THE ATTACK

The irritating ringing sound of my phone alarm wakes me up. Shit! "Oh, no! Don't try to cheat me!" I curse angrily. I just lie down now. The journey took longer than I expected, so I arrived at this hotel at quarter to eight. I kicked my shoes aside and set an alarm for nine, then slipped under the covers. I didn't know I was that terrible in estimation. After blinking a few times, this phone of mine is lying to me, saying that it's already nine. I switch off the damn alarm and opt for forty more winks before getting up. I could sleep for the better part of the morning if I could.

An hour later, I wake up and get to the shower. That was such a tiring, long trip. It was a stupid decision to travel by road. That's a mistake I will never make again. I'm booking a flight back online as soon as I settle in the hall. Mental note! This digital system is just so convenient.

Shit! Is this my body? I didn't know that sitting in the car for ten good hours sucked this much. To hell with it!

I finish my business in the shower and get out. At least now I feel a bit lighter and more fresh. If I had time, I would have stayed in the shower for like an hour. But I have to get my lazy ass moving as quickly as possible because I am already late for the show.

Getting to the hall, the people have already settled in. Just wow! This is what I get for being a sleepy head. Now I will have to walk inside with like a million eyes on me. Jeez! This is so embarrassing. I bow down with shame and walk slowly to the first seat that I spot behind the stage, where musicians are seated. I can feel the eyes on me. The person on the stage even paused his speech until I settled down. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding until now, and I sigh a sigh of relief.

Goodness, Gia! Don't ever make such a silly decision again. I remind myself for the hundredth time.

I compose myself and look straight to the stage, avoiding the uncountable eyes in front. I try to concentrate on this man's speech, but my mind is just a mess. I'm so tense and messed up. Did I leave my brain in the car? I think I am still dizzy, and I am scared that people can notice it. That is why I'm a nervous wreck right now. I'm so uneasy. This isn't like me.

Finally, the time for performances came, and the best part is that I will be performing at number five out of the fifty participants. I'm glad I am not the first. I need a little bit of time to put myself together. This is a show for just random artists in the country. The only thing you needed to do to become a part of this event was to buy a ticket, which was a bit too expensive. I feel for the young, upcoming artists. They are so left out because spending all those notes on a single ticket seems like robbery.

Music is not about recording a song, doing the video, and uploading it to YouTube. Then you fold your arms and wait for the magic to happen. You need to let people know about your songs. You need to go out there and show the world what you have. You need to market yourself. I don't like the idea that it is always the famous stars who are considered. What about those stars of tomorrow? How will they get recognized if they are never involved in things such as these? This isn't fair. They need this exposure more than we do. They need someone to reach out to them and hold their hands. They need someone to make them feel worthy.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome our very own Gia Wilsons." Oh, I zoned out for real. What's wrong with me today? Is all this about the long trip? I wake up and drag my lazy body to the stage. Unlike other days, I feel so odd today. I don't feel the power and strength I normally feel whenever I am called to the stage. I have this kind of fear inside that I don't understand where it's coming from, and it's weirdly freaking me out. I hate this feeling, but all the same, I have to sing. I have to do the only thing that has kept me sane for all this time.

The music starts, and I get into it, trying to loosen myself but failing miserably. There is a very strong power compelling me today. What is it? I try closing my eyes, but something so strong urges me to keep them open. I open them and just let the words roll out of my mouth without any emotion in them. I'm not myself today at all. I have never experienced this before. It's unusual. All I want is for the song to come to an end so that I can get off the stage.

The last stanza starts, and I feel a bit relieved because I will be off stage in less than two minutes. The people are also taken aback. I mean, my performance has never bored anyone as far as I know, but today, I am not just boring. I got people confused and worried. Everybody can see that I am not okay. I am not myself. I start the chorus, and I think I heard a commotion outside, but I decide to ignore it. I might be imagining things.

As I start the second line of the chorus, I hear the sound of a gun outside, and the mic hangs midair. My mouth is left agape, but no words come out. I look at the people sitting right in front of me. They are staring at me with question marks on their faces, like I am some lunatic. I turn behind me, where my fellow musicians are seated. Their expression is the same as that of the people in front of me.

Did no one else hear it? I have dealt with guns in the Wells Club, so I recognize their sound whenever I hear it. Could I be mistaken? I am beginning to shake. A minute of pure confusion passed, and I was about to curse my paranoia when I heard the same sound again, this time louder for everyone to hear.

Everyone stands on their feet. Murmuring erupts. All our eyes were directed at the main entrance of this hall, where the gun sound came from.

In a second, the lifeless bodies of the four security guards at the door fall to the ground, followed by more gunshots fired in the air, and a group of armed men storm in. Their faces are covered, but they look familiar to me. These black attires remind me of some dogs. Screams of helpless people calling for help fill the room, people running here and there, others falling to the ground, running for their dear lives.

What on earth? Ejay? This could only be his doing.

The screams and cries increase, and the gunshots become too loud for my ears to handle. I look around. Tears start falling. They are now shooting at people standing in their way as they try to force their way to the stage.

These monsters! They are hurting a lot of innocent people.

Again, people are getting hurt because of me. Innocent people who have nothing to do with this fight. What kind of a monster are you? My head starts to spin as gunshot sounds become uncountable. The pain is so great that I am finding it difficult to keep my eyes open. I am glued to the same spot I was before all this started, unable to move a muscle. My legs start giving up.

This is it? I am going back to that monster. I have been defeated so soon before even getting into the battle field. Everything becomes a blur, and I can feel my mind starting to slowly block all the sounds and darkness creeping in.

"Gia!"

That voice? Is he here? I force my eyes to peel away with so much struggle so that I can substantiate that it is really him.

In the middle of the chaos, I see a very blurry image of a man shouting my name, maneuvering through the multitude of people, and running towards me. I wait to see a clear picture of him, but before he can inch in any further, a gun is fired at him, tearing the flesh of his arm. He staggers back in pain, and I feel that pain in my heart. It's like that bullet that penetrated my heart after tearing his flesh.

If this is the end, I don't want to see it. I stop fighting the darkness invading my eyes. As I start my way to the floor, everything turns dark, and my mind blocks every other noise except that of silence.