Riding to Vanity Fair

Paul's Eternal Struggle

Number nine...number nine...

It just doesn't stop. It's giving me a headache and I haven't even gotten through it once.

I was begging Rose to come out of her cage and help me out of the chains to either run away or fight back, but then I noticed the sole issue of either of those ideas:

The surveillance cameras.

"Rose, don't worry about me for now. Just knock out those cameras so we can never see this dreadful place again..."

Her head finally perks up, as if she's snapped out of the depression she's been trapped in by being stuck inside the cage.

I work my magic and slip out of the chains. I'd never have been able to do that if it wasn't for the encouragement I'd received simply a few hours ago in my slumber.

Once I was free, I was amazed to see that Rose was back to her protective stance. She never lost it in the first place. She just never had that fire alight in her body, and now it's rampaging as she leaps and knocks down every surveillance camera around us.

"Wow, good girl!" I praised quietly, still not wanting to be heard by anyone.

Number nine...number nine...

Oh yeah...one last problem, troubling the both of us. I stop the horrid noise, which sets an alarm off.

"We knew you wouldn't last even an hour of that...we gave you our easiest punishment, too! And now, we must subject you to our worst."

Rose growls at the men surrounding us and jumps on one of them. I couldn't see her side of the story, as my side, I fought for my life.

Inside, I felt dirty hurting another soul, but in reality, I needed self defense, and I had that inside of me...a bit. I knocked out quite a few guards, and I felt so...alive.

But one remained standing, with a tazer in one hand and poor Rose in the other.

"Mr. McCartney, you truly are a monster. You and your pup are going straight to the pot, so we never hear from you again."

"The pot?" I asked fearfully.

"Of boiling oil, that is. Guards, don't be lazy. Get up and escort these two to the pot, and be quick. We'd like to eliminate them as fast as possible..."

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Nancy's POV

I haven't interacted with Paul's daughters ever since he pushed me away. I haven't felt the need to do anything useful ever since that day.

Does Paul really care more about power than his own family?

That's what was constantly running through my mind, worse and worse images being tossed about in my brain.

That was my breaking point.

Tears flew out like a waterfall. I knew Paul. I know he's stressed over quarantine and the lack of my presence, and in my opinion, he wanted to escape. There's nothing I, or his loving family, can't do to find the man. I know his location. We're getting him and Rose back.

At long last, I had motivation to move from the bed and call Mary. She's not even aware of the negative experience I had with her father, but that's besides the point. I just need her to know that the poor, stressed legend needs rescued...it's like, somehow, I can hear him screaming "No!!!" Loudly, desperately crying out in pain. Those people...they may seem nice on the outside, but I bet they're devils on the inside.

"Nancy? Oh my, I thought I'd never hear from you again! I have good news, Stella's back in town, so we've got her as extra help if need be. Anything new with you?"

"Mary...I-I know where Paul is."

"WHAT?! That's amazing! Where is he, we'll all go-"

"Yeah, but there's a problem..."

"Problem?"

"He's in this place called Vanity Fair. Just like the song he wrote, odd. It's a village. And now he's a king. When I confronted him about the situation, he said he was comfortable with everything and escorted me out...that's not him, Mary. I want us to go back and get him to come home..."

"Wow... you're right, we all have to go. If he sees we're all there, I know he'll have a change of heart. Dad did this years ago with Mom when the Beatles split. He just runs off under too much stress. At his age, now I'm worried..."

"Me too. Meet me around where we met last time. Strangely enough, we were so close the first time, but I was the one to find him..."

"I'll be right over."