Life is but a Dream for the Dead

“Fish, fish, fish!” Gerard ignores the chants and grits his teeth, focusing his eyes straight ahead of him and not looking at any of the other inmates. He was trying really fucking hard, but if he heard some say ‘fish’ one more time, he might have to break the fucker’s neck. Gerard was perfectly aware of how it all worked in prisons. New inmates were called fish. New inmates were also challenged to a fight and if the new inmate didn’t win, the guy who beat you had a new bitch. Not Gerard though. He was nobody’s bitch. “Hey baby, how ‘bout you shake that ass for me a little bit?” one guy sneered at him, making grabby hands at Gerard as the guards walked him past the rows of cells. Gerard ignored him. He was better than that. He was better than everyone in this prison. The inmates of Auburn Correctional Facility were all low life scum who weren’t intelligent enough to not get caught and locked up. Gerard knew the guys in here were all rapists, murderers, criminals. All of them deserved to be here. Gerard, however, was different. He [i]was[/i] intelligent and although this was a maximum security prison, it may as well be a detention centre for petty thieves as far as Gerard was concerned. The guys in here had [i]nothing[/i] on him. Nothing at all. Gerard could have every one of these guys put down like dogs if he wanted. There was nothing Gerard couldn’t do without a few phone calls here and there. His father was Donald Way for fuck’s sake. He fucking [i]owned[/i] New York. The Mafia was not a force to be messed with. Not unless you had a death wish or something. Gerard was preparing himself to have to fuck up his new cellmate when he met them, convinced they were going to try and show Gerard who was boss. He knew he could take on anyone, but he felt slightly put off when they reached his new cell and he saw his cellmate.
The guy inside clearly wasn’t up to even tripping somebody over.
“Here you go Way. Sweet dreams princess,” the guard smirked, unlocking Gerard’s cuffs and shoving him inside, the door slamming close behind him.
Gerard remained by the door, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had been, staring pointedly at his new cellmate.
The guy looked about eighteen years old, far too young to be in [i]this[/i] particular prison. He was tiny and incredibly thin. His skin was decorated with ink, the tattoos disappearing up in to the ugly orange uniform they had to wear. The only visible part of his skin that wasn’t covered in ink was his face, and even then Gerard could make out what looked like a scorpion high up on his neck. Gerard could only describe his face as incredibly attractive and just sort of... really fucking [i]pretty[/i]. His hair was dark and thick, resting around his face in tangled, messy strands. His eyes were big and almond shaped and were coloured hazel like Gerard’s own eyes. His face, like the rest of his body, was thin and his cheek bones were sharp, straining against the skin on his face. He had a faint mark on his lower lip from where he must have had a lip ring. Fuck. Gerard found that really fucking hot. “Um,” the guy began, his voice laced with a heavy mix of Jersey and Italian “Hi. I’m...I’m Frank.” “Gerard,” he replied smoothly. He walked past him to the chair that was bolted down to the floor, smirking as he flinched. This guy definitely wouldn’t be a problem for Gerard. He picked up the books that were stacked up on the small table in front of the chair that was also bolted to the floor and the wall. His eyes skimmed over the titles of the books before dropping themback on to the table carelessly, just to get a reaction from Frank. His face remained expressionless and he continued to stare at Gerard, watching everything he did. “So,” Gerard smiled, spotting a pack of cigarettes and a lighter next to Frank on the bed, reaching down and swiping them up, amused at the way he jerked away from Gerard as he came close to him again. “Who’s gonna try and give me any shit tomorrow?” Gerard lit a cigarette and took, deep, long drag of it, blowing the smoke up as he tilted his head back. Frank just swallowed and his eyes fluttered. “I don’t know. Anyone that wants to, I guess,” Frank replied quietly, his funny mixture of accentsintriguing Gerard once again. Gerard sighed. “Whose bitch are you?” Frank’s already big eyes widened even more at that question before crinkling in to a frown, his perfectly arched brows sinking down. “What makes you think I’m someone’s bitch?” “You’re clearly someone’s bitch, just fucking look at you!” Gerard laughed, taking another drag of his cigarette. Frank stood up then, his eyes dark with anger. “Shut up.” He just smirked at him again. “Calm down baby, I wouldn’t want you getting all angry and hurting yourself.” “I’ll fucking hurt [i]you[/i] in a minute if you don’t shut up,” Frank snarled, his face twisting with anger. He laughed again, shaking his head. “You’re not going to do anything because if you do, I’m going to have to break those little legs of yours. Got that?” “If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working,” Frank spat, hands curling up in to fists angrily. Gerard held his hands out, raising his eyebrows as he did so. “I’m not trying to scare you at all. I’m just telling you how it is.” Frank simply stood there glaring at me before he turned away and settled back down on his bunk, grabbing the book he’d been reading. “Stay the fuck away from me,” he told him icily, not even looking up to meet Gerard’s eyes as he said it. “How can I stay away from you when we’re in the same cell?” Gerard asked dryly, walking over to his bunk and leaning against the frame, crossing his arms and watching Frank intently. Frank threw his book down and looked up at him. “Listen. I don’t want you in here in [i]my[/i] cell. I don’t want anything to do with you but there’s not much I can do about it now you’re my cellmate.But when we’re not in here, I don’t want to see your face anywhere. You got that?” Gerard just takes his last drag on his cigarette before tossing it to the floor and crushing it beneath his shoe. “Whatever you say honey.” He then proceeded to climb up on to the top bunk and lie down on the hard mattress, grinding his teeth together loudly and obnoxiously. “And another thing; don’t steal my cigarettes. Get your own smokes,” Frank added venomously. “And stop grinding your teeth, it’s fucking annoying.” Gerard wanted to go down there and beat the shit out of Frank. But he didn’t. He held back because he was better than that and Frank didn’t really deserve it. He was just irritated Gerard had made fun of him and he was just embarrassed. He knew Frank was all talk and he couldn’t blame the guy for trying to defend himself.
But next time, Frank might not be so lucky. Sometimes Gerard struggled to keep control of his anger. Gerard’s problem with his anger was the reason he was in prison anyway... (flash back time.......) [i]Gerard wasn’t even meant to be here tonight. He should have been at home, looking after Mikey but like fuck was he gonna sit out on this one. No. Tonight they were going after the guy who had been fucking them over for months now, right under their noses. He was meant to be an associate, not part of the Family. He’d been working with them for years and recently they’d noticed a decrease in the money coming from the drug dealers. The dealers handed over a certain amount of money over to the Family that they made from their job. This associate guy, he was involved with the Family’s business with the dealers for some reason or other. It had all been going perfectly as usual, but within the last few months, they’d been making practically no money at all from the dealers. They just simply weren’t turning up to pay in their money or they didn’t seem to have any cash at all. And it was all because of that thieving, lying bastard. Gerard didn’t even know his name, but he knew he hated him. He hated anyone who tried to get in their way. This guy had been lying to the dealers, telling them that he was taking in the money for the Family. He’d told them all that the money was to come directly to him. Some of the dealers knew better and ignored him, handing in their profit to the Family, but others had been stupid enough to believe this guy and had been handing the money over to him. So tonight, they were going to find him and deal with the fucker. Except, Gerard wasn’t meant to be going. He’d been told to stay at home, look after his little brother, but that wasn’t his job. He was not a fucking woman. It was up to them to look after the children. “If your dad finds out about this I’m fucking dead, you know that right?” Toro hissed in his ear as the car pulled up outside of the crumbling block of apartments. “I know, I know,” Gerard growled, climbing out of the car. “Stop worrying about it, it’ll be fine. I’m a big boy now Toro.” Ray just sighed and shook his head, his lips setting in a thin, grim line and he gave Gerard a slight push forwards towards the building. Gerard’s long, pale slender fingers curled around the gun in his jacket tightly, the cool metal making him feel calmer. Gerard followed the others inside the building, his eyes sweeping around the area outside. Wentz and Billie Joe were still sat behind the wheels of both cars. Jared hovered downstairs on the ground floor of the building as they made their way towards the stairs, concealing himself in the shadows. Gerard’s heart was thumping with excitement like it did every time he went out with the guys, but this time it was different. This time it was a really important job, maybe the most important he’d been on. He’d been trained for this since he was twelve years old and the first time he went out on the job, he was fifteen. He was twenty four now. When they reached the apartment door, Toro held a hand up and they stopped, the air heavy and thick was silence and anticipation. Gerard was practically shaking with excitement. He knew the plan inside and out. Toro would go in first and the rest would follow. Sam and Craig were staying outside whilst Gerard, Ray and Bryar and Ashley sorted the guy out inside. Ray reached down for the handle, smirking when the door swung in silently and moved in without a sound. Gerard followed him inside, Ashley shutting the door behind them. The TV was on, a quiet, blurred background noise. The apartment was dark and mostly quiet. They found the guy slouched in a battered, ancient armchair, stuffing coming from a rip on the side. The floor was littered with crap and the whole place stank. Gerard wrinkled his nose in disgust and focused on the lanky, balding man sat in the arm chair. “Evening John. You should really lock your door my friend,” Toro murmured quietly, barely audible, but the guy heard. He jerked forwards, launching himself from the chair but Bryar was faster. He had the guy pinned beneath his foot on the floor within seconds. “Move and I’ll shatter every one of your ribs,” Bryar told him flatly, his eyes dark and dangerous. “Why don’t you take this one Gerard?” Ray suggested, raising an eyebrow. “Seeing as you were so keen to come along tonight.” Gerard rolled his eyes. “My pleasure.” Gerard walked over to Bob and the John guy, looking down at him with bored eyes. “Tie him up on a chair or something Bob. Wouldn’t want to strain my neck looking down at the floor all night, would I?” Bob huffed out a sigh, glaring at Gerard. “Sure thing princess.” Bob grabbed John by the front of his shirt and threw him down on to a wooden kitchen chair that was just within his reach, Toro tossing him to ropes. Bob bound John to the chair tightly, stepping back and admiring his handiwork proudly. He gave John a dark smirk and a slap across the face as he moved past him to stand next to Ray and Ashley. The three men were all older than Gerard by about ten years and had watched him grow up. Toro couldn’t help but feel his heart swell with pride as Gerard delivered a nice, heavy punch to the side of John’s head, the man whimpering in pain. “Alright John,” Gerard began, sneering the man’s name and crouching down to be level with John’s face. “Let’s talk.” John glared at Gerard. “I don’t have anything to say to you.” “And why’s that?” Gerard mused, his voice pleasant and calm. Except, it wasn’t pleasant at all. This was when Gerard was most dangerous. “I don’t answer to a fucking child,” John snapped. “If you think for one minute you’ll get a single fucking thing out me, you’re wrong!” Gerard’s eyes darkened. “I don’t like being called a child John.” “Oh, I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” John spat. Ashley glanced at Ray, raising an eyebrow, questioning whether they should step in or not. Ray just shook his head. Gerard knew what he was doing.
Gerard exhaled slowly, looking around the messy apartment with bored eyes. “I was expecting something better for a guy with so much money John. Shame on you. Mommy never teach you how to clean up after yourself?”
“Don’t fucking bring my mother into this! And I don’t have any money!” John retorted angrily. “What the fuck is this about anyway? I’m your associate, I’m on your side!” With one fluid motion Gerard had reached down and snapped John’s little finger. John screamed and for that, he received another punch in the face. Gerard’s foot came up to John’s chest, kicking him backwards and sending him flying flat to the floor. He bent down, seizing a fistful of John’s hair and yanking his head upwards. “This is about you taking all of the money the drug dealers give us.” John shook his head, his eyes wide. “What?! I’m not taking your money, I swear! I’d never do that!” Gerard broke another finger. “Don’t lie to me.” “I’m not!” John insisted, struggling beneath Gerard’s grip, his eyes watering. “Well then, where’s all our money going John? Because somebody told me you’d been round to all of our dealers and told them to give the money to you. Is that right? Or am I interrogating the wrong guy here?” Gerard hissed in John’s ear.
John whimpered. “Please, fuck, please, I didn’t do it you crazy son of a bitch!”
Gerard snarled and his hands clenched around John’s throat, his eyes bulging in his head. “You know how it easy for me to just snap your neck right now John? All I have to do is reach up, get a grip on the side of your head and put my other hand on your neck. You know what I do after that?
All I have to do is just twist-” “Please!” John screamed. “Please, just let me go!”
“Then fucking tell me why’ve you been stealing from us for months!” Gerard yelled back at him.
“I’m desperate! I’m fucking desperate, you have to understand that! I have a family Gerard, I have children and a wife! I have to look after them and it was the only way! I didn’t know how else to get the money! Please,” John sobbed, “please understand! I did it for my family, you know how important family is!”
Gerard’s lips curled up into a vicious, sadistic smile, his eyes glimmering with power. “Oh, I completely understand John. You’re right, family is the most important thing in the world.”
John panted, nodding frantically. “Yeah! It is, that’s why Gerard, that’s why I did it!”
Gerard’s smile vanished within seconds. “Too bad the only family I care about is mine.”
With that he stood up and turned to Toro. “What do you wanna do with him?”
Ray was about to open his mouth when suddenly the door flew open behind them and Sam burst in, wide eyed and frantic.
“We need to go. Police are here,” Sam informed them. “Someone must have tipped them off.”
“Fuck,” Toro muttered, sighing in annoyance. “Alright boys, off we go. Out the fire escape.”
Craig followed Sam in and they headed off towards the window at the back of the room, dragging it up and climbing out on to the fire escape. They all left within seconds, silently and swiftly. Toro stopped as he was half way out the window to see Gerard was still stood there, standing over John.
“This isn’t exactly the best time Way, get your ass over here now,” Ray snarled at Gerard. “I’m not fucking around Gerard, I mean it!”
Gerard looked up then, his eyes distant and far away. “It’s fine Toro. You go, I’ll catch up, I just need to...finish up.”
“Like hell are you staying here,” Ray hissed. “Get the fuck out now before I drag you out!”
“Ray, please! Just go, I’ll be fine! You know I will, I just need to make sure he’s not gonna say anything when the police get here!”
“The police are here right now Gerard!” Ray yelled at him.
“I’ll be out in a few seconds Ray, just go!” Gerard snapped.
“Fine. Fucking [/i]fine[i]. Just get out of here straight away, you got that? If your dad finds out you were here, we’re both dead. Hurry up,” Ray sighed heavily. “We’ll be waiting at the warehouse down the street for you.”
Gerard nodded and Ray vanished, disappearing into the night. Gerard looked back at John who was staring up at him with terrified eyes.
“You know, if it was anyone else, they’d just fuck you up a little bit, scare you,” Gerard murmured softly. “But I’m not like that John. I don’t give second chances to anyone because you should know in the first place not to cross us.”
“Gerard,” John pleaded shakily. “Gerard, God, please don’t do this!”
Gerard sniffed and examined his nails. “When I take over from my dad, I’m gonna run a much tighter ship. See, I think he’s going a little bit soft. Must be his age, you know? But anyway. I don’t have much time so I’ll make this short and simple.”
John let out a desperate sob, shaking his head. “No, no, no Gerard, please don’t-”
“Oh shut up, you snivelling piece of shit,” Gerard snarled, pulling out the black handgun and putting a bullet straight through John’s head, lips turning up at the corners into a cruel smile.
And that was how the police found Gerard when they kicked the door down, stood over John with a manic smile on his blood splattered face, gun resting by his side.[/i]
Gerard blinked rapidly, sighing as he listened to the sound of Frank’s soft breathing below on the bunk underneath him. The guards had switched the lights out about an hour ago and the prison was just as noisy.
“Jesus Christ, do I have to come up there and pull out all your fucking teeth?!” Frank snapped at him suddenly. “Stop grinding your teeth for fuck’s sake! I’m trying to sleep!”
There was a laugh from the cell next to them. “You tell that bitch Frankie!”
Gerard hadn’t even realised he’d been grinding his teeth.

Notes