The Evening Hunter [#3]

11 The Cologne

1 year later.

My butt felt glued to the wooden seat I sat on. I could hardly move an inch due to some unexplainable reactions taking place in my body. I felt anxious and excited at the same time.

The only person to explain the party well was Helen. Though I had my ways to tell how grandiloquent it was. From the entrance, they carried out a serious assessment, which meant everyone attending had an invitation. Then the dress code; I wore a long off-shoulder black dress that cost me a few dollars. For Helen to allow me to spend that much on a dress, the event wasn't a usual one. 

There were instructions I got from one of many workers who received me when I arrived earlier. She never mentioned her name, all I remembered she said was to wait until I got a signal before doing my part.

All that sounded like a fancy party.

They took me to the stage where I sat in front of a piano. I sat alone and in silence, but I felt the presence of other people on stage. I had the information that there was to be a musician and then a professional flute entertainer.

A lot of things changed over the last year. The best part being that a lot changed for good. No more torture, no more pain, no living with people who hated us, and no more fear. It was just Helen and me surviving. And we did, we survived for the best.

I had a brand name; Ivy Haven. Slowly, my name penetrated the market and I ended up getting good contracts across New York. This party was the third mega achievement ever since I won a competition months ago. I believed my talent earned me every opportunity and not the part where a blind girl won.

Good contracts come with good money. Even though Helen and I sold our old house and rented an apartment, we still had to earn because New York and rental fees weren't a darling. We managed because Helen and I were both working.

We lived in a three-bedroom apartment in a rental building that had other tenants. Some of them never knew we existed, except for madam ‘did-you-see-my-cat’ next door. We lived our private life, soft and fancy as much as we could afford. I would say, life wasn't as bad. 

Living within people also helped us with security. Before we got to sell the house and shift to another town, rumors had begun spreading that my uncle never fought with his wife and that Helen and I disappeared at the same time only for them to die. We had gotten a few threats that we knew what happened, but none of us did, except that I had a little speculation.

My thoughts were interrupted by someone touching my shoulder softly. I could feel the warm breath against my skin.

“We are about to start. You will be the lead. I believe you got a list of all the songs that you should play, yeah?” It was a lady from earlier, the one who ushered me in after Helen dropped me at the party.

“A list? I am to play one song.” I tilted my face to the side. 

“No darling, you have four songs, each should go at most five minutes, so that is a total of twenty minutes with breaks of course.”