad video, and I like your observation for the sixth octave." Sage: "Sometimes I want to change octaves as easily as you do on keyboards, with no one vocalist can do it all." Alton: "Three octaves are not a small thing, the technique is good ... What bothers you is a weak immunity, so you have a problem." Sage: "Don't forget that the psyche has a lot of influence on the quality of my singing." Alton: "That's right. Many people think it's easy to sing, so everyone in this country wants to do it. They forget the magic of music."

Reydan (on the back seat, talking on the phone): "What do you mean, maybe it's mine?No, I wasn't with you for a year! I should ask myself? You should ask yourself! "(drops the phone on his knee) Hale: "Another one claims she's pregnant with you?" Reydan: "Let them, lies." Hale: "One day some will really be, don't be surprised." Reydan: "Don't joke with me, please."

They had thirteen scheduled concerts, taking time to visit the cities and enjoy.

After the third concert they had a free evening, so everyone found something to do. Shade went to one punk club, Reydan and Hale to a football game, and Alton was sitting alone on the walls of the old castle. Sage joined him later, noticed he's visibly sad. Sage (worried, sitting next to him): "Something is bothering you." Alton: "I have a bad feeling. I'm afraid something bad will happen soon ... I had a disturbing dream and now I can't calm down. .. " Sage lowered her head to his heart, breathed in and out a few times, listening quietly to his heartbeat as he shoved his hand over her shoulder. She said quietly:" And I've been dreaming lately of the heavy dreams that I usually dream before worsening of the symptoms. I hope everything will be fine ... " Alton:" And I want to believe it. I don't want to lose you. "

Little by little, they reached the seventh concert. The sixth concert began-disguised with masks and wigs, band members entered the same entrance as the audience, standing close to the stage. When the audience became impatient, looking to the backstage, they climbed onto the stage and sat before their instruments (Alton and Shade) and took their instruments in hands (Hale, Sage and Reydan) and Sage said: "Tonight masks fall (takes off the wig and throw it in the audience), this seventh concert begins with the seventh song from our new album - "Kiss for dying soul." Inspired by the actual event. (looks first at Alton, and then to others not to look suspicious) "

At the hotel, all four of the guys sat at the hotel bar and talked about the band and the tour. Hale: "People are seeing me like some kind of criminal, so it's strange that I'm actually more or less good." Shade: "And for me they are still talking about my shocking picture, people often ask me for it. At least I look good on it. (laughter)" Reydan:" I get annoyed by some girls that I've seen once in my life. At least I'm getting and good ones too. " Hale: "And what would you complain to, Alton? You are very silent lately."

Alton: "Personally, I wouldn't regret anything. I am worried about the female part of the team; I can't stand to see her hurt and yet she keeps doing it to herself ..." Reydan: "I think you're in love with her! I know that feeling, you can't fool me! " Shade: "Wow, are you?" Alton (trying to be cold-blooded): "No ... I'm just caring. She needs someone who understands her, and it happens that we understand each other. I thought we can take a break from two to three years and I will persuade her to go to therapy. " Hale: "I don't know, Alti, it's a long period for the band, but short for a complete change of the psyche. Take it easy, she is self-destructive, but she won't die." Alton: "Should we wait for her to die?" Reydan: "God forbid, nothing will happen. Everything is fine, we're doing great with the band ... " Shade:" ... The tour rocks, the songs are heard abroad ... "Hale:" If nothing else, we will find a replacement for two or three years." Shade:" Wait, he hasn't even talked to her yet. Did you? " Alton: "I didn't, I'm going now." Reydan: "Just slow down, don't say everything all at once."

Alton (after he reached the door and knocked on them): "Sage, are you sleeping?" Sage (opens): "No, I wanted to take a shower first so that I could fall asleep easier. Enter. (he enters) You have something to tell me? " Alton: "Yes, I have. You mean very much to me and I know that all this can success, but I'm constantly afraid for you. I wanted to suggest something that might help you- maybe you could try the therapy." Sage: "I take medication as needed." Alton: "You can't cure a personality disorder by medication, you have to get psychotherapy." Sage: "So some optimist could push in my head positive thoughts about life for which I see it has no logic at all? Perhaps I am ill, but not stupid, I don't know how can he help me now. Anyway, I have some repulsion towards doctors, therapists and so on since childhood, plus I have a job in the band, so there is no time for such things. " Alton: "I know, but how much will you be able to do that? As far as the band is concerned, don't worry about anything, because we can find a replacement while you are on the treatment." Sage (stunned): "Wait, WHAT ?! You want to replace me ?!" Alton: "Temporarily ..." Sage: "There is no temporary replacement in the band - it's just a more elegant name for ejecting from the band. I knew from the beginning that this would happen, you want to kick me out of a band I've barely made up! " Alton: "It's a proposal, not an order, we don't want you to go, quite the contrary!" Sage: "No, I realized. I started to upset you with my behavior, you want to make it as painless as possible, so you count I'll be strong enough to fight with that if I go to treatment first, this is how your conscience will stay clean. " Alton: "Please, you know it's not true, it's all part of your paranoia, try to calm down and forget this." Sage: "Go and tell them you'll get the answer tomorrow." Alton: "All right, just don't get nervous, think without rush and calm. (leaves) "

Sage (crying): "It came to that. I can't believe that they want to get rid of me so fast, although I was ready for it. (going to the bathroom with a razor blade in her hands) They will get a reply tomorrow, as it will be obvious anyway ... I hope that tomorrow the frontman's place will be free for some other girl ... (she makes several vertical cuts on both wrists) Ah, how damn it hurts! ... I hope she will be much better than me ... To begin with, I hope that she won't upset them like me."

In the hallway of the corridors, in the morning, were everyone who worked on the preparation of the concert and all the members of the band beside Sage. Reydan (worried): Was she angry when you left her last night?" Alton:" She had a paranoia attack , she said we'll get the answer tomorrow. (looks up the stairs and sees Sage pale) Sage, what happened to you? (all four came to her)" Reydan:" Have you taken some pills? Why are you so pale?" Sage:"Ask questions to the new singer, don't waste your words on me. You have time to find her by the end of the tour, if you can stand me so far. " Hale: "We are not kicking you out of the band, we want you to be better! Shade, tell people to get in the bus, we'll come right after." Reydan: "You don't bother us like this, but we care how long you can continue this way because you persistently hurt yourself, that's why it's said. We will not let you end up like all those musicians who ended life because of depression, especially if we can already stop that. "

Sage: "Thank you for caring, but it's the best way for everyone.With the heavy heart I'll give up the band and help myself after the tour." Alton: "You're going for treatment? We'll be there for you, you'll see it's not that terrible." (takes her by the hand, she makes a painful grimace) What's with your hand? No ... you didn't ... " Reydan (notice the seizure and of the other hand):" Did you slit your wrists last night?! " Sage (nervously): "Doesn't matter. (trying to leave, Hale stops her)" Hale: "Are the wounds deep? How much blood did you lose? See how pale you are, you better go to the doctor!" Sage: "There is no need, I'm going to go to hell, and you where and how you want after the tour. This act of self-destruction is not because of your proposal, don't pay so much attention to it. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I apologize to all of you. (leaves)" Reydan: "Alton, you sit with her on the bus, try to talk to her before she hurt herself!" Alton (numb): "She has already done it, I'm just afraid that at the end of the tour she doesn't do something fatal. "

On the bus, she replaced the seat with the sound engineer, sitting on the back seat. Alton was sending her a message: "Does your hand hurt so much? I see from here that you can not bear so much pain. I have painkillers, I'll bring it to you . "She answered:" Pain in the hand is nothing compared to the pain in my heart in which you have stabbed a knife. I'm used to deep wounds, but I'm not used to betrayal. I hope the new singer will be as close as me to you but she will be normal and you will be able to live happily for the rest of your life. Keep your pills, I need a poison, not a medicine. "

Alton got angry and rose from the seat, turned and looked at her. His anger quickly passed and he sat back in place.

During the next month, they held five concerts. Relations between the members of the band didn't change, Sage acted strictly in business and avoided longer conversations with other members. Before the thirteenth and last concert, Alton stopped Sage in the hallway and said: "Don't run away from me. I let you calm down, I see that it didn't happen, so I just want a conversation. "Sage:" Good. Tonight on the rooftop. " Alton: "Agreed. (The postman comes in and searches for Sage, and then surrenders her a small package.) What's in the package?" Sage:" ... Piercing. I want Monroe piercing. " Alton: "But the address is the foreign ... You also had piercings here." Sage: "I don't interfere in your shipment. (goes away and continues to talk quietly) With this "Monroe piercing" don't go barbiturates, but something much stronger and faster ... "

Evening; Sage and Alton talk on the rooftop. Alton: "I know you can't forgive me, it wasn't my intention at all for you to go, but on the contrary." Sage: "I know you have a good intention, I'm not mad at you anymore. I just lost the energy for this. I've been thinking and maybe the best way is to find a new singer, more beautiful and more handsome than me, it would bring you more audience, and then you would fall in love with a new "princess of darkness" and everything would be fine ... I'm afraid I'm not worth enough to stay in someone's life in the long run, so I reacted that way, I thought you didn't want me anymore. That's why I'm trying so hard about others, I want to be worth to someone. (teary eyes, lowers her head)" Alton (hugged her): "Nobody could take your place either in the band or in my heart. Whatever it is, we go together through it, both through good and bad moments ... I would give my life for you. " Sage (nervously, one step away): "No, you have to go on!" Alton (frightened): "You have something in the plan again, don't you? What's your plan?!" Sage: "Nothing, I just want to say that my life is not worth so much that somebody would take a sacrifice for it. Whatever happens to me, don't forget that you are a very talented musician and that many bands would give everything for such a keyboard player like you. See you tomorrow. (goes and leaves Alton alone) "

During the preparation of the concert, Sage talked more to others than before, but she was significantly absent and depressed, worrying members of the band that something bad could happen tonight, so they decided to be careful tonight and notice if something unusual happens.

At nine o'clock in the evening the last concert begins! The most popular songs from three albums were one after the another, leaving the audience in trance. Before the end, Sage told the audience: "This is the last song for this tour and the last song with me as a vocal. This is the last concert with me (the other members of the band look at her). Ironically, we will perform our first song , 'Blue Towers'. I'll miss you, but there is no crying, OK? Okay 'Blue Tower', let's start. "

After the last song, the audience shouted Sage's name, not wanting her to leave the band. Alton (behind her): "You see you're loved? If you don't believe me, believe them." Sage: "I'm neither the first nor the last one that has ever left the band. The fans will get used to that I'm not here. " Alton: "They maybe, but I won't."

Midnight is coming closer. Reydan said that, for her own good, during that night someone would be with her in the room to keep her safe, so that she don't go anywhere until they leave things in their rooms and don't return. Not wanting someone to break her plan, she quickly left her things, took the packet that the postman brought and one paper, then left the room. Shade first came out of his room and noticed that she had already entered the elevator, but all he had managed was to see that she went upstairs and hurried to inform the others.

They didn't need much to get to the rooftop. She was there in the clothes from the concert, numbly looking at the distance, and her long, dark hair swayed on the wind to the side. Reydan (when they arrived): "Don't jump off the roof!" Sage : "I didn't even plan to, don't worry." Hale: "Get out of that fence, don't stand so close... (starts walking toward her, she shows with her hand to stop)." Sage (starts climbing on the fence):" Don't come closer, Hale. Please. (Hale returned, and she came down) I just wanted to thank you for everything and to say that it was my honor to work with you and to create songs together that generations later could listen to. That was the reason I've been living for, creating something that is eternal." Shade (to Alton):" You see she's having a farewell speech - we have to be ready to catch her before she climbs to the fence, we have a few seconds to do it." Sage (continues ): "Shade, take care of Alice, you have a great girl, I wish you an exciting life. Hale, I hope Merian and you will have a happy family in a incoming years. Reydan ..." Reydan (teary eyes): "Don't hold a farewell speech, please, everything will be fine! " Sage: "You're created to love and be loved, it's not all in a relationship for one night, no matter what the tabloids like you to do. Alton ... (look at Alton who shivered and looked at her with disbelief) I'm sorry if I did something wrong."

Alton: "You didn't, but now you're wrong, you'll break me up to pieces if you do what you're planning to." Sage (numb): "Thank you all, these were the three most beautiful years of my life, I felt alive when I performed with you (puts her hand in his pocket and then puts something in her mouth quickly). Hale (scared): "What did you put in your mouth?" Sage: "Just one pill, I need to calm down. Nothing will happen to me from one pill. " Reydan: "What is that pill?" Shade (quiet): "There is not a pill where person can die from just one, is it?" Alton: "There is one that can... Wait, it's impossible... (panic) Sage, is it a hidrogen cyanide acid pill, that is, cyanide?!!! Spit it!!! (moving toward her)" Sage:" Goodbye, the cyanide will calm me forever. "

She bit the pill and the cyanide spread quickly over the body, then she dropped down with a few spasms and soon died. The guys couldn't save her because of the quick action of cyanide, so the doctor's arrival didn't mean anything. Alton was completely lost, Hale was angry at himself for not reacting in time, Shade and Reydan were in disbelief how it all happened quickly.

Shade took a letter from her hand and read aloud: "You were my music too, my inspiration for the most delicate symphony that my icy heart could have made. I didn't even believe that I would hear its rhythm again under all that ice, but it seems that your magic was stronger than frozen crystals of water, it was an honor to have an opportunity to meet an angel like you who will see his reflection in this newly born lake. Don't stop creating, my Prince on the Black Horse, you have many more beautiful melodies to create. Take care." Reydan:" To whom she wrote that? " Alton moved away from the others and went to his room.

The sun goes out. Hale, Reydan and Shade are standing in the vicinity of the hotel, planning what to do next and asking where Alton is. Hale: "He was in the room early this morning and then he went out for about five o'clock. This shocked him, but who wasn't shocked- she was like a sister to us!" Reydan:" I think that letter is dedicated to Alton. " Shade: "No way! Wait, makes sense." Hale (thinking, glancing at the top of the building and seeing Alton looking down from the hotel's rooftop) There he is. He's completely lost, maybe they were in love with each other- they were so similar, as if they were meant to each other. I don't normally believe in magic, but the two of them would be a magical couple. " Reydan (panic): "Did he just skip the fence?" Shade: "Damn it, he did!!!" Hale: "Alton, don't do it, man! Everything will come to its place !!! Alton!!!"

He didn't hear it. He fell in front of the hotel, dead on the spot.

He had a letter in his hands: "I know you considered me an angel, but I am ready to fall from heaven for you, which I will do today. Wherever you are buried , I'll be here next to you to keep you, but why would I write to you when I can personally tell you? I can't create anymore, my melody has died with you, Sage. Our mortal lives are over, but we will continue to live in every note, in every song, at every rhythm. Our hearts may not be beating anymore, but from now on, the rhythm of the song is a beat of our hearts. We will live as long as these melodies exist, and art is eternal, so I leave without fear because I know there is waiting eternity with you. "

Reydan:"Unfortunately, I was right. " Hale: "Damn, how could I not have predicted this ?!" Shade: "You couldn't do anything."

During the following week, both were buried outside the cemetery next to each other. Alton's parents and sister were at the funeral, regretting that they hadn't had the opportunity to see him at least once more during his lifetime. The band no longer existed, even though their songs were left to live. Hale later played in the band, after the birth of the first child, Reydan indulged himself in love with an average, but nice girlfriend, whom he later married. He had one offspring from the previous relationship, so he also supported him. Shade stayed with Alice for a long time, they didn't have children nor planned to have them. As the legacy of the band is concerned, their songs will live forever ... as long as the music lives ...

THE END
10/20/2016 15:43
Suzana Ristic Suza

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