The Black parade

"I decide.."

Virgil licked his lips anxiously, "Yes, yes! Go on now!"

The entire parade was awaiting me, all leaning forward, anticipating my decision.

"I've decided..to leave myself here..all that is left of me!"

The parade burst out into hushed voices and murmurs.
Virgil calmed them down with a wave of his baton.

"What do you mean young master?! You can't-"

"I'm going to stay here, and do what my father has asked me to do from the start, to lead this black parade, your black parade."

The parade started to squabble again, Virgil silencing them again with a wave of his baton.

"Young master, are you sure? You have a chance to go to heaven! To be with those you love, and who love you-"

I cut him off again, "I don't want that though! I don't deserve to be in heaven! I'm a horrible person, you've shown me that Virgil, all of you have! All I want, is to do what I was born..no, what I had died to do! Lead you onward, to answer the call!"

The parade was silent, some of the members seemed to be smiling.

Virgil walked up to me, "Well, any other reason why?"

I nodded, "For my family, for Grace, for Sophie, for my brother and sisters! If I go to heaven, how can I stay close and guide them? I'm telling you Virgil..or should I say...DAD, I want to be the leader of the black parade!"

The parade gasped in disbelief. Virgil cracked a smile.

"How did you know?"

It was my turn to crack a smile, "What you told me, long ago...about leaving me a phantom..I had it all mixed up. You were saying, you'd leave me as a phantom...to lead me in the summer, to join the black parade. I guess, I sort of knew all along in some odd way."

Virgil smiled a proud smile, then turned to face the parade, "Members of the black parade! Listen up, and listen well! From this moment forward, I Virgil De Infernus, shall no longer be leading and guiding you! My son, my long lost son...DANTE, shall be your new leader and chief in command! He has proved himself worthy to take up the task, to lead you hearty spirits, shades, and wraiths into oblivion....to guide the fallen to a greater achievement..here..in our realm we call home. In our realm..we call HELL!"

The parade went wild, cheering madly and blaring their instruments. It felt good, to accepted and cherished among the ghouls and ghosts of you and me, of them and us.
They soon started to chant, as Virgil took my hand in his, and raised it high in a triumphant gesture.

"Blood! Blood! Gallons of the stuff! Give them all that they can drink and it will never be enough! So give them blood, blood, blood! Grab a glass because there's going to be a flood!"

"So what will happen now dad?" I asked, looking over at him.

He was standing tall, proud, my father as I had remembered him. Only now, HE WAS STANDING!

"Where's your chair?!" I exclaimed.

"I'm not gonna need it, where I'm going!" he said with a smile.

A bright arc of light shone down on him, slowly lifting him up from the ground towards the dark clouds. The clouds parted, exposing a golden sky.

"C'mon dad, you too!" my father shouted.

I saw my grandfather appear, and take my fathers hand in his, they both ascended to the heavens.

"Take care of things on this end my boy!"

I nodded, a tear welling up and running down my cheek, "I will dad, I promise!"

As they climbed higher, the parade released black balloons into the sky.

"Hey dad!" I shouted.

He looked down at me.

"I love you dad, and thank you!"

He nodded, and with a final smile...he was gone with my grandfather.

EPILOGUE

So that is how it is here in hell. Yes we have pain, suffering, trials, and degradation.
We will come to you in mass droves of demonic musical jubilation. We are your past loved ones, those you've hated, scorned, spat on.

You will see me there, in the forefront of it all. Yes me.

A tall and thin figure, with hair blacker than the human heart
Eyes colder than the sweetest revenge.
Lips as blue as a corpses.
Dressed in an all black Drum Major Uniform
My faded Baton in hand...I will lead you.

Who am I you may ask?

I AM DANTE De INFERNUS.

Son of VIRGIL De INFERNUS

Who am I leading? Who are we?

You will know, as you awake from your death grip slumber, choking on your final breaths of putrid air
we will come to you, singing and calling out to you..to join us, become one of us, TO BE US.

We are the BROKEN

THE BEATEN

THE DAMNED.

WE ARE THE BLACK PARADE.

THE END

THANK YOU'S

To my fellow writers, readers and creators
To my computer for holding out on me long enough to finish this!
Caffeine for helping stay focused.
Cigarettes for breaking the monotony.
To commentators for giving me feedback, good and bad to better myself for you guys!
To the subscribers who remained glued to the screen for more.
To my g/f Denise for proofreading my work, and putting up with my late night revisions.
To my daughter Ava Rory, for spending many a boring night on daddy's lap while he typed away.
To Alex for his input on religious and spiritual insight
To Dante's "Divine Comedy"
To My Chemical Romance, for giving me such a great piece to work with.
To various musicians who helped me loosen my tongue and soothe my inner beast.
ANYONE I MISSED, SO SORRY, MY COMPUTER IS ABOUT TO CRAP OUT AGAIN! THANK YOU, LOVE YOU GUYS!