The Black parade

The images on the screen started out blurry, as if underwater. I strained my eyes to focus the picture, but only gave myself a headache.

"Don't worry, they will clear up soon enough!" Virgil said patiently.

No sooner had he said that, the screen cleared, and I saw what looked to be my younger brother on the screen.

"Now, pay close attention to all that you are about to see! For these are things that you never knew while you were alive! These are things that you could have helped if you had been more attentive to your families love!" Virgil said from behind me, his bony hand resting firmly on my shoulder.

I watched as my brother was sitting on his bed, just sitting, slowly rocking himself. My curiosity turned to mute horror, as I saw him withdraw a double edged razor from his bedstand.

"What is he going to do?!" I whispered to no one in particular.

I wanted to look away, as he ran the sharp blade across his flesh, opening up blood chasms in his legs. I knew where he had learned that technique.

"What is this shit?! My brother was never a cutter! I told him never to do that shit! I told him never to end up like me damn it!" I shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the screen.

Virgil was silent behind me, but his grip was still firm, as if to hold me down in my seat as I writhed in an uneasy tremor.

"He learned from you! It's a lie really, when you smiled and said to them that you didn't feel a thing. And you'd laugh, because it was all a joke! You'd laugh so hard it would sting! Always running from the cops after shop lifting, or painting graffiti on buildings, you were a hellion, and your brother was always there to learn and watch from you! It's your fault that he is who he is!" Virgil said coldly.

"This is wrong! I told him it was wrong! I told him that it felt so wrong!" I shouted at the screen, "And I'd keep him listening all night long, but it doesn't matter now that I'm gone, cause you never learned a god damned thing!"

The screen continued to show him, cleaning up the blood, applying first aide to stave infection.

"Oh no...ugh..oh God no..this is horrible. This is so horrible!"

"You could have helped him! If you had only tried to live your life instead of wallowing in death, you could have changed his life!" Virgil hissed in my ear, his breath cold as a tomb.

The image on screen flickered for a moment, before shooting to my two younger sisters.

"Now what?! They gonna sniff glue?!"

Virgil silenced me, "Shh, just watch young master! "

I watched as they were putting makeup on in the room that they had shared together. When they were done, they snuck out of the window and into the night.

"Big deal, all teenagers do that! I did that when I was their age!"

But suspense silenced me, as I watched them run to the back of a parking lot near their house. They met up with some older looking guys, rough looking. They got into a car with them, and pretty soon, the windows were clouded with smoke.

"What are they doing?!" I shouted.

"Doing what any curious rebellious teenager would do! Sneak out, get high, and get laid!" Virgil responded matter-of-factly.

"Oh fuck this! I'm not going to watch my little sisters get fucked up and fuck!"

"Too bad.." Virgil said calmly, his fingers digging deep into my shoulder.

As hard as I tried to close my eyes and look away, I could not.
I heard them moan as they were giving themselves to these men. I heard them smoking up, and then the tell-tale whimper as they injected heroine into their body.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I vomitted hard and heavy onto the floor.

"Okay, we're done with that! Next!" Virgil said cheerfully, pulling me back into my seat.

Again the screen flickered, my mother popped up for a moment, then flickered out.

"What the?!"

Virgil cleared his throat, "She was depressed of course, but nothing majorly different in her routine. She's not worth going over!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

"Simple, she didn't do anything to hurt herself or you. And the footage we have of her isn't worth sharing with you!"

I was annoyed by this, and Virgil smiled at the fact.

"It's simple young master! She isn't fucked up like the rest of your family. We are here to make you suffer, and hurt, and ache. She does none of that, so she is worthless here in hell. Get over it." He said coldly with a sting.

I was shocked, never had I heard Virgil use profanity!

"Ahh yes, this part is my favorite! I'm sure you'll enjoy it yourself!"

Grace appeared. She was sitting at a cafe, all by herself. She hadn't touched her coffee, and she looked sadder than usual. Eventually, she gave up on the cup of coffee, paid, and left.

The next scene, she was in the bathroom, finishing up with a pregnancy test.

"Wh- What the hell is this?!" I stammered.

Grace went to the door, someone had knocked. I saw myself on the screen shuffle in. I was still able to walk, but looked gaunt and drained. I took a seat at a small table with her.
She tried to tell me something, but I was too depressed and drugged up to pay any mind.

"I- I remember that day, vaguely. I came over, cause she wanted to tell me something. But I really wasn't interested. I figured, she was gonna kick me to the curb soon, so nothing mattered. I felt that she was only staying with me out of pity."

I watched myself, how I just sat there in a slump, staring off into space. How I didn't listen to her, about how she had something important to say. How she tried to get me to look her in the eyes, to take my hand in hers. I had only pulled away, distancing myself.

"I don't want to watch this!" I said, covering my face with my hands.

Grace tried to touch my face, but I had only knocked her hand away weakly, telling her not to touch me. She tried to continue talking to me, but I told her it was useless, that if she had me come over here to break up, that was fine, she could do it and get it over with.

"I don't want to watch THIS!"

I saw her leave to get something, and how I slowly got to my feet. I stumbled around a little, then fell over, striking my head on the side of the table.

"I DON'T WANT TO WATCH THIS!!!!!"

I sat up in my chair and moved to leave, Virgil grabbing me by my collar firmly.

"Get the fuck away from me!" I shouted at him, swinging madly at him.

I missed and fell, and saw the final moments on the screen unfold.

Grace came back into the room, to help me. I was ashamed, angry, emotional, unstable. She had reached out to help me up, and I told her, "Get the fuck away from me" and I back handed her. I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to hurt her! I dont't know why I had done that, but she fell back hard, and landed on her stomach. She laid there for a moment, slowly rolling over onto her back, clutching not her jaw where I had stuck her and was now bleeding. She was clutching her belly, and sobbing uncontrollably...

"STOP IT!!!!" I screamed, clawing madly at my IV in my arm.

I yanked and tugged as hard as I could on it, feeling it twisting and tearing at my skin. I felt it give a little, then with one last yank, pulled it out of my arm.
Brackish blood oozed out of my open wound, I raised the freed catheter high, and began to stab myself in the chest again and again and again.

Someone stopped me, I wasn't sure who it was at first. I brought the sharp bent needle back down for another stab, when it became snagged in something. Through my tears, I saw it had become impated in what looked to be a hand. I followed the hand, to the arm, to the epulated shoulders of Virgil.

His face was calm, no signs of pain, anguish, or anger.
He quickly tore the catheter from my hands and withdrew the needle from his flesh. No blood spilled forth, only dust.

"Yes, we do feel pain here in hell. But we do not bleed, unlike you! I have been here long enough to no longer bleed! Now, are you finished?!"

I could only nod weakly, as he helped me to my seat, and with firm hands, held me in place.

As I watched, I cried bitterly.

I cried as I saw myself slowly get to my feet, try to help Grace up, but she only pushed me away, crying the entire time. She told me to leave, and that if I wanted to die, that was fine, but do it on my own. She readied herself to slap me, and I was ready for it, more than willing to recieve it. But she knew her blow could kill me, and she stopped herself. She quietly told me to get out or she'd call the police. I took my leave.

"I never knew! I swear I didn't know!" I wailed, my face cold and wet with black tears.

Virgil spoke up, "She was pregnant. She was pregnant with a little girl whom she would have named Sophie. She would be weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces. She'd have your hair color and nose, while having her mothers eyes and mouth. She would be a beautiful girl. She would get married and have twin boys-"

"SHUTUP! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I screamed, covering my ears with my hands.

He continued, "She would battle drug abuse, depression, and anxiety. But she would conquer it, because of her mother telling her about how strong her father had been during his days battling cancer. She would stumble and fall, coming close to suicide, but she wouldn't go through with it, and do you know why?"

I didn't respond.

"Because..of..you."

"Fuck you Virgil.." I said quietly.

"Mmm...yes, I get that alot! If I got a soul for everytime someone whom I've guided told me that, why...I'd be the ruler of hell now wouldn't I?"

I could only sit and sob.

"Look young master, and listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you."

I didn't care.

"That trial is over! It's now time for your last and final one! This is your last and final chance to set things right! Just what do you think happened to your Grace and little girl?!"

I looked up at him, curious.

"Grace...had your little girl. She did not miscarry like you think she did. Your little girl is alive and healthy."

I was shocked, my eyes wide.

"If we allowed you to, would you like to go and see her?"

"Right now!?" I stammered.

"Yes, right now."