Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Wednesday Briefs: In Pieces #15 (5.3)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

In Pieces continues as Ryan hears Salvation play for the first time. What the heck is church metal? Join us and find out! Then don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to. Their links follow my tale!  Enjoy!

In Pieces #15 (5.3)


Ryan had never heard a sound quite so glorious in his entire life.  The single note was plaintive and yet intense. As Ben’s voice began to rise in tone, the sound flowed around him and through him. It seemed to penetrate into the depths of Ryan’s soul, to places that had been untouched for a very long time. He couldn’t explain the feeling, but neither did he attempt to fight it. Rather, he embraced it.

He couldn’t keep from staring at Ben as he sang. Ben’s eyes had closed, an expression of utter serenity suffusing his face. Ryan thought he looked almost like an angelic choir boy.  Paradoxically, the single note was sensuous and enticing, producing an almost palpable ache inside of Ryan which was a far cry from angelic.

Ben’s acapella solo continued for close to half a minute before being joined by the voices of the other members of the band.  “Glorioso,” they sang. “Glorioso luminos.” The rich harmonies soared for maybe another thirty seconds, and then the keyboard made its entrance, followed by the lead guitar.

Ryan closed his own eyes and floated bonelessly on waves of pure pleasure. Salvation’s music evoked a myriad of images both religious and irreligious. In his mind’s eyes, he saw a lofty buttressed cathedral filled with rows of priests, knelt in prayer.  Ethereal angels descended from on high above them. They struck provocative poses, enticing the priests from their orisons. The angels were all male, and they were all most gloriously endowed.  Priests and angels began a seductive dance to the music which swirled about them, shedding clothes along with inhibitions. Ryan was both fascinated and shocked by what his mind had conceived.  His hand began to reach down to assuage a growing ache…

With a start, he snapped his eyes open to find Ben’s piercing blue gaze fixed upon him. At that moment, a short burst of drum beats announced Abby’s entrance into the fray, a sound which was echoed by Keanu’s throbbing bass guitar. And suddenly Ryan understood why they called it church metal. This was the most amazing thing he’d ever heard, an erotic combination of piety and sensuality. He’d become so absorbed in what he was listening to that he’d almost forgotten himself to the point of wanting to masturbate in public. One look at Ben, and Ryan knew he understood completely.

Ryan brought his thoughts and his breathing under control as the song continued. It was the story of an angel and a priest, and it spoke of innocent sins and wanton desires and passions. If this song was indicative of what Salvation could do, Ryan had no doubt this group would go far.

The song ended with a flourish and then died away. Ryan could have kept listening for much longer, given the opportunity. No one said anything. Ryan realized with a start they were looking for some sort of reaction from him.

“That was amazing,” he said honestly. The momentary tension dissipated, and everything was at it was before.  Ryan glanced at Ben, and was surprised to catch a flash of uncertainty in his beautiful blue eyes. Without thinking, Ryan held out his hand toward him. Ben leapt off the stage and grasped it.

“Did you really like it?” Ben sounded almost shy.

“Like it? I loved it. That song… your voice… everything was…” For being a writer, Ryan found himself unexpectedly at a loss for words.  “I’ve never heard anything like that. I can’t wait to hear more.”

Ryan’s words seemed to relieve Ben. His sunny smile returned, his cheeks more than a little flushed. “I’m glad you liked it, Ryan,” he said. “That was the first one I wrote. I’m kind of partial to it.”

“You… you wrote that?” Ryan was even more impressed than he was before. “I didn’t know…I had no idea you wrote music.”

“You probably don’t remember, but I wrote poetry when I was younger, back in the day. Lyrics are just poems set to music.”

That’s right. He remembered now. How could he have forgotten Ben’s lush poetry? They’d read them together in their room in the middle of the night. Ben hadn’t wanted his mother to see what he’d written, so those became private moments between Ben and him.

“I still have some of your poetry, actually,” Ryan said. “I always thought it was beautiful.”

Ben pinked even more. “We have a lot to catch up on, don’t we?” he said, dropping his voice.

Ryan swayed toward Ben, tempted to kiss him, wanting to kiss him so badly he could taste his desire for Ben. How could he have ever doubted his feelings for Ben had changed? He’d kept them alive all through their separation, and now they were as strong as ever. The difference was that now there was no one who could separate them ever again.

But he was paradoxically aware that they were far from alone. And much as it pained him to do so, he forced himself to put on the brakes, to slow himself down. Then he remembered they were sharing a room. Their time would come. Later.

“We do,” he said. “I should probably grab my laptop and my camera and get to work. I can get some pictures of you while you rehearse. Some behind the scenes stuff. I thought I’d talk to everyone individually get some background. What do you think?”

“I think that sounds like a great idea. Go get your stuff. We’re not going anywhere.”

For a second, Ryan thought Ben might initiate a kiss, and he felt his own lips part involuntarily. But then Ben turned back toward the band, the moment had passed, and Ryan seized the opportunity to head back toward the main house.

to be continued

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