1431 deadly trap
Things have changed dramatically since Andrew's collapse.
Andrew was expelled from the college for assaulting a teacher. He gave up the drums completely and started looking for a new direction in life. Andrew's father used his power and connections to sue Fletcher to the college board of directors. Andrew became an anonymous witness and eventually forced Fletcher was also fired.
Inadvertently, Andrew met Fletcher in a jazz bar. When discussing the current situation, Fletcher mentioned that he was "fired". Because it was an anonymous report, Fletcher did not know who it was. Andrew also pretended not to know, and the two of them started talking calmly for the first time..
Before bidding farewell, Fletcher said he was now the conductor of a jazz band that was about to open for the Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall.——
Carnegie Hall, the top and most noble place in the industry, is the top stage that every musician and artist dreams of. Once you get on this stage and perform successfully, you will reach the sky in one step and become a celebrity in the industry, or even create your own artist. career; but the drummer of this band was still not up to standard, Fletcher gave Andrew time to think about it, hoping that he could join their performance.
The performance numbers are "Whiplash" and "Caravan”.
Andrew was moved.
So, Andrew found his drum set again, started practicing basic skills again, started playing "Whiplash" and "Caravan" again, and challenged the four hundred hits again..
After actually sitting on the stage of Carnegie Hall, Andrew became nervous. The nightmare seemed to invade again and lingered. The wounds and calluses on the palms were not enough to make up for the panic in his heart. His forearms and palms couldn't help but start. Trembling, he knew it was too cowardly to act like this, but he couldn't control himself..
Raising his eyes and glancing at the score of "Whiplash", those painful and dark memories surged up again, forcing Andrew to take a deep breath, take another deep breath, and compulsorily calm himself down. Then, Fletcher appeared on the stage.
Fletcher did not rush to the podium, but stopped in front of Andrew..
Andrew's mood relaxed a little, and he tried hard to outline a shallow smile, and raised his head to meet Fletcher's gaze. However, the stiffness and tightness at the corners of his mouth still revealed the anxiety deep in his heart, and his upper body leaned forward slightly. , thinking that Fletcher had something special to explain to him.
“Do you think I'm stupid? "Fletcher's wordless sentence made Andrew slightly stunned, and he didn't understand where this sentence came from..
“What? "Andrew's facial expression was slightly stiff, his eyebrows were slightly frowned, and he asked in confusion..
Fletcher stared at Andrew quietly, his expression not fluctuating much, but his condescending perspective held a sense of majesty, and he still said without context, "I know it's you..”
Those eyes were cold and indifferent, even if there were no waves, they still revealed a bloodthirsty cruelty, as if they were looking at a corpse. The corner of Fletcher's mouth twitched slightly, not a smile, nor murderous, but that biting... The coldness was released without reservation, causing Andrew to fall into the ice cellar in an instant.
he knows.
Fletcher knows.
Fletcher knew it was his snitch that cost him his job. So today? Today is a trap, a sweet trap.
The reason why Carnegie Hall is known as the highest stage in the industry is because of the high-end performance and the professionalism of the audience. Only the top performers can appear here, and only the best musicians can take the stage. Likewise, Only the best viewers can taste the difference.
Everyone knows that if you give a wonderful performance here, you will become famous in one fight, reach the sky in one step, and officially confirm your position in the industry. From then on, you will embark on the road of success and start your career. The glory and accolades are unparalleled.
But everyone tends to overlook that if you mess up a top professional performance here, it will be infamous for forever. Even the smallest and simplest mistakes can be keenly captured by the audience here in a flash. , which will then become a label that accompanies the musician throughout his career..
This is Fletcher's trap.
Because Fletcher is sure and certain: Andrew will not be able to complete the four hundred hits of "Caravan", and may not even be able to overcome the shadow of "Whiplash".
So Fletcher issued an invitation: He was going to destroy Andrew's career, once and for all..
If he messes up the performance at Carnegie Hall, it will have no impact on Fletcher, who is over fifty years old, not to mention being expelled from the academy has affected his career; but for Andrew, who is only nineteen years old, He can basically bid farewell to the jazz band completely. Even if Fletcher's professional reputation will be further damaged, Fletcher is willing to choose to die together with Andrew..
Simply put, Fletcher is out to destroy Andrew.
“I know it's you." This was Fletcher's only sentence. His eyes, so cold and without any warmth, fell lightly on Andrew's body, and then all the cruel memories swarmed up..
Watching Fletcher's back walking towards the front of the stage, Andrew began to tremble slightly uncontrollably. The fear from the depths of his soul made all the muscles in his body tense up. He raised his head slightly and stared at Fletcher intently. That bald head, the intimidation and oppression pouring down from top to bottom, made Andrew almost breathless..
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to open for the JVC Music Festival, I'm Terrance-Fletcher, and these are some of the best musicians in New York, the best in the world. Musicians, we'll be playing some traditional stuff, but before that, we'll open with a brand new piece by Tim-Simonec called 'Upswinging）’.”
Andrew's whole body was frozen in place, and his restless mood could not be calmed down at all. As Fletcher's words progressed, the anxiety suddenly solidified, his eyes widened, and he looked at Fletcher in disbelief.：
“Swing up? What's up?？”
He didn't receive any notification at all.
Then he saw Fletcher turn his head, and the curve of the corner of his mouth rose slightly again. It was still not a smile, but a sharpness with a bloody aura, completely cutting off Andrew's last life-saving straw.——
Andrew flipped through his music stand, "Whiplash" and "Caravan", that's all; looking at the other band members calmly flipping through the music scores, everyone has a copy of "Shake Up", Andrew suddenly He was so panicked that he didn't even have time to observe Fletcher's expression and demeanor.：
That calm, triumphant, and confident attitude was like a cat catching a mouse. It held the mouse firmly under its paws, but was not in a hurry to end its life, but played with it over and over again, because The cat firmly believed that the mouse could no longer escape from his grasp..
At this moment, he holds the power of life and death.
But Andrew had no time to observe at all. All those fears, panics and low self-esteem all swarmed up and grabbed him by the throat: run away, run away, run away, this was the only thought in his mind..
Andrew tried to stand up, but his knees were weakening. He staggered back half a step and almost fell down, but he was too late because Fletcher didn't give him a chance: the performance started..
The show has started, and now we are running away, the ending is the same. This is a trap without any loopholes..
Andrew forced himself to sit down, grabbed the drumsticks with both hands, and looked left and right, but his vision was blank and blank. He had never heard of this piece before - because it was a newly created piece. , let alone practice, and now there is no music score, how can he play it?？
There was a grayness deep in his eyes, almost despairing..
But Andrew still forced himself to join in the performance, trying to blend in with everyone with some basic drum beats.
However, his drumming was like a disaster, completely destroying the performance of all his teammates. It was not a systematic rhythm and melody at all. This made him timid and hesitant, hesitating whether he should continue playing or simply play. Give up, just when he is ready to surrender——
The time has come to join in the drumbeat.
The cellist standing nearby said gloomily, "Please! Play! Play."！”
It was also a major performance opportunity for the rest of the band, and while they didn't go wrong, what chance did they get at Carnegie Hall? If you miss this time, how long will you have to wait?？
Andrew could only grit his teeth and continue playing, but... this was a disaster, a complete disaster. Andrew's performance and the band's performance were completely two different things. Even amateur audiences could hear the incompatibility..
Finally, Fletcher closed his hands and the performance ended, but Andrew's drumming, which was not even amateur level, actually continued. He stopped in a panic, and then lowered his head deeply, deeply, Shame and humiliation have completely destroyed his last line of defense.
I hesitated for a moment in Carnegie Hall, and vaguely remembered the scattered applause, which was even more shameful than the silence..
Fletcher came to Andrew and whispered, "I guess you just don't have such a talent..”
Andrew stared blankly ahead. The light in the depths of his pupils was defeated bit by bit. He was even more embarrassed and worse than despair. He stared at the audience directly in front of him in confusion, confusion, fear and bitterness. Through In that milky yellow halo, you can only see the audience members who are trying their best to suppress their shameful expressions..
Deep in the eyes, cold tears began to well up little by little, as if one could see the soul losing color little by little, and finally turned into a dead silence..
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