World Turned Upside Down

Up In Flames

"Five minutes!" Chris was jumping up and down in his usual way. In the run-up to concerts, he was always a bundle of boundless energy.

Then the intro music started. He called his bandmates into a circle. They all huddled up close and put their hands into the centre. The sound of screaming fans filled the stadium as Chris, Jonny, Guy and Will walked onto the stage to Charlie Chaplin's speech.

"Let's make it the best concert ever," Chris said as the boys all got into position. He grabbed the microphone from his stand, the drums pounded. Jonny wielded his Telecaster Thinline, its melody searing through the whole stadium.

SHOWTIME!

Chris ran down the stage and onto the walkway.

"Oh, I think I landed, in a world I hadn't seen!" A young girl was holding a large banner in front of him. Splashes of colour and the words 'I LOVE YOU SO, SO MUCH IT HURTS' hit his deep blue eyes. We have the best fans in the world, he thought to himself, singing, "When you're feeling ordinary, and I don't know what I mean!" through a sweet toothy grin. He skipped back onto the stage as his friends behind him continued to play, looking towards Jonny as soon as the guitar solo kicked in. The crowd began to sing the chant, 80,000 voices in sync. At that moment, it was as if the whole world were on the same page.

Will started to drum again. The crowd sang even louder. Chris took a deep breath, then charged down the runway. An explosion of confetti flew through the room before raining down on the crowd as Chris leaped into the air. It was an Amazing Day...

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"I feel my heart beating, 'cause you make me feel... like I'm alive again!" Giant coloured balloons bounced around the stadium, flying around at the speed of sound. One lucky fan jumped up and caught a balloon the security guard had tossed over the barrier. Chris had never felt so energised in his life than in this moment. He twirled in circles down the runway, his arms propelling him without a care. The time had come. "Everybody get down..." "Everybody get down..." He looked across to the band on the A-stage.

WHO IS THAT?! He couldn't make out a face from where he was in this light. He only knew it wasn't anyone from the band. Guy's bassline cut out. Chris saw someone running off the side. Jonny's Fender lay abandoned on the stage. I have to go on. I can't cause a panic. Chris nervously continued down the runway. "Everybody get down... Trust me, trust me..." It was then he saw the hooded figure in full view.

A rifle, aimed towards the crowd on the pitch.

A suspicious-looking vest.

AAAAHHHHHHH!!

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!!!!" He sprinted up the runway screaming into his microphone, "EVERYBODY GET DOWN!!!!" A man in a wheelchair sobbed in terror. "Help him down!! GET HIM DOWN!!" Fans scrambled to the wheelchair. The man was lifted out and held down, fans huddled around him to protect him.

BANG! BANG! BANG! The huddle dispersed as three people were shot in the back.

"NO!!" Chris dashed up the runway towards them. I can't let any more of them be hurt. A second pair of footsteps pounded behind him. He prepared to jump off the runway. A security guard collapsed in a pool of blood. He'd been shot. Almost there... Keep running... "AAAGGGH!!!" Shit... Pain shot up Chris' leg. A patch of red soaked the runway. Blood. I'm sorry, guys... I'm sorry...

Ticking.

"ALLAHU AKBAR!"

BOOM!!

Chris was swept up off his feet, and blown off the runway. Terrified screams filled his ears as he went flying. That's it. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.

THUD!!