Mirrors Don't Reflect; They Reveal

Chapter 5-Crazy People: They Have Feelings, Too

Continuation of day one. I had drugged him. That's how I got him tied to a chair. I had Mikey distract him as I reluctantly pushed a needle into the side of his neck. I hated using needles. But what else could I have done? Force his mouth open and shove a sleeping pill into his mouth and force it closed so he could swallow? Unsanitary.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Mikey said as he stared at Frank's limp body. "Calm down, I'm sure it'll be fine," Gerard said as he finished tying the knot. He left the basement without saying anything else, and Mikey lingered for a few more seconds before following up behind Gerard. He glanced back at Frank, but continued following behind his brother before closing the basement door behind him, locking it.

Gerard immediately stalked off into the kitchen to throw together a breakfast for the two as Mikey sat down in front of the fireplace. He looked over at the room with the Box. Well, it was more of a closet. Not a room. He glanced at the kitchen, seeing the back of Gerard's head as he paced back and forth in the kitchen grabbing everything he needed to make them breakfast despite the very late time. Well, for them, it was early.

After a few seconds, Mikey got up and headed over to the closet. He was actually very glad to have learned how to write. But he stopped himself. He hadn't actually written it yet. It was only a dream. He shook his head, turning around to go back to the living room, but he bumped into someone right as he turned around. "Shit, sorry," he said, feeling at his glasses to make sure they weren't broken.

"It's fine," Gerard said, adjusting Mikey's glasses for him. "Breakfast is ready," he said before walking off to grab his plate of food. Mikey nodded, still subconsciously adjusting his glasses. He and Gerard both had concerns about their own looks. Mikey was concerned about whether his glasses were straight or not and if his eyes didn't have those dark circles under them. He always tried to cover them up with anything he could. It never worked, however, and he just gave up. Let the world know he was sleep deprived.

Gerard was more worried about whether his hair was straight or not. If even one strand was sticking out of place, he would refuse to leave the house until it was stuck back down with a little bit too much hair gel. But neither of the brothers cared. It wasn't hurting Gerard. 

Another worry Gerard had was how pale his skin was. Sure, vampires were known for their pale skin, but Gerard worried he was a little too pale. Concerningly pale. Even for vampires. He was almost completely paper white. As if he were a ghost. He grew to live with it, though, just as Mikey had with the circles under his eyes.

Mikey realized he had zoned out, and rushed into the kitchen to grab his breakfast. "Sorry," he said as Gerard glanced at him. "I spaced out," he said. Gerard just nodded and left the kitchen, going to his room. Mikey was upset that the two were drifting apart. They used to do everything together.

When Gerard had his first victim, Mikey was only 11 at the time. But they still excitedly shared everything between each other. They would eat in the living room on the couch watching some random cartoon from the 1930's. They would go on walks together early in the morning before the sun rose, then would stay on the balcony to watch the sunrise before heading inside before they would burn to death.

It was Mikey and Gerard. Gerard and Mikey. Against the world. The Way brothers against the world. The world against the Way brothers. But one day, Gerard just left for a few months without a word. At least, that's what Mikey believed. What happened was Mikey said he felt weird. Not depression-wise. But he had a bad feeling about something. That escalated into him staying in a mental institute for a few months. He returned back to his house. Well, his and Gerard's house.

He was thirteen at the time. Gerard having been sixteen. As soon as Mikey got home, all memories of the institute disappeared. When he realized he had no memory of Gerard for the past few months either, Gerard simply just told Mikey that he was gone for a few months, and Mikey stayed at home whilst Gerard was out. Of course, Mikey believed him.

But after that day, everything just went downhill. Gerard stopped eating with Mikey. He would take his food and rush upstairs to his room. He would shout at Mikey for being too loud when it used to be their thing. Be loud. That was their favorite hobby. Now Gerard just wanted silence. Sure, he loved Mikey. And Mikey knew it. Gerard just didn't show it as much.

Mikey sighed and sat down on the couch, taking a bite out of his food. He still sat on the same spot on the couch. Ever since he could remember, he would hold a plate of food in his hands, and sit on the far right side of the couch as he watched cartoons. Gerard would sit to the left of Mikey, only about a foot or two away, watching the cartoons with interest.

Now that spot only a couple of feet away was empty. Mikey didn't like the feeling. Gerard was his only friend. His only feeling. His only feeling of happiness. One could say Mikey was suffering depression. Mikey preferred to call it 'a hopeless feeling'. His only hope stopped talking as much. His only hope kept hiding away in its room. His only hope disappeared.

Now Mikey was hopeless. Sure, Gerard was his brother. He was still there. But he was so distant. It scared Mikey. He didn't want Gerard to be distant. Mikey stared at the television. It hadn't been used in years. But Mikey got up and switched it on anyway. Immediately, the television clicked on to some sort of news channel he had never seen before. Mikey rolled his eyes and turned the knob on the television until it went to the channel he and Gerard loved.

He still didn't know what the name of the channel was, so he tried his hardest to read it now that he was somewhat decent at reading. Car…Mikey squinted at the letters past his glasses. Cartoon…Cartoon Net…Network. Yeah. Cartoon Network. That was the channel. It hadn't exactly been around for long. Only ten years. But that was a year before Gerard mysteriously disappeared.

Mikey went back to the couch and began eating as he mindlessly watched some sort of cartoon about a bunny. He knew this cartoon. He and Gerard loved watching it. Looney Tunes. That and Animaniacs. The only reason Mikey loved Animaniacs is because it came out the same year Gerard disappeared. He had vague memories of watching the cartoon while Gerard was gone. Well, that's what Mikey thought. Gerard just convinced him he watched that cartoon. And soon enough, Mikey just went along with it until he actually believed it.

Eventually, Mikey finished his food, and he got up and placed the plate in the sink. He went to the doorway, but paused, looking over at the door leading down to the basement. He hesitated, then went to the basement door. He unlocked it and headed downstairs, seeing Frank was awake. He seemed to not give a shit about being tied up. In fact, he didn't look phased by it at all.

"Uh, hi," Mikey said as he made his way over to Frank. "Did Gerard tell you to come check on me?" Frank asked as he looked at Mikey. "No," Mikey said cautiously as he stepped behind Frank and grabbed at the knotted rope around Frank's wrists. "Are you going to torture me?" Frank asked. "No."

"Bite me and suck my blood?"

"No."

"Threaten to give me silver?"

"No."

"Make me disappear from this place without a warning?"

Mikey went silent. He didn't want to think about that. He frowned, focusing on the knotted rope. "I knew it," Frank exclaimed. "You're untying me so you can force me to leave this place!" Mikey narrowed his eyes at the back of Frank's head. He still didn't answer. Eventually, he untied the rope, and Frank immediately flexed his wrists and massaged them, as they were obviously sore. Mikey could tell from the red marks. Gerard tied that rope tight. Mikey wasn't down here to help Frank.

"Don't leave. I'm just helping you," Mikey lied. He wasn't helping Frank. But he wasn't going to hurt him either. It was beneficial to Frank, but to Mikey, untying Frank was more beneficial to himself. He grabbed the rope and went upstairs, returning a few minutes later, rope gone. "Leave this basement and you won't see the light of day," Mikey said. He hated saying that. He hated threatening people. But he didn't want Gerard to be mad at him.

Frank shrugged and nodded nonchalantly, and Mikey left the basement, closing and locking the door behind him.