Escaping the black parade

Lost.

The next nights sleep was uneventful, she had been anxious going to bed about whether she would be taken back to the Parade but she slept a dreamless sleep. Her day felt like it had gone in slow motion, like wading through mud.

Stood behind the bar now she willed time to speed up, her brain too preoccupied with her last visit and their conversation. The bar was almost empty tonight, with no special events booked in there was only a few regulars scattered around and they mainly kept to themselves unless they needed a refill. Wiping down the bar absent mindedly she heard the door open but didn't look up until she heard the customers footsteps stop in front of her.

'What can I get......oh its you' she gasped staring straight at the white haired man in front of her.

'I'll have a Pepsi thanks' He smiled almost amused by her reaction.

'Isn't it about time you told me your name if your going to keep showing up like this' she said her voice laced with confusion still as she poured him a glass of Pepsi over ice.

'Oh no ones asked me my name for such a long time only my friends use it. Its Gerard....and yours?'

'Gerard? Mm it fits somehow. I'm Aimee. I thought you said you wasnt allowed to visit here?'

He leaned in and glanced around as if he was conspiring with her.

'What can I say I'm a rebel' He smiled.

'So what brings you to this fine establishment?' She said gesturing around the bar.

'You' He replied simply taking a sip of his drink. 'Fuck I forgot how good this tasted'

'Me? What do you need with me?'

'Well you wasn't there during the last parade and I suppose I wanted to check up on you.'

'Oh' she said surprised. She hadn't really known anyone well enough for a long time who would want to check in with her and it had come to this, a Soul collector concerned for her wellbeing. This did not help with her concerns for her mental health.

'The ones I'd be in trouble with....Well if they knew about you it wouldn't go down well. No one should be able to arrive in our city and leave voluntarily. What are you?' He asked again.

'Stop asking me that. I'm just a shitty bartender nothing more nothing less. Nothing special about me'

'Are you lost?'

'I'm sorry what?' She spluttered thinking back to her thoughts before there was no way he knew she had been thinking about that was there?

'In life are you lost?' His words cut deeper than she expected a stark contrast to his smile everytime he took a sip of his drink.

'I don't see what that's got to do with anything. I live, I work, like I said nothing special.'

'Oh but it has everything to do with it don't you see? That would be the link!' He sounded almost excited at the prospect which disgusted her. It felt like he was relishing in the thought of her misery.

'I dont have to answer your questions, for all I know I could be hallucinating right now. Just a stupid girl who's lost and has to imagine friends and even then it's you! Who imagines a soul collector? Fuck my life!' Her words were stern and brought up more emotion than she had expected, tears stung her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

'Hey look I didn't mean it like that! Im sorry OK? I don't get a lot of practice talking to....Well the living.'

'I think it time you left, thats on the house' she said pointing to his empty glass.