Common Bodies

/ 5 /

[Frank]

Night-

I could feel the rain against my forehead.

I was running; they were following.

Who were they? Why where they chasing me?

"Burn in hell faggot!"

"God doesn't want you!"

"Go back where you came from!"

Jesus was this the south?

Another crowd came from the direction I was running and I was trapped.

Morning-

I woke panting, a thick layer of cold sweat lined my forehead. Gerard was in my room.

"Hey, it's okay. It was just a nightmare." He sat on the edge of my bed. "You were yelling and thrashing so I came to check on you."

I wiped the sweat off with my sleeve.

"What were you dreaming about?" He handed me a glass of water and pills the doctor has prescribed me.

He can't know. I don't want him to see me as an abomination.

"Uhm.. j-just something from before..." I stuttered "Just a reoccurring dream from my childhood."

"Oh okay. Mom made breakfast so we better get out before it's cold." Gerard put an outfit on the dresser for me and left.

My back hasn't felt this good in so long, a real bed. I put on the clothes and walked into the dining room. They all looked up at me, hand in hand, ready to say grace.

"Join us Frank." They all said in unison.

This is a fucking cult.

I smiled and sat in the open chair. I joined hands with his mother and brother.

After everyone said thanks, including me, we dug in. It was they best meal I have ever had. Spinach omelet, fresh fruit, and french toast.

Noon-

I woke from my food coma to a knock on the door.

"Come in." I sat up on the bed and straightened my clothes out.

"Hey," Gerard came in "mom slipped me a Benjamin to take you shopping for school clothes."

"School?!" I blurted out.

I wasn't ready for school. I thought I had more time.

"Dad enrolled you; you start next week on the 6th." Gerard looked sympathetic. "Don't worry, you can sit with Mikey and I. We aren't complete losers. But we do eat in the back of the chapel with Ray."

Chapel? Please tell me this isn't a Catholic School.

"I've been going to OLS since kindergarten. They've just revoked the uniform last year, you're lucky."

"What's OLS?" I said in a slight panic.

"Our Lady of Sorrows."

Author's Note

Our Lady of Sorrows is a real school in NJ but it's for k-8. I just like the name.