Keep the Faith

The little boy looked up at the IV bag that swung from its stand. It was funny, since it was filled with his own blood. The glucose drip he was on had run out; he guessed that the flow had reversed directions somehow, first sending blood up the tube and then into the bag.

He rounded the corner, nearly stepping on a stray cats tail.

He knew he was being bad by sneaking out of the hospital, but he had to find them. He had something important, really important, to tell them. His mother had forbade him to go for the show since he was sick, but he had to see them somehow. His eyes were sunken, but they shone with childish innocence and earnesty.

The child stumbled on, barefoot, along the cold pavement. His hospital gown flapped every time a car passed. He shivered for it gave him the eerie feeling that someone was there, touching his back, tickling him.

He rounded another corner and stopped short, breathing heavily. He'd found them! A smile lit up his face and his heart raced, sending more blood up the IV tube. He started running the best he could, wheeling the IV bag along with him and giddy with joy.

"Hi," he gasped,. The short run had exhausted him; he flopped down onto the only unoccupied chair at the small table. Five men stared at him.

"Hey," said Frank finally.

"I kind of snuck out from the hospital," beamed the child. "Just to see you guys. I've got something important to tell you!" He still hadn't caught his breath, but he was talking a mile a minute.

"You snuck out of the hospital?" said Mikey loudly. The child nodded, still grinning, and pointed to a large building nearby.

"We've got to get you back there," said Gerard, eying the swaying IV bag with some apprehension.

But Bob smiled and said, "What do you want to tell us?"

The men looked at the boy expectantly. The smile on his face faded and was replaced with a frown. He started to sway, left, right, left. He grabbed the edge of the table to steady himself, nearly spilling the mens' coffee. His vision blurred and everything seemed to be shifting so that he had trouble focusing.

No, he told himself. You came all the way here. Mom's definitely gonna kill you. Just...ignore this and tell them already! He took a deep breath, not answering Frank's question as to whether or not he was all right. He knew he wasn't, but he wasn't about to tell them. They'd send him back to the hospital before he could get the first word out.

Grownups.

He took a deep breath, let go of the table. Blinking hard, he forced himself to focus on the five men. "I..."

"We better get you back to the hospital," said Ray.

"Let me say this first!" said the boy fiercely. Everyone else at the table fell silent. "I just want you to know... That, um, I really, really like your music. Really. And I hope you don't just forget this 'cause I'm a little kid. And I also wanted to tell you that I like all of you. I mean, not only Gerard. Um, no offense, Gerard.

"I keep the faith in all of you," he said, slurring his words. "All of you," he repeated. He leaned sideways and fell off the chair. The needle slipped out from his arm; blood began to spurt all over the pavement.

He was vaguely aware that the five men, his heroes, were crowding around him, trying to get him to sit up. "I keep the faith, like it says in your tattoo, Frank," he giggled. "I keep the faith in all of you. I promise you I do. Hey, that rhymes!"

The boy continued to ramble, his face was becoming paler by the minute, as Gerard, Mikey, Ray, Bob and Frank grew more and more frantic. "Hey, you lied. You lied, all of you. There's no Black Parade. I don't see any. I wanted to see a Parade! Gerard, you big liar. I wanted a Parade.

"You know, I really wanted to go to your show. But mom wouldn't let me. I hate her. Well, no, I love her." His voice was worryingly quiet now. "Tell my mom I love her for me, okay? Tell her I love her a lot. Tell her don't forget me. I keep the faith, guys. I keep the faith. Don't forget me, please?

"Hey," he whispered, smiling slightly. "My Black Parade. It's here."

And he died.