Imagine Chaos [Imagine Dragons Fanfic]

Next to me

Dan:

I scan the room. As I look at Taylor she gives me a thumbs up. I think I've never been this nervous to play a show despite the fact that we were playing a Beatles song in front of Paul and Ringo.

Anyways I try to focus because I don't want to know what hapens if I mess everything up. I shove all thoughts away, all the pain coming from my hips, I even try to shove my fear away. Well, it stopped the shaking so. I glance back to the others and Platz starts to play. I wanted to play 'Next to me' because if I don't make it through the night, at least I played a song dedicated to my wife.

So I try to concentrate again and start to sing: "Something about the way that you, walked into my living room.." Don't screw it up I tell myself over and over again. "I always let you down.." As I watch the audience I can see that the people kind of enjoy our performance although we are threatened with guns. That's what I love about music. It keeps people together. It spends hope. So I start to ignore all the weapons around me, all the pain and angst I can feel and see. I just lose myself in the music.

I think even the guy next to the stage enjoys it a little bit. "Oh, I always let you down." But then, just as we start the chorus for the second time I can see this guy coming from the back of the audience. "You're shattered on the ground." He is walking down the seats, getting closer and closer. I can't take my eyes off him. "But still I find you there." As I look closer I can see him holding a gun. I can't focus on anything else. Please don't shoot me I think.

He stops. There are like 10 meters between him and I. Everything seems to slow down. "Next to me." He slowly raises his hand with the gun. With cold eyes, he looks at me. He smiles. I can't move because I'm too scared. Everything slows down.

The people in the audience now see him too. A few of them cover their ears. My hands start to shake again and I can feel cold sweat run down my head. "And oh, stupid things I do." He aims. I don't want to die. I want to go home to Aja and my daughters.

Then he pulls the trigger. I can't hear the shot. But I feel it as it hits my stomach. I nearly fall down because of the power of the bullet. But thanks to adrenaline it doesn't hurt that much at first.  Don't stop Dan! Think about the fans! Ignore the pain! "I'm far from good, it's true. But still I find you." Keep going, Dan. I have to push myself to continue. I press my hand at my wound and flinch. As I look down I can see that my shirt is already covered with blood. A bloodstain as big as my fist is already visible. "Next to me."

I press my hand on my wound again. I have to stop the bleeding. I have to continue singing. I can't screw up. "So thank you for taking a chance on me." It hurts. But I can't let everyone down. Tears come to my eyes. "I know it isn't easy. "But I hope to be worth it."

My stomach feels like it's burning right now. I don't want to look down anymore. I don't want to know how much blood I already lost. As I watch the audience, it seems like I lost a lot of it. I turn around to face my friends. As they see me their faces just go pale. "So thank you for taking a chance on me." I point at them. "I know it isn't easy. But I hope to be worth it." I pull the microphone away from my mouth. "I love you," I tell them inaudible. But they understand.

"Oh, I always let you down." I turn around to the audience again. By now my knees won't stop shaking. I can't stand anymore. "You're shattered on the ground." The pain gets stronger and stronger. It's getting harder to breathe. "But still I find you there. Next to me." I can't hold it any longer. The first tears are making their way down my face. A few parts of my body get numb the rest of it hurts like hell.

I fall on my knees. "And oh, stupid things I do." I press my hand against my wound again. The explosive pain nearly makes me faint. "I'm far from good, it's true." But I can't give up now. I can't let the people down. Just two more lines. "But still I find you." I can do it! Don't give up Dan. "Next to me."