A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

10. Sticks and Stones, Part Two

Julia

"If listening is merely what you want me to do," I asked, "does that make it something I have to do?"

Stuart shook his head. "I won't force you, Jules. By all means, plug your ears if you would prefer to stay in the dark, keep blinding yourself."

"You know that's what she'll do either way," C scoffed. "She's too afraid of anything remotely close to the truth."

"I'm not afraid," I announced- which, ironically, was yet another flat-out lie. But now I had committed myself. I had no other option but to see one final test through.

"This track really doesn't need any context; I think you'll find it quite self-explanatory," he coughed, thumb hovering over the start button. "I do suggest you sit down though."

"I'll stand, thank you."

"Suit yourself." With no more words, he started the recording.

He had barely set the device on the table when a loud, hollow explosion burst from the weak speaker. I jumped a little, clutching at my chest- then forgot all about it as soon a cold, hostile voice began to speak: "You bitch- you smug-"

"Who's that?" I asked, stomach capsizing.

"Who do you think?" C said dryly.

"That's not an answ-"

"Sh!" Stuart hissed, but it was too late, I had already missed an apparently key shred of the audio. With a frustrated snort he ran it back to the beginning while I slumped forward against the table in case my knees should began knocking. Under no circumstances would I let myself take a seat. Once again, he played the track- this time, without any interruptions.

"You bitch," the voice spat, every word dripping with venom. "You smug little c---, look at me with those big cat's eyes, smile at me like this is all some big f---ing joke, yanking me out of my life and sticking me in this rank little shack- What's the point? Eight f---ing years you've left me alone, why now? Didn't you do enough the first time round?"

That's not Freddie, I assured myself. It's just one of the team putting on a voice. A damn good impression, granted- but an impression nonetheless.

Needless to say, first impulse was to do exactly as Stuart had suggested, and plug my ears. But thus far, I had fallen victim to the rats' deceptions numerous times, and then invariably ended up realizing I'd been had. It was a nasty habit of mine that I wanted desperately to break- to prove to myself, and maybe Freddie too, that I was not the "faithless woman" he perceived me to be. After all, my mustard seed-sized faith had already been tested once this evening, and I had come through vindicated; I just needed to keep believing, no matter what these sadists hurled my way.

A few moments of rustling ensued. It seemed he was supposed to be in the bedroom, judging by one piercing squeak of mattress springs when he plopped down upon it. Sure enough, however, he continued, the walls of his throat thickened as if with tears: "Maybe I should just go out of my way to rip your little world in half, Julia, and see how you like it."

My mouth fell open in shock. Not a full jaw drop, mind you, but my lips were still clearly parted. Something in that chilling sentence had struck a bit too close to home. But he wasn't finished.

"Yeah, why don't we find out for ourselves?" he giggled. "Let's see how fast you can pick up the pieces before they go up in smoke before your very eyes. You seemed to come out of it all fairly untouched, you lucky little bitch; how would it be if this time around, you were the one who suffered?"

Ling cleared her throat. "Perhaps you should take it back to that last part again, I did not hear it very well."

"I did," I croaked.