Chapter 4

Hey guys! So this chapter has a few surprises! One, I do not own the characters or plot, but I do own the lyrics in bold. They are my creation!

Also, like I said in the previous chapter, this is a dark chapter so, just expect creep, stalker Caleb vibes.

On with the show!

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When she opened her eyes, she couldn't see.

Not like the black type of darkness can't see.

The "I'm blinded by the sun" can't see.

Raising her hand above her eyes, she tried and failed to keep the light out of her eyes. And as she slowly adjusted to it, the world around her came into view, and she found herself back on the Orpheum stage.

Except this time there were no lights or screaming crowds.

It was just her.

"Case of deja vu?"

Julie shivered, turning around to face the unknown voice.

Maybe she wasn't alone.

Turning back to the front of the stage, she saw a man dressed in all black, a top hat and cane accompanying his deathly, tailored look.

She stared at him, captivated by his smile and demeanor. She was finding herself being drawn to him, almost like a magnetic force was pulling her to him.

She inched closer.

"You must be Julie."

"W-Who are you?" Her voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled, waving his hand in the air. Julie watched in awe as his cloak and hat disappeared into black smoke.

"How rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself."

With a flourish, Julie found herself sitting in a chair facing the stage. Bright spot lights illuminated the space, as silks and hoops draped from the ceiling. The room suddenly started to fill with people dressed in suits and fancy cocktail dresses. A crystal chandelier topped off the Victorian Era-esque look. This wasn't the Orpheum anymore.

A thumping rhythm erupted from the stage followed by a loud blast from trumpets. A spotlight found itself focused on the man who was seemingly running the whole thing, who was now back with a purple suit.

"The name's Caleb Covington."

Julie shuddered, the name immediately putting off some red flags.

Caleb was the guy who tried to steal the boys' souls.

And now, she was barely ten feet in front of him.

A steady beat echoed throughout the place, and Julie noticed the people nodding their heads along, almost in a trance. Julie struggled to stand, but she found herself practically glued to the chair.

She couldn't move.

Why did this all of a sudden seem like a very bad place?

The beat continued to thrive throughout the room, and Julie could hear a melody escape within the steady bass and drums.

Welcome to my magic show

The looks of which you've never seen

It might seem like your worst nightmare

But i'm making it a dream

You can try to make a move

But there's a tune running through your veins

No matter what you do, you can't cut me loose

I'm the one holding the reins

As the tune continues to flow through Julie's mind, she realizes that the song is about having control over someone. And from the looks of it, the song is being used to control the guests here in this room.

Where was she anyway?

She stares around the room, and spots a large plaque by the doorway.

Hollywood Ghost Club: Members Only

Were all of these people paying to be here?

But why?

Her thoughts wandered and Julie let herself be entranced by the music yet again.

Don't forget to shake my hand

Before you walk out the door

I'll give you a night you won't forget

Just like all the others you've seen before

This ink marks an eternity

So I'm hoping that you're free

To come and spend your souls with me

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

All of these people have bargained their souls to work as slaves for Caleb. To spend an eternity with him.

And people had already done this before.

All of the band members. Reggie, Luke and Alex. Willie. They have all been trapped here.

And for what?! An eternity with Caleb, a soul-sucking bastard?!

This wasn't an eternity of partying and fun.

This was HELL.

The last notes of the song rang out, and Julie watched as the world slowly started to fade to black, the lights and the crowds slowly starting to crumble to dark dust, until it was just her and Covington.

He looked at her with a sickening smile, his face dripping with sweat.

"What an exhilarating performance! You know the feeling, don't you?"

She stayed silent, avoiding his gaze. Whatever he was trying to do, it wasn't working.

"Oh, but it is," he acclaimed.

Julie's eyes almost bulged out of her head.

Had he read her thoughts?

He looked at her with pure interest, and she couldn't find it in herself to look away this time. There was something about him that made him almost handsome-

No.

No, no, no, no.

This was getting too creepy.

This guy was in her head and she did not like it.

She let herself shut her eyes, forcing herself to pretend the world around her didn't exist.

Which it didn't.

But still.

"It's so crazy that after all this time, someone decides they can rebel against me."

Julie can feel the darkness around her close in, practically suffocating her. Caleb's voice echoed in the midst of a storm.

"But no one can. Unless they want to face the consequences. And apparently, you and your little boy band have decided to make that choice."

His words sent a chill up her spine. The term "boy band" felt so wrong on his tongue. She could remember all of the times Carlos would say it just to annoy them. She almost laughed at the thought, the way their eyebrows would perk up and their scowls would soon form a smile as they doubled over with laughter.

Almost as if on cue, a voice cut through the darkness that swirled around her.

"Julie!"

Julie could feel the rushing wind around her still for barely a moment before it picked up speed again.

"Julie! Wake up!"

The voice is louder now, and Julie once again feels the wind die down. She slowly opens her eyes, almost closing them as she sees the sight before her.

Caleb is pulling black dust up from the ground, creating a dome like structure around him and Julie.

He's trying to trap her here. Inside her head.

"Julie! Julie, can you hear me?"

The voice is softer now, with less persistence, almost as if the person was begging her.

She tried to rack her brain for who it was. But she was in her brain.

She was her brain.

And she couldn't think over the howling wind.

The words she hears next are muddled, and she sees Caleb flash a triumphant smile.

But then there's a pause, and Julie watches as Caleb's calm demeanor turns into one of pure rage.

A symphony of sounds hit her all at once.

Caleb's ear-splitting scream, the dome exploding as black dust fell around her.

The muddled voices became clearer, her mind finally able to process the words without the deafening wind.

And a simple melody, the notes echoing throughout the lonely space she found herself trapped in for what felt like an eternity.

Slowly she could see a light peak through the darkness.

And slowly, ever so slowly, she closed her eyes and let herself be drifted away by the song.

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Okay, hope you enjoyed! Also, this might take a little bit to update, so please expect it in the distant future...

I don't even think I can call this a Christmas story anymore but..

That's the plot so if you want JUKE fluff you will deal with it!!

Hahaha, that sounded a little harsh...

Please wait just a little bit longer and bear with me! Thank you!