London Harmony: Feel the Beat (13 page)

Then he looked up at Ray through the little window of the booth and hit a button and said into the mic on the console, “Go ahead and sing a couple lines for me so I can adjust the levels before we start.” She nodded and scrunched up her nose and smushed her head to her shoulders in cute nervousness. She sang and I smiled. I glanced over to see my girl smiling too. Which just started a snowballing smiling loop inside me.

Bear's hand flashed across the panel adjusting sliders without really looking. He had his eyes closed as he pressed the headphones to one ear. He opened his eyes and said, “Okay, that's great. I'll start your track on a ten count. So take a calming breath. I'll monitor loop your voice back through your headphones so you can hear yourself as you sing to the music.” She nodded and took a deep breath when he pointed at her.

We sat back and watched, I couldn't help getting carried away in the beat and dancing a little as my girl watched me in rapt fascination. Bear had her re-sing the bridge or refrain from the songs in various places then before we knew it, in less than an hour, he keyed the mic. “Okay Ray, that's a wrap.”

She smiled and took off her headphones and exited the booth. She scrunched her nose as she joined us. “I was so nervous, was it okay?”

With a goofy grin Tink said cutely, “Purr.”

I smiled hugely at my girl as I slapped her shoulder playfully, “Hey!” Then I turned to my best friend and nodded, “You were brilliant.” Belle bumped my hip and I added, “Oh, and... purr.”

Rayleigh gave us a sexy pose just to tease us, then said to Bear playfully, “I have groupies.” Then she winked at him.

He was trying hard not to watch our display and was blushing again. Oh bloody hell, the poor bloke. I laid a hand on his arm. “Sorry, Bear. We tease each other a lot.”

He gave a nervous half smirk at the ground and mumbled, “I don't mind.”

My smile threatened to split my face. I bumped my hip against his leg and looked up at him. “You cheeky boy.”

He chanced a look up for a moment as he said, “I'm only human here.” This got a laugh from all of us then he took a deep breath and looked up and said, “Right then. Let's see about your session shall we Abi?”

We all sat and Ray asked again, “Was it really okay Abbers?” I nodded at my insecure friend. She was always so confident in all things except when it came to her voice.

Then we all got into a long discussion about my music. When he prompted us, Isabelle pulled out her mobile and showed him a video of me performing in the Garden. He looked impressed and said, “This is going to be interesting to showcase your ability. You are your own band essentially.”

I squinted. “Sorry.”

He shook his head. “No worries. I love a challenge.”

We took quite some time discussing how I created the music and how we would be able to duplicate that in the studio. We came up with a system for me to indicate loops to Bear and how we could still retain the spontaneous feel of my music.

Then we set about constructing loops on the first track, it was much more difficult than it ever had been. I was in an isolation booth that blocked out the music of the world, the only sounds I had to work with were my own breathing and heartbeat.

Izzy looked worried and leaned over and keyed the mic in front of Bear. “What's wrong love?”

I shrugged and said, “I can't hear the music in here.” Her brow furrowed then her eyes went wide in sudden understanding. She hit the mic again. “Hold on just a bit Abi.”

Then I watched her have an animated conversation with Bear. She looked passionate about something. Then after a back and forth, he keyed the mic as he hit a few controls and I could hear the world again as sound danced across my vision and pricked at my mind as it flowed past me like a coarse blanket across my skin. I decided I didn't like isolation booths. “I'm piping in sounds from the room here and the outside from a mic I have mounted on the roof.”

I nodded and closed my eyes to soak it in. My music was back, it felt right again. I took a deep breath and exhaled as I opened my eyes and took off my glasses and shoved them in my pocket. I stood and moved the stool back. I was in my element once more as sound and life swirled around me.

I started thumping a bass beat on my stomach in time with a thrumming I could pick out of car tires going over the deck of a nearby bridge. I raised my hand to indicate a new loop to Bear like we had worked out. I started swaying and dancing as I bopped and trilled. I could feel the beat of the world and I drew it inside me, forging it into something new, something... more.

When I had six loops, I assembled it all in my head. I tapped out a syncopated rhythm on my hip with one hand as I raised a single finger to Bear, indicating the first loop. Then I started adding fingers as I sang of a world of wonder. About a world of life and growing love. As I sang, I would hold up fingers as we discussed to indicate to him which loops to mix in at which times. I'd drop my hand when he was to add them. It turned into an intricate dance that made me even more aware of the world around me. I ad-libbed and harmonized with my own backup loops at points and soared into a capella highs at points.

Then at the refrain I slowly had loops subtracted until it was only my voice on a long, subdued note that I hoped resonated love. I opened my eyes and there was a long silence then Bear was on the headphones. “That was... simply beautiful Abi.”

I closed my eyes tightly, I felt a tear on my cheek. Then Tink was on, “You okay to go on?” I nodded then opened my eyes, as I stared at the bright spot in the haze in front of me, the window of the booth, knowing my girl was just on the other side. I smiled and nodded.

Bear said, “We can't really do any A/Bs on an adlib track, but I seriously don't think we need to. Even if there were any inconsistencies, that lends to the style.” Then he added in a softer voice that was a brown fur pelt sliding past and whipping away, “Whenever you are ready Abigail. Take your time.”

I put my glasses on with both hands, just for a moment so I could smile at the blue haired angel who was standing right in front of the booth's window. She put her hand against the glass and I raised a hand to place against hers. I got lost in her eyes for a second then grinned. I had the next song. I put a hand over my heart then pointed at her and removed my glasses again.

This one was almost pure a capella with only a bass thumping and a tapped out beat as I sang of my heart, of the blue haired pixie who accepted me as I was. I sang of feeling whole and unbroken for the first time. My heartbeat guided me. This was the most energy filled song I had sung to date, I hit the power notes I was denied singing at Covent Garden. I reached for the sky and pulled it down to me where I could embrace the woman I loved. I sang of Tink and I cried.

When it was over, there was a long silence. The outside world dissipated and I was in total isolation again. I was shaking for some reason then the door was pulled open and warm arms wrapped around me. “That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard you sing Abi.”

I smiled down at the blue and pink shadow. “It was about you. I had to do it right.” She was quiet and just when I thought the silence was getting awkward I felt her hot lips on mine in the gentlest of kisses. Then she was grasping my hand as I let the burn of my blush seep into my being, warming me as she pulled me out of the booth.

Then she took my glasses from my pocket and put them on me. Ray had her hands pressed together over her lips then she opened here arms wide. I hugged my best friend and she said, “Simply amazing,” as she released me back into the care of the woman I loved.

Bear was smiling as he finished up at the panel then stepped over. “It was indeed a pleasure ladies. I'll work up the tracks and should have your demos ready by the end of the week. Did you want just the tracks to burn your own or did you want artwork printed on CDs and sleeves?”

I immediately said, “Can we meet about artwork?” We were just going to burn our own CDs but now that I had the money I had originally earmarked for my own flat, we could make our demos look more professional. I glanced at Ray who looked as though she were about to argue. “My treat. I have some lolly now that I'm going to be moving in with Izzy.” Belle gave my hand a little squeeze.
When had we clasped hands?
I grinned that it seemed to be our natural state.

Bear set things up with us as he lead us out front. It was dark out. I checked my mobile. Bloody hell, it was eight already. I looked at the big man. “I'm so sorry we kept you so late. Where did the time go? We'll pay for the time of course.” There goes the last of my savings.

But the big man waved it off. “Don't worry about it. It was my pleasure. You let me do something completely new to me and I owe you for the experience.” I shot the big man a chastising look, but he just shrugged at me stubbornly. I sighed then stepped up to the man and gave him a hug and stood on my tip toes, he leaned down and I gave him a peck on the cheek. He was such a lovable bloke. The other girls followed suit and I'm positive the poor man was going to blush himself into his grave.

Once we got outside, we all looked at each other, realizing we had just had our first recording experience and we squealed and hopped around like silly gits.

The next night, Saturday, Ray and I had that backup gig with the Silvers. They were getting pretty popular around London so it was no surprise when they called us so soon after their last performance. Trina had a way of making us feel insignificant and when she called last week and said, “We'd prefer just about anyone else for backup, but you're the only ones that can work on such short notice since you don't have your own band.”

Ray had wanted to just go over to her place and, “Slap the bitch right out of her.” Belle said she'd drive. I had to remind them to just ignore it. A gig was a gig so we could put up with the woman for a night as long as she was paying us. I had more pressing things on my mind, like how to tell mum I was moving out. Maybe I could do it a little at a time and she just wouldn't notice? My inner me grinned at myself and rolled her eyes.

We worked out the logistics. After a day of busking, Tink would drive us to Ray's then we could all ride in Randall's vehicle to the Dock.

The Dock was appropriately named, as it was situated in the London Docklands by the old Port of London. It was a moderately modern dance club situated in one of the converted warehouses on the docks. They were renovating the entire area trying to make it a more upscale neighborhood. The Dock was on the fringes of the reclaiming effort and bordered on some of the rundown areas where a lot of illicit activities and illegal raves occur. I admit having gone to a few in the area to immerse myself in the underground music scene from time to time.

When our merry band of misfits pulled up, there was no room in the car park so we parked next to a neighboring warehouse that looked to be decaying quickly, like the bones of a long-dead beast. I played out the death of a dinosaur in my mind.
Bloody hell Abigail, why do you imagine it as a cartoon dinosaur?
I glanced at the anime dragon tattooed on my girl then grinned at myself.
Oh, that's why.

We got into our gear in the back and pulled out our mics and mic stands. Randall grabbed them from us and looped the microphone cords over his shoulder. Belle put on a silly thoughtful look on her face. “Maybe I should get one of those things, they're pretty handy it seems.”

I squinted and Ray asked, “One what?”

The imp replied with, “A man. When Randy here is around, you never have to carry anything.”

I stopped walking with mock shock on my face as my mouth hung open. “Am I not enough for you?”

She winked and cuddled into my arm, pushing me farther into Percy, who was against my other leg. “You are quite the handful love. We could just use a bloke to carry our stuff around for us is all I'm saying.”

I pushed her away playfully, but she stuck to my arm like glue as I said, “You are a terrible woman.”

She grinned and crinkled her nose like it was a supreme compliment. “Quite, but I am your terrible woman.”

I nodded. “This much is true.” Then I hugged her arm and she laid her head on my shoulder as we all shared a chuckle. We walked in the pale illumination of the moon and the street lamps toward our destination.

It was only seven and the place was already crowded as we pushed our way through to the patrons to the stage. Unlike a lot of venues, the stage had a curtain that wrapped around the half circle to afford some privacy as the bands set up.

We hadn't been there five minutes when Mindy came through the curtain, lugging the first piece of their equipment. Her bass drum. The others were right behind her lugging more of her drum set. We exchanged greetings and started helping Mindy set up as Trina commandeered Randall to help them haul in the rest like he worked for her or something.

Mindy exploded with a high pitched surprised laugh at the death glare Rayleigh was shooting at Trina's back as they left the stage. She said in a low voice like she was sharing a secret, “Most people have that same reaction to Trina. She's sort of a bitch, but we've been friends since secondary so I'm mostly immune to it. She really does have some redeeming qualities...” She qualified it, “Deep down inside.” Then comically added, “Deep, deep down.”

We all shared a smile as we moved the drum cases to the back of the stage, where Ray and I would be standing, and started setting up our mics. After the third load, we had what we needed and Trina and Gloria went out for the bass and guitar cases. We plugged our mics into their big amplifier. It was pretty nice with a mini mixer built in and a large public address speaker below it. It came up above my waist.

How much money did they make to afford such nice equipment? Maybe Ray and I really needed to start a band. Then I glanced up at Trina as she parted the curtain and stepped onstage in her outfit that probably cost as much as a small car.

I realized that it was probably her dad's money funding their band. He was one of those high price business consultants. He had lucked into a lock on some of the most prestigious companies in London when some woman who was a business genius had left for the Americas a couple years back. Valerie or Victoria Davenport or some such.

Trina tripped over her own mic cable and slammed into the main amplifier before any of us could make a move to catch her. The amplifier hit the floor with a crunch and a squelching feedback that tore at my insides and I almost dropped to my knees as I cut back a scream of pain. I slammed my hands over my ears. There was a little pop and the amp was silent as Ray helped Trina up and Randall tipped the amp back upright.

Trina was at the controls repeating over and over, “No, no, no...” The indicator lights were all dead. She hissed, “Shite! We don't have the backup amp here, we're on in fifteen and don't have time to get it. We'll have to use the instrument amps. Maybe The Dock can let us use their sound system for the mics.”

Tink stepped up to the amp and was digging in her bag. Then she took charge of the chaos as she pulled a small tool kit out. “There are only so many things that could bugger it up.” She started removing screws as she looked up at Trina. “Go talk to the manager to see if you can use their system just in case I can't fix this. Most likely it's a loose connection. Randall tip it back and hold it so I can get to the lower screws.”

Belle's eyes strayed down and then she looked back at Ray and I. “It fell on the mic cables and one is severed, do you have a spare?”

I nodded quickly and replied, “I have one in my equipment case. I'll get it.” She nodded and Rayleigh stepped up to Randall and gave him a seductive smile as she reached into his pants pocket as he held the amplifier at a precarious angle for Tink. She winked at him as she pulled his car keys out. The poor boy looked ready to melt.

Ray threw the keys to me and I caught them. “Be right back.” I looked down at Percy and prompted, “Shall we boy?” Then we were off. I smiled. This was rather exciting. I thought of my blue haired imp saving the day. We made our way outside and across the car park and the little field to the other warehouse. Some of the overflow parking had migrated here in the time since we arrived.

I opened the back of the SUV and grabbed my equipment case and lifted it to the ground. I opened the lower compartment and pulled out the second mic cable, this one was shorter but would do the job. I closed the case up and then Percy started to growl.

I looked around to see a tall man in baggy pants and a yellow sweatshirt with slicked back dark hair, who was standing within arms reach. He was looking at me and Percy and my case and said, “Be a good girl and hand over that expensive looking case and things won't get unpleasant.”

I stepped back reflexively and my blood ran cold as terror slowly seeped into me. I was suddenly aware that there was absolutely nobody around. He reached for the case and I grabbed the handle and he tried yanking it from me. Percy's growl was louder and the man slammed a fist into my chest. It took my breath away and I saw stars and motes of light swimming in my vision. I fell backward onto the broken up asphalt and the man started to turn just as Percy leapt.

With fangs bared and a vicious snarl erupting from him, that hit me like a buzz saw, his jaws clamped down on the man's arm. Percy started shaking his head, savagely shredding. The man yelled out in pain and surprise and tried to shake Percy off, but my boy held on.

The man repeatedly punched Percy in the face as I scrambled to my feet. Then Percy yelped and landed on the ground and the man started kicking him repeatedly as I dove on him. I screamed, “Percy!”

The man shrugged out of my desperate grasp and spun on me and pushed me hard as he yelled, “Get off you manky bint!”

I went flying back toward the SUV and my head struck something hard and my glasses flew off. I fought to stay conscious through the intense pain as I realized the world had gone dark around me. I landed hard on my arm and I heard a loud snap adding a new excruciating pain to my world. My mouth was open in a silent scream as I felt my fabric bracelet with my father's gemstone ripped off my wrist and heard the man leaving quickly, the sound of my case being pulled behind him.

Finally, a sob came to my throat. In the blackness, I dragged myself across the ground with one arm toward the sounds of whimpering. I sat up and pulled Percy to me as I chanted, “No no no. Percy?” I could feel his fur was wet and I could smell and taste the tang of blood in the air.

My head was throbbing worse and worse with every heartbeat. I brought my hand to my face in the darkness and remembered my glasses had fallen off. But this was different, there was no fuzzy shadowy world, there was nothing but the colors of the sounds around me. When I blinked my left eye felt wrong, I gently touched my eyelid, my prosthetic was gone.

The pain was threatening to take me and I felt fuzzy as I rocked Percy in my lap.
My mobile!
But I realized my bag was inside on the stage. I whispered, “I'm so sorry boy,” I slumped and even the color and feel of the sounds around me faded to black.

I don't know how long I was out, when I came to it felt like my head was splitting in half and the pain from my left arm was fighting to be a close second. In the blackness around me, I realized that I was truly blind now. I knew it was coming eventually, but not this soon. A new fear was creeping into my being.

Then my fuzzy head was screaming for my attention, something about the heavy weight on my legs. Percy! He was silent. I ran my hand through his fur and could feel him breathing. I didn't know what to do. I needed to get help, but I didn't want to leave him here all alone. I leaned over and rested my face in his bloody fur as I sobbed.

Then I whipped my head up and bit back a cry of pain when I did it, when I heard a voice in the darkness yelling my name. It was Belle. I suddenly felt a strange combination of utter relief and a deep shame. I had failed to protect myself, to protect Percy. My tears returned with a vengeance when I blubbered as warm arms engulfed me from behind.

Belle's voice was full of distress as she started rapid fire questions, “Abi are you okay? What happened? You didn't come back in... I… oh Abi.”

I rocked and tried to speak between my sobs, “Percy is hurt. I don't know what to do. Please help him.”

She started rocking me and shushing me as she hugged me tighter with one arm and stroked my hair with the other. I yelped in pain when her hug crushed my injured arm. She backed off quickly.

I heard her doing something and she was speaking to someone on her mobile. “We need an ambulance at The Dock Club.” She gave some more information then rang off.

I heard her hitting some stuff on the mobile again and I muttered through my tears almost too low to hear, “I'm... blind.”

She paused a moment but then she was talking. “I found her Ray. She's hurt and so is Percy. I don't know what happened. She's at the car. We need to get Percy to a vet right away. The poor bloke doesn't look good.”

I woke up. I didn't even know when I had passed out again. I could hear Rayleigh, Randall, and a man whose voice I didn't recognize. Tink said, “She's back.” I realized I was laying on the ground with my head in her lap.

Randall and the other man were talking. “Okay, lift.” There was a weak whimper. Percy! Then the sound of doors. Randall said, “Okay, we've got Percy. Keep me informed. Rick, can you stay with the girls until the ambulance arrives?” I heard a grunt in assent.

Then the vehicle drove off as I heard an approaching siren. Belle was stroking my hair and someone else squeezed my hand. Rayleigh? It was. She asked in the tone you would use with small children or animals as not to startle them, “What happened Abigail?”

I answered in a shaky voice. “A man. He stole my equipment... he pushed me and Percy saved me. But the man hurt him. I tried to help but he pushed me again and I hit my head... I think my arm is broken. Oh god. Percy is hurt because of me.” I tried to stop the tears but started sobbing again.

I took three rapid breaths and pushed back the panic I was feeling and forced myself to calm down and whispered again, “I can't see.”

Belle prompted, “Your glasses are broken.”

I shook my head but stopped at the lancing pain. “No, I mean... I can't see. Nothing. Not even the shadows.” A warm, calloused hand rested on my face and I leaned into it.

I was going to say something else but shut my eyes tight and held a hand over one ear as the ambulance arrived. The siren threatening to make my head explode with the pain from the injury coupled with the massive jousting lances of bright red and whites piercing my head. Isabelle covered my ears for me, protecting me.