The Darkest Days

30. The Rise Of The Son

"No!" Audrey gasped and placed a hand on her mouth in disbelief.
"You're kidding me!"

Jeff turned back from the passenger seat. "What were you expecting?"

"Definitely not that!" Vanessa cried from beside her sister.

Their black sedan stopped at the entrance of a grand hotel and immediately flashes started going off from all directions.

"You think you can walk through the flashes or should I ask them not to use the flash?" Jeff asked. "I really don't want one of you to stumble and fall."

Audrey shrugged. "I've danced in heels, performed on stage. I think I'm fine."

Everyone's gaze shifted to the younger sister, even the driver's.

"I.. think I'll take my chances."

"Alright." Jeff said. "I want you to go straight inside. No answering any questions or stopping for pictures, no matter how much they insist, alright?"

"But shouldn't we talk to them?" Audrey asked.

"You should, but not to these. There are journalists inside who've paid money, talk to them. These aren't invited. They just knew you'd be here and came to try their luck."

"Sounds pleasing." Vanessa mumbled.

Jeff added. "Don't let them have a picture of your whole face. At least, try they don't get one. They get paid for each good picture they click of you and the ones inside then paid for nothing."

They nodded as the car finally reached the entrance. Vanessa was towards the gates, so she was able to quickly get in.

Audrey, however, had to make a round and the journalists took immediate advantage of it. They surrounded her and shoved their cameras at her face. Bright and white like the afternoon sun lights started off at an insane speed and the so did the sounds of the clicks.

Vanessa felt her chest tighten as Audrey disappeared from her sight and she realised that a single click meant one picture taken, and there were hundreds of simultaneous clicks.

The sound resembled the sound of a machine gun. The journalists fired bullets after bullets at Audrey. Jeff shouted something but it wasn't clear over the shouts of others.

"Audrey!"

"Look here!"

"Remove your f*cking hand!"

"Looking pretty, Audrey, who are you wearing?"

Someone pulled Vanessa deeper inside to safety. She looked back to see Bianca, their hair stylist. "Stay in."

"Audrey.. they've got her.." She said and looked outside again.

"She's fine," Bianca said, "Jeff is with her."

Just then, the circle broke and Jeff pushed out with Audrey encircled in his arms. Vanessa quickly ran up to her as the guards closed the door.

The screams and clicks couldn't enter the hotel lobby as silence, a bright contrast to earlier sounds, filled the area with very few people around.

"Are you alright? Did someone harm you?"

Audrey shook her head and Jeff released her. "You two are gonna need bodyguards." He said.

"That was an assault!" Audrey stated.

"They have a few privileges." Bianca said. "Of course, not up to this level. But, if everyone went to sue every journalist after such scenarios, there wouldn't be journalists left in the world."