The Black Parade

“I’d just like to stress right now that it wasn’t my fault,” I started, suddenly rather frightened of what Gerard might just do to me. “Frank made me do it!”

“Thanks Gwen,” Frank huffed, punching me rather hard in the arm. So even in death you can feel pain. Just great, there was nothing really different about being dead, really. That kind of sucked. Though I wondered, perhaps you know, in death there was still… wink-wink nudge-nudge! That could be interesting.

“It wasn’t a wise idea, Frank,” Gerard said, still looking furious.

“Look, I’m just worried about you, okay?” Frank replied.

“It’s none of your business,” Gerard snapped.

“It is my goddamn business!” Frank began, his voice raising, beginning to get angry. “He was my friend as well, one of my closest friends, and you think I don’t fucking care? You know what Gerard, fuck yourself, I can’t stand you right now. All you’ve ever done is wallow in your self-pity because you could never stand being happy!” He was shouting by now as he stormed away from Gerard, leaving me alone with him. Gerard hadn’t even said anything that bad, though I’d probably just turned up in one of the final acts of this particular argument. I wasn’t quite sure what to do. Was it right to comfort Gerard? Because after what I’d just seen I was still feeling really sympathetic. Or do I run after Frank and see if he’s okay? Decisions, decisions, decisions…

“Um… Gerard,” I started tentatively.

“Just don’t, all right?” He interrupted me, no longer sounding so angry but just slightly upset and very fed up. “Don’t bother saying anything.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologised.

“What did I say?” He snapped. I recoiled from him by instinct; right then he looked so terrifying. He sighed audibly. “It doesn’t matter, just…” he took my hand, “come on.”

He turned towards the portal Frank and I had watched him from that had gone back to its grey misty state once more. Gerard reached out, sinking his hand into the mist then pulling it away, the mist clearing to reveal a living room of sorts. It was shabby looking, the centrepiece was an old worn leather sofa and there was someone passed out on it. People were milling around with bottles of beers in their hands and there was some people dancing. It was an average crap party. The kind I avoided like the plague back when I was alive. It felt odd thinking that ‘back when I was alive’ it didn’t seem like something you’d ever think. Without a word Gerard began pulling me through the portal. The music was so loud my fillings were rattling, there was a very prominent baseline but I couldn’t make out what the song was. Gerard and I stood side by side as the party goers went about their business unaware. I was worried what would happen this time. I hadn’t exactly resigned myself to the fact I’d have to watch people die everyday, the idea was still terrifying. But considering Gerard’s mood I didn’t think this was going to be fun. Unlike Frank, Gerard didn’t tell me anything about who the person was or how they were going to die, I just waited unknowingly for something to happen.

It wasn’t such a big thing really. The man on the sofa sort of stiffened, and then his body went into convulsions, and as suddenly as it started it stopped.

And just my luck, it looked like Gerard dearest was going to sing again.

He didn’t even give the poor guy a chance to understand where he was before he grabbed him. “Well it rains and it pours when you're out on your own. If I crash on the couch can I sleep in my clothes?” He touched the guy’s hand and he jerked away, staring at Gerard wide eyed. “Cause I've spent the night dancing I'm drunk, I suppose. If it looks like I'm laughing I'm really just asking to leave.”He was almost whispering it to the man. Who was looking very confused right now, and an almost fearful look as he surveyed the crazed bleached blonde dude attempting to what… seduce him? Gerard had some major problems. “This alone, you're in time for the show. You're the one that I need I'm the one that you loathe.” He slung an arm around the guy’s waist and hauled him to his feet. The guy was looking back at his body with a very odd look in his eyes, an almost ‘well that’s not good’ look. “You can watch me corrode like a beast in repose cause I love all the poison away with the boys in the band.” Gerard turned to me then, staring straight at me, a harsh look in his pretty hazel eyes, almost daring me to question what he was doing. I didn’t see why he had to take out his anger on this poor soul who had no fucking clue what was going on, he hadn’t even attempted to explain anything to him, the poor guy. “I’ve really been on a bender and it shows,” he grinned at me then, a very untrustworthy grin, “so why don't you blow me,” he wasn’t going to stop there was he? I mean I’ve heard of being direct but that was just taking the piss. Then he mimed blowing a kiss to me, how fucking bizarre, “a kiss before she goes?” Oh right, cool, that’s all right, at least he wasn’t asking me for… um… yeah. There was a knowing look in his eyes when he clicked his fingers.

I was expecting The Black Parade to start making it’s way through the party but instead Gerard seemed to take a weird hold over every person there and they all turned to me, not seeing, their looks entirely blank, their eyes focused on the wall behind me. What do you think you’re doing Gerard Way?

“Give me a shot to remember,” Gerard began singing, still grinning at me, as the crowd split into couples and began to dance. Did he have the authority to fuck with the living like this? The men spinning the women out, all centred around Gerard and the terrified man. “And you can take all the pain away from me.” The women spun back into their partners in time with the music. Their looks still blank. Their minds somehow taken over by Gerard. “A kiss,” he grabbed the mans chin forcing him to look at him,“and I will surrender.” And then he kissed his lips, lightly, his eyes open all the time watching me for some sort of reaction. I rearranged my face into a blank look; I wasn’t going to let on that I didn’t approve of his mood right then. “The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead.” He stated as he pushed the guy away from him making him fall to the floor. He turned to me and began to advance. What in Hell did he think he was doing? [i“A light to burn all the empires,” the couples still danced around him as he stalked towards me, [i“so bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be.” One man leant his girl back far right in front of Gerard, her long black hair trailing along the floor, Gerard trailed his hand just above the skin of her neck, following the curve of her body but refusing to look away from me. “In love with all of these vampires.” He stopped right before me and offered me his hand. Like I’d take it. Hello, he had a job to be doing here, there was no time to be playing Fred Astaire and fuck if I’m going to be his Ginger Rogers. “So you can leave like the sane abandoned me.” He took my hand forcefully and dragged me into the throng of dancing people. Their movements were similar but the way they were placed made it look slightly out of sync.

“There's a place in the dark where the animals go,” he pulled me in tightly to him, his hips rubbing against mine. Okay, this was not a good position to be in. Think un-happy thoughts. Think un-happy thoughts. “You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow.” He ran his hand down my bare arm, and with a sudden jerk he’d pushed me backwards so I was leaning in his arms, my harsh breathing making my breasts very prominent in that position. “Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands.” Like he had done with the girl before he traced his hand down my neck, but not stopping at the neck of the dress. He slowly inched his hand down the silk towards my breasts. Thank god this stupid dress he’d put me in had a high neck because I don’t think I’d appreciate Gerard touching up my bare skin right now. “Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo.”

Right enough. His hand just grazed my breast and I don’t think I can cope with this. I struggled in his arms until I broke free but I ended up landing on my ass in a not very dignified position. I’m so great at this.

“I've really been on a bender and it shows,” there was a very big, and not very nice, smirk on Gerard’s lips as he continued to sing, “so why don't you blow me a kiss before she goes?” He actually looked hopeful for that one.

Screw that. Okay, wrong choice of words. I do not want to screw Gerard Way right now… I don’t, really I don’t. Oh, screw you all!

“Give me a shot to remember,” Gerard offered me his hand and I ignored it, choosing instead to get to my feet on my own accord. “And you can take all the pain away from me. A kiss and I will surrender.” He grabbed me again, this time pulling me in as if he meant to kiss me, but I struggled away from him. “The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead.” He gave up on the kiss idea and instead spun me out, like all the other couples were doing right then. What the fuck was going through his head? “A light to burn all the empires.” He spun me back in, but so my back was to him and he dragged my hips back, rolling his so our hips went in a circular motion rubbing together. This was not good working conditions. This was the sort of thing people called sexual harassment in the work place, regardless if I liked it or not, that wasn’t the point. Though that wasn’t a thought for right now, forget I thought that, I was not enjoying Gerard Way rubbing up against me. Okay I do, so sue me. “So bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be.” He ran his hands down my thighs, Jesus Christ, am I supposed to be able to have rational thoughts now because he sure as Hell wasn’t letting me. “In love with all of these vampires.” Okay, this was going to have to stop round about now. “So you can leave like the sane abandoned me.”

I struggled away from him, he let me go, I know he did, but I was too glad to just be out of his grip and away from those devilish hips, I’m sure he was sent by the Devil himself to tempt me into very bad things. As this was supposed to be a job I headed towards the guy who was completely freaked out by the singing and dancing and the general ‘we’re in a musical’ behaviour. Who could really blame him? Gerard Way just kissed him.

Though Gerard couldn’t leave it like that. I’m not sure what he wanted, actually no, I tell a lie, it was quite obviously something to do with sticking his something somewhere and getting a kick out of it. Even in death men are slime balls. I managed to haul the guy up, who was swaying on his feet and not quite with us, I suppose it took a while to get used to the transition but I think half of this was just his natural demeanour. Drugs are bad kids; they make you unable to appreciate kisses from Gerard Way.

“Give me a shot to remember,” he was standing in front of all the dancing people now like some odd ring leader, this very pleased look on his face, “and you can take all the pain away from me. A kiss and I will surrender.” He didn’t try to touch me this time, he just watched as I struggled with the guy, silently laughing at me because he knew I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to call the parade. I was new. “The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead. A light to burn all the empires,” he gestured to all his dancing minions, “so bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be in love with all of these vampires. So you can leave like the sane abandoned me.”

He began ‘ooo-ing’ now as the dancers began to fawn all over him, this look in his eye as if I was supposed to be jealous. I’m not entirely sure what’s up with this dude but I think he may need a psychiatrist. He gets upset an angry so to make himself feel better he tries some sexual advances on a young defenceless girl. Not that I’m defenceless or anything, I can take care of myself, but this was just taking the piss.

He shooed the dancers away and began advancing on me again, his walk like a prowl, like he was stalking me. Jesus, Joseph and Mary. The music did an odd sort of fade out as he stood before me, smirking at me.

“I suppose you want a round of applause now,” I snapped, trying to get a comfortable grip on the guy so he wouldn’t slip to the floor again, but he was bigger than me and I was having a very hard time right now.

“Sugar,” he leant forward and placed his index finger beneath my chin, tilting it up so our lips were so close, “you’re not funny.” I thought he was going to kiss me, I really did, I had nearly steeled myself ready to accept it, but he just chuckled and pulled away from me, which was kind of disappointing, not that I wanted to kiss him or anything.

“Can we just hurry this up?” I asked. “I think I’ll ask to work with Frank again, at least he told me what the fuck was going on,” Gerard frowned at me for that, so I just had to add insult to injury, “and didn’t feel the urge to sing.”

“Here,” Gerard huffed, clicking his fingers and the Black Parade suddenly appeared making it’s way through the party. “I’ll let you deal with this one on your own.”

“Gerard, don-“ But he had already began fading until I was facing a blank wall. How the fuck did he do that? And when do I get to learn that? Great, just absolutely fucking fantastic. I hate that man, I really do, he has such a fucking ego, there’s enough of it to fill the entire ocean, I swear. Okay, I can do this.

“So… what’s your name?” I asked the guy I was propping up. He just stared back at me with very wide eyes. “Okay,” this was going to be harder than I thought. “My names Gwen, and um… you’re dead.” Again just those wide eyes.

Damn you Gerard Way, damn you!