11th Hour - CH 1

The first couple days that passed by were extremely odd, moving by slowly. I hardly saw the stranger. After my brother had told him he was in our band, I took the small application form from him. His name was Gavin Aurelius, and he was a 24 year old single man. Not that I cared that he was single or anything, it was just good to know. His handwriting was very neat, script-like scrawls across the lines. He didn’t have a job, which was understandable since he had literally just came into Manchester that night.1

Gavin Aurelius. An odd name, but I liked it. It was mysterious, just like he was. At night I found it hard to sleep because I knew that the whole time he was just in my garage. When I closed my eyes I could see him standing in front of me. Once I opened them he vanished. I got a headache from it all because every time I closed my eyes I swear I could feel his presence, but know once my eyes opened he’d be gone. So I would think I could be sneaky and catch him, and it never worked. The second night of him in our house I awoke at the bottom of the stairs, my body slowly heading towards the garage. I turned to the kitchen instead and woke myself up with a glass of cold milk.2

Finally on the fourth day I saw him in the light. I was in the garage, trying to get a new idea for a song out of my head and through my fingers which ran across my guitar. My fingers flowed easily, so comfortable to be strumming on the strings which hummed happily. If I made a mistake I kept on going. My brother and I had come up with many songs with wicked beats because of mistakes we had made while practicing. When I was alone and practicing, the garage was my kingdom, and I the Queen. It was my escape. I enjoyed being alone to play out the lullaby’s in my head that would soon possibly please the head bangers at concerts.3

Again, that unexplainable feeling came over me. It started in the middle of my back and slowly spread throughout my whole body, tingling with the presence of him. My eyes were closed and my back to the door, but I knew he was there. Though I knew he was there I was still shocked when I turned around. Maybe it was by the beauty of him. My breath caught in my throat and I’m sure my eyes as wide as quarters.4

His leather jacket comfortably hugged his solid frame. He wore black from head to toe. I tried to swallow but seemed to have forgotten how. My fingers were still slowly strumming on the strings, they had a mind of their own. He didn’t say a word, he just leaned against the wall, hands in his front pockets and eyes on me. The light softly complimented his strong features. Once again I seemed to be lost in his eyes. They were an intense green, and still filled with that same passion I had seen the first night he came. A passion for music. A passion for life. 5

When the door closed it made me jump. “Hey Renee.” Nate said, taking a swig of his Pepsi. “I just got done talking to Chad. The funeral for his Grandma was okay and he’ll be back in 2 days.”6

“That’s good.” I said. My brother and I had mourned with Chad for the loss of his grandmother. We was so close in the band that each of us felt the pain of one another. Though now with Gavin I felt awkward. He was just … there. No history was between us. We hadn’t grown up together. I didn’t know his thoughts, feelings, or barely anything about him for that matter.7

“So I heard you playing from the living room. Why don’t you do those notes again.” He suggested. Setting down his pop he gently took his guitar out of its soft case from the counter.8

As I played the notes Nathan watched my hands and mimicked me in a different octave. Soon we heard another sound that was coming from neither of us. Gavin had gotten his guitar and was playing something. At first I couldn’t tell what it was but then I noticed he was playing the same thing Nathan and I was, only backwards. It was something Nathan and I had never thought of for any of our songs, but with the tune I had come up with it sounded great. We all looked up at each other, and gave small smiles. 9

After an hour of playing we sat down on the couches and lazy boys that was stuffed into a corner of the garage. I sat in a huge chair that was wide enough to fit 3 people. In my lap was a notebook, and I wrote down lines and verses that my brother rattled off. Once Chad came home we would all get together and come up with some songs. The scribbled ideas could give some inspiration. There was 5 notebooks all together of songs, poems, and ideas. Each member of the band had contributed at least a line since we had started with Corpse’s Kiss. While writing I thought in the back of my mind if Gavin would give us any ideas. He still had to talk that night.10

“Do you write at all, Gavin?” Nathan asked after he had talked for about 20 minutes. I sat back, enjoying the break and flexing my stiff hand.11

“I write some things. Mostly just ramblings and complaints about life. And some poems, but no songs. Never really thought about it.” Gavin replied, shrugging his shoulders. His voice had an accent. When he sang you wasn’t able to tell he had one, but when he talked it was distinct able. The words seemed to flow smoothly together, almost like a melody itself. 12

“Well, if you want to you can tell Renee something and she’ll put it in the notebook. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, its perfectly understandable if you’d rather not share those personal things. I’m just saying if you have any ideas at all don’t be afraid to tell us. You are the one that will be singing them.” 13

“Okay.” 14

“Hey,” Nathan said, jumping up. “You two want to hit a club tonight? I can introduce you to some friends Gavin, but we won’t let them know you’re our new singer. I want to try and hold it off until our first show. But for now we can just go out and let loose. Sound good to you?”15

”Sure.” Gavin said, standing and stretching.16

“Renee you want to come?” 17

“Nah. I think I’m just going to stay at home and read a book or something. Maybe make some jello.” I replied. I wasn’t in the mood to be around a whole bunch of people in a small building with loud music.18

“Okay, have fun sis. Talk to you tomorrow probably. Goodnight, love ya.” Nate said as he and Gavin walked out.19

I fell asleep that night out on the living room couch. Van Helsing was in the DVD player, and jello cooling in the fridge. I vaguely thought someone had picked me up but I never fully awoke so I figured it was just a dream. The next morning woke up to my cell phone ringing in my bedroom.20