The echo of the song bounced between them as they rode in a white 82 Chevy. She concentrated hard to hear the song. It’s beauty whispered to her heart. The cab of the truck made many sounds that she ignored but this melody danced into her mind.
Her father noticed her listening a little deeper so he turned up the radio to hear what was playing. His serious gaze on the road softened to a smile. He was familiar with the song, as it was new and the students of the high school where he worked were under the spell of the song as well.
She lingered in the song as her father turned it up. A dance began in her mind and then her father’s voice interrupted.
Her father was the world to her. They had gone many miles together in that truck hunting, fishing and night time outings to learn the stars. She was his shadow.
“Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every bond you break, every step you take.” He said, “Mariah, listen.”
“Every game you play, every night you stay I’ll be watching you.” He continued, as he drove.
“See them, the two fighters? Feel their contempt? ‘Every single day, every game you play.” He repeated as his face again hardened.
The dance stopped in her mind, she looked deep and saw the fighters. Remembering the smell of the wrestlers that he coached, finding the taste of hate that he had brought back from the jungle. Her thoughts found his rage in his face when nothing was perfect. Yes, she saw them.
“Yes.” She said as her voice cut the song out of the air.
Her eyes turned to him as the song resonated between them.
“Oh can’t you see? You belong to me. And my poor heart aches with every step you take.” He continued.
“Feel the hate? ‘Baby Baby Please’ to crush his face and let me win, I will overcome him. ‘My poor heart ache with each step you take’, that I did not beat you.” His face began to soften with the thought of violence.
The song sank deep into her heart in that moment. She looked out the window. They were at the high school. She could see the teens that were in love. Their lost gazes into one another, their body language, and she again heard the song.
Darkness entered her mind and again in the rhythm came the warriors, forever dancing in their passion of hate. She quickly withdrew as she followed her father into his office, hiding from the teen’s affection, hiding from the song.