Tag: Drugs

The sweltering, wet summer air on Bourbon Street always hit Charlie like a kiss. The thrum of energy that pulsed at all hours stoked his smoldering excitement. For the first time tonight, he was opening here in the center of the musical universe. Charlie had practically run out of the building after the final rehearsal to get a taste of New Orleans before the night began.
Maudlin was the latest of Charlie’s bands. They had been together for two years now, and were stronger for having left New York City. For two months, they had been playing minor shows in the Big Easy, trying to get a break in any of the major clubs, or at least raise enough money to rent a warehouse where they could host concerts. Charlie had been experimenting with music for years, but somehow, Maudlin felt right. He had finally gathered the right group of people.
Unfortunately, Charlie had no one to share it all with. Most of the time that didn’t bother him; he was strong and independent. None of his friends had ever heard him pine for a woman. Any woman, let alone someone in particular. But still, after his last girlfriend had left him, stating that she would never move to New Orleans and leave her life behind for the sake of his band, Charlie wished he had someone to talk to. Someone to hold close to him while he slept. He had really believed Liza would move with him; he even had a ring for her if she agreed, but he’d never had the chance to propose. She had promptly shut him down, and not two weeks after he left, an old friend told him she was dating a drummer from a rival band.
Shaking his head slightly, Charlie looked out into the night. His brilliant blue eyes glittered with anticipation. Looking up at the sky, he smirked. Darkness hung over the city like a shroud. The stars seemed to gleam with almost desperate effort to pierce the palpable gloom. The people rushing by Charlie’s stationary form seemed unaware. This shimmering jewel of a city was a secret within a secret, helpless in the grasp of some ancient hunger.
Charlie laughed, “There I go again. I’ll write that on the list of things never to say out loud.”
And there was a list. A long one. Not that he really gave much thought to how people saw him, but there was a part of him that didn’t want to express certain things because it made him almost violently upset that so many people were blind to the world around them. Things that were so obvious to him would sound insane to the average person. Generally, humans were sheep. Americans especially. Gullible and fat. Obsessed with themselves. Charlie was anything but average, an observation that wasn’t self-absorbed in the slightest. His extraordinary nature was just a matter of fact, and humility simply played no role. He wasn’t a narcissist, he had just realized over time that he was different. Different and… superior. The part that separated him from the fascists in history who had also claimed to be superior was that Charlie kept this knowledge to himself, and he didn’t force it on anyone. The world could go on believing in itself, clinging to its mindless rhetoric and routine and he would remain on the sidelines existing on a different plane.
A ripple of blond hair caught Charlie’s eye and he turned, hands still in his pockets. In front of a bustling little bistro on the corner was a gorgeous young woman with platinum tresses that reached her waist. She was smiling slightly, and Charlie would swear there was a look of recognition in her almost colorless eyes. Almost involuntarily, Charlie walked toward her, drawn by the sense that he should know this woman, even though he was positive he’d never met her in his life. When he reached her, he extended his hand.
“Charlie,” he said, trying to keep his deep voice as quiet as he could.
“Celene,” the woman replied, her hand surprisingly cool in his as she shook it.
Charlie’s eyes searched hers. Celene looked almost concerned.
“Are you alright?” Charlie asked.
Celene nodded, “Can we talk?”
Charlie’s lips curled in a dangerous smile, “If I go with you, there’s not some guy waiting around the corner with a gun is there?”
Celene blanched, “Gods no! I… I just…”
Charlie chuckled, “Relax, I was joking, lead on.” He looked around and then followed her into the shadows, pretending not to notice that her hair and eyes were almost luminescent even in the pitch dark.
When they were in a relatively secluded spot, Charlie leaned back against the brick of a building and looked at Celene. Her face was just barely visible in the moonlight that filtered into the alleyway they stood in, between two tall brick buildings that might have been apartments or offices. Celene’s features were soft and young and Charlie would have said she was no more than sixteen if she didn’t have such ancient eyes. Her eyes were filled with such a tumble of emotions that Charlie couldn’t tell what she was feeling at any given moment.
Tiring of the mystery, Charlie said, “Well, Celene, what is it you want to say? I go on in about two hours and I was hoping to enjoy myself.”
Celene sighed, “You’re not going to believe me, but I have to try.”
Charlie gritted his teeth, “What is this about? I mean, do I know you? I feel like I must have met you somewhere, but I honestly can’t remember. I’m about to do a huge show and I want to have some time to myself first. So if it’s not important, I’m going to go.”
Celene put her arm out; Charlie couldn’t tell if she was trying to stop him or indicate she meant no harm, “Please, Charlie, wait. No, you don’t know me. Although, you may have seen me recently, because I’ve been following you. You see, you’re in danger, and my… employer… wanted me to keep an eye on you.”
“Someone sent you to protect me?” Charlie asked incredulously.
“Uh…” Celene sounded like she was blushing. “No, not exactly. I’m sort of… Well, I’ve basically been spying on you. In fact, my orders were quite clear that I wasn’t to interfere. If you went to them willingly, I was supposed to let you go. My job was simply to get all of the information that I could. Listen to all your conversations, relay your intentions. The thing is, I have to stop you. I can’t bear the thought of someone like you being drawn into the darkness even more. You’re brilliant. There’s still hope for you.”
Charlie looked down his nose at Celene, “Celene, I have no idea what you’re talking about. All this babble like I’m at the center of some conspiracy. If it’s true that someone hired you to follow me, you can deliver this message, ‘FUCK OFF.’ Similarly, if I see you at one on my shows, I’ll have you thrown out. I haven’t come this far to let some pretty little girl stand in my way. Clear?”
Celene looked like she was about to cry, “Just promise me you won’t go to her.”
Charlie snorted, “Go to whom?”
“Antoinette. Queen of the Bayou,” Celene’s voice broke.
Charlie felt his head start to throb, “Celene, who are you?”
“I… I can’t tell you. They’ll probably kill me just for talking to you.”
Charlie shook his head in disbelief, “I don’t believe this is happening.” He started to walk away, “I hope you’ll be okay Celene. I sincerely hope no one hurts you for talking to me, but I have a show to do. Maybe you should go talk to the police.” Read more »