The applause from the crowd was deafening, even behind the thick supposedly soundproof canopy of leaves. I had to go out and make my speech on how I had defeated Mr. Dark. But I couldn't. It was too much for me to handle right now, and these makeup artists were driving me crazy. "Alright, that's enough." I told them, while waving my hands. They quickly put their brushes down and slithered away. The thought of walking out into the cheering and highly expecting crowd seemed more intimidating at the moment to me than facing Mister Dark had been! I had to get a hold of myself. "I'm Rayman!" I told myself. "If I can beat Mister Dark, I can do anything!" I tried to motivate myself, but it wasn't working very well. And there was still that achy feeling that I had forgotten something. Something VERY important, but I couldn't quite lay my finger on what it was. I couldn't concentrate on my... my speech that I was supposed to make. I felt terrible.
"Rayman, you're up!" The Magician called. He was sure looking sparkly today. His long blonde hair dyed especially yellow, his hat and clothes encrusted with tiny silver jewels around the borders, and his pointy wand. "Come on, everyone's waiting for you."
I just stared at the grass for a second, then looked at him. "C... coming." I stared for another second while he waited patiently. Just when I thought I'd pushed it enough and I'd stood up, he stepped out and back onto the stage.
I could hear him announcing to the audience. "And now the moment you've allll been waiting for..." Arrg, I wanted more time. I could barely even remember why I was here. Go away, ringing in my head! You're not welcome here! "Raaaaaayyyyyyyyymaaaaaan!" He finished.
I got up and ran out onto the stage putting on a fake wry smile and holding out my hand as I walked giving everyone invisible high-fives. The Magician handed the mic to me, expectantly. I took it, spun around, stopped, and stared. My eyes slightly widened on my fixed expression. Everyone was staring at me, expecting me to give some extravagant speech about killing him. little did they know, I was more unprepared than I had been before I beat him. That forgetting thought kept intruding. "I – I can't do this". I sprinted off the stage as fast as I could, dropping the mic on the wooden floor, creating loud ringing. I looked back. The Magician was silently mouthing "Rayman... what are you... doing? You..." And that was all I could make out before I was consumed by the overgrowth.
"What am I thinking?" I whispered to myself. "I can't just run off-stage like that!"
But I had to.
There was that thought again, that damn penetrating thought. It was the only thing on my mind. I couldn't get rid of it for the life of me. Then came what I wanted least, yet more then I've wanted anything else before, Sleep.