Hell or High Water

A few hours later Gerard sat his sketch pad aside and stared out the window.'Let us out...' The voice inside Gerard's head whispered. Gerard ignored it and glanced at Frank who was sleeping soundly. 'Come on Gerard, you know you want to...' The voice cooed. Gerard shook his head. 'No.' He snapped. Mikey knocked on the door, interrupting Gerard's thoughts.
"Hey Gee. Do you plan on coming out today?" Mikey asked, sitting down next to him. Gerard shook his head and thinned his lips. "What's the matter?" Mikey asked rubbing Gerard's back soothingly.
'It's nothing...' Gerard replied with his hands. Mikey sighed and shook his head.
"It's not “nothing” Gee, you seem...upset." Mikey said hesitantly.
'I'm fine Mikey, please just leave it.'
"Gerard, the last time you told me "I'm fine" you ended up not eating for weeks so please, just tell me what's wrong..." Mikey mumbled.
'No, you'll just think I'm just another crazy person if I tell you.' Gerard laughed dryly. Mikey glared at him.
“No, that’s the thing Gerard, you think I think you’re crazy, and I don’t so please Gerard, humor me.” Mikey nearly growled. Gerard sighed and rubbed his eyes.
‘You’ll see. And you’ll be afraid of me.’ Gerard replied and laid down.
“We’re all afraid of something. But i won't be afraid of it.” Mikey said laying down next to him. “Like my fear of sharks and your fear of the dark.”
‘I’m not afraid of the dark, I’m afraid of what is in it.’ Gerard wrote with shaky hands.‘But Gerard we just want to have some fun.’ The voices whispered. Gerard shook his head and rolled onto his side.
“Gerard please just tell me…” Mikey whispered. Gerard whimpered and clutched his head. ‘Gerard...LET US OUT!’ The voices screamed. “Gerard?” Mikey sat up and hesitantly grabbed his shoulder. Gerard however couldn’t hear him, the sound of screams filled his ears.

“NO PLEASE LET ME OUT! I’M SORRY!”
“They can’t hear you Gerard but we can.”The darkness cackled. Gerard spun around squinting at the dark. Suddenly Gerard was pinned against the wall with his arms stretched out. Claws tore into his chest and arms making Gerard’s screams elevate.
“PLEASE! STOP!” Gerard cried. Black blood poured out of Gerard’s arms and dripped onto the floor. Gerard fell to the floor, his blood still streaming out. Thinking that it was over Gerard sat back up only to be pinned to the floor by the same invisible force that pinned him to the wall. He tried to thrash and break free but only succeeded in wearing himself out. More cuts were made on his thighs, back and stomach before it finally stopped. ‘No one can protect you Gerard. Not Mikey, not Matt, not Ray, and not even Frank Iero’ Gerard soon became numb and the familiar sound of rushing water filled his ears.

“Gerard, wake up!”Mikey yelled shaking Gerard. Gerard opened his eyes and looked around. Frank and Mikey looked down at him with worried expressions. He patted around and grabbed his notepad. Gerard sat up and started writing. He handed it to Mikey and glanced at Frank who had taken a seat next to him.
‘What happened?’ Gerard wrote looking up at Mikey with questioning eyes. Mikey sighed and rubbed his face.
“You passed out, and soon after, started screaming in your sleep. Gerard, what were you dreaming about?” Mikey asked handing the pad back to Gerard.
‘It was just a nightmare, nothing to worry about.’ Gerard wrote and handed it back to Mikey. He sighed and rubbed his arms, tracing the outline of the many scars he had on his arms. Frank followed with his eyes and grabbed Gerard’s hand. Gerard looked up at him and stared. ‘How do I know you?’ Gerard wrote and handed it to Frank. Frank frowned as he read the note.
“I don’t know? How do you?” Gerard raised a brow.
‘I wouldn’t have asked if I knew.’ Frank chuckled a bit.
“Okey dokey, sass master. I don’t know, Gerard. Maybe we’ve met like a long time ago?” Frank suggested, shrugging his shoulders.
“I highly doubt it. How long have you been in here?” Mikey asked, looking at Frank.
Six years, but I don’t really remember very much before I got in here.’ Gerard wrote with a mournful sigh. Mikey gapped at what Gerard had written and looked up at him.
“G-Gerard, that’s when you left to go to art school” Mikey stuttered.
“Wait, if you don’t remember what happened before you got in here, how do you know that Mikey is your brother?”
‘I said I don’t remember that much, not that I don't remember anything. The farthest I can remember is when Mikey almost electrocuted himself by sticking a fork in the toaster’ Gerard wrote with a breathy chuckle. Frank raised a brow and looked at Mikey.
“Hey, the toast didn't want to come out!” Gerard and Frank rolled their eyes.
“Well, getting back on track. Why don’t you talk?” Frank asked handing the pad back to Gerard. Gerard froze and closed his eyes. Flashes of the terrible days he spent in solitary sped through his mind.
“Gerard? Gerard, your nose is bleeding...” Frank said wiping the blood off of Gerard’s mouth and nose. Gerard grabbed the tissue and held it in place as he wrote.
‘Mikey, have you been down to solitary before?’ Gerard asked looking Mikey dead in the eyes.
“No, why?”
‘Just go down there. Go into the room with the red cross above the door and you’ll see. Take Frank with you.’ Gerard sighed and laid back down.
“Will you be fine here by yourself? In the dark I mean, because it’s about to be lights out.” Mikey asked, very worried. Gerard nodded.
‘I’ll be fine, just hurry up.’
“Alright, come on Frank.” Mikey sighed and stood up.
“Where are we going?” Frank asked following Mikey out of the room. As their voices started to fade much more menacing ones came. ‘Gerard, you can’t hide from us forever. The sun is setting and we’ll be free…’ The voices sang. Gerard pulled the blanket over his head, trying to keep himself hidden. ‘Maybe Mikey and Frank won’t be back in time...And we’ll have some time to play.’ Gerard whimpered as the bottom of the blanket started to get pulled away. The door slammed shut and laughs filled the air. A pure black figure rose above Gerard waiting for the right moment to strike. Gerard tightened his grip on the blanket and slowly lifted it up. The dark figure ripped the blanket away and grabbed Gerard by his hair. Gerard yelped as he was thrown across the room, hitting the wall. The figure walked over to him and ran it’s claws down Gerard’s chest. Small droplets of blood ran down Gerard chest as the creature pushed deeper. Gerard screamed as the claws went into his chest and twisted around. The creature yanked his arm out, splattering blood across the floor. It cut into his arms drawing more blood and rubbing it around on the wall. The creature lifted Gerard back up and tossed him onto the bed. It straddled Gerard’s hips and wrapped it’s hands around his throat. Gerard’s screams soon became choked breaths and short gasps as the creature tightened its grip around Gerard’s throat. As Gerard clawed and pushed Mikey walked in. Mikey gaped at the creature and slowly started to back away. The creature’s gaze snapped up towards Mikey and grinned. The creature laughed as it changed its form into small spiders that crawled into Gerard’s skin. Gerard screamed as the small spiders ran around under his skin and mixed with his blood. Frank ran in, slipping on the blood. Frank slowly got up and walked towards Mikey and Gerard.
“Mikey go get the first aid!” Mikey nodded and ran out of the room. Gerard took several deep breaths before looking up at Frank. Frank applied pressure to the gaping wound in his chest. Another image flashed through his vision but this one was different, it was of a much happier time.

“Geward! Geward, where are you?’ A young Frank called. Gerard snuck up behind him.
“Boo!” Frank screamed. Gerard started laughing and grabbed Frank’s shoulder.
“Geward!” Frank yelled and started crying. Gerard stopped laughing and a guilty look crawled on his face.
“I’m sorry Frankie” Gerard mumbled. Frank however didn’t stop crying. Gerard pulled Frank into a hug and started rubbing his neck. Soon Frank’s cries calmed down to whimpers. Gerard pulled away and gave him a sad smile. “Sorry Frankie”
“That wasn’t nice Geward” Frank mumbled.
“I know, I’m sorry”
“Okay...But I will get you back!” Frank declared. Gerard chuckled and picked Frank up. Frank squealed and giggled. Gerard ran inside the house and to the kitchen where they ate bowls upon bowls of ice cream.

Notes