Backstreet Boy

|Chapter 59: The Big Finale Begins|

Isabella

"I don't think seven inch heels were a great choice," groaned Lizzie, reaching down to just slip her feet out of her. She shrunk drastically as soon as her feet hit the pier boards.

Matt glanced sideways, expecting to see her at almost eye-level like she had previously been, but did a double take when his eyes skimmed the very top of her head. He was seemingly amused watching her rub her feet slightly. It was only moments later when he turned away did the fairy lights go off and Lizzie grudgingly got back into her heels, groaning repetitively until Matt was able to steady her.

Disentangling herself from Matt, we all looked to the front, craning our heads over the people in front. Then all of a sudden, a booming voice emanated from the speakers: "We thank everyone who came to support the opening of the pier – a new tourist attraction to boost our town's economy. As a proper thank you, we hope you enjoy the show we have for you."

The voice was the same as the preceding declaration, but the tone was diverse. It wasn't daunting, but more nervous. I put this down to how much stress the workers must be feeling right now to make sure this show is perfect. Whilst ambling round the pier, I heard some people discussing that if the show goes as expected it might become an annual thing every year.

Silent dwelt. No one dared to even utter a single syllable. With the fairy lights turned off, we were left in the dimness, but it wasn't too dark for us not to perceive anything. I could still distinguish the heads in front of me and the pier pillars. Jason moved slightly from beside me and a moment later his hand was clutching mine lightly.

The wait felt almost ceaseless as the crowd began to chatter slightly among themselves. Then out of nowhere, fireworks flew up into the sky and erupted. Crimson, purple, green, yellow, blue – every colour you could think of were high in the sky. Most people were in awe and gasping every so often. I shunted closer to Jason and held his arm lightly.

"This is amazing," I whispered to him.

"Yeah," he breathed out, eyes fixated firmly on the fireworks, though his expression was soft. "It really is."

The fireworks lasted minutes before some were ascending up to the sky with a fraction of a second interval between them. They were positively humongous in the sky, but the chatter did diminish at all. Instead, the fireworks kept shooting up into the sky, disfiguring the darkness of it (it was more of a deep purple than black) and we were all swept backwards.

"What's going on?" asked Lizzie, staggering everywhere in her seven inch heels.

"I think," began Matt, standing up on his tiptoes to peer over the alarmingly tall woman in front of him, "that the fireworks falling closer and closer to the edge of the pier."

Again we were shunted backwards with a cry from the front of the pier. Lizzie was still groaning to herself for her inadequate choice of shoes, but I disregarded her and turned to Jason. "Can you see anything?"

"Matt's right," he said, a wave of concern lacing his words. "We're still moving back."

"If you look at the sky," said Matt, "you can see the fireworks edging closer to us in the sky, can't you?"

It took a few seconds to observe the amendment, but when I did, I gasped. "You're right! They're getting closer to us!"

Another tremendous cry from the front was all it took for the crowd to suddenly disperse. The fairy lights flickered above us a few times before staying off. The speakers began cracking and though there being some disturbance in the line, you could still make the out man pleading with, "Everyone get back! The fireworks were changing position! Get back, everyone! Get off the pier!"

I felt paralysed; I couldn't move. My eyes were on the next firework shooting up to the sky. My eyes remained on a single glimmer of gold falling down from the sky. It landed directly in the middle of the speaker suspended from the pillar and the pillar, to whatever was clamping it to the pillar. There was a a slight explosion from the speakers and it detached from the pillar, falling a good ten feet down onto the pier boards with a deafening thud.

"It's dented the boards!" Lizzie cried.

And sure enough, the speaker was jutting out from a sizeable gap in the boards as well. There was a slight crash in the waves as it fell into the water. I know openings of new attractions had tendencies to become mind-blowing and gut-wrenchingly memorable, but this was something else. This would always be etched into people's memories and the town's history.

Compiling all of my thoughts together, we all began to dash back down the pier to the steps. Some people who had been at the very back were almost there, but those who had been at the front and in the most perilous spot to the fireworks were now stationary in a traffic jam, and we were some of those causing it.

"We need to get back!" I yelled. "Run!"

"I can't run in these heels!" Lizzie protested adamantly, stepping hastily away.

But the ever-edging closer fireworks were the least of our problems now. People dressed all in black were fighting against the current, their faces all hidden except for their eyes and eyebrows. Some appeared to be intent, and others only mindless with power. They ran absently through the crowd with ease until they got to some shops. These were people endangering everyone else, my mind processed.

We need to get off right now, but still we were only stepping away because there was a sea of people and the crowd was going wild.

Jason's hand was still clamped on mine, and both were quite clammy. Lizzie was holding onto Matt with dear life who was bellowing at her to take her shoes off already. Jason did the same to me and without much time to reflect, I slipped my feet out of my shoes and held them in my free hand. Lizzie looked incredulously at me, but my gaze was firm on her.

The men – all obviously men – dressed in black held small objects in their hands. Though the crowd was moving in all directions now just to evade anything that might put them in danger, I could make out the lid falling down and the illuminating orange flames erupting from the small objects. Lighters, I thought.

They're going to burn the pier.

This was more than just insubordination. And with the gradual crescendo of the cries which were more than roaring now, it was giving me impetus to just run from the pier. But something was stopping me because my eyes were drawn to the men in black with the lighters. Jason was tugging on my arm and Lizzie and Matt were ready to run, but I remained still.

Nearly one by one, they all held the lighters close to a stall or a shop and let the flames seep through to it. A few moments later and smoke was billowing everywhere. Coughing was mingled with cries everywhere. It was overwhelming and crazy but this was Jackson's doing. I knew that. The men in black were his minions. And they weren't going to stop until the pier would sink into the water below us.

It was only then when I realised the floorboards were creaking beneath everyone's erratic movements. And in those precious seconds wasted, the flames had heightened and growing larger by the second. I had wasted minutes, and I didn't need to waste anymore. The big finale was here, and burning brighter than ever.

"We need to go, Issy!" Jason yelled from in front of me, tugging on my arm.

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Author's Note:

AND SO THE BIG FINALE BEGINS!!!!!!!!

PS 7 inch heels really aren't a good idea, Lizzie :))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you :) x