We Can Run, Or We Can Die [Frerard]

Eight|Something In The Night

Gerard was convinced they were being followed.

The sun had set, and they were still walking despite the drizzle and the exhaustion. They were both so incredibly tired, but neither wanted to pitch up on the side of the road (especially if they were being followed), so they decided to keep going. And Gerard couldn't tell if he was imagining things or not, but it felt like something was close behind.

The rain soon turned to a heavy downpour, probably from the North, and Gerard began to shiver. He kept glancing behind him, anxiety only rising when he saw nothing, and he chewed heavily on his lower lip, tearing shreds of skin from it.

"Do we have the tent?" He asked, his voice shaking, and Bert slowed to a stop.

"Yeah. Do you want to set it up?" Gerard glanced around and nodded, replacing his lower lip with his fingers, looking truly distressed. "Hey, are you okay?"

He nodded again. "Just tired. And it's cold. And dark."

So they set up the tent, huddling up as the rain poured, and Bert soon fell asleep. Gerard was still scared. It only peaked as the wind blew, shaking the tent, and thunder rumbled in the sky. Even though Bert was here, his arms around him, he still felt alone.

He could hear things outside; the crunching of twigs, the snapping of branches, the shuffle of leaves. Something was out there, he knew it. He just didn't know what. It could be animals, probably a possum of sorts, but then again, he doubted it.

He pulled the blankets up over his head, the childlike feeling of 'if I can't see anything, it's not there' being the only thing running through his head. He was still shaking, though he didn't know if it was from cold or fear. Everything was building up and Gerard didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

He began to cry, pressed against Bert, his tears soaking the older man's shirt. Bert instinctively wrapped his arms around him, holding him close as he trembled. He was scared of what would happen if they found Mikey, if Mikey was alive at all. Frank had said he was; he had to trust him...right?

What if Mikey hated him? What if he didn't want to join them? What if what if what if what if what -

Gerard froze. There was no way a possum could've made that much of a thump, unless it had fallen out of a tree. But it wasn't like there were an abundance of possums anyway - shut up about possums you fucking idiot!

"Bert." He whispered, throwing the blanket from his head. He refused to look anywhere but at the sleeping man beside him. "Bert!" He shook him, knowing that he'd be pissed at only getting two hours sleep, but there was something out there and he was one broken twig away from shitting himself. "Bert, wake up, please -"

"Whaaaaat?" He grumbled, peeling his eyes open.

"There's something out there!"

"No there isn't -"

"I swear to God Bert there's something out there and it's been following us for hours and I -"

"Hey, hey," he cupped Gerard's face in both hands, stroking his tangled hair. "I'm sure there's nothing out there. I'll go look, okay?" Gerard nodded and let him stand, peering out the tent. He left it completely, walking around the perimeter, and in those twenty-three seconds, Gerard was the most tense he'd ever felt. "There's nothing out there." Bert said upon his return, soaking wet and rather cold if he did say so himself. He plopped down beside Gerard, running his fingers through the younger's hair. "That might be because it's dark, but there's nothing there, Gee. Nothing at all."