The My Chemical Chronicles - King of the Damned
Chapter IX
"He comes at last!" said an exasperated Ray loudly as Gerard walked into the practice room.
Mikey raised his eyebrows at Ray and sighed as he looked to the ground.
"Come on, guys, let's practice, not argue," he spoke.
Ray shrugged and went to pick up his guitar as Frank plucked a few notes on his own.
Gerard's eyes flitted from the band members to the microphone as he took his place at the front of the band. Gripping the stand, his fingers rested loosely on the mic as he altered the height of it.
"Ok, guys," he said to the rest, "let's just have a run-through of the album in preperation for the upcoming show, I think.."
The others nodded their consent, Ray and Frank walking over to their own microphone stands, Bob sitting behind his drum kit and Mikey standing more to the centre, nearer his older brother.
A minute later, Gerard had started singing "The End" into the microphone, a little surprised at how different his voice sounded amplified with his vampiric ears.
Minutes later Ray began pounding out the memorable "Dead" introduction - until a large "BANG" was heard and everyone whipped their heads around to look at Ray.
"Sorry..dropped the..guitar.." mumbled Ray, steadily blushing deeper shades of red.
Mikey and Frank supressed giggles as Gerard turned back to the microphone and started singing out the lyrics of the first verse.
Lyrics kept jumping out of the songs at Gerard during "This Is How I Disappear", as hard as he tried to stop it - "and live my life alone, forever now" "who walks among the famous living dead" "so far away from you"..
The song was undoubtedly drifting him into a less and less happy mood. He was relating to each of the songs on entirely new levels - and he wasn't sure if he appreciated this.
Gerard stole looks at his fellow bandmates during instrumental solos. How much longer could he go on in this situation, lying to his own band; they were like brothers to him, Mikey in the literal sense. This wasn't right.
Yet his new found relations to the song were having a clear effect on his singing - and others were noticing. It was almost effortless; he was sinking into each song, singing with such understanding and enthusiasm that the rest of the band were stunned.
They took a short break after "I Don't Love You" and the rest of the band spoke to Gerard.
"Man, you're on a roll, Gerard," complimented Bob.
Gerard gave a smile as the others spoke along the same lines of his new talent and emotion.
All except for Frank. There was something about the expression on his face..indicating suspicion.
He waited until the others had gone to get drinke before confronting Gerard.
"..You ok?" he started casually, taking a sip from a can and glancing at Gerard.
"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Gerard, equally as casually. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know," shrugged Frank off-handedly, "you just seem more..something tonight," he added, raising his eyebrows at the "something".
Gerard forced a small laugh.
"More "something"?" he tried to smile, knowing exactly what Frank was talking about.
Frank didn't need to answer. He shot Gerard a meaningful look before glancing back down at the can in his hand for a few seconds before taking another sip.
"I'm fine, mate," Gerard said seriously, "really, I am."
Frank looked at his face once more, and Gerard saw that he was still unconvinced, disbelief in his eyes. He walked away to join the others, leaving Gerard standing on his own.
He took a step forward - then paused suddenly.
Gerard gave a small involuntary shudder and glanced over his shoulder.
There was nothing there. But Gerard could feel it.
Someone was watching him.
"Come on, Gerard!" called Mikey. The rest of the band had already resumed their positions.
Pulling his head back to face the band again, Gerard decided there was nothing to do except carry on with the practice.
He took his place at the microphone stand as the instruments began playing "House of Wolves".
The feeling stayed with him for the rest of the practice, adding to his discomfort which had already appeared with Frank's suspicion.
The songs passed by until the band had reached the end of "Famous Last Words". The others had a rest on their instruments as Gerard practised the last song - "Blood". Although it was rare that they played the song in shows, Gerard had always found it an entertaining song to sing, and tonight was no different.
And another change had occurred to Gerard's voice. As he sang out the lyrics to the final song, he found himself wishing for the very subject he was singing of - blood. It was painfully ironic, Gerard thought to himself, almost smiling at the peculiar situation.
At the end of it, Gerard was hungry for blood again. It was a terrible vice to be addicted to - he thought of his first kill, and the emotions that had followed.
He was dreading his next feed.
Mumbling goodbyes to his bandmates, he left the room, not meeting Frank's eyes as they followed him out.
The prickling sensation of being watched ebbed away the further he went from the practice room - the stranger seemed to have seen enough for the time being and was leaving.
But it left Gerard to think again on the mysterious stranger..who were they? What were their intentions? Could it possibly be his maker?
And if it was - what did they want with Gerard..?
Mikey raised his eyebrows at Ray and sighed as he looked to the ground.
"Come on, guys, let's practice, not argue," he spoke.
Ray shrugged and went to pick up his guitar as Frank plucked a few notes on his own.
Gerard's eyes flitted from the band members to the microphone as he took his place at the front of the band. Gripping the stand, his fingers rested loosely on the mic as he altered the height of it.
"Ok, guys," he said to the rest, "let's just have a run-through of the album in preperation for the upcoming show, I think.."
The others nodded their consent, Ray and Frank walking over to their own microphone stands, Bob sitting behind his drum kit and Mikey standing more to the centre, nearer his older brother.
A minute later, Gerard had started singing "The End" into the microphone, a little surprised at how different his voice sounded amplified with his vampiric ears.
Minutes later Ray began pounding out the memorable "Dead" introduction - until a large "BANG" was heard and everyone whipped their heads around to look at Ray.
"Sorry..dropped the..guitar.." mumbled Ray, steadily blushing deeper shades of red.
Mikey and Frank supressed giggles as Gerard turned back to the microphone and started singing out the lyrics of the first verse.
Lyrics kept jumping out of the songs at Gerard during "This Is How I Disappear", as hard as he tried to stop it - "and live my life alone, forever now" "who walks among the famous living dead" "so far away from you"..
The song was undoubtedly drifting him into a less and less happy mood. He was relating to each of the songs on entirely new levels - and he wasn't sure if he appreciated this.
Gerard stole looks at his fellow bandmates during instrumental solos. How much longer could he go on in this situation, lying to his own band; they were like brothers to him, Mikey in the literal sense. This wasn't right.
Yet his new found relations to the song were having a clear effect on his singing - and others were noticing. It was almost effortless; he was sinking into each song, singing with such understanding and enthusiasm that the rest of the band were stunned.
They took a short break after "I Don't Love You" and the rest of the band spoke to Gerard.
"Man, you're on a roll, Gerard," complimented Bob.
Gerard gave a smile as the others spoke along the same lines of his new talent and emotion.
All except for Frank. There was something about the expression on his face..indicating suspicion.
He waited until the others had gone to get drinke before confronting Gerard.
"..You ok?" he started casually, taking a sip from a can and glancing at Gerard.
"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Gerard, equally as casually. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know," shrugged Frank off-handedly, "you just seem more..something tonight," he added, raising his eyebrows at the "something".
Gerard forced a small laugh.
"More "something"?" he tried to smile, knowing exactly what Frank was talking about.
Frank didn't need to answer. He shot Gerard a meaningful look before glancing back down at the can in his hand for a few seconds before taking another sip.
"I'm fine, mate," Gerard said seriously, "really, I am."
Frank looked at his face once more, and Gerard saw that he was still unconvinced, disbelief in his eyes. He walked away to join the others, leaving Gerard standing on his own.
He took a step forward - then paused suddenly.
Gerard gave a small involuntary shudder and glanced over his shoulder.
There was nothing there. But Gerard could feel it.
Someone was watching him.
"Come on, Gerard!" called Mikey. The rest of the band had already resumed their positions.
Pulling his head back to face the band again, Gerard decided there was nothing to do except carry on with the practice.
He took his place at the microphone stand as the instruments began playing "House of Wolves".
The feeling stayed with him for the rest of the practice, adding to his discomfort which had already appeared with Frank's suspicion.
The songs passed by until the band had reached the end of "Famous Last Words". The others had a rest on their instruments as Gerard practised the last song - "Blood". Although it was rare that they played the song in shows, Gerard had always found it an entertaining song to sing, and tonight was no different.
And another change had occurred to Gerard's voice. As he sang out the lyrics to the final song, he found himself wishing for the very subject he was singing of - blood. It was painfully ironic, Gerard thought to himself, almost smiling at the peculiar situation.
At the end of it, Gerard was hungry for blood again. It was a terrible vice to be addicted to - he thought of his first kill, and the emotions that had followed.
He was dreading his next feed.
Mumbling goodbyes to his bandmates, he left the room, not meeting Frank's eyes as they followed him out.
The prickling sensation of being watched ebbed away the further he went from the practice room - the stranger seemed to have seen enough for the time being and was leaving.
But it left Gerard to think again on the mysterious stranger..who were they? What were their intentions? Could it possibly be his maker?
And if it was - what did they want with Gerard..?