Chapter 6 - Push the Shift to Overdrive
Darren was beside himself with indecision. He didn’t want to go on-stage but he also didn’t want to let their fans down.
Maybe they won’t notice my ears. But what if they do? I can just see the Internet headlines now: DARREN HAYES IS A FAERIE?? Darren mentally sighed as he continued pacing the backstage area where he and Daniel had been watching the opening band. Daniel was now watching him with an amused little smile on his face.
“Anything the matter Darren? You look as nervy as ten cats.” Daniel asked, chuckling a little. Darren paused for a moment in his pacing and stared at Daniel, then just shook his head.
“No, nothing is the matter, I’m just anxious to do a good show. Everything is fine.”
But everything isn’t fine. I’ve got ears like an Elf, my only Elven relative is nowhere to be found and I am going out of my mind from scary dreams and the bloody weird things that have been going on lately!
“Are you sure? Looks like you have more on your mind than our performance.” Daniel persisted, a note of concern appearing in his voice. Darren turned away from the guitarist and bit his lip, steeling himself against that concern.
No, I shouldn’t him drag into this, I don’t even know what’s going on. Darren could feel Daniel’s eyes on his back, waiting for an answer.
I should say everything is ok. Darren told himself sternly. Even so, he closed his eyes and felt his throat close up, for a moment, with unshed tears of frustration and despair.
But I don’t know who else to turn to.
“Daniel, I-” Darren started as he turned around, but he was interrupted as the concert opener (whose name Darren couldn’t recall) came walking by, signaling that it was time for Savage Garden to go on. Daniel grinned, got up and slapped Darren on the back.
“Don’t worry about it, mate. You can tell me after the show.” Darren gave Daniel a weak smile and nodded, leading the way onto the stage. Of course, there would be plenty of time after their performance.
The show would be over in no time.
Daniel watched a tense Darren walk out onto the stage, clasping his hands tightly behind his back. He had this apprehensive look on his face as he scanned the cheering crowd, like he was expecting the audience to suddenly turn on him. When nothing out of the ordinary happened, Darren seemed to smile in relief and picked up a mic. Daniel mentally shrugged, sometimes Darren got weird ideas, perhaps it was related to whatever Darren had been about to tell him in the stage wings. Daniel hoped it had nothing to do with Colby, even though she had been so happy to see them a week ago.
Daniel put the whole matter behind him as the colored lights came on and the band started the first song on their set list. Darren was in top form tonight, his voice was so strong it was almost like he didn’t need a microphone. The sunset over the hill was spectacular, almost brighter than the stage lights. It bathed them all in golden light for a short time and Daniel was sad to see it end so soon.
Oh well. The moon will be out soon, won’t that look cool? Daniel nodded his head in time with the music, watching a vibrant Darren croon out the love song ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ to a nervous and excited fan. After the song had ended and Darren had given her a hug and sent her on her way, the singer turned around and beamed a grin at Daniel. The guitarist grinned back and gave Darren a small thumbs-up.
Darren turned back as the band started into their new single ‘The Animal Song’. Daniel enjoyed playing this song, the drums were so great, sounding like something out of the deep jungles. Darren seemed to be really into it tonight, he sang the lines with such conviction. Daniel could almost feel greenery surrounding them, it felt so close you just had to make a run for it and you’d be there...
When the song had ended, Daniel was brought back to reality in a sudden, almost painful, wrench. Disoriented for a minute, Daniel exchanged an awed look with an equally stunned Darren.
What was that? I’ve never been that caught up in a song before, it was almost like being under a spell... It was then that Daniel noticed Darren’s ears. The guitarist’s eyes narrowed a trifle as he made some almost unbelievable connections and theories. But before Daniel could send even one questioning glance in Darren’s direction, the singer turned away and got into place for the next song: “Mine.”
This time the music was even better, it flowed out of them with such exquisiteness, such perfection. Daniel tried to fight the feeling; it was almost too much bliss, like getting laid 6 times or eating a whole box of Time-Out bars. But the moon was now appearing over the horizon, making everything look like it was gilded in silver. It was so breathtakingly beautiful that Daniel felt his hold on reality slip and surrendered to the song.
The guitarist continued floating in a haze of musical ecstasy until they reached somewhere near the end of the song, where the girls took up the job of singing the chorus while Darren sang as high as he could in long, bird-like calls. But tonight there was something different about it, a note that woke Daniel out of his trance. It wasn’t a note of pain or agony, not quite, more like a note of despair, something almost unearthly that gave Daniel goosebumps.
Daniel turned his head towards Darren and stared in disbelief at what happened next. He had looked just in time to see the singer fall to his knees. Daniel looked about him frantically but he seemed to be the only one who noticed, everyone else was still caught up in the song.
Something is wrong! Very wrong! Daniel blinked as he watched Darren’s mic fall out of his hands and yet the sonorous call still came, louder and louder. Daniel’s stomach flip-flopped as something began happening to Darren; he seemed less distinct, seemed to be shimmering, wavering in and out of sight. Daniel ran towards the singer, dropping his precious guitar with a second thought, and saw Darren turn towards him, saw him reach out with a beseeching and bewildered look on his face. Just as Daniel had almost reached Darren, his hand mere inches away from the singer’s hand, the stage was flooded in darkness. Daniel was utterly confused for a second, then he remembered that was the light cue for the end of the song: kill all the lights.
Muttering curses, the guitarist waited impatiently for the lights to be turned on by the tech guy (who obviously hadn’t noticed that anything was wrong, like everyone else) while he felt blindly around for the felled singer. Just as his hands reached the spot where Darren should be, the lights came back on, illuminating the stage with merciless detail. Daniel felt his jaw drop with dismay as looked at the spot where Darren had laid not one minute earlier.
It was empty.
Darren was gone.