Fantastic Bastards In Monroeville (Frerard)

Nine

As I got up out of bed and took a shower, I thought about who I was gonna ask about Frank’s dad. I know to avoid Bob, knowing the asshole he is. I could try one of the staff, but they might not want to tell me anything because it’s their job to keep every patient’s stuff confidential. That leaves me with the option to ask one of the patients, but who else besides Bob knows anything? There’s gotta be somebody...but who?

    I got dressed and headed to the cafeteria to get in line. Before I did, I looked behind me and noticed that Frank was still sleeping. Now’s a good time to go ask around. I don’t want him to be asking me what I’m doing. I smiled and nodded, turning to the door and shutting it behind me as I walked down the hall to the cafeteria. I got in line with a tray in my hands and got myself scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. I’m staying away from the eggs; they do not look appealing at all. After putting some jelly on my toast, I sat down alone at a table and took a bite of my bacon. I turned to see that someone was standing near me--it was Ray, holding a tray of food.

    “Can I sit with you?” he asked.

    “Sure,” I nodded. Ray sat down next to me and began to eat his food. That’s when I realized that now would be a good time to ask if he knew anything. Maybe Ray knows a few things about Frank’s dad...at least, I hope he does. “Hey Ray, can I ask you something?”

    “Yeah, what?”

    “Do you happen to know anything about Frank’s dad? Or just anything about Frank?”

    “Oh yeah, I do. Almost the whole damn place does,” Ray said, munching on his toast.

    “Really? How does almost everyone know?”

    “Shit here spreads like wildfire. Maybe someone got into Frank’s files and decided to share it. I dunno who, though,”

    “So what can you tell me about him and his dad?”

    “Are you sure you wanna know? I don’t think you’ll be very happy hearing it,”

    “Yes, tell me!” I demanded. “I don’t care if it upsets me. I need to know,”

    “Okay then,” Ray shrugged. “Well...you know how Frank keeps going on about talking to his dad through the supposed chip that was implanted in his head? You know that scar on the side of his head?”

    “Yeah,” I nodded.

    “Well, the whole chip thing is a lie, obviously. That scar came from when Frank’s dad beat him up so bad that he put him in a coma,”

    My stomach dropped. So Bob wasn’t lying after all. I wished he was. I wish right now that if Frank’s dad is still alive that he’s suffering in prison, or at least just in a really bad place in his life. I just couldn’t picture someone hurt somebody like Frank. How heartless of him.

    “Oh my god...that’s awful…,” I said.

    “It is. His dad isn’t alive anymore, which Frank refuses to believe. He died of alcohol poisoning,” Ray said, finishing up his toast. “Frank’s mom keeps trying to tell him the truth about his father, like how he was abusive and all, but he refuses to believe her. He also doesn’t believe that he’s dead. The concussion that he got wiped his memory of all his dad’s done to him. Frank’s dad died while Frank was in a coma from the concussion,”

    “Okay, so you basically what you’re telling me is that Frank’s dad used to abuse him, and he gave Frank a concussion which made him forget everything. So while Frank was in a coma, his dad died from alcohol poisoning. So then when Frank woke up, he pretty much started to believe he could talk to his dad through this supposed chip in his head?”