Hunter's Story Opening Scene
The heavy thump-thump-thump of the bass line pulsed through the club as bodies moved as one, their very heartbeats echoing the sub that kept time. Crammed in so tightly that there was no way to not be touching someone, sweat mixed with others as the life force of the people thrived on the music that filled their senses. It was there that Hunter was at home. Never at peace - as Hunter lived for the chaos that was this life - but at home. To see the flowing movements of others that echoed to the very soul as the melody soared, taking their ecstasy to new heights. The vibrant colors that glowed in the blacklights along with the lasers and glowsticks that shimmered against the fog that had been released into the room, drawing the eyes of those who watched. Captivating. Mesmerizing. The energy. The freedom. This was what Hunter craved.
At seventeen, Hunter shouldn't even be allowed in a place like this. Hunter was just a teenager. Legally. But age is just a number, and titles are just words. It was all semantics in Hunter's world. Here, no one cared when you were born or where you came from. No one cared if you were short or fat or different in any way. Here, everyone was beautiful. And everyone was loved, if only for a few hours at a time. This life was hard on the body, and wearing on the soul, but it was a world all it's own. One that many people united in and thrived in. Sometimes even died in. But such was life. And this one, was hers.
Standing on the upper ring where she could look down on the main floor, Hunter watched the gyrating bodies move, seemingly in unison. Her dialated pupils taking in every scene in the darkness that was broken by the bright flashing colors of the neon lights. Her cool demeanor was only broken by the way she kept time with her fingers drumming lightly on the brass bar that lined the balcony. To the uneducated eye, she would appear the ice princess. Cold and unfeeling, gazing down on the loyal subjects of the party known as life. Those that knew her would be able to tell that she was full of life and energy. An inner beauty that was enhanced by the chemicals in her bloodstream and the passion of the music that flowed around her. Those that really knew her? Well, no one really knew Hunter.
She'd been watching the events unfolding below her for quite some time when cool fingers were placed on her shoulder. Stiffening under the unwarranted touch, she turned slowly to face who dared lay hand on her. A warning blazing in her eyes, Hunter had been about to let her razor sharp tongue lose when she recognized the man attached to the paw. Skitzo. The jackyl smiled at her as her expression melted into one of acceptance and she nuzzled her cheek against the pads of the paw that was brought up to her face. He chuckled slightly at her antics.
"Everyone's wondering where you went, babe." he said simply. "They thought you'd be in the loft by now. Lxst and Jams are about to finish spinnin' for the night." he informed her. While she may be the scene queen, Skitzo was the one who ran things. He was the one who'd found them all - the bunch of misfits they were with nowhere to go. He gave them a home. Gave them a family. Hunter knew she owed him her very life. If not for Skitzo, she'd still be on the street stealing to get by.
Shaking her head, she ran her fingers through her messy shoulder leangth hair and smiled at him. I'll be there shortly. I want to see the end of the set. Jams said he had something planned." Her eyes glowed proudly as she spoke of the DJ. The mouse caught her eye. He knew her better than the rest of them. When she'd told him she'd stay til the end to see what secrets he was going to surprise her with this time , he knew she'd be up on the ring watching directly across from the stage. That was her favorite place. It was the place she could see everything that was going on in the club but only those who knew where to look would see her.
Skitzo nodded and brushed her cheek with the back of his paw once more before holding a finger out to her in offering. Hunter looked skeptically at the powder-coated pad before shaking her head at him. "You know I don't touch that stuff." she offered apologetically.
"It's just X, sweetie." he assured her. "Left over from a parachute." He held the finger to her lips and Huter parted them ever so slightly to suck it into her mouth, running her tongue against it and savoring the bitter flavor of the crushed pill. Skitzo closed his eyes, shuddering at the drug intensified feeling of her tongue before pulling his finger away and turning to leave her. "See you back home." he called as he walked away. Hunter was about to issue a reply until ears perked and her attention was brought back to the stage. The tempo of the music was being brought down ever so slowly. She doubted anyone else noticed, but she'd heard the two of them playing so much that she could pick up the subtle changes easier than others. Of course, the MDMA in her system heightening her senses probably didn't hurt either. She loved to sit with Jams while he was working on new music, or watch him and Lxst practice when the club was empty. They were both increddibly talented musicians - and part of her little rag tag family - but Jams was more than that. He was her best friend.
Slipping from the hardcore that had been filling the building, the heavy pulsing pulled in something she hadn't expected. Hunter's favorite song was started, but it took her less than a second to realize something was different. He'd remixed it. Unable to help herself, Hunter's tail swished in time to the music as she closed her eyes and let it surround her. The familiar melody mixing with a harmony that was distinctly Jams. She smiled as a solid gated pulse picked up, and hey eyes widened. The crowd was loving it, but more importantly she could see the sheer glee in the intoxicated features of her friends. The beat picked up once more towards the middle of the song and suddenly, bringing about a sudden explosion. Canons on either side of the stage shot brightly colored sparks into the air, and she screamed joyfully along with the crowd as Lxst backflipped off the stage and into the crowd. Where Jams had always been a composer, Lxst was more interested in theatrics and crowd pleasing. In less time than she'd liked, the song ended and Lxst, who had been dancing with people as Jams kepts the music going clambered back up onto the stage, grabbing the mic to shout out the words that they used to signal that the night. "Don't gotta go home, but you can't stay here! Peace love and sex! Now get the fuck out!"
Hunter laughed to herself, keeping her demeanor stoic as she watched the place empty and the bear that ran security lock up. She looked down at Jay-Ganz and waved before climbing the stairway behind her to go to the loft. It was three years ago that Skitzo had traded his help as a bouncer to the owner of the club for a lease to live on the unused fourth floor. No longer an official bouncer, Skitzo more or less ran the club. He promoted and booked musical acts. He was the face of the club for the non-present owner. Everyone knew who he was, and everyone looked up to him. He brought in the party. He brought in the crowd. Somedays, he even brought in the chemicals.
The door to the loft opened as she reached for the handle and she was grabbed by the wrist and dragged into the room, being swung around by an over-excited rabbit who then planted a firm kiss on her cheek. "Did you see my flip?" he asked, his speech sped up, hands shaking on her wrists as she pulled herself out of his grip.
"It was great." she agreed, kissing his cheek back and pushing past him to wave to the boys. Her brothers. Her family. She padded through the loft making her way to the corner where her mattress was enclosed with curtains. She flopped onto her bed, and stared at the ceiling as the light music from the shared living area engulfed her. She listened to the lively chatter of the gang as she smiled to herself. This was it. This was life. And life was good.