The Black Parade

I woke up in my bed. It was a typical day in zombie-land. Only something shared my bed, or, to put it more aptly, someone. It was Gerard. This was when I remembered what happened. I didn’t really care, because I knew that he would do what was atypical of his personality and ignore it. Personally, I think he should be voted king of ignoring people, especially if said people are me.

I sighed and began to get out of bed, stretching idly and moseying over to the window, beyond which chaos lay.

“Everyone, get out, Mother War is loose!” A shout came from the hectic street. It was like a wake-up call of mass-proportions. If Mother War was free, then hell on earth was to be unleashed… a World War. We had to stop this.

“Gerard, you jack-ass, wake up! Mother War is out!” He woke up with a start, and somehow immediately ran to the door, not realizing he was nude. Gee looked at me with humor in his eyes. I shrugged with equal hilarity, though this was probably the last comedic thing that would grace the Gray City, and it wasn’t even that funny!

We rushed into clothes, and ran out onto the street. Then we got anyone still in the city to safety, just outside of the metropolis limits. After joining the rest of the care-takers of the Gray City, in a town hall of sorts, we tried to come up with a strategy to get Mother War back into her enclosure, which is a very hard thing to do. Of course, the inhabitants of the city were already dead, so our indecisiveness didn’t affect people’s lives, but it was still an impatient feat to decide our course of action.

“We should let her destroy the Gray City, and then they have to send us back!” Frank argued. Gerard shook his head, obviously just trying to safely capture Mother War without hurting anyone in the process.

“I like Frank’s plan. In fact, I think we should help her, and then trap her in one of the collapsing buildings.” Said Ray, with a hand on his chin contemplatively, and a look of astonishment at his own genius on his features.

“I do miss my family, and this way no one gets hurt!” Said Bob with anticipation in his tone.

“I think we’re all in agreement. We trap her in the city hall.” Mikey affirmed. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. It was like the war room against war.

“Abbey, go to Mother War’s enclosure. There should be an old radio there. It’s what keeps her destructive energy from killing us all.” Gerard asked me, I nodded and left, there were no awkward silences, but I knew that if we survived this, there would be many to come.

“If this radio gives me cancer, I’m sending you my medical bills!” I shouted back, as I ran around the desolate town to reach the shattered set of rooms. A vintage clock radio lay eschew amongst the forlorn wreckage, and I saw what damage Mother War had done to the town.

It was like the buildings had been diminished to rubble in moments, and the flash-bang of her roar vaporized the objects inside. It looked like a ghost town, though it technically already was. The only buildings still standing were City Hall and those around it.

I ran back. My shoes clapped against the rubble, I kept tripping in potholes and over stones as I ran, pain surged through my lungs and my airways felt as if they were constricting, but I continued on. The buildings were falling down ever closer to the ground. I ran faster.

“Turn on the radio, and chuck it in there!” Shouted Gerard from on top of the building with the rest of the guys, it was shaking terribly, as if it were in the midst of a sightless hurricane. if I didn’t do this, they’d all die. I turned the dial, hearing static; I threw it in an open window about ten meters away. It made it in.

All sound ceased.

“You are all in very big trouble.” An obnoxious voice called out from the ruins. It was the Elders.

“That’s too bad. It looks like you’ve got a bit of a mess on your hands here.” Said Mikey as he jumped down from the overhanging staircase on the side of the building.

I joined the congregation of the Gray City’s custodians as we walked to see what would become of our fates.

The leader of The Elders sighed, “We obviously don’t need your help here. We’ll get some new people. The girl is too much of a nuisance no matter where she is. Just don’t hurt anybody, okay?” She asked.

“Scouts honor.” I said, giving the bear claw of Boy Scouts, and with a snap of her fingers, we were gone.

I thought that I would be all alone, but a voice spoke up behind me, as sun shone into my eyes and obscured my vision. “Where are we?” It was Gerard.

I took a legitimate look around. I remembered this place quite well, though it had been a lot less clean the last time I resided here.

“It’s where I kept the bodies, for a time.” I said; this was where I was first transported to the Gray City; he shuddered and tried to avoid touching the ground at all. “It’s just like a cemetery without markers, don’t be skittish.” I said calmly, walking around a bit.

“Right. Well, I guess I have something to say to you.” I turned around squinting at him inquisitively, and gesturing for him to continue.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think,” He took a deep breath, “I honestly love you, but I won’t be with you. We will never be able to do this because I don’t have blood on my hands. You do, and I’m sorry that it has to be this way.” He said, apologizing. There was a legitimate sadness in his tone, but it wasn’t much.

“I honestly don’t care.” I lied, “You’ve taken me for granted too many times for me to want you. Goodbye Gerard. I can say that I loved you too.” I said, placing my hand above my eyes like a visor, to block both the Sun’s harmful ray’s and the tears.

“Alright then. Bye.” He left, I could’ve sworn that he didn’t care enough to cry.

After I made sure that he walked far enough down the nearby high way, I went to the beautiful oak tree that held shade, just at the edge of the field. Its branches hung majestically over the plain grass. An old piece of rope sat in the dirt, unused. I had originally planned on just sitting there, to cry, but I didn’t want to just break down and cry right now. I wanted to use action, because action spoke louder than words, or sobs.

This rope was going to bring about that speech.

I fashioned the easiest knot out of it… one on each end. I slipped the smaller end over the tree branch. I jumped to the branch and held on for a moment. My head was in the perfect position. I slipped it into the noose.

It was easy for me, though my life was given to the rope and my eyeballs began to feel like they were squeezing their way out of my brain, I soon couldn’t feel anything. I was gone from these lies and the drama. It was numb and warm, like a soft blanket, enveloping me in its embrace.

It was beautiful.

And though you’re dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on.