Photograph That I Gave You

Part of me desperately wants to run back. To follow Gerard and lock ourselves in our bus and watch bad horror movies and drink shitty instant coffee until all the bad stuff goes away. I watch the others stand uncomfortably not daring move any closer. Bob dials what's most likely 911 and Mikey goes running after Gerard.
Without thinking I run to, but in the opposite direction. I hear Ray yellling at me to stop but I don't. I can't. I have to know this is happening to know this is real. That the thing that's been killing all those people is here. I've been in suspence too long to take someone else's word for it.
I sprint through the door and am hit by the strong copperly smell of blood, another reminder if why I'm a vegetarian. The repulsive scent should be enough to deter me but I don't stop
Until I reach the back of the bus where the odor is coming from. And then I see it.
On the bed. It? Him? Her? Them?
A pile of meat ,butchered and hanging off the bone lie staining the lime green sheets. The pool of blood is thick and half gelated. They once were two people, I can decern two spines but the bodies have been hacked into chunks and strewn about the bed, so there's no way of telling who is who. There's an arm there, a kidney or two on the pillow, a slab of skin with purple/black hair on it over there. Ribs poke out in every direction. Their colourful clothing is torn to shreds and coated in slick purple arteries or pulpy tendon. An unraveled intestine is flopped over the side of the bed. The room is stiflingly hot and the flesh has begun to go rancid. A fly lands on a bloody eyeball with the muscles still clinging onto it. I fall to my knees, throw up and pass out.
*****
I wake up outside on a spare stretcher. The sight I see is Rays fro. He's kneeling beside me "Hey man, are you okay?"
My response is leaning over the side and vomiting again. When my throut clears I spit out "Fuck, Toro no."
He looks hurt and im about the apologize when the image of the bodies flashes in my mind.I squeeze my stinging eyes shut "Fuck"
"Frank the police are here, they're going to take you back to the station ok?" He explains as if to a child.
I sit up and wrap my arms around myself. Even though its still boiling outside I have goosebumps.
He gives me a hand up and hugs me. "Think about it this way," He says pulling away "The worst part is over"
I give a half assed nod and a woman with silver/blond hair who I'm guessing is a cop approaches us.
She looks at me, "Are you Frank Iero?" She asks sternly.
"Y-yes," i stutter trying to keep my composture.
"I'm Officer Thompson, from the local police department. Will you please come with me?"
I want to say not now I need to find my friend but end up nodding stupidly and climbing into the backseat of the police cruiser.
I spend the drive staring out the window trying to read the names.of the stores going by and block out the image of those butchered corpses I can't seem to get out of my head.
The door opens, I hadn't even noticed the car stopped.
I walk up the staires into the imposing grey building and through the glass doors, struggling to keep up with her brisk pace. We pass the secretary and go down a short corridor to her office.
Its rather small with barely enough room for a filing cabinet, water cooler and her desk.
"Have a seat," she instructs and I obey, planting myself gratefully into the wooden chair facing away from the door. She sits in the far comfier looking chair behind the desk. "Would you like a drink of water?" She asks her tone softening a bit.
"No thank you," I decline quietly.
"Now Frank, do you know why youre here?"
I take a second the think about it and realize "Uh no, not really."
"You were the second person to see the bodies I just want to ask you some questions," When I don't reply she continues "Did you know the victims very well?"
"N-no. In fact I dont know who they are at all, c-could you tell m-?"
"They were two young men playing in a band on Warp Tour, they went by the names Dahvie Vanity and Jayy Con Monroe. You were touring with them."
A guilty feeling grabs my throut. They've been on tour with us for and I never met them or even heard their music. "I-I'm on Warp Tour yeah,"
"Why did you run in there? You ruined the integrity of the crime scene I hope you had a good reason since you didn't know them." Her eyes are a piercing blue and unnerve me as I struggle for an answer.
"Uhm, I just had to know if it was true,"
"If what was true?"
"If they were dead. If it was murder,"
"Why do you say murder?" She asks sharply.
"Because," I shuffle in my seat nervously"I've noticed a string of odd deaths in all the cities we've toured in. It seemed to much of a coincidence,"
"Hmm," Is all Thompson says leaning back into her seat.
Once the silence gets too great I ask "Officer, do you have any idea wha-who could have done this?"
"Its unclear right now but there have been some recent killings that are similar to this, there may be even more dating back but its hard to tell. Whoever it is they're getting sloppy so it won't be long before we catch them, you don't have to sorry about that. "
I nod, but how many more deaths will occur before then. "Is there anything else officer? I don't feel very well," I admit
"Thats enough for now, you've been through quite a shock. If you could write down a number so we can reach you for further questions that may arise,"
"Oh yeah sure," I scribble down my cell number on a sticky note.
"Thank you sir. We'll probably give you a call afyer the forensics report comes in but before then there's notjing much we can do. Now I suggest you go home and relax. You've had a hard day. Do you need a ride?"
"No, I'm okay. Thank you though." I stand and walk to the door "I hope you catch this killer soon."
She gives me a wry smile "So do I,"
I retrace my steps onto the street and hail a cab. The driver is a chatty Columbian man who fills the taxi will light conversation. I do my best to answer but I just want to get back in my bunk and lye there for a few days
When we arrive I give him a generous tip which I almost can't afford and find my bus. I feel hollow inside and just want sleep.
I walk in and oddly enough the place is empty.
" Hi," I jump at the unexpected voice.
I turn and theres Gerard wearing a black sweater and looking guilty "Sorry i didnt mean to scare you."
I burst into tears and run into his arms. I'm not even sure why.
"I heard you saw the bodies," he says hesitantly.
I nod still crying like an idiot.
"I'm so sorry," he whispers kissing the top of my head, "I'm so sorry you had to see that."His voice breaks and he holds me tighter. We stand there for a longer time than what expected of us before he pulls away. I already miss his warmth.
" Are you hungry? The others when out to get something to eat, they should be back soon,"
"Uhm, I've lost my appetite, I think id rather just go sleep"
"Ok," he says and all the engery that he normally has is faded. And I notice its been fading for a long time. I'm about to ask him to lie with me until I fall asleep, but realize what a ridiculous suggestion that is and end up climbing into my bunk alone.
I hear the sound of pages turning and know he must be reading one of his beloved comics. I curl up under my blankets and wait a long time but sleep doesn't come. Just the empty feeling. Almost an hour passes and juat as I'm about to doze off I think i hear something, like the sounds of muffled crying....

Notes

No time to spell check tonight I'll edit tomorrow but I'm so exhausted. This took so long cuz I was halfway done writing when my interest glitches and deletes the whole fucking chapter. So I spent another hour rewriting it. Anyway things are kinda picking up now and hope u enjoy. Oh it's a little late but sorry for the gore. Anyway thanks again killjoys -keep running