Static (standard:science fiction, 1340 words)
Author: Andrew R	Added: Jun 16 2002	Views/Reads: 3105/2092	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Locked in a bunker, away from the danger. Is that music I hear? I have a strange urge to dance, just dance and sing, forever and ever.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

to do; they had bunkered up four months ago and since then six of the 
group had dropped to the virus.  Anthony had been in charge at first.  
He had the neatest tie and the biggest bunch of keys so he was the 
automatic choice.  His cool officious exterior hadn't lasted long 
however; he had never really mixed much with the others and his 
coolness led to rising heat.  After four months of Anthony's uptight 
ways even Brane was beginning to loose his sense of humour, something 
had to give and it did, a group of four had left the complex to see 
what had survived, they didn't come back.  Then Julian and Cooper had 
gone to search for them; they found them, dancing in Swindon town 
centre, panpipe music blaring over the tannoy from the local shopping 
centre.  Julian and Cooper came back, but Cooper wanted to dance, so 
they sent him out again then sweated over catching the virus from him.  
Julian had seemed ok, that's why they let him go out again, test the 
water.  Brane and Anthony had just assumed that Julian was immune; 
obviously they were wrong. 

Static on the intercom...that was Anthony trying to call Brane.  Brane
leaned over and flipped the switch, 'Hello, Anthony.'  No answer.  
'Anthony?' Brane flipped the switch again, 'Hello Anthony? Are you OK.' 
A faint voice appeared through the static, 'Brane, Julian's back and 
he's brought us something.' Brane looked confused, 'OK Anthony, I'll be 
right there.'  As he left the room he thought he noticed another faint 
sound in the static, a worrying thought crossed his mind, 'is that 
panpipes?' 

Anthony was pleased, happier than he had ever been.  He felt free; he
felt like a weight had been lifted from him, suddenly he saw everything 
in bright colour, like the sun was shining all around him.  Somewhere 
in his sub conscious he knew this was wrong, they were underground, the 
power was running low, everything was dark, dusty, yet it just didn't 
feel like that, look like that, not anymore.  Julian was grinning at 
him ruefully, He was sitting at the table tuning his guitar.  What a 
great gift he had brought, Anthony had always wanted to play the nose 
flute, and wouldn't Brane be pleased when he saw his panpipes.  Brane 
came through the door, looking worried, Julian and Anthony smiled up at 
him vacantly.  Julian spoke first, 'Look what I've found Brane.  It's 
the answer to all our questions.  It will all make sense with this.' 
Brane looked at Julian, he was holding a pauncho and some pan-pipes up, 
a confused smile spread across his face; at the back of his mind Brane 
knew something was wrong, it was just that he couldn't remember what it 
was.  That music playing through the intercom was just so catchy, he 
felt so happy, so warm, and safe for the first time in his life.  Brane 
smiled more securely now, he put on his pauncho and picked up his 
panpipes; for the first time in his life he knew what he was doing was 
right.  The three friends stood up, instruments in hands, and began to 
play.  He didn't know how but Brane found that he could play the 
panpipes really well.  He just wanted to dance and play, and dance and 
play, never stop, play, dance, dance, play, forever. 


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