Young Writers Society

i hope you can read this properly now, ive made the paragraphs more clear.
cheers


This is a tale about the hidden dangers that lie in the shadows behind the comfort of light. In a place so dark the truth lies deep. It’s this truth that corners us into madness. Shut your eyes to see our world. It speaks to us, the ‘bLaCk PaRade” . It beckons our hearths and leads us to a place of pure dark beauty. But still monsters take over us and it consumes our minds. It chases away our sanity and distorts our once pleasant dreams. Exploiting our darkest fears and now we’re like the walking dead. Like a shadow, darkness never leaves our sight. I feel the light betray me and I’m left sitting all alone in the shadows. Like a concrete shield, we have built a barrier between their world and our hell. You can find us lingering behind the concrete shields and the iron bars which deny us a chance to take back our lives. Emotion raged through me, but not a breath, word, or thought was whispered.
I stared blankly into a broken image; which reflected at me a being I couldn’t stop.


The hate breaks through our hearts, even though it is not in our nature; to do so. We can't let go of the hate; the hurt which poisons our dreams. If we keep holding on to our past, our present shall deny us a future, but how to resurrect our core and breathe life in a place so dead? When beneath it all we lie fallen on the floor. Were through the silence we can hear echoes of haunting voices that call out. It’s like we can’t control the emptiness that rises under. It’s like we’re torn between the thoughts in our heads. They say that the ‘bLaCk PaRade” can save us, but we can not wait another century of foreboding nights. We’ve been sleeping a lifetime, but now we’re going to open our eyes to everything. We’ve lost ourselves and now we’re on a quest to regain all that has been stolen. I will search for the notorious City of the Dead on the end of the boulevard of broken dreams. Forsaking all we fear we shall search beyond the limits you see. Whilst their ignorance brings them bliss, on an imminent end we shall begin, to reveal a tale which so many are bound to, even to this day. We shall lead you down to the depths of the earth right to its core.


Someone once said “The centre of the earth is the end of the world” That’s a chance we must take, even though so many have run away into the mists, never to be seen again. By neither the dead nor the living; forever exiled from their own homes. We are the rebels of suburbia, and we are here to represent a revolution.


We have been waiting for the ‘bLaCk PaRade” now for eternal, or as we outlaws call them the famous living dead. They are mythical creatures with supernatural powers. They march through the streets of the City of the Dead looking for corpses that they can resurrect back into life. Their a marching band who drum to the beat of broken hearts, their singing a sound that answers the silent crying of the lost, and provide a tomb for the homeless; were they can Rest In Peace.


For you immortals, who just don’t understand, they simply are of a hybrid nature. Half ghost; half vampire. Half dead; half alive.
Their invisible to the eyes of the living like you, but liberating to the eyes of the dead, like us. They appear in the dead of night, when the echo of screaming souls tears apart the atmosphere. Cutting through the skins of the innocent, till the wound eats itself up and throws out nothing but hatred.
Since the myth spread far and wide, no-one has bled to death in the City of the Dead. The “bLaCk PaRade” hold sacred every last drop of blood of every last living creature; that’s been dispelled to the City of the Dead.
You’d think they were a fragment of imagination, a product of your fathers rage.
But that’s only if you know no better. Their REAL and their coming imminently to take back what’s theirs. So hold firm, dear creatures of the night. Hold firm. Their coming, the saviours of the broken, beaten and the damned are here. To save us from a world were the ignorant reign supreme.


Here things always get out of control because emotions rapidly morphed. And none of the inhabitants understand the power of language and compromise; but just the power from their upper hand. We on the receiving end, live under a sky of tension which collapses constantly without any warning. We walked upon eggshells and every step was taken in fear of hell breaking loose.

In this land nothing seemed to grow. Light did not exist so everything was bound in darkness. It has lead to torment for all us cursed beings. We searched the limits for the open doors which would guide our souls towards the light; but we got lost in the mists. Instead of green grass, rainbows and butterflies only the dark flourished. It cries out to be brought back to life. The land that used to be paradise, the land that life forgot. One could only try and give it love but no-one knows what love is.


Whenever a rare spark of light emerged from a million miles away behind the steel gates, it would only accentuate the dark. It would reinforce the fact that you were here to stay forever, and that there was no way out. Unless you took the backdoor out of life, like so many people did. This was one of only two options you had. The second was too bite your lips, swallow your words and suffocate in the deafening silence. The only one thing that kept us going through the torture we had to endure was the eternal believe that the “bLaCk PaRade” would one dark night come to safe us from our despair.

Till than we could only dream of bliss and freedom. I say ‘we’ because
I was not the only one; though at times it seemed so. There was a
group of us, girls, boys, grown men and women. We are just a mere
example of a not so perfect world, that we against our will we’re born
into. There were millions more however, rejected by this diluted society
were only perfection was accepted. Our lives reflect a lack of what so
many of you immortals take for granted
Life, love, sanity, health, dreams,
security, aspirations and so on. But we like this land which our ancestors
were centuries ago dispelled to, are forever bound
in darkness. Raging wars against tyrants and in a vigilantly style
rebelling against dictatorship; is what we do and all we knew. We fight
so that our dream of utopia can finally be recognised and turned into
a reality.


For generations have our people been enslaved or prosecuted by this
corrupt regime of hypocrites.
You see, authority came from a leader whose words put the fear of
God in hearts. He led with a heavy hand and would smother you into
darkness, if you dared to object. And plenty did. He liked to think that
he was never wrong, so his way was the only way. He somehow
convinced himself that his brutal actions would be for the greater
good. Like a wise man, he would utter his words of poison. Like a pack
of sheep, a crowd of what we call non believers,
chant their emperors name with pride and excitement. Unaware of
what was coming around the corner for them and unaware that death
was lingering right before their eyes.


In the dead of night we burned a small camp fire in a remote location that we called home. Huddled together feeding of each others warmth we indulged in fantasy stories from beyond this grave. Legends about heroes and happy ever afters kept us going through the cold long winters. There were no other seasons but winter. We knew nothing about how it felt to have the suns rays dance on your skin. We never saw the sun. We were like creatures of the night. Only coming out when we knew the night sky would camouflaged us. But still, than we lived in mortal danger because of one man. His lingering evil legacy continues to create such intense fear that few dare speak his name aloud. I don’t want to be the one after centuries to repeat it. So I’ll call him XandY.


He is the one that ordered the death of hundereds of thousands, and tortured people till they were nothing but…..nothing. He personally carried out devastating raids on our ancient homeland, and left behind nothing but destruction. He gave our lives in sacrifise for the pleasure of all his followers and his second in commands.
That day is the origin of our struggles to take back what had been stolen from us. Not just a home to call our own, but our hope and belief in a return to life;the way its written in the stars of destiny.
He was a ruthless serial killers darkest fear. A living nightmare that even a creature of uncintaminated darkness dares not speak about. Pure in his sinister form it would shout its words of poison infront of a crowd of slaves and henchmen.
“Suffer now my children, suffer now my people, but bitter sweet revenge shall prevail”

They responded with a roar.
And he with a slight smirk on his face continued his speech of terror.
“We’ll release upon them hell and watch the flames bathe their skin; till they melt into the nobody’s that they are. Torture them till they linger between the fine line of death and life. Than they’ll realise their biggest mistake. BEING BORN!”
Again in a tone of defiance and unconditional loyalty they cheered till their lungs got soar to his call for a revolution.
“We’ll rip of their heads and deny them all that they take for granted. We’ll show them the consequences of rebelling against authority, against our kind, and against immortals. Long live us immortals”
“FOREVER” the crowd chanted. “FOREVER”
It was at that point it all hit home, again. We were not wanted nor accepted. Hearing all the yelling we were kept afraid and awake.
We tried to fall asleep in the hope that we would be visited by the ‘bLaCk PaRade” . But our will to sleep and die was too out of our control.
“We’re meant for the flies” hE said “We’re damned, they’re coming for us!” And hE was right as always.


They came from all corners of the world savaging our mere remains. They descended upon us from the Dark and like animals stampeded us till they crushed us. We tried to howl at the moon, but with all their might they suffocated us into oblivions. Words can not describe how they look. The look on their faces is too much for a person to bear. It was filled with a thirst for blood. Our blood, and there was nothing to save us; the underworld had been summoned to destroy us for good.
They grew in power and determination each time one of us had fallen at their feet. As if in a way the satisfactions from watching us fall gave them the energy to decapitate our minds from our body.


We ran. I ran as fast as I could carry my frightened self. It felt as if I had my heart in my hand because I could vividly feel it beat; to the point it was bursting out of me. I lost all control over myself as fear took over clear thinking. One by one they broke around me, shattering into a million pieces; leaving nothing behind apart from frozen shadows.
Reluctantly I looked behind my shoulders as my legs were loosing mobility. What I saw that moment shall forever stay with me. To explain would be impossible. No stretch of your immortal and pure imagination can you bring that still image of torment to life.
Eternally scared and traumatised I turned back forward. I carried on running out of control in fear for what was left of my life.
But part of me did not even care. What could I possibly loose if everything I have has already been lost?
What is there to live for apart from being other people’s slaves? I don’t know! I don’t even care! I just want it all to end. I just want to be able to breath in bliss in a home I can call my own. I want to be awakened from this nightmare and I want to find my place in the ashes. Do YOU hear me?! I want to break free!


My cry echoed… I stopped.
I was shaking with anger and exploding with hate. I listened to the distant screaming which I left behind. Every sound felt like a thousand machetes were stabbing me; and each time it touched me it killed me. I fell slowly crashing on the surface of a pool which was my own blood. I was left in the mercy of demon cannibals whose vocabulary did not contain the word remorse. And so it all began.
They dragged me up by my hair and spat on my face. They starred me down whilst they tied my hands together with red hot iron chains; which burned my flesh. I went off into a state of oblivion. Half awake and half dead.

I found myself wondering in the middle of a fairytale winter wonderland. Crawling on all fours like the animal I was seen as. I struggled to function and all I could do was just move along. I heard voices chatting away but could not make out what they were talking about. I tried to focus but could not do so.
A sudden rush of people invaded my wonderland and kept pushing me out the way. As if they were trying to push me over the edge which I was now holding onto. I tried to hold on to them as I was slowly slipping away. But it seemed that I was a ghost because they walked right through me; taking with them my life.


After all had abandoned me one voice said to me.
“So you thought you could run away” he said. “You can’t escape your responsibilities. It’s been written for you before your beginning.” I looked around to see where this familiar voice was coming from.
“Don’t look at me like that. Have you forgotten me you weak creature?”
“Who me?” I said in a tone of puzzlement.
“YES YOU! How dare you bring failure upon our name?”
“Your voice, it hurts, don’t shout, please”
“Oh HUSH UP! No wonder our life has been shattered with disappointments. I’ve been watching you ruin our life and I’ve had enough of it!?”
“Show yourself to me.” I asked unaware of the consequences.
“AH! what’s happening? MAKE IT STOP!”
Something was thumping my chest as if it was growing inside of me.
“What’s wrong with me? Who are you?! LEAVE ME ALONE!”
I clutched my body trying to fight the thing which was crawling out of me. “You shall obey ME NOW!”
He appeared to me in a form of a silhouette. Tall, foreboding and blood stained. I looked up at this thing and asked with a broken whisper “wwwhat, wwhat hhapend?”
He laughed and sarcastically replied
“Don’t worry; I’ll revenge them on our behalf. But first I need your body to heal. So rest now, I’ll be back in time”


I woke up and soon realised were I was; in the hands of cannibals.
The overwhelming stench of burning flesh nearly again knocked me unconscious. But the guards wanted me to endure a greater level of torment. They were keeping watch as XandY was indulging in paradise.
“Why are we keeping it alive, again” one said. “Because we follow orders, not object to them” the other replied. “Let me go or let mmmme die” I begged as the pain became more and more unbearable. “Now were would the fun be in that?” They asked. I looked at them silently. “Exactly, there would be none”
“WHERE IS YOUR HEART? WHERE IS YOUR HEART?” I cried in despair. “You’ve sabotaged all that I held sacred and now you hold me prisoner! Why me? WHY KEEP ME HALF ALIVE WHEN”
“SILENCE! You worthless being. Do not object to my authority in my presence. SILENCE YOUR SELF!” XandY entered; and I did what I was told. “Now listen here you fool. I am your leader; I am your emperor and make no mistake I give orders here. Do you hear me? Is that understood” I stared at him in anger and disgust. “Understood?!” he said getting increasingly irritated. I kept silent. “I know what will make you talk”
They opened the cage which I was held captured in; and dragged me out kicking and screaming. “Let me go, just let me go, please”
“Take care of it!” he ordered whilst he was walking away. “No” I tried to get away but my attempt was dead like my hope. “And oh yea, when your done, don’t forget to chain it up again, till i get back”


They did what they did best; torture and deprivation. I cried so hard pleading for mercy; but every time I did they beat me harder and harder. Seconds felt like a lifetime of hell.
As my body collapsed my mind took me back to the fairy tale wonderland.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” it was him again. “GET UP AND DEFEND OUR HONOUR!” he demanded “I can not try, I can’t try, they’ll just re-break me” “FIGHT FOR YOUR OWN LIFE!” “I’ve lost it all” “What?” he asked me. “You don’t understand, my will to live has died”
“Of course I understand! I am you and you are me. I am the one ill with empathy! It was me who kept guard of you during your many dark hours. And it’ll be who will have to pick up the pieces; in the end.”
“But their blaming me for the rebellion and are convinced that I started it. It’s useless he will return soon and than I shall meet my end”
“Well isn’t that what you want?! For it all to end now” another voice whispered to me. “Yes I do want it all to end now” “So fight for It! Revenge them! Slaughter them” he shouted “And than what?! You’ll still be a witness to all the tragedies, and it shall never leave you.” The other voice said.
“Shut up you! Don’t listen to her she’ll just lead you astray. Let me into your heart so I can end this nightmare for you” he said; in an attractive manner. “Or you could just make it truly stop the easier way” the other voice insisted.
“So you would give up now! After all they’ve done and said, you would let them see you give up?!” “NO! Of course not” I shouted “Exactly! So wait a while till your wounds heal again; than we’ll escape.


The darkness faded as I opened my eyes. A halo of light was hovering in front of me; blinding me with its brightness. I tried to block it with my arms but I was tied up. I wondered what it could be; this shining thing which was floating in the sky. Its exotic beauty was foreign to me.
I was been escorted through a forest by notorious soldiers. As I was being marched I thought about what I had left behind. What could have happened to the rest of them, are they dead, alive, have they escaped? Are they held prisoner? These questions kept on haunting me throughout the journey to the Kingdom of the Immortals; and so did the voices in my head. I was imagining the worst, an innate skill I possessed. I was frightened by what I saw. I tried so hard to tell myself that they survived. But I am a living witness to this tragedy; and I saw them fall. I was being eaten up by grief and sorrow which I could not control. But the bereavement soon turned into guilt. It was my fault! I ran away like a coward! I abandoned myself, my friends, and my people. I should’ve done more to defend them; instead of allowing them to meet their brutal end. It should have been me, not them.

Time passed and we soon came to a hold. “We’ll rest here for the night.GAURDS! Get some wood for fire” They tripped over themselves
in a mad rush. His attention turned to me “What to do with you? You’re as useful as a corpse” I stood standing in disgrace, I felt a failure.

“Sir, look; here is another one.” They had returned with another victim. “We found him” They announced with a sense of achievement. They pushed him, and he fell at the feet of XandY. He was on his knees, his hands were tied up; and he kept his head lowered. XandY looked down at him “Make it stand!” One of the soldiers grabbed him and stood him up. He did not even try to struggle; he gave up before the fight took place. XandY took his sword and pointed it at the throat of this young man. He lifted his sword up, forcing the man to look up. “You do not frighten me nor do you intimidate me” he uttered with a tone of defiance. It was the rebellious nature XandY despised. “You have no authority over anyone but these henchmen you call your soldiers” XandY kicked him in the stomach and stood on his head.
It was a symbol to all who saw. He was trying to oppress everyone’s thoughts and buried them deep. “Take it away from me!” XandY said. They tied him up in chains against a tree; he stood there shaking in
trauma. I looked at him and wondered what was going through his mind. I felt his pain, another one of my innate skills; empathy. It’s a curse and a blessing.
For two nights and two days we were being dragged around a forest invested with decaying flowers. It went on forever and ever.
The long-tiring hours gave me the time to reflect on my insane thoughts; which I heard earlier.
What was that creature that appeared to me in a form of a silhouette?
Who was that other voice?
I was gazing into empty space talking to myself; and wondering whether what I saw was for real.
I simply could not tell whether the being I saw was a fragment of my distorted and chemical fantasy; or a part of this even more twisted reality.
Nightfall broke upon us and we were summoned to rest.
I was given an isolated place to sleep in whilst being heavily guarded.
I tried to put my worries to bed but even in sleep I was not save.
I kept on hearing voices in my head; whilst failing to control what was pulling beneath the surface.

For two nights and two days we were being dragged around a forest invested with immortals. It went on forever and ever.
The long-tiring hours gave me the time to reflect on my insane thoughts; which I heard earlier.
What was that creature that appeared to me in a form of a silhouette?
Who was that other voice?
I was gazing into empty space talking to myself; and wondering whether what I saw was for real.
I simply could not tell whether the being I saw was a fragment of my distorted and chemical fantasy; or a part of this even more twisted reality.
Nightfall broke upon us and we were summoned to rest.
I was given an isolated place to sleep in whilst being heavily guarded.
I tried to put my worries to bed but even in sleep I was not save.
I kept on hearing voices in my head; whilst failing to control what was pulling beneath the surface.

I needed someone to wake me up from inside before it could ever truly end. But there was just not a foreseeable end to anything but an end to bliss and freedom.
I looked to my side…there he was; the young man.
I stayed up waiting for the guards to fall asleep; not that I could fall asleep any way’s.
I had too many whirlwinds of thoughts dancing in my head; who were distorting my once pure mind.
It was not long before they gave into the goddess of deep sleep dreaming and gave me a chance to follow my curiosity.

He was just skimming his heart against the water as his dreams passed him by. I walked towards him as quietly as I could.
I did not know what to say but it felt as if I was meant to go.
I was beckoned by him and his defiant nature; characteristics I wish I could have possess.
Other wise I would never have gone up to a stranger…but somehow he did not seem strange to me; even though I did not know him or even his name.
I stood before him without the nerve to look up at him.
Still, I could sense his exquisite charm and pure dark beauty.
I was just standing there, looking down at my feet, ashamed and afraid.
The tips of his fingers touched me, he shut his eyes and I saw his world.
I fall into him and I’m shown what lies under his earth. A black hole.
I landed in a field of decaying flowers and watched a sinister sky pass by.
I saw that the ground was covered with shattered pieces of glass, and saw a broken image reflected. He lays in 100, 000 pieces, in the aftermath of what now is a waste land for lost souls; like him.
The rain came down heavily, falling from the stars. I got drenched in teardrops and felt a forgotten world break beneath me.
Before I got the chance to take a breath I was plunged into a river of darkness. I tried so hard not to be swallowed in the sound of screaming. But who can decide what they feel, and feel I do. Heavy thoughts force their way out of him and into me. “Why don’t you just leave me, why don’t you just love me?!”
Every tear drop that fell from the sky told of a story of the broken, the beaten and the damned.
They landed on my skin, eroding it till it left behind a scar.