Painting the Roses Black

Entering Darkness

Being a major wimp, Helena decided against entering the land of the Black Parade. She turned to the nearest tree.

"Do you know how fast the darkness spreads?" She asked the tree. She didn't feel foolish at all. She'd been talking to plant life all day.

"Yes, I do," The tree answered vaguely, She smiled at the tree.

"Can you please tell me?" She asked.

"It will reach me in three days time," The tree said sadly. She frowned.

"I will try to save you," She said patting the rough bark.

"I forgive you if you don't succeed, Alice,' The tree said.

"Thank you," She said. She greatly respected the trees of this forest, she was horrified that the boy of the Black Parade would cut down their years and years of knowledge and wisdom. These trees didn't mind her using of paper, because her paper was made out of already dead trees. She was a great artist, so she sketched a picture of James and was showing all the trees. She learned the trees were her greatest source of information, and potentially her best weapons ever.

"Would you like to go up and take a look?" The tree asked. She nodded eagerly. The tree lifted her around her waist and passed her to its uppermost branch. She stared across the desolate land.

"Cal, do you think the boy killed all those trees because he knew how powerful a forest is? All the wisdom and communication? How smart is he?" She asked the tree. The whole forest knew that Helena called all the trees Cal. They liked it, it was more affectionate than 'tree'. She loved the trees of wonderland. She talked to them, and they spread the word.

"Maybe. It's quite possible. Will this knowledge help you defeat him?" Cal asked. Helena nodded.

"It could help, it never hurts to know your opponent, and knowing how smart he is could definitely improve our chances of victory. Please put me down now Cal. I'm ready to go in," She said. The tree passed her through its branches and set her on her feet.

"Cal, do the trees on the other side speak?" She asked.

"They sputter nonsense. Its the talk of a lunatic, they will probably not help you very much. If any of us see James, we promise to keep tabs and tell him you're here. We will keep him safe," Cal said. Helena nodded.

"Thank you so much. Goodbye, Cal," She said. She stood with the toes of her boots just touching the blackened ground. She was trembling again. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. She didn't feel any different, aside frm a chill. She turned around and faced Cal.

"Alice? Can you hear me?" The tree asked. She smiled.

"Yes, I can! oh this is great! I don't feel any different at all!" She exclaimed.

"That's great, you sure look different though. Be careful, Alice," Cal said. She nodded and turned back to face the dark land.

"This isn't so bad," She said to herself. She found a tree. Its bark was blackened and burned. It smelled sour. She gently touched the bark with her fingertips. "Can you hear me?" She asked quietly. The tree rumbled slightly.

"Alice! Alice, please help us. Please," The tree cried out. Its voice sounded like someone who had been smoking for a lifetime.

"I'm trying. What do you guys know about this place?" She pressed.

"Its dark, it hurts. I'm so confused," The tree sobbed out. She patted it's bark.

"Okay, I'm going to try to save you,' She said. The tree was muttering something about bee hives. She decided to move on.

She walked, and she walked. The sights were depressing, wet ash fell from the clouds, and everything stank of decay and long wet fires. She neared a cleared path leading through the half cleared forest. She heard music in the distance. She saw a parade coming. She ducked in the shadows. The lead float was black and white. It had a skull adorning the front and the people standing on it were wearing funny black solider jackets. She studied their faces. She saw the white haired boy. He looked familiar. Standing next to the boy was...James. The float stopped when Helena abruptly stood. The music paused. The people surrounding the float had skulls painted on their faces, and gas masks and cages and were very black and white and bizarre looking. James faced her and smiled.

"Insomnia! So good you could finally arrive, I hope you didn't get to side tracked! Come, take your rightful place at the head of the Black Parade!" He said, beckoning her. She walked toward the float, over the dead trees. She could feel the stares of the scary people boring into her flesh like parasites. She stepped up and hugged James.

"James, what's going on?" She whispered for only him to hear.

"Just watch and learn like we've been doing our whole lives. We'll make our move when the time is right and save your beloved forest," He whispered back. She nodded, and held his hand at the lead of the Black Parade. She imagined a knife right in the back of the white haired boy's throat. He would pay for hurting her forest. He would suffer like the trees he relentlessly murdered.

"Helena, you're beginning to sound like a hippie," A voice nagged in her head. It was James voice. She didn't look at him.

"I've spoken to them James, I've felt what they feel. Over here, they ain't pretty," She whispered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw James nodding. The float lurched forward again, and the parade was on the move.