Contingency~TW/TO~ Lahey

Chapter 11: The Wailing Woman

Entering through the double doors of the recitals location, my eyes lock immediately onto Scott's. His eyes, however, are focused on Allison for the few seconds she stands in front of him. I can't see her face, but I'm sure it is the usual awkward smile she always flashes him whenever they make eye contact. He then gives his attention to Isaac and I, and I simply nod in his direction before following behind Allison and her father to find a spot in the crowd.

Allison was able to ring Scott before, so why is he unable to utter a word to her? The reason behind the call was urgent, but she was still able to do it. No. I will not meddle in someone else's affairs...right now, at least. My main focus is needed elsewhere.

The four of us take up extra space in the back of the room with the other latecomers that had no luck in finding seats. So far everything appears to be normal with the audience lending their ears to the orchestra ahead of them and the violinist's bows gliding across their strings smoothly, echoing the notes into a strong, hypnotic melody. Abruptly, the normality of the scene in front of us changed. The tone had turned into a high pitch screeching sound from the roughness of the hairs on the bows against the cords, and the tempo increases to a new beat. Everyone on the stage holds a longing look in their eyes. They are no longer in control of their instruments, nor their bodies. The choir joins in on the unprepared show, matching the abnormal behavior of the rest of the musical group.

Everyone watching is just as confused as the next person. Was the Darach about to make a move in front of all these people? Half the town has shown up to this recital. This creature can't be serious about revealing such atrocity to this high of a population. Compelling these many people to forget will take time.

My hands shoot up to cover my ears from the sudden squeal that overpowers the musical chaos. This high-pitched sound almost has me to my knees, and tearing my eyes open I can see it is affecting Isaac, too. Only the supernatural seems to be affected by this noise. This isn't just any noise, though. It belongs to a wailing woman.

They aren't entirely rare, but they're well hidden and dispersed. I've come in contact with only one, but never have I solicited myself with their kind. They are dangerous creatures if they chose to be.

As soon as the sound began, it disappears. Uncovering my ears, the sound of music flows through them again, with the added effect of ringing, and Isaac gives me a questioning look as to what just happened. Something that seems to be a trademark for everyone in this town.

The audience whispers, unaware of the wailing sound that had brought the few of us displeasure. The music must have kept the humans from hearing the Banshee's wails because their focus is still on the atrocity of the orchestra's choice of music being part of the show.

The intensity of the music continues to increase its roughness until everyone's movements halt and it becomes ghostly quiet. The pianist now outshines the rest with the spotlight on her lifeless corpse. A piano cord had whipped across her esophagus, creating a gnash with the tip of the string. It only took seconds for the murmuring to turn into screams and chaos.

"Allison!" Chris yells after his retreating daughter and the three of us soon chase after her through the clamoring crowd. Her destination being the pianist, but I can't be too close to the pool of blood surrounding the woman's body.

"Everything okay?" Isaac asks with concern when he realizes I am no longer following them.

"The blood," I answer honestly, attempting to swallow the saliva my mouth is producing. "It's still possible to have withdraw. I don't want to test that theory with a throng of people surrounding us."

"You should stay back, too," I add grabbing ahold of his upper arm.

He gives me a questioning look, "Why?"