FicWad

I woke up with a start, gasping for breath. I looked around the room. No one was up. No one was out to get me. I fell backwards onto my rough pillow with a sigh. I closed my eyes for a second, but opened them again imediately. I couldn't gaze at the image imprinted on my eyelids for very long.
Could there really be 7?
No. I shook my head. It was just a dream. I sat up, pulling my blanket over me. I've had bad dreams before, so why was this one so terrifying?
This one felt real. Tangible. Like it could come true at any moment. I could still recall every detail. If it was true...
"Nope. No way." I muttered.
I heard someone stir in their sleep. I froze. They uttered a slight sound and fell silent.
I tiptoed outside. I was feeling pretty crappy at the moment and I didn't want waking someone up on my consience. I sat against the outer wall of the building, just as I had the night before. But this time, I wasn't practicing magic or singing. I had to think.
Could there be more? More than one? Are we missing something? Something important?
I heard voices in the building. How long had I been out here? What were they doing up?
I listened.
"There's too much pressure on her." Gerard.
"She's tough. She's okay." Frank.
"She's breaking down," Gerard persisted, "She's not as upbeat."
"Would you be upbeat if you had the nightmares she gets?" Ray asked.
"All I'm saying is..." Gerard said.
"Look, we know." Mikey interupted, "We know you don't want her to get hurt. We don't either. But she's not some little kid. She'll be fine."
"Is fine your new favorite word or something?" I walked in, smiling.
"How long have you been listening?" Ray asked.
"Long enough to know that I've been a bit too grouchy for Gee," I said, "Have I really been that depressed?"
"A little." Gerard said, "Your mood has one downhill."
"Well for your sake, I'll skip around and sing Disney songs," I winked, "Honestly, all of you are right. There is pressure, but I'm tough. I'll be alright."
They nodded.
"So what now?" Frank asked.
I froze. Should I tell them about the dream? I decided against it. No use in giving them false fears.
"Well first thing's first." Gerard said, "How's your foot, Mikey?"
"Its-" He began, catching our eyes tense at his first word, "alright."
We all sighed in annoyance. Mikey was so persistent about his damn ankle. I wish he'd just tell us what was wrong so we could help.
"Sure," I rolled my eyes.
"Honestly," He stood up and took a few slightly limping steps, "I can do whatever."
"Ok, whatever," Frank said, "Just don't complain later."
"So with that issue over," Ray said, "What should we do?"
I bit my lip. Should I twell them my fears? They seemed like they were on the fine line between reality and dreams.
"I don't know," Gerard said, "Its not as though we can hop up to the Black Plague and yell, 'Bang! You're dead!'"
"True..." Frank said, grinning, "But it'd sure be fun."
"But we can't just wait here either," I said.
We debated for a little while longer.
Then we were interrupted by rumbling.
Almost like an earthquake.
My stomach clenched.
Gerard and Frank ran to go see what was going on. I wanted to scream, "NO," but my mouth was too dry. I heard them yell out instead.
"Holy FUCK!" they cried. They ran back in with wide eyes. Please, don't be what I think.
"We have to get out of here," Gerard said breathlessly, "Its the Black Plague." No.
"Why don't we fight it?" Mikey asked, "This could be the final battle we've been waiting for."
"No..." I said hoarsely, "No... Gerard's right...we have to leave..."
They all looked at me. They must have thought I didn't think I could defeat the Black Plague. If only they knew. Well, if this keeps up they probably will.
"I'll explain later." I said flatly, "Its not what you think."
We grabbed our few belongings quickly. Ray and Frank helped Mikey outside.
When I got outside, I had to fight the urge to hurl.
It was there.
The Black Plague.
"No..." I wheezed.
It was exactly like the dream.
Not one detail was missing.
Which meant...
I felt a warm hand grab my wrist.
"Come on," Gerard pulled on me, "We need to get going!"
I nodded, unable to speak. We ran, and he pulled me along. If he hadn't been holding onto my wrist, I wouldn't have run. It wouldn't do any good to run. I knew what would happen...
It shouldn't have surprised me, but when the Black Plague was coming toward us, terror struck my heart.
The guys were confused.
"What the hell?!" Frank yelled, "We were just running from the damn thing! How is it in front of us?!"
We ran in a different direction. I was coming toward us again. We turned to go the way we were before, but it was still blocked.
There were two Black Plagues.
No, three. There was one behind us.
I blinked. No, they were surrounding us. 7.
"Seven! What the hell?!" Frank cried.
Mikey's eyes were wide, Ray's knuckles were white as snow. I didn't want to look at Gerard's face. He was already gripping my wrist murderously.
The sky darkened impossibly and clouds came like a flood, as the air rumbled around us. The seven Black Plagues surrounded us.
Just when we thought we were going to die (again), the Black Plagues stopped, each one with a smug smirk imprinted onto its cold skull. I shuddered at the icy smoke billowing behind them. We heard a voice, deeper and crueler than the one in my dream.
"The famous Black Parade," It taunted, "How great our you now? Only 5 members left, one of them a silly little girl."
I wasn't scared anymore. I was defiant. If I was going to die, I wouldn't go down without a fight. The others' faces also expressed anger. Gerard had released my wrist.
"A girl who can kick your ass!" Frank said.
The sky chuckled.
"You're outnumbered." It said.
"Seven's just a number." I said.
"A lucky number." the clouds said.
"I didn't know clouds were superstitious." Mikey teased.
"I didn't know cripples were so outspoken."
Mikey's expression soured.
"But I haven't come to kill you," the voice said, its tone still light, "I've come to enlighten you. Tell you how stupid you've been. I've been laughing at how you've thought only one Black Plague was killing all your friends. But then your ignorance got annoying. So, here you are. There are seven Black Plagues. And then there's me. Their master. The Black Death. So you're out to kill me? That's funny. Five young kids trying to kill me. Well, if you were to kill me, you'd need to kill my seven minions. They're a part of me. Them, you'd need to kill me. Good luck with that."
"Luck again?" I smirked.
"Well, no, you'd need more than luck. A miracle. I look forward to killing you."
And then we were alone.
"Well, I guess we can go back to the building." Ray said.
"That's one positive aspect." Mikey said.
"That's the only positive aspect." Gerard said.
"Not true," I protested, "We know how to beat the Black Death."
"Huh," Gerard smiled, "Is chipper Cassidy back?"
"Of course," I laughed, "The nightmare is over."
"Cassidy," Frank said, "I don't know if you noticed, but that was all real."
I rolled my eyes and then explained my dream to them.
"So you knew?" Mikey asked, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I didn't think it was coming true." I sighed, "Do all your dreams come true?"
"Thank God, no." Gerard mumbled. I gave him a puzzled look. "Nevermind."
"Anyway," I continued, "Sorry. Do you want me to tell you about every dream I have?"
"No," Frank said quickly, "No thanks. Keep your twisted dreams to yourself."
I laughed.
"So we have to find them then?" Mikey piped up, "The seven Black Plagues?"
"Looks like it," Ray nodded, "Find each one and then kill it."
"Lovely." I said sarcastically.
"Just my idea of fun," Frank chimed in.
"Eh, its better than some things." Gee said.
"Like...?"
"Screwing cows."
"Cause we do that all the time."
"'Course."
One of the worst things that could've happened had happened, and yet we were joking around.
Why?
We weren't clueless.
Sure, dreams come true. But so do nightmares.