Angel Magic

Chapter Five

Thick, dark clouds hung low in the late afternoon sky. The air had become oppressive, almost stifling as the storm brewed overhead. A hot, onshore wind barreled across the normally calm waters of Moreton Bay sending holidaymakers and residents scurrying for shelter. The first heavy raindrops plummeted to the sidewalk. Steam rose from the cement and the fresh scent of summer filled the air. Cassidy ducked into the local tavern and brushed raindrops from her arms. Having skipped lunch she was hungry and she wanted to watch the karaoke. It didn’t start until six o’clock but by the time she ordered and ate dinner it would be pretty close to starting.

After ordering barramundi and salad from the bistro, she found a table at the very back of the bar and sat on the chair that faced the wall. A sepia photo of the local area at the turn of the century hunt on the wood paneled wall. She knew of the street depicted and marveled at how much it had changed in a hundred years.

A party of friends entered the bar, laughing and talking. Cassidy watched them for a moment and then lowered her eyes to her hands, mourning her, once, normal life. Before the…incident…she’d enrolled in community college to study photography with hopes to win awards for her nature photos. Now, it all seemed like a dream. At twenty-three years old, her dreams, her ambitions, her desires, had been shattered.

Now twenty-six, she felt betrayed by the world. If her life had progressed normally she could be planning a wedding now or, after her photography course, she could be in the middle of the Savannah taking photos, loving her job and her existence. Cassidy sighed and leaned back in her chair. She had to stop speculating about her life. If she’d married Stefano, she could end up on her knees begging for her life.

“Number forty three, barramundi and salad.” The piercing voice of the waitress jolted Cassidy from her thoughts. The thin woman dumped the plate on the table and walked away before she could even utter thank you.

Groups of people entered the bar until there was standing room only.  Soon, the tavern would be filled with revelers and karaoke and no one would notice a woman sitting alone. Cassidy had learned a long time ago how to mingle and look like part of a group. Her favorite way was to stand at the end of a table of friends and watch the band, or sip her drink. By the end of the night she was their best friend.

The karaoke started before she’d finished her meal, and she nearly choked on a piece of lettuce when the first contestant attempted to sing Like a Virgin by Madonna. Cassidy turned to stare at the rotund woman, a smirk on her face. The off-key singing caused her, and everyone in the bar, to cringe good-naturedly. At least she had the heart to get up and sing. The next few singers were marginally better. Cassidy approached the DJ and asked for the song list. There were only fifty songs available for the competition and her frown deepened as she scanned the list. Then, excitement made her heart beat double time. Abba. Thank You For The Music!

Cassidy glanced around the crowd. She didn’t know anyone so it wouldn’t hurt for her to get up and sing a tune. Besides, she wanted to forget what the librarian said. Just once, she wanted to believe no one followed her, that no one watched her - a few hours was all she asked. Her desire to sing almost overcame her fear of discovery. She had to sing that song.

“That one,” she finally told the DJ.

The DJ nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Ca…Sally Farmer,” she replied quickly.

“There are ten people in front of you, Sally. You’ve got a good hour or so. We break at eight o’clock so you’ll be the first one after the break.”

Unable to contain her excitement, Cassidy bought a beer, and another, and another. When the DJ announced the ten minute break, she hurried to the bathroom and checked her appearance. She didn’t want to go on stage with her dark hair showing, or with one green eye and one blue. Satisfied nothing had changed she entered the bar again and giggled when she stumbled a few steps. She needed another beer.

Before she knew it, the DJ announced her name and she was climbing the steps that lead to the stage. The crown let out a groan when the DJ told them the song. Cassidy turned to the sea of faces and smiled. She didn’t care that they didn’t like the song, she loved it and when she sang it at the last karaoke competition she had won.

The music started. Cassidy took a deep breath, smiled brightly, and opened her mouth. “I’m nothing special. In fact, I’m a bit of a bore…” The crowd cheered their agreement. “If I tell a joke, you’ve probably heard it before…”

“You are the joke, love!” someone yelled.

Cassidy ignored them. She’d been heckled worse than that. “But I have a talent, it’s a wonderful thing, ‘cause everyone listens when I start to sing. I’m so gratefully proud. All I want to do is sing it out loud…So I say thank you for the music…”

Through all their complaints and harassment, the crowd struck up the chorus, drowning out her voice. From that moment on she had their undivided attention. They swayed their arms in time and sang along with the chorus until the building vibrated with the noise. Cassidy’s gaze roamed over the sea of faces, her smile wide and her happiness high. She hadn’t felt so good in years. Her eyes rested on a table of men, their heads bent in conversation. She wondered how they could hear each other over the noise.

Then, one of the men turned to her. The next words of the song froze of her tongue. The microphone slipped from her hand to land on the stage with a resounding boom through the speakers. The panic attack hit her hard, and violently. She clutched her throat where her breaths had caught. Her vision narrowed to pinpricks and made her hasty stumble down the stage steps difficult. She felt every eye on her as she shouldered her way through the crowd. Her hands were numb. The echoing memory of the gunshot from the pistol Stefano had held three years ago rang in her ears. Somehow, she struggled across the tavern and fell against the swinging door. The force of her stumble pushed the door open so she could escape into the rain.

Staggering, now, Cassidy tripped her way to the alley alongside the tavern. By now, her vision was almost down to nothing and a confusion of noises and images spun through her mind. All coherent thought left her as she slid down the wall between the dumpsters and hugged her knees to her chest. The rain plastered the blonde wig to her head. Her tan in a can dripped from her legs to form brown puddles under her.

A hand dropped onto her shoulder. She started and pulled away from the touch. Blindly, she stood and tried to escape but a hand grasped her wrist. A muscular arm encircled her, tugged her until her back pressed against a hard chest. She couldn’t scream; her throat had constricted , but she still managed to struggle within the powerful hold.

“Cassidy, stop struggling. I’m here to take you to safety.”