Cricket

“We have to go see him!” Zach almost shoved the concert flier in Lucy’s face. The picture in front of her was a Picasso-esc drawing of what looked like a piano. The colors were very dark but the picture seemed alive and bright. The piano lid was closed and it looked as if blood was dripping out from under it. The picture made her uneasy but captured her attention. Above the drawing was written, Cricket, One Night Only.

“I’ve never even heard of these guys. Who are they?”

“It’s not a band, it’s just one guy. He goes by the name Cricket.”

“What kind of music does he play?”

Zach went on to tell her all he knew about him. As it turns out, wasn't very much. It seems no one really knows all that much. His show consists of himself playing music while his partner, a mime, performs on stage.

“How do you know about this guy? I’ve never heard you listen to any of his music before.”

“He never releases any of his music. He only performs at small venues around the world, apparently.” She could feel the excitement in Zach’s voice.

“Then how has anyone heard of him?” Lucy was starting to get frustrated. This conversation was just going in circles.

“That’s the thing, the only way people can listen to his music is if they see his performance. They say he invented underground music so, he could stay underground. Well, are we going?” Zach looked as if he was going to burst.

“I don’t really have a choice do I?” She smiled at him.

“Nope.” He smiled back.

A few days later, Zach didn't stop talking the entire drive to the city. He kept going on about how special it was that he was coming into town. Lucy couldn't help but think he may piss himself if he doesn't calm down soon. Still, there was something about this guy that grabbed her attention, clearly, it already had a hold of Zach. Lucy tuned out the rest of his rambling, watching the city skyscrapers come into focus.

When they arrived at the venue, Lucy was somewhat surprised to see that it was a small bar that she was familiar with. She wasn't much of a drinker but had been in there a few times, with friends, as the designated driver. There was a line of people that wrapped around the outside of the building.

“Why wouldn't he have a show in a bigger building if he is so popular?” Lucy thought to herself.

“Are you ready for this?” Zach said, finally finding a parking spot. Lucy nodded and smiled. She couldn't help but shake an odd feeling in her stomach. She chalked it up to pre-show anxiety.

Lucy dealt with anxiety on a daily basis. She had had the condition ever since she was a young girl. It made it very hard for her to go out in public and be around a lot of people. Concerts were especially hard for her because she could never gauge how long she would actually have to be at the show. Thankfully, she had found Zach who was sensitive to her issue. She hated to have to make it a point before going out that if she needed to leave the situation, she would. Zach didn’t question this. He never brought it up. He just left when she needed to get out. It was one of the reasons she loved him.

Before leaving for the show, Lucy started to say, “If I get uncomfortable, can we leave?” Already feeling bad about the question before she even asked.

Zach spoke up first, “If you need to go we will, but trust me, you’ll want to stay.” He then kissed her cheek.

As they got closer to the bar, Lucy could hear the people talking about Cricket. They were saying the same things that Zach had spoken of earlier. She could tell that this was the first show for a few others, as well. She laughed to herself when thinking about the other couples having the same conversation her and Zach had had a few days prior. It was comforting.

After what seemed like an hour of waiting, they finally got inside. She could see the bar on the right side of the building with some stools pulled up to it. There were several tall tables close to the bar with chairs around them. There was a person in every seat and people standing all around them.

Lucy couldn't see much passed the crowd. She started to feel lightheaded being in a room with this many people. Zach, whom normally would say something to comfort her or at least give her a sign that everything would be ok, grabbed her hand and snaked their way up to the bar. After making eye contact with the bartender, he held up two fingers. The bartender held up two tall beers in her hands. Zach paid for the drinks and handed one to Lucy.

“What’s this? You know I don’t drink.”

“Aw, come on Lucy, just one for tonight? These are specially made by Cricket himself. You can only get them at his shows and they taste fantastic.” He smiled at her, his eyes looked like he was begging her to drink it. The uncomfortable feeling started to rise up in her again. It wasn't like Zach to try and get her to drink. He knew she wasn't a fan of it.

“I’ll try it since you're being so pushy.” She tried to sound cute but it came out harsher than she had meant it to. Her head felt as if a river of air was flowing through it and she could feel sweat beginning to form on her brow. This was the first sign that she needed to leave. “I don’t know if I can…”

Zach cut her off, “Let’s go find our seats.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the sea of people. All the people in the room made her feel like she was starting to suffocate. As she bumped into a drunk couple, she saw droplets of sweat jump off her forehead. If she didn't get out of here soon, Lucy thought she may pass out.

As they made it to the other end of the bar, Lucy saw the thing she needed the most right now, space. She saw that ahead of the crowd was an open room with far fewer people in it. When they finally made it through, she felt that she could finally breathe. She hoped to keep her nerves steady, Zach clearly wasn't in the mood to leave.

Lucy looked around the room to see that there were twenty-five folding chairs lined up in rows of five. She knew the exact number because counting the chairs distracted her mind from the growing anxiousness. Beyond them, was the unlit stage. It was about three feet tall and sitting almost in the exact middle was a black piano. The lid was closed. Through the darkness, Lucy could see the blood dripping from the lid, just like the poster. It took her a moment to realize that this was just her imagination.

“Why aren’t there any people in here yet?” Lucy finally got Zach’s attention.

“These are the reserved seats for special ticket holders.”

“What makes our tickets special?”

“Let’s just say ‘special’ is a fancy way of saying ‘spent a lot of money’” Zach laughed at his own dumb joke. They both walked around the seats looking at the numbers taped to the chairs. “Here they are.” Zach seemed ecstatic to find them. Lucy was not as thrilled. Their seats were front row center. Definitely not a comfortable position for her to be in. The same lightheaded feeling started to emerge in Lucy’s mind as they sat down.

“How are you doing sweet pea?” Lucy was not a fan of that nickname. Zach didn't use pet names very often but that was always his go to. She would never tell him that she secretly hated it. She was just happy that he was finally giving her the opportunity to tell him that she was uncomfortable.

“I’m doing fine.” Lucy couldn't believe those words came out. She wanted to tell him exactly how she was feeling but knew how important tonight was to him.

“Good” He kissed her, gave her a smile and finished the rest of his beer. He then started talking about Cricket. Lucy completely tuned him out this time. All she could think of was the exit.

Lucy’s mind came back into focus when Zach finally finished talking and got up. Before she could ask where he was going, he was already on his way back to the bar. She looked down at her own beer, which was still full.

“I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it. It may even calm my nerves enough to get through tonight.” It felt weird to hear herself thinking out loud in a public place. She took a big gulp of the brass liquid, preparing her senses for the bitter taste. The beer was surprisingly sweet. Zach was right, it did taste amazing. She drank about a quarter of it.

Lucy placed the glass on the floor between her feet and rested her back against the chair, closing her eyes.

“This must be some strong stuff.” She thought as the lightheadedness faded away. If she could continue to feel like this the rest of the night, this was going to be a good show.

“Didn’t I tell you it was great?” Zach said, startling her before sitting down, two more full beers in his hands. “It really puts you in the mood to listen to music. Here, I got you another one.” Lucy had no desire to drink another beer at this point. She was perfectly content with her level of comfort. To her surprise, she was even starting to get excited for the show to start.

Zach continued to drink his beer and talk about previous times he had seen this show. The more he drank, the more he seemed to be enthralled with his own speech. Surprisingly, she was starting to get interested in what he had to say. It’s not like she wasn't happy that he was so excited. It was just she never got into live bands much or in this case one man. Now, she couldn't help but listen with intrigue.

“… and I can’t tell you how long this guy has been around because he doesn't let the public know anything about his personal life. He is never seen outside of his shows either. I would have told you about his performance before coming tonight but I wanted you to get the full experience all in one night.”

“What could you have possibly left out? It seems like you have told me everything about this guy since showing me the flyer.” Lucy answered in her head. At this point, Zach was already done with his second glass. It seemed odd to Lucy, he didn't usually drink this much this quick. But it was hard for her to argue, the beer did taste delicious.

Lucy leaned down, picked up her glass and took another sip. This time it tasted even sweeter than before. She considered finishing it. It was definitely keeping her calm but she didn't want to get too drunk before the show. This stuff was strong and she knew her limits. Still, it was hard to resist not finishing it off and grabbing the second one.

Before she could make up her mind Zach placed his empty glass on the floor and picked up the second. “I guess if you won’t drink it then I’ll have to.” He laughed again before taking a sip.

“You might want to slow down there big guy, I don't want to have to carry you out of here.” She smiled, trying to hide her real concern.

“I’ll be fine, it’s all part of the show.” He said in an oddly monotone voice. Lucy noticed this change but ignored it. Her focus now directed at the stage. The uncomfortable feeling sat idle in her stomach. It wasn't enough to worry her but she could feel it was there, waiting. Lucy felt someone nudge her shoulder. When she looked over to see who it was, she realized that all the seats had filled up. She was so focused on Zach’s story that she didn't even notice the other people working their way into their seats.

“I guess the show’s starting soon.” She thought and could feel herself growing eager for the show to begin. She looked back over to Zach who was now facing the stage with an awkward smile on his face. Lucy looked down to see another empty beer glass by his feet. “Hey mister, I thought I said to take it easy tonight.” She said playfully, trying not to sound too upset.

Zach didn't respond. In fact, he didn't even look at her. He just held his finger up to his lips. Lucy would have been offended by this if it weren't for the lights going down. The crowd erupted in applause.

As the lights went down and the applause slowly faded out, a single spot light came on. It became eerily quiet in the bar. Lucy tried to look around to see the other people in the crowd but felt her mind drawn to the stage. The spot light grew larger as a very thin man walked into it. He was wearing a black and white striped, long sleeve shirt. He also had on white gloves, black dress pants and shoes. His face was painted all white, except for the dark, black lipstick that accentuated his smile.

Lucy’s uneasy feeling started perking up again when she saw him. She could see that he was smiling but his eyes told a different story. He looked as if he were in pain, she thought. His skinny body looked as if it could barely hold itself up. The man stood in the middle of the spot light and raised his hands to mime holding a pitcher. As he walked over towards the piano, another light came up over it. There was an empty glass resting on top.

The mime “poured” the pitcher over the glass. Water began filling up inside of it. Lucy started to clap. She thought this was an amazing trick and couldn't help herself. A hand fell onto hers to stop them. She looked over to Zach who was shaking his head.

“How could you not clap at that? That was…” Lucy was cut off by Zach again, holding his finger to his lips. She looked back up to the mime to see that he had finished “pouring”. He placed the invisible pitcher onto the bar and grabbed at something else. It looked like he folded whatever it was and tucked it under his arm. The mime then gave the crowd a bow and slowly walked over to the side of the stage. The spotlight followed his every movement. When he got near the end of the stage, he bent over and wiped his hand at nothing. It looked as if he were wiping something off a chair or bench. The mime then turned around and sat down in the air.

“How can he stay bent like that?” Lucy felt herself quietly say out loud. It was at this time that the mime lifted one of his legs and rested his foot on the opposite knee. He then pulled out what was “tucked” under his arm and flipped it open like a newspaper. He sat there still smiling. Lucy almost leapt out of her chair to cheer. She had never seen anything like this before. She controlled herself, not wanting to make a scene. It didn't seem anyone was fazed by this act. They all sat quietly watching the show.

The lights slowly came up on the stage and everyone in the crowd stood up. Lucy was the last to get up. It felt like the whole crowd had choreographed it together. She couldn't help but feel out of place when she finally stood up. Although it was completely absurd that everyone but her was in on this, she couldn't shake the thought from her head.

She glanced around the room to see that everyone else was still staring at the stage. Some of them had the same awkward smile on their faces that Zach did. Strangely enough, she noticed that some of those smiles were on the faces of people she recognized from the line earlier. The same people whom she thought were here for their first time. The crowd began to applaud, startling Lucy from her own head.

Lucy’s attention was again directed towards the stage. The two spot lights had dimmed and the stage was now very dark. The applause stopped. Light footsteps could be heard, echoing from somewhere in the darkness. A single light came up and standing in the middle was an incredibly odd looking man. The crowd went wild.

Lucy was struggling to believe that what she was seeing was the “legendary” Cricket. The man was tall with handsome features but looked to be in his seventies. His frail, wrinkled body easily visible due to him wearing nothing but a dark, brown leather diaper. On his back was a set of large, pink fairy wings and a black top hat covered what looked like his balding head. What was left of his grey hair, came wildly out from under the hat. He stood in the middle of the stage with his arms raised in the air. The noise from the crowd made this small bar sound like they were in a sporting arena.

Lucy could remember the first time Zach had taken her to a hockey game. He made her wear one of his jerseys to look the part. When they got there, she couldn't believe how loud it was in the stadium. Zach was fun that night. He drank a couple of beers and was screaming along with the crowd. The entire time trying to get her to join in. Lucy was uncomfortable being around so many people but Zach’s energy and excitement made her relax. He was also attentive to her needs, occasionally asking if she was all right and checking to make sure she was having a good time. She was because she was with him. At one point in the game, after a goal was scored, Zach even took his jersey off to swing around in the air. He tended to keep himself in great shape. So, Lucy didn't mind the show, even though it was embarrassing. That night he was himself. The goofy, good looking guy she felt in love with. Tonight, Zach was very different.

Lucy was brought back to reality when the man called Cricket lowered his arms and with them sat the crowd.

“I want to extend my deepest thank you to all for coming. I can see most of you have sampled my ale?” His voice was deep and raspy. Cricket scanned around the room, a sly, smirk on his face. His eyes met with Lucy’s for just a brief second. But in that moment, Lucy saw his grin disappear before continuing his gaze towards the crowd. She quickly began to look around the room so as not to make eye contact with him again. Everyone else’s eyes were glued to him. The quiet anxiousness in her stomach began to grow.

Cricket walked over to the piano and pulled out the bench. He sat down slowly with discomfort. His fingers began to dance along the keys playing a slow intro melody. The concert had begun. So had Lucy’s anxiety. She felt sweat on her forehead once again and the dizziness was back.

“I really think I need to get out of here, this place is making me very uncomfortable.” She grabbed onto Zach’s arm.

“The show’s just started, we can’t leave now.” Zach sounded like he was drunk. His voice was low but he didn't slur his words. That awkward smile was still on his face.

“Excuse me. Is my performance interrupting your conversation?” Cricket continued to play as he stared at them both. “If you would prefer I could play something more suitable for the likes of a piano bar. Everyone could drunkenly prattle on while I provide the background music to your life stories.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then started playing The Piano Man by Billy Joel. The crowd booed his change in style. When he sang, Lucy was amazed to hear that he sounded exactly like Billy Joel. It wasn't a good impression of him. It was identical.

“Or I could continue to play something from my bag of tricks.” His raspy voice had returned. He paused, then slammed his hands on the keys and played an electrifying riff before singing,

A nail in the coffin,

Another in a human head,

I never felt that you were gone,

To me, you were already dead.

His body seemed to morph from a feeble old man into a rock star. His energy was enticing. Zach and the crowd cheered as he performed. The overwhelming excitement from the crowd and the ever growing need to leave stirred her nerves violently. Lucy knew she wasn't going anywhere until after this show was over. She quickly reached down for her drink and swigged back the rest of it. On any other occasion, she would have just gotten up and left. She wasn't known for acting on impulse. Tonight there wasn't much of a choice.

After the liquid settled in her stomach, she started to relax again. Her mind slowly drifting away from the thought of the exit and resting in new found curiosity. She couldn't help herself but be attracted to the stage. Crickets movements and music were hypnotizing. She no longer tried to imagine why this man was so popular. It was very apparent to her now. The tension in her mind released so she could just enjoy the spectacle.

Cricket played for a few hours. His only breaks were to take a drink of water between songs. When his glass was nearly empty the mime would stand up and “fill” his glass before returning to his invisible chair. At the end of the performance, Cricket slammed his fingers down for the final note before standing up and knocking over his bench. He stood before the crowd, covered in sweat, breathing heavily. The room gave him another standing ovation. Lucy was right there with them.

The alcohol had worn off some time ago. She couldn't tell if she was cheering because of what she had just witnessed or the fact that it was over. Either way, she was relieved. Cricket signaled for everyone to have a seat before pacing back and forth.

“I am thrilled so many of you decided to show up tonight. As you are probably all well aware, this will be my only performance. But tonight is a memorable one.” He paused in the middle of the stage. His sly grin cracked across his face. “For you see, I am willing to meet with one of you.” The crowd sat silent. He started walking towards the mime before resting his hand on his assistant’s head. He closed his eyes. The mime’s eyes strained slightly before collapsing to the floor.

Everyone in the bar cheered and laughed, including Zach. Lucy didn't know how to feel. It looked as if the man had been hurt but everyone was applauding it. She thought this was just the bizarre end to an already confusing show. The man rolled over and got on his hands and knees. Cricket bent down and quickly hoisted the mime up with uncharacteristic strength. They both stood there watching the crowd. A smile still on the mime's face. He took an uncomfortable bow and exited the stage.

“Now, since my assistant has left it is time to choose whom will be joining me after the show. Ladies…” Cricket held up his hands to show that multiple women were walking around the crowd. They carried trays filled with black pint glasses and handed them out. “I only have a limited supply of my concoction left and I felt it only fitting to use it to help me decide. Each of your glasses is filled with my ale, a thank you to all for coming. But, at the bottom of one of your glasses will be a white mark. Whomever finds it, will be the victor.”

The crowd started cheering again as everyone received a glass. Lucy looked at hers and decided that she had seen enough of this. She looked to Zach one last time to tell him she was leaving with or without him. He was quickly trying to finish his beer. He looked into the glass and shook his head.

“Here you can have mine. I need to get out of here.” Her frustration was harder to hide this time. She handed him the glass and quietly walked out of the bar. She could feel eyes watching her as she left. The sea of people was even harder to navigate out of the bar as she left. Most of them were still finishing their drinks and the others stood still, looking towards Cricket. It wasn't until she made it outside that the anxious feelings finally stopped. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Lucy stood outside the bar, leaning against the wall. The crisp night air felt good on her skin. She felt that she could finally breathe. Her mind wrestling with what she just witnessed. Cricket was by far the most eccentric character she’d ever seen on stage. His music was interesting, to say the least. She wanted to tell Zach that she had a great time but wasn't positive that she did. People started coming out the doors.

“I had a blast tonight! I can see why you are so obsessed with him. We have to go see him again…” Lucy was trying to come up with a line in her head to tell Zach when he finally came out. She tried to fight the urge to tell him how she really felt. Tonight was painful for her. The anxiousness she felt during the show and how Zach didn't seem to care if she was ok or not. Lucy was upset but her better judgment told her to let this one go. The crowd had left the building and Zach still had not come out yet. Lucy started to get annoyed.

“I knew he drank too much.” She said under her breath thinking about having to go back in to carry him out. It was at that time that her phone began to ring, a picture Zach shown on the screen.

“Hey, where you at? I was just about to come in to get you.”

“You go ahead and go on back without me. Cricket said he would give me a ride back to my place.” He sounded tired.

“Wait, so that means you got to meet him? Why does he want to give you a ride home? Will you come over tonight to…”

She was cut off, “I have to go.” The phone went silent. Lucy was torn between feelings. She was pissed off that Zach was now ditching her to ride home with this guy but she knew he had to be excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity. Even though he didn't sound all that happy on the phone.

“Fuck it, I’m done with tonight.” The frustration got to her more than her concern for his win. Lucy made it back to the car and headed out of the city. She tried to ride out the emotional rollercoaster in her mind as she drove. After getting to her apartment, she tried calling Zach once more. His phone went straight to voicemail.

“Hey babe I just wanted to see if you were all right. I hope you're having fun. Call me when you get home.” She was able to sound sweet on the phone. The anger was building inside her but she wanted to wait until they were together to vent it. The next morning, Lucy checked her phone. There wasn’t even a text from Zach to say he home.

“He must still be sleeping off the alcohol.” She voiced her concern towards an empty inbox. A few hours later, she was starting to grow worried. She hadn't heard anything from him all day. It wasn't like him to not call her. Lucy’s mind flooded with ideas of him being hurt, her anxiety was getting the better of her. “There has to be a good reason he hasn't tried to contact me.” She was trying to convince herself that everything was ok.

Lucy tried to call. Again, all she got was voicemail. His phone was off. Whatever animosity she had been feeling was now gone, all she could think of was if he was safe. She tried to reason with her own mind that everything was ok and he would call. That night, the anxiousness got the better of her and she tried one last time. Nothing. There wasn't anything going to stop her mind from racing towards the worst. So, she jumped in her car and headed towards Zach’s apartment.

On the drive, she passed by the local book store where they had first met. Lucy moved to the small town just outside the city two years ago. She remembered going in for the first time trying to fight an anxiety attack. She had always been a fan of reading and figured the best place to start getting used to the people was surrounded by literature. Her mind raced and her stomach churned as she tried to compose herself in public. Lucy grabbed the first book she could find and found herself a seat in the store to shake off some of the discomfort. She thought she had covered herself well.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you but is everything all right?” Lucy felt someone standing next to her.

“Yes, everything is fine.” She buried her nose into the book, embarrassed.

“Well, I don't mean to sound odd or anything but I saw you come in and you looked a little shaken up.” She looked up to see Zach smiling at her, something about it made her relax.

Lucy regained focus when she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex. She rushed through the doors and up the three flights to Zach’s door. She took a deep breath to calm nerves, before knocking. She could hear footsteps beyond the door. It cracked open slightly. She could see all the lights were off inside. Zach appeared behind the door, most of his face was covered by it. The sense of relief washed over her upon seeing him.

“Zach! Where have you been? What happened to you last night?”

“Hey, sorry I didn't call you. I’ve been sleeping all day. I am not feeling very well at all.” His voice sounded hoarse.

“I am just glad you are ok. I was so worried about you. Can I come in?”

“I don’t want to give you whatever this is. I’m sorry. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“I am sure this is just the ‘Irish Flu’. Besides I want to hear about last night.” Lucy tried to push the door open. It didn't budge. She saw Zach’s face was very pale. His eyes looked sunken in and exhausted.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Ok then, I love…” The door closed on her. “you”.

The next day Lucy waited for the call. Nothing came. She couldn't tell if she was more pissed off or worried at this point. She called a few times only getting his voicemail. She thought she would drive herself crazy if she kept trying. Lucy even thought about going back to his apartment to try and talk to him but didn't want to have to have a conversation through the door.

“He will call when he’s feeling better.” She tried to keep telling herself that as another day came and went with still no word from Zach. Finally, on the third day, her phone rang. “Zach? What the hell happened to you? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” She was starting to vent.

“I know but there is something I have to tell you.” Zach’s voice was monotone.

“There is a lot you have to tell me. You just disappeared after that night.”

“It’s over between us.”

“What? Why?” Lucy was fighting back the tears welling up in her eyes.

“It just isn't working out. I have to go.” His voice remained at that same level. Lucy yelled into the phone trying to get an explanation but he was gone. The phone slipped from her hand and she began to cry.

A few months had passed and Lucy was still trying to get over her loss. She had tried a few times to talk to Zach by calling or showing up at his house. His phone never rang and he was never home. She didn’t know what to do. The anxiety she had felt at first had evaporated into depression. Lucy tried to combat it by distracting herself with work or the occasional night out with friends. She was starting to think it was working until one day she was out walking around town and saw a man handing out flyers to people passing by. She took one and saw the piano once again with a single word above it, Cricket.

Lucy thought it was a long shot but maybe she would find Zach at the show and could finally talk to him. She wanted to just throw the flyer away and move on but felt she needed some closure. The night of the concert came and Lucy headed into the city. Her mind bombarded with the feelings and things she wanted to say to Zach if she saw him. She pulled up to the venue. It was the same bar as before. She felt a sense of sickening déjà vu.

Lucy parked her car and took a final deep breath to wash away the thoughts from her head. Upon entering, she immediately started scanning the room for Zach. It seemed like there were far more people in the bar than before. All of them drinking what looked like Crickets “ale”. The anxious feelings inside her tried to fight their way to the surface, screaming for her to just leave. She wouldn't listen to them. She just needed somewhere to breathe.

Lucy made her way though the crowd and into the back room. She saw people working their way to their seats. The sweat dripped from her forehead and thought she was about to faint until she saw an empty corner of the room. She snaked her way through the people, breathing heavily.

When she made it to the corner, she leaned against the walls and tried taking deep breaths. The lights began to fade and Lucy’s anxiety rose. She would never be able to find Zach in the dark. The crowd erupted in applause until the single spotlight came on. Lucy could hear footsteps coming on the stage. The first thing she saw was the black top hat, sitting high atop Cricket’s head. There was the man that she thought started it all.

Lucy noticed the wild grey hair that grew out from under the hat was actually flowing and dark, blonde. The smile that cracked along his face instead sat perfectly above his chiseled chin. His frail, wrinkled skin was now pulled tight over bulging muscles. This was not the same man that Lucy had seen all those months ago. He took a bow before holding his hands off to the side of him, indicating someone else was coming.

Another light dropped onto the stage and out walked the very thin mime. His body still looked as if it were struggling to stay standing. He also bowed before standing straight up. Lucy was shocked to see Zach standing there, eyes dying, with a smile on his face.