Never Coming Home

Fists Don't Break Cement Walls

His head pounded and his shoulder ached. Frank could feel himself coming to his senses. His eyelids felt like sandpaper, scratching against the dry walls of his eyeballs as he peeled them open. Where was he?

Groaning, Frank sat up, noting the harsh pang in his head. His memories began to creep back into his skull like a puddle trickling down a small slope. All that death.. All those people who never got to say goodbye...

"Shit.. " Frank thought to himself. "I need to get the hell out of here."

Frank rolled up into a sitting position on the cold, white marble floor. As he got to his feet, a familiar high pitched, yet raspy voice spoke up from behind him, making him flinch.

"Oh." he spoke, "You're awake."

Frank turned to meet the familiar set of golden green eyes staring back at him. It was the boy from before. The one who was taken away.

"Wh.. who are you?" Frank asked with a shaky voice.

The skinny and pale boy gave an awkward side smile, showing his small shark like teeth, and swiping his black mop of hair away from his eyes, furthermore revealing an ugly looking bruise that sat just under his eye. "I'm Gerard.", he said with a light Jersey accent.

Frank nodded and slid closer to the boy. "I'm Frank, and I'm gonna get us the hell out of here."

"Well..." Gerard began, "You could try the doors but.."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "But..?"

"The knobs are heated.."

"Heated?" Frank asked. "Heated how?"

Gerard slowly opened his palm and unwrapped the cloth that had protected it. Frank noted that it was a silver and black striped tie, the tie that was meant to wrap around Gerard's neck and blend with his pitch black vest and white button up shirt. When Frank saw the damage underneath the tie, he cringed. The palm of Gerard's hand was scorched and blistered. Much of his skin was cracked and peeling, revealing the bloodied layers underneath.

"Holy shit.." Frank managed, desperately trying to keep his "breakfast" in his throat.

Speaking of breakfast, Frank regretted skipping on those snacks before coming into this hell hole.

"Have.. have you tried the window bars?" Frank thought out loud.

"Yeah." Gerard answered. "They're electric. Nearly stopped my heart and knocked me out cold."

Frank ran a hand through his greasy, flattened out mohawk and fluttered his thumbs over the bleached, shaved sides of his head. The rough feeling always comforted him when he was stressed. "What about-"

"Whatever you're about to say, I've tried it." Gerard interrupted. "Even with the heated knob, the door is locked. There are no vents in here. Hell, I've even ruined my fingernails by trying to pry up the marble tiles. There's no way out."

FRank scowled, finally pulling himself to his feet. "Well, Mr. Brightside, I'm still gonna look for a way out because quitters are spitters."

Gerard snapped his head up. "Did you just-"

"Yep."

"It's the other way around, ya know.." Gerard mumbled softly, turning away.

Frank perked up. Shit. He was right. "Well- you see- it had to go with.. with the scenario.." He babbled.

"Yeah yeah yeah.." Gerard waved and chuckled. Frank felt himself shrinking away into the other corner of his room, flustered by the incredibly awkward situation. He cringed, really.

"How are you able to do that.." Frank whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Do what, Frankie?" Gerard asked, meeting Frank's eyes.

Frank tensed. "How can you smile in a situation like this? We could die any second and- and you're still doing stupid shit like calling me Frankie."

"What?" Gerard laughed. "You don't like the name, Frankie?"

Frank sighed, focusing his eyes on the neatly tied laces of his fancy leather shoes. "No.. I do.. it's just.. my mom calls me that."

"Oh.." Gerard faltered. "Is she..?"

"Dead? No.. no she's not dead." Frank answered. "She's got cancer." He said, almost laughing. "She's dying and I can't get fucking home because I'm stuck here. I'm stuck here cause I wanted a too good to be true job.. just to make money to pay for her goddamn medical bills.. I-" Frank stopped and took a shaky breath. "I want to be there for her.. I need to take care of her.. That's why I need to get out of here, and I'm sure as hell not leaving you behind. So please.. please.. you need to help me find some way to get out."

Gerard opened his mouth to speak, but just as he did, the distinct crackle of a speaker filled the room, followed by a voice that Frank could not recognize.

"What a great story, Mr. Iero! You almost brought a tear to my eye. Almost."

Frank balled his fists and faced the speaker that sat just on the corner of the room, right above his head. "Let us out of here!" Frank yelled. "I need to get home! Gerard needs to get home! There's people there who depend on us! We've done nothing wrong! Please!" He begged.

"Ah!" Boomed the speaker. "That's where you're wrong, Frankie boy! You see, you two really don't have anyone at home for you. Gerard, well, he doesn't have a family, and you, Frank, will lose the only family member you have left. Isn't that right? Stage four leukemia?"

Frank felt white hot tears stream down his face. "You goddamn monster... don't you dare hurt her."

"Oh!" Replied the speaker, "Our plan isn't to hurt your dear sweet momma. Oh no.. We're hurting you. We're hurting you really badly."

"Why.." Gerard piped in. "Why us?"

"Well, you're the rejects. You're the... defects of this whole operation. You two have shown a resistance to our new drug, parallax, so as a punishment, you will be kept here to be.. tested on. Oh, and don't pity yourselves. There were plenty more before you two. All of which lasted.. oh.. a good two weeks?"

"What about my mom, you cunt?!" Frank spat. "Do whatever the hell you want to me, but I'm here for her. I need to know that she'll be okay."

There was a sinister laughter coming from the speaker, then the deep raspy voice returned. "We are telling all outside connections that our workers are living on campus for work. For some reason, it works! You Bellevillians are too gullible. Do not worry for your dear mother. We will send her the money promised. We'll even send a nice typed note from her beloved son Frankie~"

By this time, Frank bellowed out a scream of rage and punched the white painted cement brick wall. An ugly crunch filled the silent room and a spike of pain shot up Frank's arm. The boy wrapped his other hand in the tangles of his black topped hair and slid to the floor, defeated.

"Aww sorry, son. Fists don't break cement bricks." The speaker crackled. "Your first test is tonight at nine. Till then, prepare yourselves! Au revoir!*"
(goodbye*)

Small gasps and sobs escaped from Frank's lips as his body shook from exhaust, sadness, and fear. Frank could only think of his own self pity, and of his mother. He knew his mother would not survive without him. He was her lifeline. Her anchor.

The was a quiet scuffle coming from the other side of the room. Frank peeked his puffy red eyes up to watch as Gerard slowly made his way over to Frank. Gerard slowly slid down the wall to sit next to Frank in a comfortable silence.

Another half an hour passed before Gerard finally spoke up.

"So.." He mumbled. "How do you plan on getting us out of here?"