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It’s the last show of tour now, everything went a sort of okay and is going fine now. Oh well, not really fine to be honest, but- Great, there he is already. I thought he would’ve left forever after yesterday’s show.
Jooooosh.
‘Not now’ I think as a try to ignore the voice whilst waiting off stage to continue with the show.
Jooosh come on, play with me, Joossh pleaseee.
Stop neglecting me!
I’m not neglecting you, I’m just ignoring you.
That's what I said, you’re neglecting me. Play a game with me!
No. I’m busy.
Busy doing what exactly? Pretending you’re okay by slapping some sticks around? Or drumming as you keep calling it? Showing the fans “It’s worth it to stay alive”, really? Are you that pathetic?
Shut up, will you.
No! Play a game with me. Or else-
Or else what.
Let me finish my sentences goddamnit. Or else... I might pay tyler a visit or something and make it memorable, maybe even memorable for the fans. Who knows.
Don’t you dare mess with the people I love.
Then play with me! Or are you afraid to lose?
I stay quiet.
Oooooh Joshie is scared! Isn’t he? Wondering how that came about. Oh, I know! Because I beat you! Do you remember? I beat you. That was fun, I want to do it again. So, let’s play and then you’ll lose and then I’ve beaten you! Shall we do that? I’m already looking forward to that victory a-and-an-Ooooooh then Tyler’s face! When he discovers you lost! He will be so disappointed, wow, can’t wait to actually see it. Let’s go for it!
And just as that Spooky’s presence disappears, but instead of leaving me alone he’s on stage now. Well, actually on the screen but still on full display for the whole audience.
I notice he’s holding back at first, only inspecting his drums before he sits down and picks up the sticks like they are foreign. It doesn’t take long before it looks like he knows his way around and starts to tease.
I’ll start for you
‘You won’t win, you know that’ I say pointing at him.
What are you talking about, I’ve beaten you over and over again before. This isn’t anything new.
‘Did you really beat me though? Or was it just ‘You’re-giving-up-so-I-won-but-not-really’ beating me?’
Oh dear, are you really playing that card now? Please get a grip, it’s enevitable. I. Am. Better.
‘Are you really? Prove yourself then. Get this fucking confrontation started.’
Okay. You are weak. You always have been. That’s why when you needed to be strong I came into your life. You didn’t even come up with me yourself. Simply pathetic. When life got a little rough I had to take the lead because you simply couldn’t the pussy you are.
‘Hold on. You didn’t fucking help me with taking over. Whenever you showed up it only got worse. Complete omnishambles. The only person who made it better when life was shit is Tyler. Maybe I am weak in those situations, but you “helping” me doesn’t make you a saint, it doesn’t make you a good person. It makes you an asshole. A complete and utter dick. Tyle-’
Hold the fuck on. Tyler isn’t so great himself either and you know that. He may be around most of the time but he slits his wrists open by the littlest bumps in the road that’s called life. So he certainly isn’t strong and great. Hell he’s still less weak than you, I mean nobody can compare to your weak ass so it isn’t really that hard to compete with you on that part-
‘Part. That’s right. You’re only a tiny little part of me. I can throw you out any moment if I want. The only reason I haven’t done that yet is because I feel pity for you. That’s right. I think your situation is just sad. You must be pathetic enough to try to live a life through somebody else, but here you are. Being only a part of my life.
Ooooooh but that’s where you’re wrong bud. I am not a part of you Josh. I am You Josh. But more importantly. You are ME. AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE.
‘I AM NOT YOU SPOOKY. I never was. And you’re not me, you never were. You were a part of me, but now not even that anymore. You were never stronger than me, but now you even got weaker and I-’ I can’t hold back a chuckle. ‘I only got stronger. You got ahead of me a few times, but you didn’t defeat me completely. I am in charge, I always have been and I always will be. So for your own sake I suggest you back the fuck off and don’t come back ever again.’
Phew. That shut him up for a moment.
I haven’t won yet, because he is now glaring at me. Looking for revenge. I will finish him off.
He tries to keep up with me, I see it costs him a lot more effort than he anticipated. I’m playing faster. I glance over my shoulder and see him playing faster. I’m playing even faster, he’s playing faster. I’m playing harder, he’s playing harder. I’m playing louder, he’s playing louder. It gets more and more intense, I don’t feel like I can keep this up any longer. But then- I only hear my drumming. I look at spooky, his drumsticks fell to the ground. He sits still behind his drumset, staring to the ground. Hold on. That means he lost. That means he didn’t win. That means I did win! I won!
I stand up from my stool and take one last look at Spooky before his head explodes. I throw my fist in to the air and run to the side of the stage where Tyler stands with a big smile plastered on his face.
“Josh, I’m so proud of you, tonight you’ve beaten him for the last time. I knew you could do it.”
It’s the end of the show as I get back to the present from being deep in thought. No, the previous couple of weeks haven’t really been fun and relaxing with Spooky lingering around. I look at Tyler, he has started his speech right before trees at the end of the show. He looks back at me and I can see in his eyes he knows I’m still bothered by Spooky. He takes a moment to think and says with a grin.
“You guys should know, Josh is my favourite kind of Josh because he’s the only Josh I know.” To which the crowd breaks out in laughter, cheering and a lot of “aawws”. After the cheering has died away, Tyler pauses his playing. I send him a worried look. He sends a reassuring one back.
“Are you guys in for a Josh tune?” Tyler asks the crowd. The fuck does he mean with that.
I laugh. I absolutely love it. I love Tyler even more, and Spooky? He won’t even dare to show up now.