Teenagers
Night Terrors
The bell rings as I slam my locker shut, placing the books needed for my next lesson under my arm and bolting in the direction of my next class. As I jog down the nearly empty hallway, I try to avoid any human contact. I try not to look at or talk to anyone as long as I don’t have to. No one at this school knows me. No one even cares. No one but Frank that is.
Frank got held back a year of chemistry because he skipped most of the tests last year. Incidentally, that’s what’s next.
Everyone is already seated as I nervously enter the overly lit classroom.
“Thank you for joining us, Mr. Way.” An un-approving Mrs. York says, cocking an eyebrow as she speaks. “and do you know where Mr. Iero, your partner in crime is?” She suspiciously continues.
It’s not until now that I notice he’s missing. For once, I don’t know where he is. Where is he?
“Yeah, where’s your boyfriend.” One of the jocks mockingly laughs.
No one knows yet. No one knows that he actually is my boyfriend. That when they’re not around, we hold hands, we flirt, we even make out. Just like any other normal couple.
They’re all homophobic ass holes. The whole school.
I ignore the comment. Politely replying. “No. I’m not sure where he is, Mrs. York.”
*******
As soon as the lesson ends I sprint out of the classroom. I head towards the forest. The shirk place, that’s where he must be. He has to be there, which is weird because it’s clouded out, and it’s raining cats and dogs. Why would he be there? But then again, where else could he be?
The opening in the forest is completely empty. All I hear are the birds chirping in the trees. Tweet, tweet.
“Frank!” There’s no reply, only a scaring silence.
***************
“Frank! Frank… Where are you? Pick up.” I whisper. The fact that I haven’t seen or talked to him all day frightens me. He’s always at school, he’s just not always at school. “Why aren’t you picking up?”
That’s it. I can’t just sit here anymore. What if something’s wrong? What if he needs my help? I’m walking over to his house, right now. Maybe his parents know where he is, if they’re home that is.
**********
It's dark out, but I’m greeted by an even darker house. It’s completely empty. Something is off. The door is not shut completely.
The familiar stench of dried blood hits me like a ton of bricks as I take one more baby step towards the slightly cracked door. My shaky hands are barely capable of shoving it open. It reviles a sight I’d never wish upon anyone. A sight that knocks the breath right out of me. A sight that could easily have killed me.
There, right in front of me, one of my most dreaded fears come to life. Frank, on the floor, covered in blood. Gasping for air, and clasping a deep wound on his stomach. For a second I just stand there, unable to soak it in, my heart jumping out of my chest. My entire being starts to tremble as my stomach churns. The mac and cheese from lunch could come right back up at any moment. I collapse onto the floor and drag my fragile body over to him.
“Frank. Frank, look at me. FRANK!” His eyes wander all over the place, searching for my voice, but he can’t find me. He can’t focus. He’s lost. Completely lost.
“Frank, I’m right here. I won’t leave you, I promise. Frank, what happened?! What have you done!? Frank! What have you done? Stay here, stay with me Frank..” I ramble on as I struggle to fish my cellphone out of my skin tight pockets, only to fumble on, dropping it several times on the floor as I try to dial 911.
“Help! Help me!”
*****
Minutes have passed now, but it feels closer to hours. His blinking is getting heavier; he’s really struggling to stay awake, to keep his eyes open. To stay. He’s drowning in his own mind, as well as his own blood.
I lift his limp head onto my lap, fighting for his attention. Fighting to meet his distant gaze as his eyes flutter from one end of the room to the other, but they are not what they used to be. They are not full of life and light. They are empty and cold. As cold as the skin of his forehead is towards the palm of my hand.
I clutch on to his stomach, trying to cover the throbbing wound. Trying to stop the life from escaping his shell of a body, trying to stop the bleeding. He lets out a low whimper as tears stream down his cheeks. The poor thing is in so much pain.
“Frank, stay. Frank I need you!” I plead. “Please! Don’t leave me. PLEASE! DON’T GO!” I scream, I cry, I beg. Nothing is helping.
He’s so distant, so vacant, but not dead. Not yet. His chest slowly lifts and drops unevenly as he coughs, this time there is thick, dark blood. It runs down the side of his cheek and onto my shirt.
Is he really leaving me? Is he going? I can’t go on without him. I can’t be alone again. He was the last good thing in this hell hole.
“Oh, Frank!” I collapse on top of him, screaming. The faint thump of a heartbeat fights through the silence getting weaker and weaker as I hear the clear sound of sirens in the distance.
Beep, beep beep.
The alarm rings, sending shivers down my spine. Is it time to get up already?
All of a sudden I throw my sweaty body up to a sitting position, head spinning and thumping. Where am I? How did I get to my bedroom? Where is Frank? Is he okay? I’m completely disoriented. What the fuck is going on?
It was all a dream! Thank GOD! IT WAS ALL A DREAM! Well almost all of it. Frank still hasn’t talked to me since the party. It’s only been 2 days, but he’s ignored me completely. At school he doesn’t even look at me. Well at least he’s not dead.
Frank got held back a year of chemistry because he skipped most of the tests last year. Incidentally, that’s what’s next.
Everyone is already seated as I nervously enter the overly lit classroom.
“Thank you for joining us, Mr. Way.” An un-approving Mrs. York says, cocking an eyebrow as she speaks. “and do you know where Mr. Iero, your partner in crime is?” She suspiciously continues.
It’s not until now that I notice he’s missing. For once, I don’t know where he is. Where is he?
“Yeah, where’s your boyfriend.” One of the jocks mockingly laughs.
No one knows yet. No one knows that he actually is my boyfriend. That when they’re not around, we hold hands, we flirt, we even make out. Just like any other normal couple.
They’re all homophobic ass holes. The whole school.
I ignore the comment. Politely replying. “No. I’m not sure where he is, Mrs. York.”
*******
As soon as the lesson ends I sprint out of the classroom. I head towards the forest. The shirk place, that’s where he must be. He has to be there, which is weird because it’s clouded out, and it’s raining cats and dogs. Why would he be there? But then again, where else could he be?
The opening in the forest is completely empty. All I hear are the birds chirping in the trees. Tweet, tweet.
“Frank!” There’s no reply, only a scaring silence.
***************
“Frank! Frank… Where are you? Pick up.” I whisper. The fact that I haven’t seen or talked to him all day frightens me. He’s always at school, he’s just not always at school. “Why aren’t you picking up?”
That’s it. I can’t just sit here anymore. What if something’s wrong? What if he needs my help? I’m walking over to his house, right now. Maybe his parents know where he is, if they’re home that is.
**********
It's dark out, but I’m greeted by an even darker house. It’s completely empty. Something is off. The door is not shut completely.
The familiar stench of dried blood hits me like a ton of bricks as I take one more baby step towards the slightly cracked door. My shaky hands are barely capable of shoving it open. It reviles a sight I’d never wish upon anyone. A sight that knocks the breath right out of me. A sight that could easily have killed me.
There, right in front of me, one of my most dreaded fears come to life. Frank, on the floor, covered in blood. Gasping for air, and clasping a deep wound on his stomach. For a second I just stand there, unable to soak it in, my heart jumping out of my chest. My entire being starts to tremble as my stomach churns. The mac and cheese from lunch could come right back up at any moment. I collapse onto the floor and drag my fragile body over to him.
“Frank. Frank, look at me. FRANK!” His eyes wander all over the place, searching for my voice, but he can’t find me. He can’t focus. He’s lost. Completely lost.
“Frank, I’m right here. I won’t leave you, I promise. Frank, what happened?! What have you done!? Frank! What have you done? Stay here, stay with me Frank..” I ramble on as I struggle to fish my cellphone out of my skin tight pockets, only to fumble on, dropping it several times on the floor as I try to dial 911.
“Help! Help me!”
*****
Minutes have passed now, but it feels closer to hours. His blinking is getting heavier; he’s really struggling to stay awake, to keep his eyes open. To stay. He’s drowning in his own mind, as well as his own blood.
I lift his limp head onto my lap, fighting for his attention. Fighting to meet his distant gaze as his eyes flutter from one end of the room to the other, but they are not what they used to be. They are not full of life and light. They are empty and cold. As cold as the skin of his forehead is towards the palm of my hand.
I clutch on to his stomach, trying to cover the throbbing wound. Trying to stop the life from escaping his shell of a body, trying to stop the bleeding. He lets out a low whimper as tears stream down his cheeks. The poor thing is in so much pain.
“Frank, stay. Frank I need you!” I plead. “Please! Don’t leave me. PLEASE! DON’T GO!” I scream, I cry, I beg. Nothing is helping.
He’s so distant, so vacant, but not dead. Not yet. His chest slowly lifts and drops unevenly as he coughs, this time there is thick, dark blood. It runs down the side of his cheek and onto my shirt.
Is he really leaving me? Is he going? I can’t go on without him. I can’t be alone again. He was the last good thing in this hell hole.
“Oh, Frank!” I collapse on top of him, screaming. The faint thump of a heartbeat fights through the silence getting weaker and weaker as I hear the clear sound of sirens in the distance.
Beep, beep beep.
The alarm rings, sending shivers down my spine. Is it time to get up already?
All of a sudden I throw my sweaty body up to a sitting position, head spinning and thumping. Where am I? How did I get to my bedroom? Where is Frank? Is he okay? I’m completely disoriented. What the fuck is going on?
It was all a dream! Thank GOD! IT WAS ALL A DREAM! Well almost all of it. Frank still hasn’t talked to me since the party. It’s only been 2 days, but he’s ignored me completely. At school he doesn’t even look at me. Well at least he’s not dead.
11/2/13