"I dont know which one I should take,"I said as I stared at the 5 or 6 guns sitting in Ray's spare guitar case.
"Just take one. Far out. They are all the same you know,"Frank sighed.
"I want one that feels good and looks good."
"They all feel and look good now hurry up. I dont want Ray's Mum coming up here and seeing them."

"Okay okay,"I swept my eyes over them again before choosing one in the middle. It seemed to fit my hand perfectly,"This is the right one,"I smiled.
"Yeah yeah whatever man. Just tuck it into the back of your pants, get that closed up and lets go,"Frank said angrily.

I did as he said then followed him downstairs. Mrs Toro took about 5 minutes to say goodbye, making sure we were going to tell Ray to go see her, before she let us go. Once Frank and i were buckled in we drove in silence towards my old home. Two blocks away I parked the car and looked at Frank who looked stony as hell.

"Frank whats wrong?"
"What?"He looked away from the window, seeming to be coming out of a daze.
"You're pissed off. Majorly."
"No I'm not I'm-"
"Fine? I know you well enough to know when you're not fine, Frankie."

Frank sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds before turning in his seat and looking at me,"I am severely pissed off at Chloe for making you sick. I'm pissed off that you want to waste time going to you're old house. I'm pissed off that you have a gun. I'm pissed off that you're involved in this at all. Its not fair. We should both be back home. Enjoying having the guys over. Getting ready for my birthday. Not hiding guns in Ray's spare guitar case in his mothers house."

"Frank. I wanna make you feel better I really do, but there is nothing we can do about any of that. We just need to get over that and deal with the problems at hand. Like finding Cole, okay?"I grabbed his hand and squeezed it softly.
"I know its just so exhausting,"He sighed.
"I know. Come on, lets go check it out,"I said as I unbuckled my seat belt.

Frank looked at me in confusion,"Arent we going to your old house?"
"Yeah but there aint no way I'm driving there. They know my car. We need to walk,"I said and got out of the car.
"No matter how we get there, we're at risk of being recognised,"Frank shivered as a gust of wind swept dead leaves around my feet.

"We're walking. And not together either,"I said as I pulled my phone out.
"What do you mean?"
Frank stared at me as I slowly backed away, my phone to my ear with his ringing in his pocket.

I nodded at him then turned my back on him as he answered my call,"You cant be serious."
"Yup."
"Gerard its not safe. Let me walk with you,"Frank sighed. I glanced over my shoulder to see him starting to walk.
"Its better this way because no one is gonna see us walking together and think 'oh gay couple. Shoot them' and tell Cole we're here."

"Alright then. But be careful okay? Keep a sharp eye out. If anything seems out of the ordinary you abandon this suicide mission. You hear me?"
"Yes Frank. I hear you,"I sighed as the street came into veiw.
"Good. So uh. How are you feeling?"

I let out a chuckle and glanced over my shoulder at him,"I'm doing fine Frank. No hallucinations. What about you? How are you feeling? Still pissed off?"
"Of course. But I'm pushing it aside so I can keep you safe."
"I dont think anyone's in there,"I said as I glanced across the road to my old child hood home. I bubble of nostalgia rose in my throat as I noticed that Mikey and I's initials were still carved into the side of the only tree on the lawn.

"What? Gerard why have you stopped walking?"Frank said.
"We- we're here. It doesnt look like anyone's living in there,"I said. I hadnt even realised that I'd stopped walking. I hung the phone up as Frank reached me.

"Gerard can we please keep walking. I dont feel safe,"Frank sighed.
"I'm gonna go in,"I ignored him and started crossing the road. There was absolutely no one in sight. A quick glance at the closest houses told me no one was even watching us through the curtains.

"Gerard!"Frank hissed,"Get back here!"
I ignored him again as I reached the end of the driveway. I looked up at the dark windows. The sky was getting dark as well, big black storm clouds rolling in. Frank joined my side again.
"Come on,"I smiled at him and darted over to the tree.

"Gerard I- is that- did you and Mikey-"
"Yup. When I was almost 6 I think,"I smiled as my fingers traced the grooves in the tree,"Come on. Lets go inside."
"No Gerard-"Frank let out a frustrated groan as I moved towards the front door.

"Gerard its gonna be locked,"Frank sighed as we stood on the doorstep and I looked around. We had stuck a key to the bottom of,"-the rock!"I stooped down and grabbed it from the edge of the shrubbery. Sure enough our old key was there. Mikey and I had never thought to tell anyone about it when they took us to the orphanage.

"Oh my god. How long has that been there?"Frank said as I pulled it off and put it into the hole.
"For as long as I can remember,"I said as I turned the key and that smooth metallic click sounded out, bringing out a wide smile.

"Gerard we shouldnt be doing this,"Frank whispered as I pushed the door open wide. We stayed still for a second, staring down the darkening hallway, before silently we stepped over the thresh hold and closed the door behind us.
"I dont like this..."Frank whispered,"I dont like this at all..."

"Frank? Quit quoting Harry Potter and explore with me,"I smiled and started moving forward.
"Explore? Gerard you lived here. Dont you know where everything is?"Frank muttered behind me.
"Yeah but you know, things might have changed,"I said as I walked into the lounge. The carpets had been cleaned since I had last seen them. A door to the kitchen had been put in but otherwise it was unchanged.

I stood in front of the front window, looking out through the overgrown rose bushes and onto the street. A dark sedan drove by but then the road was silent again.
"What exactly are we doing here?"Frank came up behind me, sliding his arm around my waist.
"You wanna go upstairs?"I turned in his arms, looking down at his curious face.

"Can I see your old bedroom?!"He grinned.
"Lets go,"I grinned back. We raced back into the hallway and up the stairs. I stopped at the top, looking up and down the landing.

"Which one is yours?"Frank walked ahead of me, peeking into Mum's old bedroom.
"Next- next to the bathroom,"I said as I walked into Mum's room. It felt surreal being in here. I had only ever been in here twice before. The first time was when Nanna had died. Mum had come into me in the night and had taken me and Mikey into her bed for the night. The second time had been when someone had come to take Mikey and I to the orhpanage. We had both put up a huge fight, wanting to take everything. In the end we had calmed down and had been allowed to go into her room. Mikey had grabbed the photo of her and Mikey from her bedside table. I had wanted to take her blanket but they hadnt let me. I never got to take anything of hers because of that.

"Gerard?"Frank said softly, making me jump.
I cleared my throat and turned around to see him watching me from the doorway,"Yeah?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah I'm uh I'm fine,"I smiled briefly as I turned back around. I had a sudden urge to open the closet in the corner so I did.

It was bare except for a few coathangers. I stared at the back wall, feeling like I was missing something.
"What's that?"Frank said, hooking his chin over my shoulder.
"What's what?"

"That,"Frank pointed to something on the inside of the doorframe. I reached out and touched it.
"It- its a button?"I leaned in to get a good look at it.
"Oooh whats it for?"
"I dunno the light?"I shrugged my shoulders and pressed it only to be hit on the head by something.

"A secret compartment!"Frank gushed,"Oh, are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm- I'm fine,"I said, rubbing my head as I ducked out from under the small wooden door that had fallen down onto my head, revealing an empty shelf,"I wonder how long this has been here."
"Judging by the smell of wood I'd say it was put in pretty recently,"Frank said taking a sniff.

"Hmm... Okay I just want to see my room then we can go,"I sighed as I closed the compartment and then the closet. After a sad look at my old room I took a deep breath and went downstairs.
"I'm going in front this time okay?"Frank said as we stood in the hallway.
"Okay you go now. I'm gonna have a look at the back garden a minute and see if my Nana's blueberry bush is still there,"I smiled.

"Alright well dont be long okay? Call me when you're out,"Frank looked at me seriously.
"Yeah yeah okay,"I smiled and turned around.
"Damn you got a fine ass,"Frank said behind me. I let out a giggle but didnt turn back. I would be seeing him in a minute or two.

I opened the back door and was immediately met with the smell of dirt and dead leaves. I looked around at the half dead garden. If the blueberry bush was still there it wouldn't be in season or whatever. I stared at the shed at the back sadly. Mum had once said that we could turn it into a den. Play video games in there when we had friends over. I looked over the fence at the forest and sighed.

I missed Mum. I missed Nana. I missed not having any of this crap to deal with. A car backfired somewhere in the distance and then again two seconds later, bringing me back to reality because that wasnt a car that was a gun shot.
"Frank...? Frankie?!"I shouted out. I turned to run around the side of the house but was met by a huge old guy, towering over me. The muscles in his arms were the same size as my fucking head.

I backed away from him into another guy who was the same size and who was also shoving a gag into my mouth, pinning my arms at my sides. Within seconds I was bound and gagged properly and they were dragging me through a flap in the fence and into the forest.