Bound By A Chair

Two weeks had passed and there was still no word from Frank. You would think that the authorities would have hunted him down by now but apparently not. Greenford kept nagging me, asking if I was sure I hadn’t seen Frank and he hadn’t told me where he was going, did she think I helped him runaway or something? Maybe she thought I drove him out of this place because I didn’t want to share my room. Well she was wrong because for the little time Frank was here, I enjoyed him company. I miss being intrigued by his personality and observing him. I had tried everything I could think of, anywhere he could have left me clues. I’d come up with nothing. But the show must go on, my life must continue.

I wheeled into the cafeteria and collected my medication and a bowl of cereal and sat on my own in the corner, occasionally eaves dropping into one of Bob’s conversations about his Alien theories.
“Gerard what are you planning on doing today?” I hear Greenford ask me, startling me a bit. ‘I’m going out’.
“Yes, well I guessed that. Doing what? Hopefully something productive?” Can she not see that I’m eating? ‘I’ll go into town to the Comic Book place and see Dave’
“Oh, okay. Have a good day. Oh and we still haven’t got any news on Frank.” Aha well no shit Sherlock. Luckily she had left me alone to eat in peace so I could get on with my day.

Town was very busy. Lots of people everywhere, which is a hassle for me because I can’t get anywhere quickly because people are always cutting in front of me and slowing me up, which is very annoying. It was quite cold. Cold enough to wear a jacket but not cold enough for one of those thick Eskimo jackets. Once at Dave’s I wheeled up to him seeing that he was busy on the phone. He waved and signalled for me to wait for him to finish which means he has something to tell me. I looked around at all the comics for a bit. Finding some good classics. Doom Patrol definitely had to be one of favourites, it would be such an honour to write it one day, a day that is far off but maybe I’ll get there.

“Gerard! How are you?” I heard Dave shout excitedly as usual. ‘Great thanks, what about yourself?’
“I’m not bad, this and that, you know how it is. I have news! Someone bought the new edition of your comic that I only put out a couple of days ago!” I beamed in excitement, this means I am making progress! ‘That’s excellent! Do you know who it was?’
“It is excellent! I think it was the same kid that bought it last time. He comes in here quite regularly asking for any new issues of your comic. He looks quite rough actually. I’ve seen him busking around quite a bit” My heart stopped, Frank was still around? I thought he’d have been as far away as he can by now. ‘Do you know where he busks?’
“Yeah, it’s usually right outside that bank and coffee shop a few blocks away. It looks like he might be sleeping rough?” Why would Frank trade in a warm bed for the cold streets? ‘He ran away a couple of weeks ago, we don’t know why.’
“I see. Well sometimes people have their own reasons. Maybe you should go and make sure he’s alright. Anyway where’s that new issue?” I hand Dave the new issue of my comic and he gives me the money that was made last time. I take one of the new issues and put it under my chair. ‘Bye Dave, thanks, see you soon’
“Goodbye Gerard! Take care!”

I wheel myself down a couple of blocks keeping a look out for any sign of Frank. What if he doesn’t want to be found though? Would he be angry that I tried to find him? Well it’s worth a shot. That’s what I keep saying to myself anyway. Just as I’m about to give up and go back I see a short figure with a guitar case and a black discoloured hoodie and black trousers with several holes in sitting on the curb getting ready to busk. I wheel up to him, he doesn’t notice though. I’m not quite sure how to get his attention so I just wheel closer and tap him lightly. He jumps with shock all over his face before smiling at me.

“Hey Gerard! How did you find me?” I smile back, at least he’s not angry about seeing me. ‘You bought my comic and Dave said you busk down here’
“Yeah I’ve been busking here. You’re last edition was great by the way!” Dave was right. It looked like he was sleeping rough. He had a small bag of belongings, not many clothes but I assume he was wearing most of them. There are cups of cold coffee next to him and a pile of change. He looked quite thin and had dark bags under his eyes. ‘Frank you look like shit’ I simply stated on paper.
“It’s nice to see you too” He laughed off. I gave him a stern look. ‘Let me buy you lunch’
“Gerard that’s really nice but you don’t have to...” Frank tried to reject me but was interrupted by a loud disagreement with the rejection from his stomach. ‘Please’
“Fine but only this once” He smiled gathering up his belongings. We went into the coffee shop and I bought him whatever he wanted to eat and drink because it looked like he hadn’t in a while. We sat and ate, well more he ate and I watched but I was okay with that.
‘Why did you leave?’ Frank fiddled with his hands thinking of what to say.
“I-I umm- I just wanted to leave. I don’t want someone taking care of me” That kind of stung a little as that’d basically all people do for me but I’ll let it pass. ‘But Frank you have no money and nowhere to go. Why would you trade a decent life in there for a shitty one here?’
“I don’t know. I can’t come back now anyway. It’s hard living on the streets. People giving you shitty glances, looking at you like you’re filth. Using little money you earn to buy food.” That’s when it hit me that he must have had to save a lot of food money to buy my comic. That’s when I get my new edition of the comic out from under my chair and hand it to Frank. ‘This is for you, I don’t want you buying my comic with your food money.’
“Gerard I can’t accept this. You worked so hard on this. I can’t let you give me this.” He pushed it back to me but I just pushed it back to him. ‘Well then pay me back later when you have the money.’ I smile at him and he smiles back. Strangely he doesn’t seem as broken like this.
“Thank you” I get a warm feeling swelling in side of me. Wait, no, am I blushing? Frank giggles and I feel myself getting redder. ‘Please come back, you can stay there until you earn enough money to move out. That’s what I’m doing. Plus you get a weekly allowance of money.’
“I would if I could but I don’t think I can bring myself to go back” I nod understanding. Well I guess this is the end of lunch. ‘Just think about it’ and with that I leave.
I don’t need to say goodbye to Frank because I know I’ll see him again.

Another week passes and Frank still hasn’t come back. Maybe I was wrong and he won’t come back? Maybe-
“Gerard can you come to my office please?” I hear Greenford upon entering my room. What does she want now? I head to her office and sit patiently waiting for her.

“Now Gerard, good news, Frank has been found and will be returning. You didn’t tell us you had bumped into him last week though did you?” I shrugged, it was none of her business really. I can’t believe Frank is returning though.
“Well, you should know because he’s sharing your room again. That Frank is in a really bad place right now,” She’s lying. He was really happy when I saw him. I call bullshit. ‘He was happy when I saw him’
“Gerard you have to believe me. He’s not okay. We were called to the hospital as we are his legal guardians. He attempted suicide.” My head started spinning. That can’t be possible. He was fine last week. I felt tears brim my eyes but I don’t know why.
“When you saw him he was probably a high as a kite. He overdosed on drugs and an ambulance was called. He’ll be returning so he’s off the streets and we can keep an eye on him.” He was high when I saw him? I can’t believe it. I thought he was doing alright. Why couldn’t I tell? ‘When is he returning?’
“Later this evening. Gerard he might not be the same Frank you saw last week.” I wheeled myself back to my room and started crying. I can’t tell you why but I know it’s because for some reason I have developed mild feelings for Frank.

He’s going to be so vulnerable when he gets back and I want to be the one to help him get better. That may mean I’ll have to let down some of my walls that are built around myself in return for him to let down some of his.
I was doodling in my sketch book when Frank returned that evening. He stared at me and I stared back. He knew that I knew what he had done and he was ashamed. He broke down in front of me and there wasn’t much I could do to help. I tried to reach out to him but he locked himself in the bathroom.

I decided to give him some space. It was night time when he finally came back out. He must’ve thought I was asleep and couldn’t hear his crying under his sheets. I could see him shaking uncontrollably and decided I had to do something about it. I scooted out of my bed and over to his. I felt him freeze up and I remembered about what I read in his file and about people touching him. I thought I had definitely blown it this time until I felt him shuffle over and make room for me. He turned around so we were facing each other and he stared at me. It wasn’t long until he started crying again. His hair was all in his eyes so I brushed it out of his face. I could see his home made bandages on his arms and the scratches were still visible. I gently took his arm and pulled it to my lips and planted a gentle kiss on it in an attempt to comfort him. He settled down after that, still tears escaped his eyes but I held him close. “It will get better. I promise” I whispered into his ear and he looked at me in shock.
“G-Gee, you broke your silence” I smiled at him.
“I did.” He smiled, his face inches away from mine.
“You have a beautiful voice” I had that feeling of warmth rising inside of me again, turning me bright red, even in this dim light.
“Shhh, go back to sleep.” He nodded and then drifted to sleep quickly. That night was one of the best moments of my life. I had conquered my own wall of silence and let it down for Frank, because he needed some kind of reassurance that someone would be there for him and help him conquer his own walls of demons.

Notes