The Luster of Stars in Moscow
⁇ 84
"They love it!" some of the staff exclaimed with joy at the reaction of the spectators. "Rafael! They like it!"
Mikail turned to look towards Valentin.
The man did not turn his eyes away from Cheri. "Of course," he said. "I did design this show to be liked by the audience."
Mikail blinked and froze.
Valentin glanced at him, "Now no one can beat me" he said to Mikail.
Mikail gulped and bowed. Cheri, Valentin is very strong now, he said in his heart. If only Rafael had that power…
"Lord.." Cheri's voice shrieked from the top of the pole. "Now I will go to Your side!"
"Braise the fire!" command of staff leader. "Light all the lights!"
The staff started to get busy at the back and bottom of the stage.
Kyle watched every part of the stage so closely. Then when he looked up, checking the spot light above Cheri's head, he was stunned and wide-eyed.
The lamp above Cheri's head detached from his ties, then slid down unnoticed by anyone but himself.
"No," cried Kyle in panic. "Lampunny—"
BRUISES!
The huge light landed on the half mirror and instantly the half mirror broke into pieces, creating a huge hole under the pole. Fire crept out through the hole and crept up to the stake and besieged Cheri.
The whole building is changing.
Valentin and Mikail squealed almost simultaneously, then rushed towards the pole where Cheri was now.
The girl was bound at a height without being reachable by anyone. The fire had already rinsed the entire stage decoration. While the people below him scattered to and fro without thinking of anyone but his own safety.
"Cherry!" Valentin yells out loud.
Cheri tried to open the chain that wrapped around his body, but then he remembered the chain was pinned on the pole with a padlock. The chain cannot be removed.
I'm really stuck, thought Cheri.
"Great!" the crowd who did not understand the real situation. "Is this planned?"
"Turn off the burner!" The staff leader shouted in anger.
"It can't be!" shouted some staff. "The fire has spread everywhere."
Mikail slammed into the middle of the staff with a sigh. "What about Cherie?"
"He's been surrounded by fire!" Jerit Sesha pointed towards the pole. "No one can get close to him!"
"HONORABLE AUDIENCE," came the announcement from the loudspeakers. "WE APOLOGIZE PROFOUNDLY FOR THE FIRE, AND ASK THE AUDIENCE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER THROUGH THE EMERGENCY EXIT. THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED WITH A NEW TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE SO THAT THE FIRE WILL NOT REACH THE ENTIRE BUILDING, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FIRE CAN BE SUPPRESSED TO A MINIMUM."
The spectators were evacuated in an orderly manner.
The players are slowly secured.
"PLEase…!" Cheri's voice sank into a commotion.
Mikail along with Kyle and Sesha moved quickly towards the girl.
But someone has gone before them.
Yeah, who else if not…
"Valentin!" Cheri gave a surprised. The man opened the padlock and removed the chain from Cheri's body, then pulled the girl's body into his arms.
"It's okay" whispered Valentin calming him down. "I'm here."
Cheri slipped his face into the man's chest and cried out.
"Quiet, stupid!" gerutu Valentin scolded Cheri. "Who will let you die. Fear not! Hugged me!"
The man brought him down from the pole, while the pole collapsed shortly afterwards.
Valentin lowered the girl slowly, then scooped her face, "Are you hurt?" tanyanya's worried.
Cheri stuttered and gulped. Didn't know how he had to react once he realized the man wasn't Rafael. "I'm okay" he replied. "Thank you."
How am I, anyway? Cheri batin teryl. I also love Valentin!
The fire surrounded them both. Valentin looked at. There is no room for them to get out.
Valentin snatches Cheri's waist, then escapes the girl out of the flames. But suddenly he returned to the middle of the fire.
"Val—" Cheri screeched in confusion. "What are you doing?"
Why did he go on stage?
"The val! Don't go there! The stage had already become a sea of fire! Valentin! Back!" Cheri shouted in panic as he rushed after Valentin.
"All spectators have been successfully evacuated" the fire department announced. "Everything's safe. But there were some staff who suffered burns. We reiterate once again, everyone has been evacuated out of the building. We'll try to put out the fire."
"Wait on! Cheri and Rafael are back in the fire!" Sesha screamed as firefighters tried to pull her out of the building.
Kyle and Mikail flinched and turned to Sesha.
The girl pointed towards the flames in panic. "Go back inside! Hurry along! Save them both!"
Firefighters on his left rushed inside.
Kyle and Mikail followed them.
"Valentin!" Cheri ran as hard as he could, turning to and fro in a huffed manner, looking for Valentin in the midst of the fire.
Valentin went into the fire…
It was as if someone was guiding him!
The man froze at the edge of the shattered half mirror hole and spouted flames upwards.
Cheri screeched and ambushed him from behind. "What are you doing here?" his screams wrapped his hands around Valentin's waist, then pulled him away from the pit of fire.
Valentin did not move. His gaze glared into the flames as if something was waiting for him inside.
"Val!" Cheri tightened his embrace and pulled the man once more.
"Fire," sizzled Valentin Parau.
Cheri frowned and looked up at Valentin's face.
"Memories of the fire that I can't remember at all" Valentin said with a flat face. "Now reappearing, little by little, I can remember it again."
"For what recollection of such bad memories," Sergey Cheri. "Let's go! Forget the past. Stop hating Rafael. Stop your quarrel."
Valentin touched the back of Cheri's hand, then pulled the girl's hand into his mouth, then kissed her gently. "Do you still love Rafael so much?"
Cheri froze in a cry without a sound.
"I want to know everything" whispered Valentin weakened.
Cheri exploded in tears.
The man's body collapsed on the floor, drooping helplessly and unconscious. But a flash of shadow shot out from his body, then burst into the cracked mirror in front of them across the fire pit.
Whatisit? Cheri gasps.
It was in an instant…
He looked as if he had slipped into a mirror.
Cheri looked into the mirror with wide eyes and a round mouth.
Something senseless is happening!
The mirror featured two figures of fifteen-year-old twin boys.
Are they Valentin and Rafael? Cheri looked in disbelief at what he saw.
Did the two of them meet in the mirror?
It's impossible, he thought.
This isn't real!
Am I dying in a fire so I'm having hallucinations?
"At last you came, Val.." there was a faint boy's voice.
Cheri smothered his mouth again. His eyes wide.
"Come, Val. Come with me!"