Set Francis Free

Chapter Two: Skyler

A/N ~ Thanks for all the nice reviews and suggestions on my previous chapter. It really means alot. Hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter as well (even though it's not as emotional as the first).

Dedication is for my editor who edited this chapter & the first. Also I really love my cover that I made all by myself (excuse my gloating but yeah,)

- Robert

_____

Chapter Two: Skyler * © 2013 by Robert Whitehurst. All rights reserved.

Everyone in the house was anxious for Francis. He fell asleep after the argument and no one could get him out of bed. Even the prospect of food could not bring him down to converse with his family. He had them fooled, he wasn't sleeping -- he couldn't sleep. All he could do was listen to his stomach growl and think about Darla. The scream that escaped her mouth when she saw the cold blade against his skin, the concerned look in her emerald eyes. She cared. She must have.

After hours of on and off insomnia, the bedroom door flung open. It's probably Vince. Francis told Vince to leave his room, but then the light switched on. It wasn't Vince. It was only Francis' younger brother, Christopher. Francis was particularly relieved.

"Hey, you alright?" Christopher asked.

"I'm okay," Francis replied, rubbing the eye crust out of his eye.

"You wanna get something to eat?"

"Um, sure," Francis replied, trying to not drool.

"Get dressed or if you wanna wear those batman pajama bottoms out in public, be my guest," Christopher chuckled.

"Get out, man,"

Christopher closed the door behind him and Francis got dressed, even though he didn't want to get out of bed. He rummaged through his drawers and closet and came up with a basic outfit: jeans, shirt, jacket, the usual. He could be a cartoon character for god's sake. He put on some deodorant and brushed his teeth to get rid of that gross morning breath everyone happened to dread.

Christopher was on Francis' bed while Francis was brushing his teeth in the doorway of his bathroom. He was glad that Christopher was taking him out to eat, out of everyone that lived in this crappy house he liked Christopher the most. He didn't ask questions or anything about Francis' depression, which was nice. It made him feel less of a freak.

"You want some Denny's or something?" Christopher asked, tossing and turning trying to sit up on the bed.

Francis swished and spat out some toothpaste and replied, "It depends. What time is it, Chris?"

Christopher grabbed his phone and checked the time, "It's ten in the morning."

"Why are we up so early?"

"Early? Well, because I actually don't sleep until noon. Unlike someone in this room," Chris joked.

"Ha ha, very funny," Francis said, sarcastically.

Francis and Chris walked a good, long distance to reach the downtown area, passing lots of traffic and (of course) many shops, most of which included a Starbucks. They managed to beat the usual tourist rush, so the sidewalks weren't that busy. It wasn't as cold and clammy as it normally was in this freak city, which was a relief. Weather was pretty much unpredictable in Seattle.

"Chinese?" Chris asked, but Francis didn't respond.

"Thai?

"Sushi? Answer me dammit!"