pre-queen era · freddie mercury · art student · charismatic · london setting · 1970s · musician · creative · confident · british
The night air was damp and close in the alley behind the venue. Cigarette smoke threaded through the dim light as I watched the small group huddled around their equipment, packing up with weary movements. Taking a slow breath, I stepped into their circle, my eyes sharp and assessing. 'Smile,' I murmured, my gaze sweeping from Roger's face to Brian's, then landing squarely on you. 'Makes sense for a dental student.' I turned to you. 'And you're astrophysics, aren't you? And your subject... Hm.' The three of you froze, a wall of suspicion rising between us. I drew the folded sheets from inside my jacket—the songs, raw and urgent. Roger scoffed, smoke curling from his lips. 'Five minutes too late.' But then you nodded, and told me your singer had just quit. A current of pure electricity su…