The Kids Of War And Peace

7. The Fall Of A Shattered Frame

The next few weeks went by, and nothing really happened. Gerard slept a lot, Linda and Mikey got him on some new sleeping pills. He went to school, didn’t really talk much and I had every class with him. The teachers sat me beside him too, he was just quiet and didn’t interact with anyone. The issue was, he was failing all of his classes. Ray and Bob were very supportive of Gerard and Mikey, and Mikey even made a close friend named Pete Wentz.

 I really didn’t think anything of Gerard being so silent, or not doing much. I had spoken with Mikey and Linda about it, and Mikey just said it had to be the new medications Gerard was on. That Gerard would be fine. Linda even got Gerard a therapist that he’d see every few days. Twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I sat with Gerard in my room, he was drawing. I was watching, he was alright with me watching him draw now. He didn’t even let Mikey watch him draw. He was just drawing an outline, an outline of something that I didn’t recognize. It looked kind of human, but also demonic. I watched a small drop of sweat drip off the tip of his narrow nose. He was scared, he was nervous…I didn’t know why. I didn’t want to step in and say something just yet, I just watched. Gerard was quivering.

“See.” Gerard whispered as he started on the actual outline of the sketch. The lines that he used were much darker than the first ones he threw on there, more serious, not just a bubbly sketch. I took glances up at his face, to the paper, watching his every move. As he drew the head, his face became more pained, more scared, terror.

“Gerard.” I said, I reached out to touch his shoulder and he jumped away, out of his chair, his eyes wide and his pupils small. He looked like a scared animal, like a cat stuck in a corner, searching for escape. “Calm down.” I said, I got up and put my hands out to show him I wouldn’t do anything. I took a quick glance at the sketch, he was drawing my face…it was my face on the paper. My face was disfigured, gnarly teeth, glowing eyes, pointed ears, horns on one half of my head. Almost like an evil side was coming out of me splitting down the middle.

“See!” Gerard shouted in pain. I stepped so that I was lower down, almost like a fight I was giving up.

“Gerard, calm down.” I told him again, he screamed something, something that didn’t even sound English. Mikey came running in, he almost fell in the doorway. I looked at Mikey, he looked shocked as well. Gerard was yelling, screaming something incoherent and gripping at his hair in pain and agony. He dropped to his knees and screeched. Mikey and I went forward, both of us touching his shoulders.

“Gee, what’s going on?” Mikey asked in a worried tone. Gerard shuddered and gripped his hair. The way he broke like that, was like a volcano, going off out of nowhere. “Frank?” Mikey asked, searching for an answer.

“I don’t know…he was drawing…and then…this.” I said, Gerard scooted back, crawling like an animal on all fours, his body low to the ground.

“Gerard calm down.” Mikey ordered, Gerard flinched at his tone.

“Mikey…maybe you shouldn’t talk to him that way.” I started, Mikey shot me a dark glance and shook his head. He looked back at his brother.

“Gerard calm down.” Mikey ordered again. Gerard looked up, his eyes still so scared and terrified. “You’re going to be okay, you’re having an episode. You need to calm down and breathe.” Mikey said in a more soothing tone. I watched the way Mikey spoke to Gerard, he had used the stronger tone to get Gerard’s attention. It was smarter than I thought. Gerard took a deep breath, his eyes still tiny as hell. I could see a purple mark around Gerard’s wrist, but I assumed it was the shadow of his sleeve. He calmed down slightly. “I’m going to go get your medicine, then you should lay down and try and relax. Alright?” Mikey said, Gerard nodded and he curled in on himself, still positioned on the floor. Mikey left the room.