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Gerard felt the knife settle into his chest, felt the blood flow forth from the wound, but that didn’t matter. Not yet. He had to keep going.
He staggered towards the edge of the stage, towards the white tape outline he was meant to land in. His legs gave out beneath him but he didn’t relent, crawling forwards on his hands and knees until he finally settled in his final resting place.
The last thought in his mind as he sang out the remaining notes was that this whole scenario seemed so, so familiar.
—
Gerard was on stage. The crowd was amazing, thousands of heads stretching on for what seemed like miles. He began to sing, remembering how everything had led to this moment. His very first performance. He had to make it count.
He said every lyric with purpose and passion, grinning as the crowd cheered and screamed along. This was it. This was what made all the… work it had taken to get on that stage worth it.
He couldn’t remember any rehearsals.
How had he gotten there?
Gerard refused to let his smile falter, refused to stop belting the words at the top of his lungs. It must have been the adrenaline, distracting him, making it hard to think.
As he began the final number, he saw the Clown dancing towards him and instinctively braced himself for what was to come. He didn’t let his reaction show, but for some reason, deep down, Gerard was scared.
The body remembers what the mind forgets.
In a sudden burst of action, the Clown sank his dagger into Gerard’s chest. He felt it settle there, felt the blood flow forth from the wound, but that didn’t matter. Not yet. He had to keep going.
He staggered towards the edge of the stage, towards the white tape outline he was
I’ve done this before.
meant to land in. His legs gave out
This isn’t my first performance.
but he didn’t relent, crawling forwards on his hands and knees until he settled in his final resting place.
His mind raced as he sang his final notes, and the world faded quickly to black.
—
Gerard was on stage. The crowd was
The same as before.
amazing, thousands of heads stretching on for what seemed like miles. He began to sing, remembering how everything led to this moment. His very first
No, it wasn’t.
performance. He had to make it count.
Or the punishments would come.
He said every lyric with purpose and passion, grinning as the crowd cheered and screamed along. This was it. This was what made all the
torture
it had taken to get on that stage worth it.
He didn’t want to hurt anymore.
As he began the final number, he saw the Clown dancing towards him and
stay away
instinctively braced himself for what was to come. He didn’t let his reaction show, but for some reason, deep down, Gerard was scared.
The body remembers what the mind forgets.
In a sudden burst of action, the Clown sank his dagger into Gerard’s chest. He felt it settle there, felt the blood flow forth from the wound, but that didn’t matter. Not yet. He had to keep
why?
going.
He staggered towards the edge of the stage, towards the white tape outline he was meant to land in. His legs gave out
please, please stand
but he didn’t relent, crawling forwards on his hands and knees
lie still
until he settled in his final resting place.
Break the cycle.
The world winked out.
—
Gerard was on stage. The crowd was amazing,
and familiar
thousands of heads stretching on for what seemed like miles. He began to sing, remembering how everything had led to this moment.
My throat hurts.
His very first performance. He had to make it count.
My head hurts.
He said every lyric with purpose and passion,
My heart hurts.
grinning as the crowd cheered and screamed along. This was it. This was what made all the
reconditioning
it had taken to get on that stage worth it.
As he began the final number, he saw the Clown dancing towards him and instinctively braced himself for what was
fight back, coward
to come. He didn’t let his reaction show, but for some reason, deep down, Gerard was scared.
The body remembers what the mind forgets.
In a sudden burst of action, the Clown sank his dagger into Gerard’s chest. He felt it settle there, felt the blood flow forth from the wound, but that didn’t matter. Not yet. He had to keep going.
Not anymore.
Instead of collapsing and crawling, Gerard refused to falter. Instead, he ran.
don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop
He dodged microphones, wires, and instruments, mind fully set on running. He felt the dagger strike him again, over and over, but there was no stopping now.
He threw himself at the Clown, wrapping his arms around the shorter man’s body. With his final thoughts, he prayed that this time, he would truly die.
Make it count.
He heard the explosion as the Clown’s jacket blew up, and he threw his arms open, embracing the burn as the world exploded into white instead of the cruel, familiar darkness.
Long live Draag.