Songbird

19, in which I improvise.

     "Whoa, wait. Mat, do you hear that?"

     Exhilaration gave me a surge of energy, and I raised my voice as loud as I could go. I heard a light tap ahead of me and cut myself off. There was a moment more of silence before I heard Matthew give a small 'Here.'

     "How the hell are we suppose to open it?" Nate asked.

     "Probably something else hidden nearby." Matthew replied. I heard them tapping on the other side of the wall. Something slid open nearby.

     "Ah, shit," Nate muttered.

     I tried to sing the numbers, but the cage was too smart for that. I rolled the idea around in my head.

     "Irie, I'm assuming you know it?" Matthew asked tentatively. An idea popped into my head.

     "Bless my soul, Herc was on a roll! Person of the week in every Greek Opinion poll!" I heard mild confusion outside. A bit frumpy, I kept going. "What a pro, Herc could stop a show, point him at a monster and you're talk SRO! He was a no one, a zero--"

     I stopped and held my breath.

     "Oh my god, Irie, you beautiful, brilliant woman."

     I couldn't help but grin a little.

     "What else?" Matthew asked. After a moment, he noted, "We don't know if there's a timer on this thing, I'd rather have all of it."

     I searched through my repertoire. This was going to be a weird playlist.

     "Now will you take me along when you fly away and play your song, because 7 years is far too long..."

     "You can't skip lyrics, can you?" Nate said, worry in his voice.

     "Given she has only sung at us, I figure he's got her in something," Matthew replied. "Next?"

     I hesitated. I didn't actually know any songs off the top of my head with the number four in them. I pursed my lips. Matthew was smart. I just hoped this worked.

     "Was it you, or was it me? Is this a nightmare or just a dream? I've lost my mind, I've lost myself, am I at home or am I in hell? I'm in my room, they're by my side, my little monsters, they try to hide..."

     "That-- What?" I heard Nate ask.

     "Five? No, that'd be another song, you've had Five as a lyric too often... Nate, which game was that based off of?"

     There was a brief silence before I heard Nate, realization in his voice. "Four!"

     My heart stopped. I could only think of one song that would have the last number, but it sat at the end. I rolled it over and over in my head, trying to think of something else. I could only pray one of them would realize what it was.

     "Day and night, my mind is racing, reaching out 'cause I want something more - that I've never had before." I stopped for a moment. When neither replied, I started again, unable to sing any faster than the song's tempo. "I'm scared to chase what I've been dreaming, beyond a want and now I need it. Push me by surprise so I can take the dive!"

     "Nate, they're your lyrics!"

     "Just gimm-- THREE!"

     I let out a sigh of relief.

     We brave and broken fewer, three cheers to fear the future.

     Nothing happened.

     "Irie?"

     Matthew's voice made me realize they couldn't know that was the end of code. That one, however, wasn't hard to solve.

     "You can break down my lights and my doors, but I won't let you back in no more, no more." I stopped and waited.

     "You are several kinds of clever," Matthew laughed. I let out a silent yelp when the gears kicked into gear. I hit the floor hard, then shielded my eyes from the sudden bright light.

     "Oh that son of a..."

     Nate cursed when I heard the cage open. Without really seeing where I was headed, I bolted forward. One of them grabbed me, and a moment later, I focused on Matthew's face. My chest heaved in held back tears. I looked back to Nate, who scratched away at the metal of the cage.

     "I-- I--" I burst into tears at the sound of my own voice.

     "Hey, it's okay, we're getting you out of here," Matthew murmured. I just nodded, unable to control myself. "Nate, the enchantment's gone, get moving!"

     The bird cage's runes were cut and mangled when Nate stepped back. Matthew grabbed his arm, tucked me close, and bolted out into the halls.