Stockholm Syndrome (Frerard)

5: A Pile for a Penny

Media: Frank and Zero

I sprung off the couch and dashed out the door after him, waiting as he locked several locks on the door and then followed him down the front walk to his car. It wasn't necessarily fair that he got to have a thick ass jacket over a hoodie and also have a scarf and I'm still here in my shitty t-shirt and pyjama pants. Hell, I didn't even have shoes. Or socks, at that. It's not like I was gonna ask him to buy me clothes, though. No fucking way.

We got to the car and he fumbled around in his pocket as I shifted from bare foot to foot, the frozen ground stinging the soles of my feet slightly. He finally pulled out his car keys and unlocked the car, to which I gratefully opened the door and got inside. It wasn't much warmer on the inside, but at least there was no wind and I didn't have to stand on the icy concrete anymore.

"Where are we going?" I asked, shivering slightly. He sighed in annoyance before shoving the keys in the ignition and starting the car. The heater just blew out cold air, and judging by the old look of this car, it would take a while to heat up. It seemed really old and beat up, not to mention he didn't have an actual CD player in it, but a cassette tape player and a shitty radio. Typical.

Zero totally ignored my question, which I was half expecting, so I just sighed and stared out the window and watched the city lights go by, eventually venturing into a more forested area and back into the industrial terrain which I clearly recognized as New York City. Zero didn't bother acknowledging my existence for the whole one hour and forty-two minute drive there.

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"We're here. Stay down and don't fucking move." He spoke in a low voice. We were in some kind of sketchy parkade, probably for an apartment building. Zero shut off the car and stepped out, pulling his hood up over his head and letting his hair fall in front of his face, probably to keep his identity hidden. I undid my seatbelt and slid down in my seat to the point where I wasn't in view of anyone walking by.

I could hear voices in about five minutes, as the car wasn't all that sound-proof. It didn't take long for me to realize that the other voice belonged to McCracken, as they were talking about Zero's job. I shut my eyes and listened to their conversation, wringing my hands nervously in fear that the other party would find me.

"He's dead, Bert. I'm not fucking around. Give me the fucking money now or you'll be next on my list. We made a deal." I heard Zero say in a harsh voice.

"If I find out you're lying, remember that I have your number and can send it in to the police."

Zero chuckled. "Annnnnnd what will they think if I tell them you hired me?" He said, sassing him off. "And anyways, chill the fuck out. We made a deal and I'm a man of my word. I don't play games."

There was silence for a moment.

"Ok then take the money and fuck off."

"You're welcome, asshat."

I then heard footsteps both receding from and approaching the car. The door swung open and Zero slumped into the car, throwing a plastic bag full of money probably literally right on top me.

"Don't fucking make a sound." Zero muttered as he started the car and drove off, flipping McCracken off as he passed him. Once we drove down the road a little further and slowed down to a stop at a traffic light, I dared to speak.

"Can I move yet?"

"Fuck off." He spat, his eyes dark and focused on the road ahead of him. I sighed and sat up anyways, pushing the bag onto the floor of the car in front of my seat. He shot me a sideways glance before clenching his jaw and focusing on the road again.

"What's your deal?" I asked, because he was being even more of a douche than before.

"I don't owe you an account of my fuckin' feelings." He spoke, clearly showing that he just wanted me to shut up. I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the cool glass window. I could hear a button on the dash click and then music started playing, and it was set on an alternative rock station which wasn't half bad. He continued to ignore me for the remaining hour and a half, but the music helped time pass.

When we pulled back up to Zero's house, I had fallen half asleep. The sound of a car door slamming woke me up, and I looked over to see that I was the only one in the car. Soon, my door was opened and Zero reached in to grab the bag. I stepped out onto the cold concrete once again and shut the car door behind me, following him to the house. He continued to unlock all of the locks, (there were three of them) and then stepped into his house. He kicked off his boots and sat down on the couch, to which I followed and sat opposite to him.

He looked at me with tired eyes before signing and pulling the bag onto his lap, continuing to untie it. He pulled out two bundles of cash, examining them before humming in approval and placing them back in the bag.

"$5000 for free." He had a smug smile on his face as he looked at me, all frustration seemingly gone from his expression.

"Congrats" I sighed, it was nice knowing I was worth $5000 but at the same time, I still have no money and no clothes, I was hungry since I hadn't eaten in over a day, does this guy even know about basic human needs? Yeah I guess you could say I had other things on my mind.

"It's getting late. Um, you can like, sleep here I guess. On the couch." He started, standing up and attempting to brush off the dirt and crumbs. "I have a blanket it if you need it.. I'll be in that room over there if you uh, need anything." He looked at me, waiting for me to say something, which I didn't, before just nodding dumbly and grabbing the bag, heading off to his own room.

I just sighed heavily and laid down on the longest couch, my head on a sorry excuse for a decorative pillow. I stared at the ceiling for quite a while, not seeming to find comfort in sleeping with a serial killer in the next room. When I began to shiver, I realized that he never ended up bringing me that blanket. I didn't want to bother him, though. I was fine here. Hopefully in a few days he'd realize that I am a living thing that needs several things to stay alive and maybe, possibly, care about me at least a little bit to provide me with those things.

Eventually I fell into a restless sleep, the decorative pillow probably already leaving patterns on my face from the sewn in details, which i couldn't really care less about because I had far bigger problems to worry about in the morning.