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Aphmau POV

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Brushing myself onto the stage, I almost missed Jay fiddling with buttons of a pirate's cape in the shadows.

In fact, it was not only the darkness that helped him hide, it was his new colored hair.

It was now a dark red, similar to mahogany, but brighter.

"Hey Foxy." I joked.

He jumped, startled, and turned his eyes to me. "Oh, hi Mari."

I snorted. "Is everything set up and running okay?"

"Yep. I have a fog machine to make this more eerie, and I'm going to hang a see-through, invisible curtain that sends static lines across the fabric, making the stage look like an old TV. Or as you put it, 'fizz out'."

I smiled. This was great.

"That's amazing! You weren't kidding when you said you had everything under control!"

"What can I say? I am awesome!" He said jokingly.

"Whatever."

I scanned the clock on the far side of the wall.

6:30 PM

Holy Irene!

I'd been partying for quite some time.

"Should I get changed?" I asked.

He checked the clock.

"Not unless you want to. You have a good 15 min left. Unless you want to."

"Alright!"

I dashed out of the stage room to find Aaron.

A few minutes later of searching, I saw him.

He was uncomfortably trying to avoid a few flirty girls, but failing.

"Aaron!" I called.

An expression of relief appeared on his face, while the other girl's eyed me with disgust.

He tried to go to me, but one of the girl's grabbed his arm.

"Babe, who is this?" Asked one in a girly pink dress.

"My friend." Aaron growled through clenched teeth, trying to shake off the girl. "And I'm not your 'babe' so let go."

"But babe, can't you see I'm so much better than her!" She whined.

"Actually, Aphmau here is ten times prettier than you'll ever be in years." Aaron grunted, pushing the girl off.

I blushed at that.

She sent me a venomous glare and stalked angrily off.

Aaron sighed. "Thanks for coming, I was going to be cornered."

"Your welcome. I'm here to tell you I have to go to the talent show in a bit! Wish me luck!"

"Good luck Aphmau!"

"Thanks!"

I ran back into the backstage, where several other people were waiting.

At least 15 or so other people.

I was surprised to see Ivy and her gang being one of the people.

She sneered at me. "Don't even bother Aphmoo. I'm going to win."

"Yeah right." I snorted, and snatched my bag up.

Going into the changing room, I took off my lilac dress and replaced it with my scary puppet outfit.

Deciding to put the mask on later, I got out.

6:55 PM.

May the show go on.

I slunk back behind the crowd, and noticed Jay, sitting on a seat, a black eyepatch now on his face.

A small card was in his hand that read, #16.

"We're going last." He stated.

"Okay."

I sat next to him in awkward silence.

Fawn suddenly appeared, clutching a microphone in her hands.

She signaled to a worker, who pulled open the curtains.

They opened, revealing an empty stage when Fawn walked out.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I am happy to announce this year's Halloween Talent Show!" She called out, gaining several cheers.

"Please be courteous and kind to our fellow contestants. I will be expecting the best audience!" She added sternly.

"Please welcome, our first contestant, Dante (What's his last name?)!

Clapping filled the room as Dante went on stage, a sick looking guitar in his hands.

He started playing the song: Demons

(Note that I will only be showing main characters acts for this show)

(I do not own Demons. Credit to Imagine Dragons.)

A huge applause went up for Dante.

He bowed and left the stage.

"Thank you Dante! Next, Lucinda (Aphmau needs to get them last names >.

Lucinda went up, and suddenly, in a puff of smoke, her staff appeared in her right hand.

She twirled it around, before slamming the end into the ground, and waves of light similar to the Northern Lights, rolled off the area where she'd stabbed her staff into.

The crowd 'oooh'ed with approval.

After a few minutes or so, Lucinda had managed to unleash a thousand white doves that exploded into colorful confetti midair.

She bowed, and tipped her hat mysteriously.

The crowd was roaring.

"Thank you for that stunning stunt Lucinda! Next, Katelyn Firefist! (Is that her last name?)

(I do not own Confident. Credit to Demi Lavato.)

I had to admit.

Katelyn was talented at singing.

More than I might've thought.

"Thank you Katelyn for that amazing singing and talented voice! You're sure to get a place!" Fawn complimented.

"Thank you." Katelyn said, pleased.

"Next, Ivy, Sasha, and Lillian!"

(I do not own the song. Credit to the Fifth Harmony. This is not meant to be offensive to the song just because the trio are singing it. I just thought it would fit them!)

Ivy sang most of it, while Sasha and Lillian were almost perfectly synchronized during the dancing.

I was honestly awed.

Ivy was smirking at the screaming crowd with the face that said, 'That's right, I'm amazing'.

"Thank you girls! That was an astonishing performance!"

"Why thank you." Ivy replied smugly.

"I would like to make a special announcement! Our next two contestants wish to keep their identities a secret til the end." Fawn announced as Ivy and her friends left the stage.

Murmuring swept through the crowd.

Jay winked at me. "Its our turn Aphie."

Fog poured out onto the stage, sending even louder whispers around.

You could distinctly make out the invisible curtain draping down.

Suddenly, gray, black, and white pixels coated the invisible screen, making the stage seem like a static TV.

The song began, and I walked onto the stage, my mask equipped, Jay right behind me.

(Credit to the Living Tombstone. Imagine the TV in the song is what the stage looks like, and Aphmau is in the center, singing with Jay.)

Aphmau=Italics Aphmau+Jay=Italics/Bold

I dunno what I was thinking,

Now I suffer the curse and now I am blind

Coming to haunt me forever,

Is this revenge I am seeking,

Or seeking someone to avenge me

Stuck in my own paradox I wanna set myself free

Maybe I should chase and find

Before they'll try to stop it

It won't be long before I'll become a puppet

It's been so long,

Lost to this monster

To the man behind the slaughter

Since you've been gone

I've been singing this stupid song

So I could ponder

The sanity of your mother

I wish I lived in the present

But the future keeps luring in like a pack of snakes

Is all I remember

Since I last have seen my son

Lost to this monster

To the man behind the slaughter

Since you've been gone

I've been singing this stupid song

So I could ponder

The sanity of your mother...

Our song ended, and the crowd was in silence.

Some were even crying.

Then, the loudest cheering I'd ever heard exploded.

Even Ivy and her friends.

They probably didn't know it was me.

The invisible curtain was rolled up, and together, Jay and I bowed.

A few wet tears stained my cheeks themselves.

"Now, for the reveal!" Fawn shouted, beaming.

I slowly reached up to my mask, while Jay was about to pull of his eyepatch.

The crowd's anticipation grew.

I was about to pull it off when lightning flashed, and all the doors slammed shut.

Guests screamed.

The entrance burst open, and a man in a ragged security guard armor voice boomed across the clearing.

"WeLl iF It iSN't tHe PuPpeT aND HeR lItTlE FoX! I GuEsS I wIlL Be TaKiNg LiVes ToDaY."

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Cliffhanger!