Sharp Teeth - Sleep Token/Vessel FF

Chapter I

I was almost finished editing a thousand photos I took at the Bring Me The Horizon gig in London two days ago. Being a professional photographer was my dream job, even though it can be pretty demanding at times. This band was very specific about what type of photos they wanted and also how they wanted it edited, so I took extra time to make sure everything was aligned with their request.

Alan, my childhood friend, was the one who got me into photographing bands. He gifted me my first camera the same day we went to a My Chemical Romance gig. We got barricade and I used my new toy to take as many pictures as I could. Back then, security didn't prohibit fans from bringing semi-professional cameras to the shows - lucky me. This was what first got me thinking about becoming a professional photographer, way before it was cool.

As I was thinking about how much I owed Alan for getting me into photography - he's a band photographer himself, and he paved the way for me, hooking me up with gigs and all - my phone started buzzing.

"HOW did you know I was thinking of you, Alan?"

"I can read minds. Ok, no, I don't have time for jokes right now. I need your help, Ava!" He sounded worried.

"What's going on? Are you ok?"

"I... A car hit my bike and I broke my arm. I can't move my entire right arm for at least two months."

I almost fainted. Alan is my soul brother, I couldn't imagine something bad happening to him. "Geez, Alan! Are you okay? Are you home? I'm seeing you now, give me a few minutes, I-"

"I'm fine, Ava, don't worry! But I need your help with something else. Remember the band I've been photographing for the past six months, Sleep Token? I will need you to cover for me."

"Sure, anything you need. When do they perform?"

"Today."

"TODAY? Ok, I'm packing my cameras, you text me the address. What about the credentials?"

"I'll take care of that right now. Thank you, Ava. You know you're the only one I trust to cover for me, right? Oh, one more thing: they're perfectionists and they kinda keep it to themselves, so don't mind that."

"I won't be as good as you, but I'll do my best. I'm seeing you tomorrow to check your arm and help you do everything you need."

"Thanks, Avacadabra. I love you!"

"Love you too, Alankazam."

I loved Alan very much, we were like brother and sister so obviously I was worried as hell. My brain couldn't think of something else as I drove all the way to the venue. He wasn't the luckiest person in the world but getting hit by a car was a whole new level of bad luck, even for him.

Alan worked on my credentials quickly, which was helpful. I entered the venue and looked for the staff room, but found it empty except for me. I opened my case and started preparing my cameras, cleaning the lenses. Once I finished, I headed to the stage to check the rehearsal and brainstorm some cool shots and angles. "Did I arrive too early?", I thought when I noticed no one from the band was there yet, only their tech instruments and roadies.

At least the lighting guy was testing some equipment, so I started adjusting my camera's configuration. It seemed that this band didn't use as many LED panels as Bring Me The Horizon, so the stage was quite dark. I hated going in blind to a job; I didn't even have time to Google the band. All I knew was that they were rising fast, selling tickets in minutes. If I did a good job, it would be a great addition to my portfolio.

"Are you the new Alan?" A tall and buffed man approached me. He was pale and had green eyes, dark and messy hair, and a lot of skull tattoos covering his arms and neck - nothing new for me, to be honest. I was very used to metalheads and their looks.

"I suppose I can say that. Ava, nice to meet you!" I smiled and extended my hand for a handshake, but instead, he grabbed it and kissed the back of my hand. He seemed to be around my age, 25, but that kiss made him seem like 80.

"Nice to meet you, lady Ava. I'm Jace, the sound technician." His eyes moved slowly through my whole body as he smiled, especially lingering on my thighs and hips. I couldn't decipher if he was judging me or if he was searching for something. I mean, I don't particularly stand out that much: I'm 1,70m tall, with shoulder-length brown hair and curtain bangs, brown eyes, ivory skin, and a few curves I was proud of. He sounded like he was desperate for sex, but I wouldn't be the one making that wish come true so I tried to escape this weird interaction.

"Well, nice to meet you, Jace. I need to test my lens and camera configuration so I'll be taking a few test pics. Do you know if the band wants any backstage pictures? I didn't receive any special request."

"Oh, don't ever think of taking any pictures outside this stage. It will be your ruin." He smiled again, eating me alive with his eyes.

"Alright, no backstage pictures. Message received, loud and clear. Thank you for the help." I said, leaving him and returning to the Staff room.