The World Is Ugly

Bad News From The Zones Tumbleweeds

Gerard and Frank were sitting at a gas station, eating and talking. They had the radio on for Dr. D when he had news, so far, nothing.

Gerard wouldn't shut up about being worried about Ray and Mikey, and it was getting dark.

"They'll be fine, Gee. They can handle themselves. This isn't nine years ago. We can all handle ourselves."

Just then, the voice they both knew well stuttered into the air.

D's voice was sad, and when he was done reporting traffic, he sighed deeply.

"Bad news from the zones, tumbleweeds." He began.

Gerard didn't think much of it, bad news meant anything from more rebel deaths to rainstorms. Speaking of rainstorms, just as the light was fading from the sky, rain drops had begun to bleed from the sky just minutes ago, and began beating down harder as D spoke.

He sighed and continued. "Looks like Jet Star and the Kobra Kid-"

He paused again, just long enough for Gerard's heart to feel like it had stopped. His blood went cold, his face draining of any color. He looked up at Frank, horror behind his eyes.

D kept going. "Had a clap with an exterminator that went all Costa Rica-"

Gerard began to feel his heart pounding hard in his chest as his eyes widened. "No-" he squeaked out.

"And, uh, got themselves ghosted."

A lump grew and hardened in Gee's throat. Tears burned his eyes.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but- nothing arrived.

Frank sat, eyes wide, as if he'd been stabbed by the fact that- his friends- they were- dead?

Gerard fell to his knees, shaking uncontrollably.

This was a nightmare.

That's all it was, nothing more.

He waited for static to swallow him, he waited for his eyes to jump open, for him to roll over and see Mikey, to cry in his arms like he had before.

But nothing happened.

No, he didn't wake up. He didn't open his eyes to see Mikey there with him.

Dr. Death Defying finished his report with a sadness in his tone.

This was real.

This was far too real.

Frank dropped everything in his hands, grabbing his head in his hands.

Now, the misty eyes and horrified blank faces from Gerard stopped.

And he snapped.

He collapsed to the concrete, screaming and sobbing. Pounding the ground beneath him as if that would bring them back.
"No, no no no no no NO-"

Gerard refused to believe that the boy who'd always been his number one priority was gone forever.

No, he wasn't.

Mikey was strong, he could fight, he could-

And suddenly, Gerard was brought back to nine years ago.

Except this time, he wasn't even there to try and save him.

Mikey was gone.

Gerard pressed his lips together, stumbling to his feet. He let the tears sting his eyes as they rolled down his face, joining the stains already there. His face went blank.

Frank swallowed hard, his eyes misty with tears. He stood before Gerard, traumatized and angry, only occasionally letting his choking sobs escape his lips at all.

Gerard looked away. His friend spoke, the first to really speak at all. "Gerard, I'm so sorry."

He held out his arms, and Gerard almost instantly collapsed into them, both allowing their sobs out as they stood alone, in the rain, together.

That was the way it would have to be.

The two of them were all that was left now.

Frank was all he had.

And as much as he loved Frank, he needed Mikey.

He could only wish that someday, he'd wake up.

eh i hope you guys haven't given up on me. sorry i havent updated in so long, but here is a couple sad chapters

hahahahhahahah i am EVIL