Page 93 of Broken Chorus

These places we fear to tread

These lines we fear to cross

Fear stifles creativity

The creative shatter molds

The weak just break them slowly

Piece by piece

Subtle changes too faint to see

But the wild ones burn.

Singing this is what's left when the fire dies.

This panted face and devils grin

Crimson jeans and affliction t-shirts

Inked. Pierced. Painted. Dyed.

Soulful windows staring unblinking at the masses

Seeing everything.

Devouring it all.

Single minded determination. Life's goals whittled down to raging mantra.

"Imma show you how great I am."

All Hawk could do when they finished was sit there, mouth opening and closing as he digested not just the pain and fury in the song, but the melody, which made him wish like hell he’d brought his guitar from the RV. His fingers were itching to add some deeper undertones, something that would help then draw out the lingering moments. They’d done this together, without needing anyone to guide or even participate, and he couldn’t have been fuckin’ prouder. Then Aaron turned, facing him as he pressed his guitar into Hawk’s hands, giving him the chance to feed the creativity he hadn’t been able to tap into earlier and in an instant, those undertones started pouring out, while Aaron raced to capture the chords in the notebook he held. By the time he’d finished, Cade stood beside him rather than across from him and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I thought you might like to have this so you could join in,” Cade said.

“Thanks man,” Hawk said, flexing his fingers before passing Aaron’s guitar back to him.

Those twenty minutes a night had been keeping them limber, but this right here was what Hawk loved. The kids had stopped coloring and lay watching them, enchanted, much like that day back at the house when he and Aaron had helped them create rocked out versions of the nursery rhymes they loved. Cade had snagged Kelly’s bass too and they all joined in on the song this time, fueling one another, encouraging, yelling out chord changes as they made it tighter each and every time they played their way through. Okay, so maybe Kelly had been right when he’d tried to convince him that he could still have the music. He just hadn’t been willing to believe him on account of his inabilityto tour. Now though, he understood what Kelly had meant about them still being a five man band. Knowing that he could still contribute was everything right now, especially when he saw the awe on the children’s faces.

“That, right there, is gonna blow people away,” Kelly remarked when they finally took a break.

“The question is, can we have it ready for Rocktoberfest along with the rest of our new pieces?” Declan asked, resting his sticks at his side now that the song was through.

“It’s not like any of us sleep much,” Micah said. “And we’ve got nothing but each other and the sand for the next two days, so I don’t see why not, if we push ourselves.”

“We can do it,” Micah said.

“If you guys will let me deal with the basic shit, like cooking the meals you bastards are constantly forgetting to cook anyway, you’ll do just fine,” Cade offered. “Consider it my first official duty as your new roadie.”

“Seriously? You’re gonna stick it out with us?” Declan asked, looking an equal mix pleased and relieved.

“No place I’d rather be than here watching you achieve your dream, bro,” Cade admitted. “Besides, being way out here, and up in the mountains, and who the hell knows where else you go, will be inspiring as hell. Maybe I’ll figure my own shit out along the way.”

“In that case, you have to promise us one thing,” Aaron said, gazing up at him.

“Yeah, what’s that?” Cade asked, a hooded, hesitant look having crossed his face.

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