GERARDS POV.
I could hear noises, but I couldn’t see anything. I heard the keys go into the front door, and the lock turn, I heard someone step through but couldn’t for the life of me remember who it was, or why they were here. I heard someone call out a name; “Gee” I thought…that was my name…? Wasn’t it? I tried moving to the sound of my name, but I couldn’t move a muscle, and I tried opening my eyes, but I couldn’t do that either, what was wrong with me? I heard another door open, and I heard a sharp noise like someone breathing in, “Gee? Gee! Can you hear me? …Holy fuck…” I wanted to open my eyes, or say something, or just move a finger, do something so they’d know I was okay, whoever they were, I couldn’t quite remember. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was okay myself. “Gerard!! Gee! Please! Wake up!! Please!” I heard him cry. “Gee, are you okay?!” I wanted to tell him no, no I was not o-fucking-kay, but I couldn’t do anything, it felt like I was paralysed. I felt pressure on my shoulder, but I couldn’t move or turn away from it, all I could do was lie there. My stomach and head hurt, but I couldn’t do anything about it, cos I couldn’t move. It was like I was stuck in some sort of terrible nightmare, the ones where you try your hardest to get away but you can’t move. “Shit, shit, shit…” I heard this person repeat, who were they? I knew they were someone important, someone I should recognise in an instant…I wanted to sit up, but I still couldn’t. It was like I was being pinned down by lead weights. I heard quick footsteps, the sound of someone picking something up, “C’mon…Answer…” I heard them say…Answer who? Who needed to answer…why? “Frank, it’s Mikey. You have to help, come over quick. I don’t know what to do!” I heard the sound of something being put down, and footsteps coming back into the room. I felt someone kneel down by my head and touch my hair…what had they said their name was? Frank? Mikey? I couldn’t figure it out.
“My God, this place stinks…It’s making me dizzy Gee, what did you do? It smells of booze.”
I tried to think back, what did I do? I couldn’t remember, all I remembered was falling, why was I falling? Where was I now? I felt someone touch my hand, what was their name?? My head hurt more, but I still couldn’t do anything about it. I heard a crackle as they felt inside my hand, and felt them pull something out. “Pills?” I heard them say. “Shit…pills, and booze. Gerard! Why!!” I heard them crying, then I heard them get up, and run out the room, I wanted to run after the person…Why couldn’t I remember their name? I knew they were someone important, not like the president, someone more important. Who the fuck was he?!
“Frank…” I heard him say again. “Listen dude, when you get this, please! Come over! It’s urgent!! It’s Gerard!” The person was crying now. Why were they crying? I didn’t like this I couldn’t figure anything out. I heard pacing in the hall, and sniffing, why were they sniffing? They asked someone called Frank for help…did this mean the person out there was Mikey? Those names…they were familiar. Through my eyelids I could see a faint light, but it was slowly fading, everything was getting darker, I couldn’t think as much, I tried staying awake…if that’s what I was to begin with…but it was no use, I think I fell asleep, was it possible to fall asleep, if you weren’t properly awake to begin with? My mind went numb, I didn’t like thinking, it hurt my brain, and the darkness was nicer, softer.
When I woke up, if that’s even what it could be called, since I still couldn’t move or speak, there was another person in the room. They were telling the other person to do things… “Call an ambulance! I’ll put him in the recovery position!” They said. Put whom in the recovery position? I thought, I wish they’d tell me, I didn’t like this, and it was scarily confusing, who needed an ambulance? I wanted to ask them, but the other person was gone, and there was only this new person here. They held my hand…why? Why were they holding my hand? “C’mon Gee, wake up!” They said, was I Gee? I think so…why did they ask me to wake up? Where was I again? I knew I’d been moved, I was on my side now, and I hadn’t been on my side before. More time passed, and I heard more people come in the house. They were shouting, and it hurt my head. Then they were holding my wrists and pressing down, feeling the side of my neck, why? I heard them shout more stuff to each other, and ask the two people questions about me, questions I couldn’t remember the answer to. What was my full name? And my date of birth? It scared me that I couldn’t remember. The two others knew…then I had something pressed to my face, it blew air into me, I didn’t like it and I wanted it off, but I couldn’t move to get it off. Then I felt myself being lifted, and put on a softer surface, nicer than the one before, and then I was being lifted again, but for longer. It was like I was flying, I felt myself levitate, and I wanted to open my eyes to see where I was, but I still couldn’t, and I wanted more than anything to get this horrible thing off my face, but I couldn’t even move. Then it was colder, why was it colder, how far had I moved? I felt myself being bundled into something, what was it? Then I heard someone shout a name “Frank!” It sounded like a girl calling, but then I couldn’t hear much else, ‘cause the people nearer me were shouting at each other again, why did they keep shouting? It hurt my head!
I zoned out again.
When I ‘woke up’ although it still can’t be called that, cos I still couldn’t move or speak or do anything other than listen, I heard beeping. It was annoying, just a constant beep…beep…beep…beep…And I had something on my face, it went behind my ears and up my nose, it felt uncomfortable, even worse than the thing on my face before. I heard talking too, and the sound of a door opening, then a girl’s voice, more talking…it sounded like an explanation, what was a toxic state? I could remember more now…I remembered being sent out in maths…but I didn’t remember anything after that, what had happened? Had I been in a road accident? Got in a fight, like Franks the other day, but worse? I had to find out, this was bugging me. I heard someone leave the room, and then silence, I hated silence… silence meant something was wrong or awkward, I wanted to make a noise, but I couldn’t. I tried turning my head, Goddamn! It hurt so much! I couldn’t help it, I groaned.
“What is it Jazz?” I heard someone ask…Frank! It was Frank!! But who on earth was Jazz?!
“What do you mean?” Said a voice, the girls voice…was this Jazz? Jazz was a weird name for a girl.
I couldn’t take this anymore; I had to wake up, properly. I opened my eyes a bit,
“Gee!” Someone shouted.
“Oh my gosh!!” Said the girl’s voice.
Fuck! When did the room get so bright? I shut them tight again, and then realized I’d never figure out what was going on unless I opened my eyes.
“Holy motherfucking shit!” I said, but my voice was useless.
FRANKS POV.
He was awake!! I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time!
“Gerard!!” I shouted, “You’re alive!!”
He winced.
“Ahh, my head!” He said in a slightly broken voice, clutching at his hair. “Don’t shout, please…”
I felt bad for giving him a headache, but I was so happy he’d woken up, and I was pleased it was sooner rather than later.
“Mikey has terrible timing….” Jasmine said, and we laughed, except Gee.
“Mikey was here?” He asked, “My brother, Mikey?”
“Of course, Gee…He was the one who found you on the floor.”
“What?” Gerard asked, confused. “The floor? Wait, go over everything that happened, whenever, how long has it been?”
Jasmine and I exchanged worried looks.
“Since you passed out? You mean?” I asked him.
“I did, oh, that explains…but yeah, go on…” He said, stuttering.
“Well…” I said, taking a deep breath. “You left math class today, you were angry about something, and then that jerk, Joseph, made a joke about you and you must’ve heard, cos you went storming down the hall. Everyone was worried, and I wanted to go after you, but Mrs. Krip wouldn’t let me. So anyway, I assumed you’d gone home, and there were only two or three hour’s left of school anyway. But when I got home there were five messages on the answer machine, all from Mikey, and he sounded really upset, so I ran over, and you were on the kitchen floor, and the place stunk of alcohol, and you had a half empty box of pills next to you. Mikey called an ambulance and I put you in the recovery position, and then the paramedics arrived, did some tests, took your pulse, gave you oxygen ‘cos you were barely breathing, and loaded you into the ambulance. Around this time Jazz arrived, and I explained, she said she’d be along in a while but had to go home first, and well, now I’m explaining this all to you.”
Gee looked stunned, “Ohh…I’m so sorry guys…” He said, looking upset.
“Don’t be” I reassured him. “Just promise me one thing.” I said, looking sternly at him.
“What?” He asked.
“Never. Scare me like that again. Or I WILL kill you personally.” I warned him.
He looked scared for a moment, and then we all started laughing.
“Okay then,” he said “I promise.” And gave me a fist-bump.
Mikey walked in the room.
“Gerard!!” He said, happily, dropping his can of Coke and running over to Gee, “Oh my gosh, are you okay? You scared the life outta me dude!”
“I’m sorry…” Said Gee, “Is there any way I can make it up to you?”
“Yeah,” Replied Mikey. “Buy me a unicorn!” We all laughed again, and then Gee asked
“So wait…how long have I been, you know, out for?” He looked embarrassed.
I counted on my fingers, if he took the pills at two-ish, like the doctors predicted, and it was now seven pm that meant. “About five hours…” I replied.
The door opened again, and a nurse stepped in.
“Ah, Mr. Way, you’re awake, that’s good.” She smiled.
“As for the rest of you I’m afraid, visiting hours are over. You’ll have to go home now. But feel free to visit Gerard again tomorrow.”
“You mean I’ve got to stay here over night?” Gerard asked
“I’m afraid so” The nurse replied. “But everyone else, out now please.”
We all hugged Gee goodbye, and left the room, Jasmine was crying again, so I put my arm round her, “Don’t worry,” I said, “We’ll see him again tomorrow.”
And we made our way out the hospital.
***I wanted to do one from Gerard's point of view, cos he hasn't had one in a while, so that explains why his one's a bit weird! x)
