Jared sat on one of the front bleachers at the fairgrounds hoping Heidi would actually show up at the impromptu concert. It looked like everyone in the orchestral class was present. They were spread out around a large stage that had been erected in the middle of the surrounding bleachers. There was an empty space in the center of the stage where Heidi would presumably perform. So far, only Autumn and Aria were present. Jared raised his cheap binoculars to his eyes to get a better look.
Autumn and Aria were sharing uncertain looks with each other as the crowd began chanting Heidi's name. Cody, the drummer that seemed to play a pivotal role in the band and was rumored to be close friends with Heidi, walked up to the stage with an effortless confidence that set him apart from the other musicians. He walked up to Aria and Autumn and spoke for a moment before putting a headset on his head and sitting behind his large drum set.
Jared found it difficult to take his eyes away from Cody. There was a sense of power surrounding the young man that singled him out from his peers. As Jared looked at the people around him, he could tell that he wasn't the only one watching Cody curiously.
They had apparently decided to play whether Heidi showed up or not. Cody nodded at Miss Devons, and she whipped her conductor's baton up with a flourish. A deep hum pervaded the fairgrounds as all of the bass instruments began an edgy overture.
The crowd began cheering excitedly as the power instruments joined the orchestra. Even without Heidi, the music was powerful enough to stand on its own.
Jared blinked in surprise when Cody, rather than Aria or Autumn, began singing. The intensity in his voice rivaled all of the other instruments put together. The bass voices of the choir gave the song an ominous air as Cody sang of a world torn by war and savagery.
Jared sat watching silently, unwilling to make any sound that would impede the amazing music blasting off the stage. The spell spread throughout the crowd as well. There were thousands of spectators outside of the fairgrounds watching the performance on a series of large screens that someone had erected for the enormous overflow crowd to watch.
As the second song ended, there was a deafening boom and all of the lights momentarily flickered. Two young women had materialized out of thin air in the center of the stage. The dark haired newcomer picked up an electric guitar and donned a headset as if nothing unusual had happened. She casually handed another headset to the light haired woman who had appeared with her. Both Aria and Autumn were staring at the light haired woman in fascination as she slipped the headset onto her head.
"Sorry for the wait," the woman Jared assumed must be Heidi told the rest of the band apologetically. "Nadia's flight had some problems."
Nadia. The Danish girl who had stopped the semi-truck in Denmark. The anticipation in the audience was reaching a fever pitch as everyone stared at the late arrivals in awe. Talk about an entrance.
Heidi nodded at Miss Devons, and they immediately jumped right into a new song. Jared felt like bolts of lightning were blasting through him as Heidi's voice threatened to destroy his understanding of music. He had heard her music on YouTube, but it was nothing like the real thing. The entire audience was staring with wide eyes at the stage as the concert took on something akin to a powerful religious experience.
As soon as the first song with Heidi ended, it was like an earthquake shook the arena as thousands of voices cheered and stomped on the bleachers. Jared felt a wistful pang of sadness as the next song began. How would he ever appreciate any other music after tonight?