Our Dwindling Night (A Vampire Gerard/Frerard Fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen

"This night, walk the dead.."

"Gerard" acknowledged Mikey, not in the slightest bit surprised or even moved, face blank. Gerard staggered slightly, mind reeling, Frank put his arms around him, worried he might faint.

Gerard stuttered again "b..but.."

"You have to come with me. Now." Mikey interrupted. "The police have been notified of your location, they'll be here any minute."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Frank narrowed his eyes.

Mikey locked eyes with Gerard "You can trust me"

Gerard turned to Frank and leaned close, whispering "We can trust him for now but don't let your guard down...I don't understand...he should be dead." he frowned, eyes glassy.

"Who is he?" Frank questioned

"My brother"

Frank's eyes widened and he glanced back at Mikey who's face was lit by flame. Only now did he recognise Gerard's features in the skinny man, same eyes, same mouth...

"finished?" Mikey broke the silence, not moving his gaze from the embers.

"Yeah" answered Frank.

"Good. Lets go." Mikey didn't turn to look if the two where following and started off at a brisk pace. He led them though the small backstreet and alleys in a confident manner, as if he knew them by heart. They passed the main road and kept going, the bright lights of the city beginning to fade behind them as they turned off onto a dirt track. Soon they were enveloped in darkness, they walked for a few minutes cloistered in the blackness, Frank and Gerard fairing well due to their improved night vision, until Mikey pulled out a torch. He swung round and shone it into their eyes, Frank immediately shielded his from the glare and then blinking fervently looked up at Mikey, catching the first hint of emotion he had seen flicker across his poker face. Fear.

What was Mikey afraid of?

"Nearly there" stated Mikey nonchalantly, his face again completely blank. Frank almost believed he had imagined the terror he had seen. Almost. 

They trekked though a muddy field in silence for almost half an hour, dirt caking their shoes, the night air chilling them to the bone. Finally, a house loomed in the torchlight, pitch black and lifeless. Mikey visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping. "Here we are" he pulled a key from his pocket and stuck it into the rusty lock, pushing the door open with a squeak.

The house was cold and smelt damp. It was roughly furnished and held no signs of personality, no colour on the walls, no photographs, not even the simple comfort of curtains.

"You live here?" Frank questioned in dismay

"I do." affirmed Mikey, hanging his coat on the banister and disappearing into the sitting room.

"You okay?" Frank asked Gerard once he was sure Mikey was out of earshot

Gerard only nodded, keeping his eyes trained on the floor. "I just don't understand" he sniffed. "I watched him die...my little brother...I grieved for him"

Frank's eyes softened and he enclosed Gerard in a gentle hug. Although technically Frank was shorter and skinnier, Gerard seemed so fragile in his arms, as if he would shatter at any time, break in a way nobody could fix. "You should get some rest." Frank advised "everything's worse when you're tired." Usually this was right, but Frank was unsure if anything would be different in the morning, a bombshell this big didn't just disappear.