The Black Parade: Death Marches, Hell Hounds And Other Mishaps

''Who the heck are you?'' I snapped at the guy in front of me.

I had no idea where I was; everything seemed to have been drained of all colour, tall buildings towered over me and this guy who seemed to know me somehow and the storm clouds above us looked menassing. Still, at least it wasn't raining.

My new friend held up his hands in defense. ''Hey, relax will you?''

I stared at him in disbelief. Here I am, in a completely strange place, wondering where the heck I am and what's going on, and he expected me to relax?

''I will when you tell me who you are, where I am and why the heck I'm here!'' I yelled at him.

The guy shrugged. ''OK, we'll start with question number one: Hi, I'm Mikey.''

I nodded. ''Ok, Mikey, now we're getting somewhere. So, where are we?''

Mikey looked around, as if he was wondering the same thing. ''Um... It looks like a city.''
I shot me a sideway glance. ''Don't you think?''

I sighed in frustration. ''I gathered that, but what city?''

''Beats me.''

I rolled my eyes. He seemed as clueless as me. ''So, you don't know either.''

''Why would I say ''beats me'' if I knew?'' He said, sounding to me like he was faking innocence.

I glared at him. If he knew, why wouldn't he tell me? ''So you do know.'' I said, prodding him with a finger.

Mikey shrugged, just being plain annoying now. ''Maybe I do, maybe I don't.''

I narrowed my eyes. ''If you don't tell me I swear I'll-'' I started, raising a fist.

''Max!''

I stopped and spun around, looking for the sorce of the voice that had called my name. There was no one behid me, just the rest of the city.

''Looks like you're needed elsewhere, huh?'' Mikey said behind me.

I looked around at him. ''Huh?''

He rolled his eyes. ''You're dreaming, duh!''

I frowned. I was dreaming?''

''You shouldn't be here yet, nor should you even know me! But you do.'' Mikey went on. ''And judging by my big brother's sudden urge to sing every five minutes, you should be here soon, so get ready for it.''

Ok, now I was just plain confused.

''Max! I found them!'' The voice called, louder this time.

I spun around again, but again, nothing. ''Who is that?'' I wondered out loud.

''Why don't you find out?'' Another voice asked. It didn't sound like Mikey or the other voice that had called before. This time it sounded a lot older...
Before I had chance to ask what the voice meant though, everything went black.

***

I sat bolt upright in bed, feeling really disorientated. I looked around and sighed in relief. No freaky city, no Mikey. Just my own room. I sighed again and fell back onto my pillows just when...

''Max? Max! You're awake!'' Tom yelled, jumping up and down beside my bed in exitement.

I sat up again and looked at him as if he was mad, which he must have been if he'd come here at this time of night just to tell me I'm awake!

''Look, look! I found them, I found them!'' He continued, waving what looked like a photo in front of my face.

''Found who?'' I moaned sleepily, snatching the photo out of his hands to look at it.

''The parade! I told you they're real!''

The photo was of some float with a load of guys on top of it wearing some pretty weird jackets. Ok... Not that I believe Tom or anything, but aren't parades supposed to be - I don't know - bigger than that?

I glanced at Tom who was beaming up at me. I rolled my eyes and tossed his photo back to him. ''Tom, you could have just got that off the internet or something. Why should I believe you?''

Tom's face immediately fell. ''Because I had to : 1: kill myself 2: get chased into some weird forest by Lead Guy and 3: go through ressurection - which feels pretty weird, by the way - to get that blooming picture!''

I blinked. How long had it took him to make all that crap up? ''Tom, two words: Go - Home.'' I told him, turning over and trying to go back to sleep, hoping he'd leave.

There was a long awkward silence. ''Wait.'' Tom said, suddenly remembering something. ''Mikey said he was going to send you something. Did you get it? What was it?''

I opened my eyes, but didn't turn over to look at Tom. Just stared at my bedroom wall in disbelief. Did he mean the same guy from my dream?

Giving up, Tom sighed and went to leave - through my open window.
Man, he seemed kind of bummed... I mean, I didn't mean to be so harsh on the guy, but I got a feeling he'd rather hear it from me than some creep off the streets, right? I don't actually know how he found out about that parade thing he kept going on about, but whoever told him about it ought to be shot. That thing could get him into one heck of a lot of trouble some day...
Sighing, I tried to go back to sleep, hoping that the weird dream I'd had before didn't come back.
About ten minutes later though...

''Max! Jake stole my photo! Jake stole my photo!''

I groaned. ''Then go tell your parents or something.''

''What? At this time of night?'' Tom said, climbing back inside my open window. ''They'd kill me!''

I glared at my bedroom wall, not turning over to look at Tom. And he thought I wouldn't kill him for waking me up at this time of night? He was very mistaken... but I kept my cool.
''So what do you want me to do about it?'' I asked.

''Well, I was kind of hoping you could get it back for me?''

I sat up, feeling even more exhausted than I had when I'd went to bed. ''And why should I? You gonna pay me this time?'' I snapped.

Tom looked close to tears after that remark. '''Cause Mikey made me promise I wouldn't show it to anyone but you or else he said Lead Guy would come and get me and he's really scary, Max! I don't ever want to see him again, please! Just get the dumb photo back, I promise I'll forget about the parade, I'll tear the photo up and never think of it again, anything! Just please get it back!''

And with that, he turned on the water works. I rolled my eyes and hopped out of bed - I had a feeling I wasn't getting any sleep tonight.
''Come on then.'' I sighed, grabbing a flashlight from my bedside table. ''Let's get this over with.''

Tom's face lit up and I followed him out the window - at that moment I felt grateful that I lived in a bungallow.

***

''Where have you been?''

Mikey flinched as he passed his leader's bedroom door. He was hoping he hadn't heard him come in... obviously he had.
Turning around, he shot his brother a guilty grin. ''You know, just out.''

His brother didn't look convinced - Not that he ever showed any kind of real emotion.
''I hope you didn't do anything you'll regret later.'' He said coldly. ''She'll know.''

Mikey gulped and looked around anxiously, hoping that she wasn't nearby. Thankfully though, she wasn't.

''Relax.'' His brother said. ''She's not here. She's at Mother War's tower.''

Mikey frowned. ''How come? You going out again?''

''You should know better than anyone.''

''So, yes, in other words.''

''Maybe. Do I have a name to go by?''

Mikey thought for a moment. His brother and the girls were after a girl around his age, that much he knew, but when he'd looked in his mirror earlier on, it hadn't given him a name. ''No. I only know that it's a girl.''

''Very well.'' His brother said, heading for the stairs.

Mikey hesitated. He had seen more, something he'd never seen in any other new member before. But should he tell his brother about this? What if he decided not to let her join because of it? But maybe he ought to know...

''Gerard.'' He called after his brother.

His brother turned and nodded. ''Yes?''

Mikey hesitated again for a moment. Maybe he did ought to tell him but... Maybe he shouldn't, just in case. In the end, he just shrugged. ''Good luck.''

He'd need it...