Hey, everyone. Here it is, the epilogue. I promised it would come. It's not very slashy, but I like to think of it as empowering. Thank you to everyone who has written about this story. I hope you all enjoy this final piece.
I don't normally do this, but hell. Why not? Props to those of you who have kept me sane the past few months. Cele, Em-ling, Justin, Kelly, Colleen, Em (the other one!), Daralynn, Sammie, Sammy (the other one, too!), Dayse, and just... everyone else. Thank you.
Whoo! I know no one and nothing about anyone or anything. The title of the Epilogue is from the Counting Crow's "Have you seen me lately?"
And, I promise this'll be the last thing I say before (or after) the story...
"Say goodnight, Gracie."
"Goodnight, Gracie."
Remembering Petticoat Lane Epilogue: "Sometimes when I hear myself on the radio...
Have you seen me lately?"
There were five young men sitting on silver, metal stools in the middle of a stage. Four of them were dressed in all white, and they shone like innocents, like angels staring back at the audience. The fifth, who sat in the middle for once, was garbed in black, stylishly baggy pants and a silver turtleneck-style shirt. Further down the stage, at a podium, stood a woman who didn't fit the normal definition of beautiful, but garbed in a long black and silver dress, she exuded a sense of strength, of power.
The audience was a different one then the five were used to performing to. They were mostly celebrities and Hollywood bigwigs. There were no "I want to Marry You" posters, there had been no wilds screaming during and after their last two songs, just polite, if enthusiastic, applause. The cameras present were broadcasting the performance on cable TV, Lifetime to be exact about it. The cameras focused on the woman spoke with confidence, and clarity. "Hello. I am Tori Amos, and welcome to the RAINN Annual Benefit concert. I would like to thank every one of you for coming, every viewer for watching, every sponsor for donating money, and every band and singer for singing. In fact, thank you to our first musical guest, NSync for opening the show up for us. We actually have a very special performance by one member of NSync coming up next." A audience member, comedian by default, screamed out Justin's name, to which the majority of the stadium shared laughter. Justin reached up to pull a mike to his face, he was just to the left of the figure in black, and his voice was warm but firm when he spoke.
"Nope. Sorry, it isn't me."
Lance, the one dressed in all black, reached forward and took his mike in hand. "Actually, it's going to be me, and I have a small intro prepared... According to the Bureau of Statistics, 90% of all sexual crimes are commited on the female gender, but these crimes affect males, too. Studies have indicated that up to 1 in every 6 boys has been sexually abused by age 16, and that that is probably less then one third of the actual incidents that have occurred. I, myself, am a victim, and I am a survivor." There was a small stint of applause then, and Lance smiled to the audience. "Thank you. Tonight, with the permission and accompniament of Tori, I am going to sing a cover of "Me and a Gun". Um... Some of the words have been changed, partially because I don't think any of you would like to hear about me wearing a slinky red thing," More laughter. "But Mainly in order to make it.. well, more personal I guess." Lance half-smiled then, and he looked nervous. He didn't often sing on his own, and this was probably going to be the most emotional performance of his life. He also knew that by the time this concert was over, every major newspaper and tabloid in the world was going to have this story, but that was okay. He was ready. The lights on the stage dimmed to a deep blue, and a spotlight highlighted Lance's figure on the stool, and Tori at the piano. Tori had performed this piece A Capella at some of her concerts, but Lance had opted to have a piano part. He thought that maybe it would keep his voice from breaking over the words, but he couldn't be sure. The soft, deceptively quiet melody started in the background, and Lance's voice soon joined it.
o/` 5am friday morning, thursday night, far from sleep I'm still up and driving, can't go home obviously So I'll just change direction cause they'll soon know where I live And I wanna live Got a full tank and some chips
It was me and a gun and a man on my back And I sang "holy holy" as he buttoned down his pants
You can laugh, It's kind of funny the things you think times like these like I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this
Yes I wore a bright red shirt, does that mean I should spred for you, your friends, your father, Mr. Ed
It was me and a gun and a man on my back but I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this
And I know what this means, me and Stacy a few years back Used to hang and she said "It's your choice kid, just remember I don't think that you'll be back in 3 days time so you choose well" Tell me what's right, Is it my right to be on my stomach of Fred's Seville
It was me and a gun and a man on my back But I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this
And do you know Carolina where the biscuits are soft and sweet These things go through you head when there's a man on your back and you're pushed flat on your stomach, it's not a classic cadillac
Me and a gun and a man on my back But I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this o/`
The song ended, almost abruptly, and for a second in the stadium, there was silence. But then, after a pregnant second, there was applause.