Freak Show | Multiship [C]

Chapter 37 | Addict For Dramatics

"An angel, isn't she?" Mr. Brahm spoke as he walked up beside Chris.

Chris glanced away from his model of a girlfriend, replying, "I know, because she's my angel."

The businessman laughed drying, "But, of course. Her new attention from the media has taken her away from you, hasn't it?"

He watched the set of a shoot as an assistant walked over to adjust Devin's hair. Chris resisted admitting that Mr. Brahm was right and told him, "If this makes her happy, then I'm happy."

"That's very noble of you." He said, "I can guarantee she will only become more in demand with each picture released. A friend of mine gave me two tickets to a show here, but unfortunately I can't make it. Would you like to take them? You and Devin could surely use some time together."

"If we have any spare time together, it's going to be spent in private. Not at some public event where more people can gawk at her." He sneered.

"They are private balcony seats. No one would be able to bother you, even if they wanted to." Mr. Brahm said, "And the poor thing, all she sees anymore is the inside of a studio, or an airplane or a hotel room. She deserves to get out." He handed an envelope to Chris as he added, "Just consider it. It's not like you'd be burning a hole in your pocket if you don't go."

"Thank you." He muttered quietly.

Mr. Brahm excused himself as Devin walked over. She pulled a robe around herself while walking towards her loving boyfriend. Devin reached up and gave him a kiss, "A few more minutes, and we should be done."

"Take your time, beautiful. I'm not in a rush." He replied.

She sighed, "I know, but you look bored. I want to do something fun while we're in Vegas. It is Sin City, after all, and what kind of sinners would we be if we didn't play while we were here?" She giggled.

Chris licked his lips briefly as he debated what to do with his little harlot. "How 'bout I take you to a theater show tonight? You can put on that tight dress that I love." He mused and made her blush.

"That would be fantastic." Devin smiled.

| | |

The lobby of the casino was buzzing with people as they filed into the theater for the show. Maria stood at the main door, welcoming people as she usually does. Her theatrically tall heels put her towering over everyone else and he smeared makeup marked her as a freak. Her smile permeated as she welcomed her adoring audience.

Then her eyes dimmed as she saw past the crowd to two old friends. Before they could see her, she quickly slipped through an employees only door aside the entrances. Maria walked back to the backstage, which was busy with people and freaks getting ready for the show.

"Aren't you supposed to be up front?" Manson scoffed towards her.

"Yes, but, we have a bit of a, uh... I don't want to call it a problem, but an unexpected situation." She responded, "Chris and Devin came to watch the show."

"Did you talk to them?" Balz asked.

"No, they didn't see me. Our faces aren't exactly on the posters for the show. They might not even know it's us." She said.

Ashley looked to their boss, "What do you want us to do?"

Before he could speak, Angelo spoke for him. "We'll give them a show." He seethed.

| | |

"Brahm really doesn't understand how close to home he was hitting by giving us Freak Show tickets, does he?" Devin joked, amused.

"Maybe he does." Chris muttered, "I don't know. We never kept in touch with the others. Maybe they ended up back in another freak show."

She took in his words gingerly. "You... Really think they would? After what happened?"

"We're performers," He panned, "We can't stay away from it. You went back to singing as soon as we settled in New Orleans. I wouldn't be surprised if the others ended up doing the same."

"Do you think they ever found Ange and Twiggy?" Devin dared to speak a name that dug under Chris' skin. Not from anger, but from regret.

Chris set his hand on her knee and smiled softly across to her, "We can only hope." He murmured.

His eyes were glassy even just thinking back over his mistakes. The lights of the show reflected off his glossy irises as the show began. Devin leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before turning her eyes to the stage.

The screech of a record caught the audiences attention instantly. As the curtain lifted, the silhouettes against the smoke were all too familiar for the giants. Devin stole a quick glance over to Chris as he did the same. They didn't need words to know what the other was thinking. Even from this balcony, they could see would exactly was on that stage.

Music much different than anything these people had ever heard filled their eyes. Manson leaned against his mic as he sang a horrifying rendition of "Sweet Dreams". Twiggy, who previously had never been apart of the act, now was on stage playing bass. Manson wrapped his arm around his lover's neck as he sang.

As the beat kicked in, a gulf of fire spit from the back of the stage. Amongst the smoke, it was difficult to see Ryan's figure. Their two contortionists were suspended on either side of him by silks.

"I gotta used you and abused you, I gotta know what's inside. I gotta used you and abused you. I gotta know what's inside youuuu." Manson's sinister smile grew across his face as he looked out on the hundreds of shocked faces in the crowd. "Welcome! To Marilyn Manson's Freak Show! I am the one and only, Marilyn Manson." He seethed through theatrics. "Please, give a hand for my beautiful Twiggy... And keep your applause going for our human dragon."

He gestured back towards the smoke consuming the backdrop. Ryan stepped down from the platform and billowed out another puff of fire. Manson and Twiggy, along with the rest of their live band, slipped off the stage to allow his act to commence.

| | |

After flashing death defying stunts and heavy music, everything slowed down for what had become a fan favorite act. The pure white lights flooded the stage and fog rolled over the floorboards. Manson walked off after introducing the fortune teller's act. Normally upon his entrance, he wouldn't say a word, but tonight was different.

Angelo set his hand adorned in rings along the mic. The white lights deepened to red as he spoke words as soft as an angel and sharp as a sword's edge. "I recently found the sheet music to this song amongst some old relics from the show's start. This was written by someone who is no longer apart of the show, but I thought it was appropriate for tonight only."

The slow paced score began to play. From the first note, Chris tensed up. He knew exactly what Angelo was doing. This was payback that he knew he deserved for the mistakes he made.

"The wall that I have built to keep you out is starting to rust, because everything around me just reminds me of us. I am an addict for dramatic, black hair and pale skin. Yet I'm still collecting bones, but that's why closets are for skeletons..."