[OT] Theme Thursday - Media Prompts: Female Vocals [Link to post.]
Alanna White bowed to the crowd gathered around her, and collected her tips from the sparkling green prop top hat with a black band and plastic golden buckle sitting on the cobblestone walk way in front of her. As she bent down her eyes glanced across the street to her right. They were standing there again. The two women, one tall with bone-white spiky hair pointing upward, and a shorter one with long draping curls the same shade of white. Alanna noticed them about a week ago, but she had no idea if they'd been watching her longer than that.
"I'm gonna take a break folks!" Alanna chirped brightly to the crowd and they began to disperse. The previous night she lay in bed after putting her mom to sleep wondering at the what ifs. What if they were talent scouts? What if they wanted to sign her? What if they wanted to kidnap her? She decided the next time she saw them she would find out. That sunny Saturday afternoon in the crowded downtown district she found her chance. After a deep breath she pocketed the money and moved to cross the street. They seemed to notice her walking towards them. The shorter one wearing a white and orange gothic lolita type dress elbowed the taller one in the ribs. The tall woman wore blue jeans and a red shirt with a tiger and shark logo on it in a yin-yang formation. She turned and smiled at Alanna as she stepped closer.
"Hi!" Alanna waved at them. The tall woman nodded, the short one smiled and waved in return.
"Hi!" she said. "I'm Dirge, this is Dread." She gestured to the taller woman.
"I'm Alanna," the redheaded girl said.
"Yeah, we know." Dread said. Alanna nodded.
"I've seen you guys watching me for about a week. Something I can help you with?" Dirge elbowed Dread in the ribs again.
"See? I told you that's when she noticed us." Dread shrugged, but Dirge turned her attention to Alanna. "We've been watching you sing, and we have an opportunity for you," Dirge said. Alanna squeezed her fists tightly as her heart leapt in her chest.
"TALENT SCOUTS!" she screamed internally, but she smiled at them and nodded her head. "What's that?" she asked. Dirge cocked her head to the block of buildings behind them.
"C'mon, we'll buy you lunch and we can talk," Dirge said. Without waiting for Dirge to finish speaking Dread turned and began walking up the street. After she invited Alanna Dirge also turned and walked away assuming the ginger girl would follow them. She followed, reasoning that she could bail the second they tried to lead her into a blind alley or back of a van. They ended up walking into Alanna's favorite pizzeria a block up the street. Dirge and Dread sat on the same side of a green and red booth leaving Alanna to take the other side. After the waitress took their order Dirge leaned over the table and spoke in a hushed tone.
"You're starting high school next year, right? We're here to recruit you for a special, uhh, private school." Dirge said.
"You mean like a school for artists?" Alanna's face lit up, but Dirge shook her head. Her white curls bounced as she made the motion.
"No. More like a school for your other talents." Alanna's face went pale.
"We could use a Banshee," Dread said. Alanna wasted no time sliding out of the booth while Dirge elbowed Dread in the ribs again, this time hard enough to cause the taller woman to complain. "Owwww."
"Don't go!" Dirge said. "Watch." She opened her mouth and sang a simple, single low note; she held it steady while staring into Alanna's emerald eyes. The tone sounded peaceful to Alanna, almost like a soft lullabye whispering in her ear. Dirge stopped singing as Alanna yawned. She pointed to the patrons at a table in the corner. Alanna looked towards them and realized they were both asleep. Her head jerked around as she eyed everyone else in the restaurant. They were all asleep.
"Wake 'em up." Dirge said to Alanna. "You can do it." Alanna looked around at the restaurant then back to the the two women. Dirge smiled and nodded. Dread gave her a thumbs up gesture. Alanna opened her mouth and sang a note without thinking. Her note was a higher pitch than Dirge's, and not quite as steady. She sang while she stared at a sleeping woman. In seconds the woman's eyes began to flutter open and Alanna stopped singing. She took one more look around and realized everyone was awake again. She slid back into the booth.
"So like a school for Banshees?" Alanna asked. Again, Dirge shook her head.
"Not quite. It's more like a school for heroes. You can do a lot of good with your skills." Dirge said. At that moment the waitress walked up.
"I'm sorry. Unfortunately your pizza was burned and we have to make another one. It's going to be a bit longer but as an apology your meal will be free of charge." Dirge smiled at her.
"No problem, thanks!" Dirge said. Alanna used the interruption to think. After the waitress left Alanna spoke up.
"I'm in."
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