The Voice of Valdez

Chapter 1

Leo

"You promise it's different
You swear that you listened
I don't mind if you didn't
'Cause I just love the sound of your voice

You got me right in the palm of your hand and you know it
Oh, it's what you do

So give me your worst excuses, any reason to stay
Give me your lips that taste of her, I'd kiss them again
I'd rather you walk all over me than walk away
Give me the worst of you
'Cause I want you anyway
So take me to every party and just talk to your friends
Why don't you let me down, I'll let you do it again
Go on and walk all over me, just don't walk away
Give me the worst of you
'Cause I want you anyway

We make up, but I know we'll fistfight
Through iPhones, my left hook a no-show
'Cause I'll just keep letting you win
But baby, the truth is I make your excuses
You let me down and I'm used to it

You got me right in the palm of your hand and you know it
Oh, it's what you do
So let me drown, I'll be there with the band
Hit the sea bed, all I'd see is you, oh

So give me your worst excuses, any reason to stay
Give me your lips that taste of her, I'd kiss them again
I'd rather you walk all over me than walk away
Give me the worst of you
'Cause I want you anyway
So take me to every party and just talk to your friends
Why don't you let me down, I'll let you do it again
Go on and walk all over me, just don't walk away
Give me the worst of you
'Cause I want you anyway, anyway, anyway-ay
'Cause I want you anyway, anyway, anyway-ay


Some call it foolish, guess I'll call it art," 

I'm in the shower singing.

The rest of my cabin is in bunker 9.

So I have the cabin to myself, and this is the only time I can be alone.

So I sing.

And I try to put my pain in the words.

And the longing.

And I find my eyes are prickling.

And it feels so relieving.

I have to let it out somehow.

So, I had taught myself to sing when I was on the run.

And memorized a bunch of songs.

So I just sing them when I'm alone.

It's a habit now.

It's my secret.

As I finish the last verse, I hear the door open.

I silence myself.

"Hello?" I call out.

"Leo?" I hear Nyssa ask.

"I'm in the shower! Give me a minute." I yell.

I turn off the water, and put a towel around my waist.

I poke my head through the narrow opening of the doorway, door still in my hand, covering my chest down.

"Sorry, but I was wondering if you knew where Harley is.." She says, staring at my chest.

Shit.

I thought that most of it was covered.

My chest that is.

I thought I covered my bruises.

"Give me a sec, I think I know where he is." I tell her, shutting the door.

I put on a shirt, and the rest of my clothes.

A tight to the skin white t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and of course, I have on boxers. Duh.

I leave the bathroom and smile at Nyssa.

"Let me get my shoes on, and then I'll help you look."

She just smiles.

"Thanks." 

"You're welcome."

***

He's at the beach, staring determined at a rock.

"Harley?"

He looks at us and smiles.

I see he has on an earpiece.

"What is that?" Nyssa asks.

"I built a machine that can give me really strong hearing. I hear the bugs." He smiles proudly.

"Wow." I whistle, playfully. "That IS cool. But we should probably head back to the cabin."

He gets up and comes back with us.

"Well, see you at the campfire tonight." I say.

I head into the woods, bored.

And decide to sing.

"Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

Mama said
Fulfill the prophecy
Be something greater
Go make a legacy
Manifest destiny
Back in the days
We wanted everything, wanted everything
Mama said
Burn your biographies
Rewrite your history
Light up your wildest dreams
Museum victories, everyday
We wanted everything, wanted everything

Mama said don't give up, it's a little complicated
All tied up, no more love and I'd hate to see you waiting

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes

Mama said
It's uphill for oddities
The stranger crusaders
Ain't ever wannabes
The weird and the novelties
Don't ever change
We wanted everything, wanted everything

Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down
Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down

Mama said don't give up, it's a little complicated
All tied up, no more love and I'd hate to see you waiting
They say it's all been done but they haven't seen the best of me
So I got one more run and it's gonna be a sight to see

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes

Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes.."

I sit in silence for a few minutes.

This song makes me feel hopeful.

Unlike most of the time.

I look at my watch.

4:00.

I head back into camp, ready to face anything.

Or so I thought.