Author’s note: So yeah, this chapter – not so funny. I meant for it to be amusing, but it didn’t really turn out that way.
- and the blackness vanished.
The doors were thrown open as the Devin strode into the room. The harsh light of day nearly blinded the occupants.
When he spoke, it was with the accent that always shocked people – the accent of an Argentinean, coming forth from the mouth of a man who looked quite Germanic. But it was not that highly an uncommon thing.
“Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself, Chuck. It always ends BAD!”
Chuck nearly jumped out of his chair when Devin yelled. He had spent the last two hours sitting there, practically inconsolable, so the piercing shout was like a hammer beating on his head.
A dead silence filled the room. Somebody scraped a chair across the floor, the noise echoing throughout the hall. Chuck looked around the room – the orchestra, preparing to rehearse, shocked into silence, the actors staring in fear, and yes, a little bit of awe at Devin.
And yet, all Chuck could think about was Sarah.
“We have a dance!” Devin announced, as he came down the stairs to the main stage. “In the brothels of Buenos Aires.”
He snapped his fingers, and Casey played an octave chord on the poorly tuned piano backstage. Devin continued to march across the stage, his boots echoing on the polished wood. A violinist began to play out a section of his part from one of the dance numbers.
“It tells a story,” Devin continued, as the piano and the violin began to play the same section of the music. “A prostitute –“
He indicated Ellie, and a spotlight flashed onto her. She looked shocked, to say the least, and nervous laughter filled the room. Joining in the laughter, Ellie descended to the stage and began to cross to Devin.
The music grew more intense. Chuck had risen from his chair, and was crossing backstage, but Devin wasn’t done. “And a man!” he called out. “A man… who falls in love.”
He approached Ellie. She turned her back to him, as the violinist began a tremolo on high E. Casey began to rumble an appoggiatura in the lowest octave of the piano’s registers, while a viola joined in with a descending cadence.
Devin silently counted down from four with his fingers in the air, and upon hitting zero, he stomped his boot on the floor. Ellie turned to face him, and the strings began to play a song that sounded tantalizingly familiar – but Chuck couldn’t quite place it.
“FIRST!” Devin shouted out. “There is desire!”
He stepped to Ellie, and drew her to him, as the beat of a tango began to fill the air. The two maneuvered around each other, drawing closer, closer, and then pulling away.
“THEN!” Devin called, and then dropped his voice to a whisper. “Passion…”
Ellie wrapped her body around Devin’s, but then her eyes opened, and she looked over Devin’s shoulder. Making eye contact with Morgan, she reached her hand out to him, and gave him a “come hither” gesture.
Morgan’s jaw just about hit the floor.
Devin’s head snapped to his left, eyes widening. “THEN! SUSPICION!”
He grabbed Ellie’s wrist, as Morgan advanced onto the dance floor toward her. “JEALOUSY, ANGER, BETRAYAL!”
Devin spun Ellie around in a circle, grabbing her by her waist and dipping her nearly to the floor. Then, grabbing her by the wrists, he pulled her up until they were almost touching – but not quite.
“When love is for the highest bidder,” he growled, “there can be no trust. Without trust, THERE IS NO LOVE!”
Ellie slid to the floor, but Devin still had her right wrist gripped firmly in his hand. “JEALOUSY!” he announced loudly. “Yes, JEALOUSY! It will drive you… MAD!”
He flipped Ellie’s wrist out of his hand, and Morgan stepped forward to take Devin’s place. Devin walked a few steps away, then turned back and began to sing:
“ROXANNE!” And there it was. Chuck KNEW he knew the song… but Devin couldn’t be singing anything worse.
“You don’t have to put on that red light!” As Devin watched Ellie tango with Morgan, Chuck could see the careful control on his face. He knew that it was not reflected on his own.
Sarah was not with him. Sarah was off with Bryce. Doing God knew what. And all for the sake of the god damned MOULIN ROUGE.
“Walk the streets for money,” Devin sang, as Casey approached Ellie from another angle, having abandoned the piano. “You don’t care if it is wrong or if it is right!”
Ellie was pushed away by Morgan, and slid into Casey’s arms. “Roxanne!” Devin called out. Casey pulled Ellie close to him, a look of passion washing over his face.
Who knew Casey could dance like THAT? Chuck thought, brushing aside the irrelevant thought. “You don’t have to wear that dress tonight!”
Exactly the argument Chuck had presented with Sarah before she had left. Why, why, WHY did she have to throw herself at Bryce?!
“ROXANNE!” Casey flipped Ellie back to Morgan, who spun her around and sent her back to Casey’s arms. “You don’t have to sell your body to the night!”
Casey lifted Ellie by the waist and spun around in a circle, as Chuck stood from his chair and began to pace. The orchestra dropped, except for two cellos and a lone violinist.
“His eyes, upon your face,” Chuck whispered, his voice growing minutely louder with each syllable. “His hand upon your hand!”
The violin crescendoed upwards and climbed as Chuck’s voice grew louder. “His lips… CARESS YOUR SKIN…”
Ellie, caught in the middle of the floor between the three men, looked at each in turn. “It’s more than I can stand!”
The orchestra swelled and built back into the song as Devin turned back toward Ellie. “ROXANNE!” he called out, as Chuck sang of his heartbreak. “Why does my heart cry?”
“ROXANNE!”
“Feelings I can’t fight!” Ellie had returned to Devin, Casey and Morgan had each grabbed a partner from among the company, and indeed, the entire company of Spectacular Spectacular! had taken to the floor of the Moulin Rouge.
Chuck’s voice broke as his anguish poured out. “You’re free to leave me, but just DON’T DECEIVE ME! But please, believe me when I say… I love you!”
His voice left him, as his breath caught in his throat. Morgan fell to his knees at Ellie’s feet.
“¿Yo que te quiero tanto, que le voy a hacer?” Chuck’s friend asked Chuck’s sister, as Chuck stepped outside, looking upward toward Bryce’s apartment. “Me dejaste, ¡me dejaste en un tango! El alma se me fue. ¡Se me fue hasta la sombra!”
Devin stepped between them, dragging Ellie away. “¡Roxanne!” Morgan wailed, acting the part perfectly. “¡Ya no tengo ganas de vivir porque no te puedo convencer que no te vendas Roxanne!”
Chuck’s shoulders hunched, and he forcibly breathed out, his breaths growing deeper and deeper, the lines in his forehead etching themselves with fury.
“ROXANNE!” screamed Devin.
“Why does my heart cry?!” Chuck sobbed, while Devin entreated Ellie, “You don’t have to put on that red light! ROXANNE!”
“Feelings I can’t fight!” Chuck stared despondently up at Bryce’s window.
“You don’t have to wear that dress tonight!” Devin cried, staring Ellie directly in the eyes. Her face had become a mask of stone.
“ROXANNE!” Devin sang out, as Chuck slumped against the railing. The strings began to build to a fever pitch –
And the electric guitar and drumset added themselves to the cacophony assaulting Chuck’s senses. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as the noise grew louder and louder. “SARAH!” he cried. “SARAH! I LOVE YOU!”
All went black –
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