Read Online Fifteen Minutes: A Novel by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Kingsbury
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contestants around them.
William took the podium and made his announcement. One of the gospel guys was in. Chandra gasped softly. She moved to the small screen anchored to the wall of the trailer. Her fingers brushed the surface, the spot where the choir guy celebrated. Sweet boy. You’re just like me. Chandra wanted to shout at him, warn him not to celebrate. Fifteen Minutes swallowed up church kids like this, like Chandra had been back then. Innocent, regular people with light in their eyes. The show loved that kind of singer. Who of them ever counted the cost?
“Boy, you have so much to learn,” she whispered to the screen even as William announced the other names. A vampire, a cheerleader, and then . . .
Chandra squinted at the white boy whose number was called last. Slowly she stepped back from the screen, scrutinizing him, his dark hair, his fine features. He looked like a young Elvis. Better, maybe. Taller, more fit. But there was something else about him, a charisma and energy. He looked like top-ten material. The gospel guy could probably sing, and the same had to be true for this guy. But this one had that intangible quality a person couldn’t fake or learn. Like he was destined for fame.
The feeling remained strong, so strong Chandra didn’t have to wonder if she’d have a chance to talk to him during the audition process. She was convinced. As she turned off the TV monitor and the lights and left the trailer, she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She prayed. For the handsome black singer and every other contestant who’d made it to tomorrow’s round.
And for the guy who looked like Elvis. Especially him. Because if her hunch was right, the boy would need it.
Maybe more than all the others combined.
IT TOOK ZACK three full seconds to realize why the cheerleaders had shifted their celebration to him. Since the man was finished, the contestants were free to talk again. The cheers and screams were almost as loud as the singing had been earlier.
“Zack, we both made it!” Zoey yelled to him from across the tent where she was receiving congratulatory hugs from a dozen singers. “Way to go, Zack!”
The news was still trying to find a place in his mind. He’d made it through? He was one of the contestants chosen for the next round? Clarence Brown, the gospel singer who’d become Zack’s friend, hadn’t made it through. Now he smacked Zack on the shoulder and hugged him. “You got a gift, man. Keep singing for Jesus.”
“I will.” Their eyes met. For the first time that day Zack felt like himself, those two words summing up his word and his promise to God. “You, too. Keep singing. This isn’t the only stage.”
“I know it.” Clarence pointed up. “God’s got a plan.” He tapped his finger at Zack’s chest. “Go shine for the rest of us.”
The tent began to clear and the four contestants made their way to the front platform. Again the guy running things seemed impatient. “You’ll meet at the stadium gates at nine tomorrow morning. Once you enter we’ll usher you into a large room where you’ll wait your turn. You’ll have one round with our producers. Eighty of you will survive that. Tomorrow afternoon those eightywill go before the TV judges.” He nodded toward the tent flap. “Thank you.”
Zack and the others headed out as the next group filed in. The vampire girl was hitting on the gospel singer before they reached the bleachers. Zack did the only thing he wanted to do—he silently thanked God, promised to sing for Him always. No matter what.
That done, he couldn’t wait to tell Reese. He pulled out his phone, turned it on and was about to call her when a producer with a camera crew motioned the group closer. “Winners over here. We need an interview.”
The questions weren’t easy. This was the part of the process where the show executives figured out who was in their midst, what set them apart and what aspect of their lives might be featured on
William took the podium and made his announcement. One of the gospel guys was in. Chandra gasped softly. She moved to the small screen anchored to the wall of the trailer. Her fingers brushed the surface, the spot where the choir guy celebrated. Sweet boy. You’re just like me. Chandra wanted to shout at him, warn him not to celebrate. Fifteen Minutes swallowed up church kids like this, like Chandra had been back then. Innocent, regular people with light in their eyes. The show loved that kind of singer. Who of them ever counted the cost?
“Boy, you have so much to learn,” she whispered to the screen even as William announced the other names. A vampire, a cheerleader, and then . . .
Chandra squinted at the white boy whose number was called last. Slowly she stepped back from the screen, scrutinizing him, his dark hair, his fine features. He looked like a young Elvis. Better, maybe. Taller, more fit. But there was something else about him, a charisma and energy. He looked like top-ten material. The gospel guy could probably sing, and the same had to be true for this guy. But this one had that intangible quality a person couldn’t fake or learn. Like he was destined for fame.
The feeling remained strong, so strong Chandra didn’t have to wonder if she’d have a chance to talk to him during the audition process. She was convinced. As she turned off the TV monitor and the lights and left the trailer, she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She prayed. For the handsome black singer and every other contestant who’d made it to tomorrow’s round.
And for the guy who looked like Elvis. Especially him. Because if her hunch was right, the boy would need it.
Maybe more than all the others combined.
IT TOOK ZACK three full seconds to realize why the cheerleaders had shifted their celebration to him. Since the man was finished, the contestants were free to talk again. The cheers and screams were almost as loud as the singing had been earlier.
“Zack, we both made it!” Zoey yelled to him from across the tent where she was receiving congratulatory hugs from a dozen singers. “Way to go, Zack!”
The news was still trying to find a place in his mind. He’d made it through? He was one of the contestants chosen for the next round? Clarence Brown, the gospel singer who’d become Zack’s friend, hadn’t made it through. Now he smacked Zack on the shoulder and hugged him. “You got a gift, man. Keep singing for Jesus.”
“I will.” Their eyes met. For the first time that day Zack felt like himself, those two words summing up his word and his promise to God. “You, too. Keep singing. This isn’t the only stage.”
“I know it.” Clarence pointed up. “God’s got a plan.” He tapped his finger at Zack’s chest. “Go shine for the rest of us.”
The tent began to clear and the four contestants made their way to the front platform. Again the guy running things seemed impatient. “You’ll meet at the stadium gates at nine tomorrow morning. Once you enter we’ll usher you into a large room where you’ll wait your turn. You’ll have one round with our producers. Eighty of you will survive that. Tomorrow afternoon those eightywill go before the TV judges.” He nodded toward the tent flap. “Thank you.”
Zack and the others headed out as the next group filed in. The vampire girl was hitting on the gospel singer before they reached the bleachers. Zack did the only thing he wanted to do—he silently thanked God, promised to sing for Him always. No matter what.
That done, he couldn’t wait to tell Reese. He pulled out his phone, turned it on and was about to call her when a producer with a camera crew motioned the group closer. “Winners over here. We need an interview.”
The questions weren’t easy. This was the part of the process where the show executives figured out who was in their midst, what set them apart and what aspect of their lives might be featured on
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