Darkness in the Neon Lights (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 14

Hey Foxes!

Real fast, I just want to say thank you for getting this story up to 5k views! I can't tell you how incredible it is to see that it's already gotten to this point, when I feel like it's only just started. There's still plenty more planned for this story, so again, thank you to everyone that is reading. Now, let's get onto the chapter.

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The bright neon lights on the stage make the black and white room glow, even in the dimmer lighting in the sitting area. One by one, I'd see my friends go on stage and dance around the pole. Smitty and I would watch from the bar, making jokes and laughing as we sing along to the songs that came on. Finally, Bryce goes on stage.

He has a big, bright smile on his face as he practically skips out from backstage, excitement oozing out of him and infecting the people around him. His blond hair is bouncing with each step he takes, his clip on cat ears hanging on tightly to his hair, and the tail attached to his somewhat baggy pants swinging from side to side. When he's only a few feet away from the pole, he drops to his knees and crawls over to the edge of the stage. Several men are gather around the stage, reaching out towards him.

With a smirk on his face, he teases the men, slides his hands towards them, only to pull them away before any of the men could touch him. He turns his back away from them and pushes himself off of the floor, grabbing the pole and swirling around it, bending one of his legs so that when he leans away from it, he is in a nice little pose.

He pulls himself up and starts to walk around the pole, the light bouncing off his bell, bringing attention to his neck. He has one hand trace his collar before it slides down his bare chest and goes all the way down to the edge of his pants. In one quick motion, he pulls at the side of his pants, ripping off the velcro and making the pant fall off his body, revealing the black and white booty shorts that were underneath them.

He turns away and jumping on the pole, using his weight to swing his body around it. As he starts to do his favorite tricks on the pole, I can't help but notice how the stage is growing darker. Soon, I'm unable to see the floor or the curtains behind him. He soon stops turning and holds his position on the pole, upside down hands gripping tightly around the pole, and his legs straight up in the air. Then, he starts moving his legs, making it look like he's walking on air as he brings his legs slowly down until he's body is making a perfect 90° angle.

As he was walking, I quickly noticed that he himself was starting to get darker. The edges of his body turning black and slowly crawling across his body. Then, Bryce ends his dance by pulling his legs in and doing a perfect split in the air. Once he does, the darkness swallows the rest of his body. After a second, the lights come back on, and he is gone. All that is left on stage in his bell collar, tied around the pole.

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I watch from Panda's office as the police interview all of the dancers at each table on the floor. The second someone pulled their phone out to call for help, Panda grabbed me and pulled me up here, telling me not to come out until he said I could. Since then, I've been watching everything play out from up here.

I've seen the officers and paramedics rush into the building. I've seen the paramedics rush out with Bryce on a stretcher. I saw one of them straddling him as the man was pressing on his chest. I've watched as each officer picked a dancer and led them to a table. I watched as Ohm and Smitty broke down into tears as they talked. Out of everyone in the club, they were the closest to Bryce. Even closer to him than I was.