Oh How Wrong We Were To Think That Immortality Meant Never Dying
Chapter 3
Gerard's doctor was busy with a mental patient; it wasn't life threatening or anything, since they weren't in a mental institution, therefore they didn't accept anyone in critical condition, but it was time consuming. Because of this Gerard had someone else show him around and check up on him while his doctor was busy.
"Hello Gerard, I am Dr. Jones, the head of the cancer department, which is where you are located now. I will be checking up on you when Dr. Stein is unavailable. The nurses in this department will be glad to help you with anything, just let them know what you need. Depending on the schedules, your nurse may or may not be available when you need her. Feel free to wander about."
Gerard was only able to relax once the man had left. He was glad that he didn't have to meet Dr. Stein quite yet; his name alone was intimidating, he didn’t want to find out if he was as bad as he sounded. He still had to visit his psychiatrist and the nutritionist, even though he had tried to convince his parents that he didn't need to anymore, well Mikey had tried to convince them, since Gerard didn’t talk. He thought about taking the walk that was offered, but chose to stay alone, in the confines of his room.
Mikey was supposed to stop by right after school, so he figured that he could busy himself until then. It was still early, only 10, so he figured that he might be able to find some cartoons on the TV; he settled for an episode of Spiderman that he had seen a million times. It busied him until around noon, when a nurse brought in a tray of food that he didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. Not only did the food itself repulse him, but it was hospital food, which proved to be worse.
He knew that the doctors would notice if he didn't eat, but the smell made him want to hurl, it wouldn't even be on purpose, it would just empty itself from his body, without any help from his fingers forcing their way down his throat. He wasn't one to make himself puke, he only resulted to that solution when absolutely necessary, and it was definitely one of those times. He ate the apple on his plate and half of the sandwich on his tray and waited for the nurse to come back around and remove it before he puked it all up. It wasn't something that he was proud of, but he couldn't handle the idea of it settling in his stomach, and spreading to various parts of his body, making him even fatter.
He still had two hours before Mikey would get out of school, and another half hour after that for him to actually drive to the hospital. He thought again about the option to leave his room, there was no doubt that he hated it, but he didn't need the extra attention. He decided instead to watch TV again, he flipped through the channels until coming upon an episode of Full House, it wasn't very good, but he was out of options.
An hour later there was a knock on his door that quickly excited him and he wondered how Mikey had managed to get out of school so early. Disappointment washed over him when his psychiatrist entered the room. "How are you Gerard?" He answered with silence, meaning that nothing had changed, and had possibly gotten worse. "Well, we'll be doing your sessions in here from now on, I'll come in at two each day." Gerard stayed silent, and just as unresponsive as he always was. His psychiatrist’s words were just another reason for him to hate his already unpleasant room.
The hour passed in silence on Gerard's part, with too many questions asked for his liking. The session went nowhere as usual, none of the questions were answered and only a few words had been scribbled on the yellow pad of paper. Gerard didn’t understand how he could write anything down due to his lack of response. He probably wrote down every eye roll and shaky breath, and using this information, had to assume things that probably weren’t true.
Mikey was just getting out of school, and it would be a few minutes until he got back and Gerard quickly grew impatient. He went back to the channel that he had previously been watching that was now playing some show that he had never heard of. He paid no attention to it, instead day dreaming about how to get out of the damn hospital. He was too lost in space to notice Mikey until he spoke up. "What the fuck are you watching?" Gerard jumped a little in his seat at the unexpected voice.
"I have no idea," he switched the TV off. "Just passing the time."
"Look at you Gee. They being too hard on you?" Mikey showed concern for his big brother. "Looks like you need some fresh air. Maybe I can convince the doctors to let you out for a bit." Mikey disappeared for a moment, only to reappear a minute later. "Come on, I'm busting you out," he joked.
"Thanks," the brothers shared a knowing smile, only quirking their lips up a centimeter, since Mikey seemed to be incapable of a full blown smile.
Once they got outside Mikey pulled out a pack of cigarettes, picking out two and handed one to Gerard. "Looks like you need one," Mikey commented as Gerard took his lighter and the cigarette.
"Bring me one of these every day, and you'll be the best brother ever." Gerard sighed in desperation as the nicotine entered through his mouth, automatically calming his nerves.
"I thought I already held that spot," Mikey pushed his brother playfully.
"Yes, well you'll be an even better brother." They continued to laugh and joke as they finished their cigarettes.
"You doing okay?" Mikey questioned. Gerard hadn't even been there for a day and Mikey could already see the exhaustion on his brother’s face; his eyes were sunken in, and it looked like he hadn’t slept for days. Although, he could’ve just been noticing the effects that had been present for years in the dangerous light of the hospital.
"I'm fine. I guess, it's just boring."
"Speaking of boredom, I brought you something. It's in my bag. Let's go back up." Mikey knew how his brother would feel, he could never survive a day without a sketchpad and a pencil; his nerves were probably itching to draw something. He was almost as addicted to drawing as he was to nicotine and alcohol; it was his alternate drug, if nothing else was available.
When they got back inside, Gerard fell silent again. "Hey Gee, do you remember how to get to your room?" Gerard shook his head and realized the predicament they were in, seeing as he was too afraid to speak now that they were back inside the hospital walls, with cameras trained on them. "At least tell me what the room number is," Mikey pleaded with him. Though the only person around was a teenager in a hospital gown, who looked harmless, Gerard couldn't speak; one person was enough to keep Gerard silent. Their surroundings were foreign, and no nurses appeared to be around, the only person was the teenager, who would be of no help if they couldn’t even figure out Gerard’s room number. "Come on Gee, just tell me the 3 numbers," Mikey continued to plead, but Gerard shook his head vigorously and tears pricked his eyes at his brother’s attempts. "Can you show me with your fingers?"
Gerard lifted his hands that were now shaking and showed the numbers. '3-1-4.' He didn't leave the numbers up longer than he had to and quickly dropped his hands down again; any means of interaction had frightened him in the presence of another person; anytime he so much as lifted a finger in college he ended up on the ground with a bloody nose.
"Thank you," Mikey told him before walking towards the kid. "Ummm...Hello." He said, grabbing the kid’s attention.
"Hi," he beamed.
"Uh, could you tell me where 314 is?" Mikey saw a wave of recognition pass over the kids face, but was clueless as to why.
"No problem. I'll just take you there, my rooms not too far away." Mikey took Gerard's hand and followed behind the kid, pulling Gerard along, who gripped Mikey’s hand tightly as he looked at the kid in fear. "I'm Frank by the way." Mikey was glad to hear a name; ‘kid’ wasn't a very creative nickname.
Gerard eyed Frank carefully, looking over his thin frame that he became jealous of. Though, he look almost too thing, like he didn’t eat, which made Gerard even more frustrated; if this kid could not eat and be so thin, why couldn’t he. When Gerard looked into his eyes, he froze; his eyes were like rays of sunshine, lighting up his pupil so that everything appeared a golden brown color.
"I'm Mikey," he informed. "This is Gerard," he motioned to his brother that had now released his hand and let his hand lay against his body tautly.
"Oh, that explains why he doesn't talk," Frank said nonchalantly, but Mikey was muddled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The nurse’s like to talk, you learn to listen in on their gossip after living here for two years." Mikey still didn't quite apprehend why they talked about him. Gerard gave his brother a worried glance, so Mikey reached out and gripped his hand again. 'Okay?' Mikey mouthed and Gerard nodded his head. "So Gerard, what are you here for?" When Frank didn't get an answer, he let out a small laugh. "I'll find out even if you don't tell me. I'm friends with all of the nurses, they tell me everything." His words acted as a warning, saying 'either you can tell me, or I can snoop around and possibly find out information that you really didn't want me to know.'
Mikey looked over to Gerard for approval, and he shook his head warily, giving Mikey the okay. "He's anorexic," Mikey said quietly. "This was easier than having to drive him to the hospital every day." Frank seemed unfazed by the news, after all he did live in the hospital, and he’s probably seen a lot of worse things. "What about you?" They discussed it as though it was a normal conversation about the weather or their day.
"Cancer," Frank's response was just as quiet, if not quieter than Mikey's. This was the one thing that he disliked talking about, since people generally pitied him, and he despised pity. Things got quiet after that, and it was a good thing that they were approaching Gerard’s door. "Well, I'll see you round," Frank quickly shuffled back to his room and Gerard and Mikey entered room 314.
"So, you still want the surprise?" Mikey questioned a moping Gerard and his eyes quickly lit up.
"Yes!"
"Gimme a sec," Mikey started moving things around in his bag, and even had to take some stuff out. "Turn around." Once Gerard was facing the other way Mikey removed the new sketchpad and set of pencils, complete with charcoal and regular pencils, and a red one, because that was the only color besides black that Gerard like to use. "Okay, you can turn back around." Gerard's eyes got even bigger as he spotted the items in Mikey's hand.
"Okay, forget the whole thing about the cigarettes, you are officially the best brother ever!" Mikey smiled at his reaction and Gerard ogled his new gift that would keep him busy for a while. He already knew what he was going to draw; Frank, the guy from the hall that he had become infatuated with.
"Hello Gerard, I am Dr. Jones, the head of the cancer department, which is where you are located now. I will be checking up on you when Dr. Stein is unavailable. The nurses in this department will be glad to help you with anything, just let them know what you need. Depending on the schedules, your nurse may or may not be available when you need her. Feel free to wander about."
Gerard was only able to relax once the man had left. He was glad that he didn't have to meet Dr. Stein quite yet; his name alone was intimidating, he didn’t want to find out if he was as bad as he sounded. He still had to visit his psychiatrist and the nutritionist, even though he had tried to convince his parents that he didn't need to anymore, well Mikey had tried to convince them, since Gerard didn’t talk. He thought about taking the walk that was offered, but chose to stay alone, in the confines of his room.
Mikey was supposed to stop by right after school, so he figured that he could busy himself until then. It was still early, only 10, so he figured that he might be able to find some cartoons on the TV; he settled for an episode of Spiderman that he had seen a million times. It busied him until around noon, when a nurse brought in a tray of food that he didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. Not only did the food itself repulse him, but it was hospital food, which proved to be worse.
He knew that the doctors would notice if he didn't eat, but the smell made him want to hurl, it wouldn't even be on purpose, it would just empty itself from his body, without any help from his fingers forcing their way down his throat. He wasn't one to make himself puke, he only resulted to that solution when absolutely necessary, and it was definitely one of those times. He ate the apple on his plate and half of the sandwich on his tray and waited for the nurse to come back around and remove it before he puked it all up. It wasn't something that he was proud of, but he couldn't handle the idea of it settling in his stomach, and spreading to various parts of his body, making him even fatter.
He still had two hours before Mikey would get out of school, and another half hour after that for him to actually drive to the hospital. He thought again about the option to leave his room, there was no doubt that he hated it, but he didn't need the extra attention. He decided instead to watch TV again, he flipped through the channels until coming upon an episode of Full House, it wasn't very good, but he was out of options.
An hour later there was a knock on his door that quickly excited him and he wondered how Mikey had managed to get out of school so early. Disappointment washed over him when his psychiatrist entered the room. "How are you Gerard?" He answered with silence, meaning that nothing had changed, and had possibly gotten worse. "Well, we'll be doing your sessions in here from now on, I'll come in at two each day." Gerard stayed silent, and just as unresponsive as he always was. His psychiatrist’s words were just another reason for him to hate his already unpleasant room.
The hour passed in silence on Gerard's part, with too many questions asked for his liking. The session went nowhere as usual, none of the questions were answered and only a few words had been scribbled on the yellow pad of paper. Gerard didn’t understand how he could write anything down due to his lack of response. He probably wrote down every eye roll and shaky breath, and using this information, had to assume things that probably weren’t true.
Mikey was just getting out of school, and it would be a few minutes until he got back and Gerard quickly grew impatient. He went back to the channel that he had previously been watching that was now playing some show that he had never heard of. He paid no attention to it, instead day dreaming about how to get out of the damn hospital. He was too lost in space to notice Mikey until he spoke up. "What the fuck are you watching?" Gerard jumped a little in his seat at the unexpected voice.
"I have no idea," he switched the TV off. "Just passing the time."
"Look at you Gee. They being too hard on you?" Mikey showed concern for his big brother. "Looks like you need some fresh air. Maybe I can convince the doctors to let you out for a bit." Mikey disappeared for a moment, only to reappear a minute later. "Come on, I'm busting you out," he joked.
"Thanks," the brothers shared a knowing smile, only quirking their lips up a centimeter, since Mikey seemed to be incapable of a full blown smile.
Once they got outside Mikey pulled out a pack of cigarettes, picking out two and handed one to Gerard. "Looks like you need one," Mikey commented as Gerard took his lighter and the cigarette.
"Bring me one of these every day, and you'll be the best brother ever." Gerard sighed in desperation as the nicotine entered through his mouth, automatically calming his nerves.
"I thought I already held that spot," Mikey pushed his brother playfully.
"Yes, well you'll be an even better brother." They continued to laugh and joke as they finished their cigarettes.
"You doing okay?" Mikey questioned. Gerard hadn't even been there for a day and Mikey could already see the exhaustion on his brother’s face; his eyes were sunken in, and it looked like he hadn’t slept for days. Although, he could’ve just been noticing the effects that had been present for years in the dangerous light of the hospital.
"I'm fine. I guess, it's just boring."
"Speaking of boredom, I brought you something. It's in my bag. Let's go back up." Mikey knew how his brother would feel, he could never survive a day without a sketchpad and a pencil; his nerves were probably itching to draw something. He was almost as addicted to drawing as he was to nicotine and alcohol; it was his alternate drug, if nothing else was available.
When they got back inside, Gerard fell silent again. "Hey Gee, do you remember how to get to your room?" Gerard shook his head and realized the predicament they were in, seeing as he was too afraid to speak now that they were back inside the hospital walls, with cameras trained on them. "At least tell me what the room number is," Mikey pleaded with him. Though the only person around was a teenager in a hospital gown, who looked harmless, Gerard couldn't speak; one person was enough to keep Gerard silent. Their surroundings were foreign, and no nurses appeared to be around, the only person was the teenager, who would be of no help if they couldn’t even figure out Gerard’s room number. "Come on Gee, just tell me the 3 numbers," Mikey continued to plead, but Gerard shook his head vigorously and tears pricked his eyes at his brother’s attempts. "Can you show me with your fingers?"
Gerard lifted his hands that were now shaking and showed the numbers. '3-1-4.' He didn't leave the numbers up longer than he had to and quickly dropped his hands down again; any means of interaction had frightened him in the presence of another person; anytime he so much as lifted a finger in college he ended up on the ground with a bloody nose.
"Thank you," Mikey told him before walking towards the kid. "Ummm...Hello." He said, grabbing the kid’s attention.
"Hi," he beamed.
"Uh, could you tell me where 314 is?" Mikey saw a wave of recognition pass over the kids face, but was clueless as to why.
"No problem. I'll just take you there, my rooms not too far away." Mikey took Gerard's hand and followed behind the kid, pulling Gerard along, who gripped Mikey’s hand tightly as he looked at the kid in fear. "I'm Frank by the way." Mikey was glad to hear a name; ‘kid’ wasn't a very creative nickname.
Gerard eyed Frank carefully, looking over his thin frame that he became jealous of. Though, he look almost too thing, like he didn’t eat, which made Gerard even more frustrated; if this kid could not eat and be so thin, why couldn’t he. When Gerard looked into his eyes, he froze; his eyes were like rays of sunshine, lighting up his pupil so that everything appeared a golden brown color.
"I'm Mikey," he informed. "This is Gerard," he motioned to his brother that had now released his hand and let his hand lay against his body tautly.
"Oh, that explains why he doesn't talk," Frank said nonchalantly, but Mikey was muddled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The nurse’s like to talk, you learn to listen in on their gossip after living here for two years." Mikey still didn't quite apprehend why they talked about him. Gerard gave his brother a worried glance, so Mikey reached out and gripped his hand again. 'Okay?' Mikey mouthed and Gerard nodded his head. "So Gerard, what are you here for?" When Frank didn't get an answer, he let out a small laugh. "I'll find out even if you don't tell me. I'm friends with all of the nurses, they tell me everything." His words acted as a warning, saying 'either you can tell me, or I can snoop around and possibly find out information that you really didn't want me to know.'
Mikey looked over to Gerard for approval, and he shook his head warily, giving Mikey the okay. "He's anorexic," Mikey said quietly. "This was easier than having to drive him to the hospital every day." Frank seemed unfazed by the news, after all he did live in the hospital, and he’s probably seen a lot of worse things. "What about you?" They discussed it as though it was a normal conversation about the weather or their day.
"Cancer," Frank's response was just as quiet, if not quieter than Mikey's. This was the one thing that he disliked talking about, since people generally pitied him, and he despised pity. Things got quiet after that, and it was a good thing that they were approaching Gerard’s door. "Well, I'll see you round," Frank quickly shuffled back to his room and Gerard and Mikey entered room 314.
"So, you still want the surprise?" Mikey questioned a moping Gerard and his eyes quickly lit up.
"Yes!"
"Gimme a sec," Mikey started moving things around in his bag, and even had to take some stuff out. "Turn around." Once Gerard was facing the other way Mikey removed the new sketchpad and set of pencils, complete with charcoal and regular pencils, and a red one, because that was the only color besides black that Gerard like to use. "Okay, you can turn back around." Gerard's eyes got even bigger as he spotted the items in Mikey's hand.
"Okay, forget the whole thing about the cigarettes, you are officially the best brother ever!" Mikey smiled at his reaction and Gerard ogled his new gift that would keep him busy for a while. He already knew what he was going to draw; Frank, the guy from the hall that he had become infatuated with.
It's so effing adorable! *squeals*
7/24/14