Hymn of the Caged - New Story - Ch. 1
Title: Hymn of the Caged
Author:
gothic_elvis
Pairing: Vam
Rating: R (Will probably become NC-17 later)
Summary: After one day walking home from school Bam hears singing, beautiful singing, every night from the basement of his neighbor's home..but not once has he ever seen whom the voice belongs to...
Disclaimer: I wrote/am writing this story, but I don't own the characters in it...unfortunately.
Warnings: Really none yet, just a bit of language and hidden angst....
Authors Notes: This story is /way/ different than my "A Love Divided" one, so I would recommend it to all those who like angst, violence, and the occasional fluffyness. xD The first chappie is not long because I'm just trying to see if anyone would be interested. (The summary really doesn't sum up what it's all going to be about, fyi. It's a lot more complicated.) Written in Bam's POV part of the time, he is only 17.
(This first chappie probably sucks, but I'm quite positive it will get better once it's further into the story line. I just want to say first-off that if you have read a story similar to this one and think I plaigarised it, I am so sorry. I have never read a story like this before, nor heard of one. It's just something I thought of one day in the car. xD But if by some crazy chance you have read something like this - obviously you'll have to wait until I get further into the story - please tell me, and I will delete it right away. I hate people who steal others work, and I don't want to be classified in that category. So, anyway, please enjoy this first chapter. :) )
Prologue:
Everyone has a secret. Everyone. I bet you there’s not one living soul on this forsaken planet that doesn’t, and if you find one, well, then I guess you’re lucky. ‘Secrets don’t make friends,’ my mother often told, and I would agree indubitably. No one likes having something kept from them, but sometimes… it is necessary. My first real friendship was made on a web of lies, secrecy, and mistrust. Yes, ‘secrets don’t make friends’ for everyone…but they sure did for me.
Chapter 1:
“Bam…God, this is going to take a while…” Novak trailed off, thoughtful for a moment - as ‘thoughtful’ as Novak could be - before singing, “Cam, blam, glam, spam, wham, Pam, tam, fwam, mwa-“
“Novak, shut up! God!” Dunn yelled finally, mock pushing the boy into the street. “We get that you know how to rhyme, so just…shut it!”
“Half of those weren’t even words anyway.” I mumbled, continuing my lone kick-the-can game with an old green beans can.
“Yeah, well, I’d like to see you try then.” Novak scoffed, childishly hurt by our words.
“Oh come on, nudie, we were just joking.” Dunn chided, throwing a playful arm around his friend.
I scoffed, knowing very well that if I hadn’t been there he would have pushed the poor guy into the street for real.
Their relationship was a thin line ever since Novak had stolen fifty bucks off of Dunn’s dresser a month ago. He couldn’t prove it was him, but we all knew it was, seeing as he and I were the last ones that had been invited over; and I sure as hell didn’t take it.
I had enough problems as it was; I didn’t need Dunn up in my face 24/7 every time something of his went missing or got broken.
Novak shrugged Dunn’s arm off, grumbling a few nasty choice words at him before crossing the street.
“Hey, where you going?” I called, glancing up from the ground, seeing his shadow leave Dunn’s side.
“Gonna go get some beer. See you later, assholes.” He yelled from the opposite sidewalk.
Dunn scoffed, shaking his head.
“He’s a piece of work, you know that?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know…he’s something, though maybe we shouldn’t pick on him all the time. I’m sure it does get quite annoying…” I replied, watching with a sullen expression as the can I’d been amusing myself with rolled off the walk down into the grate on the side of the street.
“Great.”
I kept walking, unaware that Ryan had stopped until I turned around and saw him eyeing a blonde girl from our school through the coffee shop windows.
Rolling my eyes, I continued on, knowing he could stand there for hours like that, just staring in at her. He’s been called the school’s stalker several times over their high school years, as he’s been known to follow any girl he has a crush on.
Humming one of CKY’s songs, I took a turn down the alleyway, taking the back way to my house. It had been a long time - probably three years ago - since I’d gone that way and I felt it was time for a change.
Still quietly singing to myself, I started to pass by the Luhr’s house when I stopped.
“…in a world so hollow, it’s breaking my heart.
In joy and sorrow my home’s in your arms.”
That beautiful voice…those words, I’d never heard them before. Stopping I listened again to the singing, my throat suddenly tightening.
“…in joy and sorrow, my home’s in your arms.
In a world so hollow it’s breaking my heart,
in joy and sorrow my home’s in your arms
in a world so hollow it’s breaking my heart.
The words were beautifully melancholic, yet so extremely depressing. And the voice that sang them did so strongly and void of any emotion besides sorrow and despair. It was the voice of a thousand screaming hungry children, of an everlasting world of torment.
It was the saddest thing I’d ever heard.
I turned, expecting to be rewarded the sight of the one who’d sang that beautiful song, only there was no one but old Mrs. Luhrs dusting off her patio. She wasn’t really old, but everyone called her so because of her crackly voice.
She noticed my gaze towards her home and glared at me, “What are you looking at boy? Get on home!” She yelled, her raspy voice barely carrying over.
Swallowing hard, I continued to walk, still confused by what I’d heard. I could have sworn the voice was coming from their home, but I guess I was wrong. I should have known it could not have been possible; neither Mr. or Mrs. Luhr’s had a very nice speaking voice, so their singing had to be ten times worse.
I remember the Luhr’s back from when I was only about 7. They’d moved in around the time of my birthday and I recall watching them carry the furniture into the house. I’d found it rather peculiar - even at that young age - that they had no moving men to help them; they unloaded all their possessions themselves.
It had taken them all morning, afternoon, and then part of the evening to finally get all their things into the small home. Then after that they never did come out to greet us or any of the other neighbors. My mom had tried to go over and knock on their door, but no answer had been given.
That night I remember - around ten or so - headlights pulling into their driveway.
Being the curious boy I was - and still am - I climbed out of bed and peeked out over the window, watching as what I figured must be the Luhr’s car parked on the sloped drive.
The streetlight was out at the end of the block - as it always was - and so it was hard for me to see what was going on. All I saw was Mr. Luhr’s silhouette quickly getting out of the driver’s side and went around to the back, opening the door on the passenger’s side.
My eyes widened when I saw a young girl quickly clamber out and stand before him, shaking and frail. I figured it was a girl by the way she had a shadowy long hair appearance, and by her long thin frame. He had quickly looked her up and down, shoving her shoulder roughly to get her going towards the house.
The porch light had been off, so even then I did not see the stranger as they entered their home. I sat there for at least an hour, waiting, hoping they would come out again so I could see the girl’s face…but they never did. And now that I remembered it all so clearly, I never did see that girl again. I’d just figured that she was a relative of there’s that had come over to see the house then left early the next morning before I’d gotten up.
Now, though, I had to wonder if that person was even a girl…and if she had come back for a visit. The voice I’d heard faintly, from somewhere, was no girl’s; unless it was a new thing for women to have low, throaty singing voices.
Shaking my head, I walked towards my stairs to the patio and turned, watching Mrs. Luhr’s sweep her walk quickly and rather impatiently. I could have sworn I saw her look back at the house and glare, her lips moving so quickly in words I could not understand; but I was probably mistaken…
As soon as I walked in the door I kicked off my shoes and dropped my heavy bag to the ground; something I knew Ape hated.
Sure enough, a few moments went by when I heard her yell “Bam!”
Chuckling to myself, I picked it back up and walked to the living room, plopping it on the couch, before I, too, sat down.
I wanted for several minutes until I became impatient and walked into the laundry room, leaning against the frame, watching her fold the towels.
“Hey, honey, how was your day?” Ape asked smiling faintly, as she always did.
“Shitty.” I answered, as I always did.
She frowned and shook her head, “I wish you wouldn’t use that language. I know your father permits it, but I don’t think it’s right for a 17 year old boy to-“
“Mom, did you hear what you just said? 17. I’m more than old enough to be able to use those words.” I contradicted her haughtily, pushing the towels she’d neatly folded onto the floor.
Ape screamed at me to pick them back up and slapped my chest.
“And that, my boy, proves that you are not.” She finally muttered between gritted teeth after I’d placed the towels back into the basket, ‘nicely.’
I shrugged, ignoring her motherly rants before finally asking my question.
“Hey, ma, have you ever seen a young girl - or guy, I guess - go into the Luhr’s place?”
She sighed, thinking for a moment then finally shook her head.
“No, I don’t think I have, Bam. Why? Did you see someone?”
“Oh, no, no, I was just wondering is all…”
“So now you spend your time spying on people, do you Bam?” She asked carefully, trying to figure out why I’d asked such a random question, I’m sure.
“Yeah, Ape, you know it, especially Missy across the street. Man, does she have a smokin’ hot body.” I made a few tongue slurping noises and pretended to hump the wall; thrusting my hips crudely.
Ape was used to this kind of behavior from me and shook it off, “Well, I just hope you realize that one of these days - when you get caught - I’m not going to bail you out of jail.”
“Yeah, yeah, you always say that, but I know you’re smittin’ for me.” Grinning, I kissed her cheek; a bit wet, sloppy kiss and she squealed, pushing me away.
“Bam! Stop!” She cried, wiping her face, expression disgusted.
Laughing I started up the stairs, ignoring her hint that I should clean my room and made my way to my haven, where I would listen to music until dinner.
The rest of the evening was uneventful and that night, my dreams were filled with that voice, singing only to me.
“In joy and sorrow, my home’s in your arms,
in a world so hollow it’s breaking my heart.”
(This chappie was actually going to be shorter, but I decided to add what happened after he went home. I actually have a plot and idea set out for this story - unlike my other one - so I'm hoping to get a few comments so then I can continue with it. Again, constructive criticism and telling me if I made any grammar errors is nice. I get most right, but I am not perfect. I think, after it's done, it will be a fairly well written story. If you liked it, please comment, while I sit back and sip my Pepsi in a can. xD)