I have decided to start my own collection of one-shots and drabbles.
…
That's pretty much it. You may continue.
Disclaimer: For my birthday, I wish that I owned Danny Phantom. (Nothing happens) … The moral is, I can wish all I want, but I still won't own the show. That would be Butch Hartman, and the Powers That Be.
Speech
Emphasis on a word
Dan's thoughts
The Voices
HAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday: A Story by magpie8spook
"Happy Birthday to me!"
A stream of green light swept past an office building, coming close enough to crack the glass. Just missing a woman pushing a stroller, the light impacted upon the sidewalk, which promptly blew into smithereens, these shards of concrete flying everywhere. The figure in the air let a wide, wild grin cross his face as he heard the tinkling sound of breaking glass, saw the spatter of crimson droplets spread out around the screaming victims, covering them, covering all. Most of all, he relished the silence that emanated from the ones who were not moving. The ones who would not be coming home from work. Who would never again go anywhere.
Breathing in the sweet, metallic scent of blood and singed flesh, the man flew in a little closer, closer to the fear, the pain…and the emptiness. Taking in an unnecessary lungful of air, he powered up another green blast around his clenched fist, and continued his song.
"Happy Birthday TO me!"
This time, the larger blast hit in the middle of the street, right in front of a white moving-van. The new couple sharing the front seat closed their eyes, and clutched each other as the van was blown backwards, hitting several smaller cars, two SUVs, eight pedestrians, and sending countless other vehicles swerving. As the van burst into flames from the leaking gas and the skid-induced sparks, one last thought crossed their minds, the same thought that came to the smiling man in the sky.
"Now they would never leave Amity Park…"
Out of the corner of his eye, the man spotted a tall, red-clad girl on a jet-sled, flying towards him at full speed. It was his birthday party. These people weren't invited. He wanted them to go away. Taking in another breath, the man belted out the next line in a robust baritone that surprised the oncoming girl. For some reason, she had never thought that the caped figure would be able to sing.
"Happy BIRTHDAY Dark Daniel!…"
He intoned this line with one hand pressed to his chest, the other extended upwards, forming a green shield around himself. The girl saw a frown flash across his face…
"I always hated being called Daniel…"
Then saw his smile return as she crashed into the barrier and began to fall.
"Nooooooooo!"
Whether this was from her, or from them, he couldn't tell. Not that it really mattered anymore. Nothing really mattered anymore. As long as the screams were loud enough, they would cover what he didn't want to hear. The screams, or the complete stillness, the one he had felt when…
"NO."
Catching his reflection in the side of a skyscraper, he paused. A ghost of a man looked back at him. A monster. This was who he was now. This was the present. Nothing else mattered.
Unbidden, his image changed to that of a small, raven-haired boy, surrounded by his proud family, his few friends…All smiling. All happy. The distant sounds of singing reached his ears.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Dan-ny…"
"NO! They couldn't be there, they didn't exist! Well; not anymore…"
He looked down at his hands. His own gloved hands. Yet he could still hear the singing, the laughter, the people still trapped in his mind…
His left eye twitched.
After all these years, why couldn't they just shut up? After all that he had done, after he had destroyed them all…why couldn't they just leave him ALONE?!"
Breathing in again, he steeled his resolve. His eyes glowed a fiery shade, his voice lowered an octave, from baritone to bass, yet increased in volume, from fortissimo to fortondoando, and beyond. His fists clenched tightly, he sang one final line.
"Happy Birthday TO ME!"
The wail spread throughout the city, demolishing buildings, trapping citizens under the wreckage, blowing out the flames, just like he had done…like that boy had done to his candles, all those years ago. As the wail died off, he floated in the void, languishing in the stillness, caught in a vacuum. An incongruity in time, separated from all that lay in ruins about him.
He had gotten his wish.
They had all left him alone.
For now.
HAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAY
Ten years in the past, a raven-haired boy with eyes the colour of the sky, surrounded by his smiling friends and loving family, held his breath, taking in the excited stillness.
They were all waiting…for him.
He held the O2 in his lungs, even when it started to burn, just so that he could hear the flickering of the candle flames and the palpitations of the close heartbeats, could practically feel the anticipation in the air. He was in a void, alone in a crowded room. He let time stretch on.
Then, when he couldn't take it any longer…
He blew out the candles.
HAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAY
New wish. For my BIRTHDAY, I wish that readers of this story would leave me reviews. Gift-wrapped, if you want to impress me. Kidding; I'm happy enough if you read this. Seriously though, anyone who reviews (Flames, if you want baked Alaska, but I do prefer criticism.) gets homemade virtual internet birthday cake! Anyone who doesn't review gets to "play" pin the tail on the party guests.
Birthday!
