I haven’t had a restless night until now. It’s after lights out, and I can’t seem to sleep or shut my eyes. I flipped my body around in different sleeping positions, but I didn’t gain anything from it. This was the result of one nightmare. Last night I woke up in a cold sweat, waking up from a collage of memories that led me into this place. I began to think since I stored all the memories away during the day, they came at night.

I melted my face into the palm of my hands. My mental state is suffering. I need to stay sharp during my plan. I can’t allow Arthur or my mind take over me.

---

Gerard huddled in his twin bed, staring off into the distance. He can hear the soft snores around him, coming from his roommate. Since this was a minimum security prison, everyone was harmless. Though, Gerard was still afraid. He wasn’t sure why, but he was.

The next morning, Gerard carried his breakfast tray toward a small table. A table where his brother Mikey picked at his eggs. Gerard sat across from him. He noticed his brother’s mood but didn’t bring it up. He never brought it up, because he knew exactly what it was all about.

Gerard picked up his fork, “You wanna play uno again after lunch?”

Mikey shrugged, “Sure,” His voice was grim.

Gerard looked at him, “How are your sessions with Dr. Stump?”

“They’re alright, I guess,” Mikey smirked, “He says I’m making progress.”

“That’s great, Mikey,” Gerard directed his fork to Mikey’s eggs, “You gonna eat that?”

Mikey grinned, “I’ll trade you for your toast.”

“Deal.” Gerard chuckled.

As breakfast passed, the Way brothers talked about their plans for after lunch. After lunch there’s a two hour long recess where all inmates from the west wing get to interact with one another instead of being confined inside their cell.

The two remained talking off topic of what was on their minds. That was until Mikey noticed a brief moment of silence. His voice shook, “What do you Frank is doing right now?”

Gerard dropped his fork onto his plate, “Jesus christ, Mikey. Can’t you go through one breakfast without mentioning that creep?”

Mikey looked down, “He’s not a creep.”

“I thought you said your sessions with Dr. Stump are improving?”

“It is.” Mikey frowned, “But I’m not over him yet.”

Gerard wiped his mouth with his napkin, “Whatever.” He sighed deeply. He stared at his brother, “I’ve forgiven you for everything. I’m pretending you never did anything wrong but you let things happen to me because of him...you better be trying to get better.”

“I am.” Mikey’s voice became bleak, “I hate it when you bring up the past. You’re suppose to move on. Are your sessions improving with Dr. Stump?”

Gerard rolled his eyes, “Don’t give me attitude.”

“Are they?” Mikey asked again.

Gerard looked bothered, “Yes.” He lied. He hasn’t been moving on. He still clings onto the past just to remember how much he despises Frank. He needs to keep that hatred close to him so if the time ever comes, which he knows it will, he can use it. Gerard’s not stupid. He knows Frank will never let him go, so he knows he’ll see Frank again someday.

---

My gut feeling is to kill Arthur, but I can’t. I know it’ll ruin everything. A dead body and spilt blood isn’t going to help my scheme. I just need to avoid Arthur, but it’s hard to do when I see him everywhere I turn. His cardinal hair is so noticeable. I just wonder why no one has noticed that he’s been following me.

I entered Patrick’s office. He looked at me very daring as I sat down. I gave him a smile, “Is something bothering you?”

“Nothing personal.” He turned his computer around to show me the screen, “Here is a small video from one of the few security cameras. Frank, can you tell me why you’ve been entering the supply closet almost every day of last week?” He hit the space bar to show me a small clip. It was of me entering the small storage. He hit the space bar again to pause it. He looked at me again.

There was no use in lying, “I was fucking someone. But it’s over now.”

Patrick looked puzzled, “Fucking someone?”

“Oh, well, looks like you stepped into your big boy shoes and cussed, Pat,” I chuckled.

Patrick completely ignored my humor, “Frank...um…” He sat down next to me, “what does this person look like?”

“Well, you have him on video, don’t you?”

“Him, yes-but it’s all black and white. It’s not exactly a clear video,” Patrick said, “so tell me.”

Why was he asking? The video doesn’t seem that bad. I scattered my words, “He, uh, had red hair. A small nose and small teeth.”

“Hazel eyes? Like Gerard?”

I nodded, “You know him?”

Patrick looked down, “Now I see.” He leaned in a bit, “What’s his name?”

His face, I recognize the face he’s making right now. There was concentration in his eyes. His brows were low and small lines around his mouth. He was analyzing me. Patrick was determining something about me. In disbelief I answered, “Arthur.”

Patrick’s face relaxed. He now knows something else about me that I don't know. He got up and looked through his computer, “Frank, Arthur is Gerard’s middle name.” He turned the video back to me, “You’ve been entering that supply closet by yourself. No one was ahead of you, and no one followed after you.”

The video played to show me walking down the hall and entering the closet by myself. He was right. No one followed me inside. Yet, I remember having Arthur behind me and entering with me. Another video showed of me approaching the line-up of newcomers, the day I met Arthur. But I didn’t talk to a person, I was talking to nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I leaned back in the chair, “I...imagined it?”

“It was all in your head, Frank. No one stopped to tell you and no one looked at you funny because you are in a mental hospital. Cases like that aren't rare, but common.” He shut the laptop, “I now know you’ve made up a person who looks alike to Gerard, to keep you company...it’s not a good entry for my report.”

“But...I fucked someone-didn’t I?”

“Your mind might have tricked you into believing that but in reality you might have been masturbating or having sex with an inanimate object.” Patrick looked at me, “You’re no longer considered a psychopath, but a delusional psychopath.”

Notes

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