He barks a laugh, looking at the other two. “Yeah, aren’t we all?”
“No, I’mreallyhuge. Like the size of a boat.”
His gaze narrows. “What the hell are you, man?”
“Kraken.”
“No fucking way,” one comments.
I nod.
“Show us,” the green one demands.
I look around. “I, uh—”
“Let’s take him to the park down the street,” he says, stepping up beside the curved-horn guy and making me feel even smaller.
That feeling is about to change, though. Because they don’t know what they’re in for.
Chapter One
Aliko
Three months later…
The energy in the arena is buzzing, even though it’s empty because the fans are still lined up outside. Now and then I catch them chanting our band name, ready to get inside and hear us play.
Unbound, Unbound, Unbound!
It’s our first tour and every show is sold out. The fans love us already and they haven’t even seen us perform yet. Sure, they’ve heard us on the radio and listened on their phones, but hearing us live? It’s a whole other experience. Trust me.
Leif, my drum tech, is doing a quick run through to make sure every drum is in tune and in the right place. He knows exactly how I like them and how they should sound. As far as drum techsgo, I have nothing to compare to, but he’s good. Listens when I ask for changes. Suggests things I may prefer but doesn’t push. And he’s easy on the eyes, which doesn’t hurt one single bit.
The Unbound is the first band I’ve ever been a part of. I never anticipated we’d get this big. I’m not sure the other guys did either. When I joined, I thought we’d be jamming in their garage, catching a gig or two at the pier, or playing in a bar like I saw so many others do. But this? This is pure fucking insanity of the best kind.
Never in the history of the world has there been a famous monster musician, never mindfourof them in a band. That alone is what’s made us blow up. We’re different, and a bit of a spectacle. But hey… it’s bringing in the fans, so I’ll take it. Apparently there’s a saying the humans have—that there’s no bad press. If they’re talking about us, it’s good. I’m just curious how long this is going to last. Will the excitement go on for years? Or will we drop off the face of the earth after this tour? It could go either way, which is why I plan to enjoy every single second of it.
Both humans and monsters have something to say about us. Some say we’re smart. Others say we’re dumb. But they’re all at our show; the crowd is a mix of humans and monsters, so I don’t care what they’re saying.
Me as an individual? I know I’m dumb. Just being up here is enough to get me shunned from my colony and killed. Kraken are meant to be kept a secret, hidden beneath the surface. We’re near extinction—I’ve recently realized this is why kraken are meant to be kept secret. Putting myself out there, letting everyone know that kraken are real, we exist, and we’re more than the stories told by sailors… it’s putting my entire civilization in danger. But I’m trusting my colony and their will to stay hidden. Humans haven’t found us yet… knowing we exist won’t change that. The ocean is a deep, dark, and gigantic place.They could search for years and still not come across my family. And if they do… who’s to say it would be negative? There are millions of monsters up here on land getting along with humans. Kraken could be the same, but that’s a battle for another lifetime.
Right now, I’m here and this is what I want to focus on.
Which is why I push away that little voice in my head. The one that tells me I don’t belong here because I’m a water creature.
This part of the world has always felt like something I missed out on. Like I was meant to be here but something along the way got messed up and I ended up in the wrong place.
Maybe that’s what reincarnation is. Maybe I used to be something that fit somewhere else. My body didn’t get the memo, but my brain did, and that’s why I feel this way—feel like I don’t belong down there but don’t quite fit in here either.
But when I play… none of that matters. Only the music matters.
Being behind a drum kit is the only time I don’t feel like I’m too much or not enough. The only place where my head is truly quiet.
So, I take what I can get. Because who cares if I don’t belong here? I don’t. Not when I have a stadium full of people chanting my name.
“How’s it going?” I say, coming up on the side of the drum kit.
Leif looks up at me and grins, the smile lighting up his face and twisting my insides.
