Deteriorate

The Beginning.

Scott

I stand on the stage, sweaty and exhausted.

I grab my mic from behind me and just pray that I will get through this last song.

Just a few minutes, you got this.

You can't let them know that you're hurting.

I'm not hurting, it's just...

Mental.

It's all in my-

"...point it, zoom it, press it..."

Mitch glances over at me, clearly surprised at my late entrance.

The scrim all of a sudden falls and I see lights flashing in front of me.

You do this every night, Scott.

I know I do, but-

"Like the legend of the Phoenix..."

Barely made it.

"It keeps the planet spinning..."

Like my head right now.

I can barely focus on the song.

"One more time!" The lights send shooting pain through my head.

I drop my mic, causing feedback to ring across the stadium.

"Scott!"

I clench my eyelids shut as a fiery pain shoots through my skull.

"Call an ambulance, call an ambulance now!"

Fireworks.

Fireworks exploding inside of my brain.

I hear murmuring from the audience.

Shouting, singing, praying.

I don't even realize that I'm screaming.

"Scott, hang on for me." I hear a frantic voice say.

Those are the last words that I hear before falling into darkness.