FicWad

Chapter One: Raggedy Frankie

"Hello?" I called into yet another empty room. I had searched half the hall so far and nothing. The rooms were full of the most random things ever. One had a bunch of furniture in it, another had clothes. One even had a skeleton that, no matter how much I didn't want to, I believe was real. A failure. I couldn't let that happen. I had to find everyone and get us out of here. Why we ended up here to begin with is beyond me. Never have any of us hurt anyone; intentionally. We hear about how our music causes people to do stupid shit but we can't be held liable for that. We don't force anyone to do anything. Our music is a collection of dark metaphors encouraging the stop of suicide, homophobia, and other difficult social as well as emotional issues that plague people.

Hearing nothing but empty silence again, I shut the door and moved on. The next room was by far the most intricate and disturbing one I've discovered. Everywhere on the floor were dolls; naked and bandaged. They were the type of dolls that scare the hell out of you too. You know the ones that are dirty and have bulging eyes as well as giant plastic smiles and untamed hair. They were everywhere; staring. Chills ran up my spine as I looked at them. They were extremely creepy and I couldn't stand looking at them. "Hello?" I called into the room, trying to get out as fast I as I could. Waiting a moment for a reply, I didn't hear anything and went to shut the door to move on when I did hear something. A moan. "Hello?" I called into the room just to make sure I wasn't imagining it. My mind is racing so it's quite possible I did.

"Hello...?" A very weak but very recognizable voice just barely reached my ears. I shoved the door open and hurried into the room; kicking my way through the sea of plastic dolls.

"Frank?" I called, trying to figure out where he was. He's one of my best friends and I knew it was him. But there were fucking dolls everywhere. "Frank, where are you?" I continued to walk around the room. It was big; and my vision seemed to be slightly off.

"Gerard...?" I heard his weak voice again. Then I saw him; and my heart basically jumped into my throat. Quickly, I ran to him and fell onto my knees beside him. Frank was lying on his back; eyes shut and the worst I had ever seen any human being. Whoever was doing this had a very, very demented idea of amusement.

"Hey Frank." I said as calmly as I could. My heart was beating so fast that I could literally hear it. "I'm right here." He moaned a little and kept his eyes shut. Someone had decided to hack him up; then loosely sew him all back together. He had rows of stitches covering his blood stained body. On top of that, whoever half assed the sewing of his wounds did a perfect job of sewing black squares directly to his skin; like patches. His clothes were ripped and tattered.

"Gee..." Frank mumbled to me. "I don't feel good..." He said with pain. I pressed my hand to his forehead and nearly gasped. He was practically on fire. I had seen Frank pretty sick with high fevers before but this was the worst ever. Cold sweat covered his body in a thin sheet over the dried blood. Frank's chest barely rose as he was hardly breathing. I was amazed he was even conscious; alive.

Then next to Frank I saw a piece of paper. I quickly grabbed it and began to read the printed text. Have you ever played doctor? It's one of my favorite games to play with my dolls. This was hardly a game. Frank needed serious medical help. Before you lies Raggedy Frankie, one of my most favorite dolls. He's sick. Very sick. Right now very deadly venom is running through his body. You, Dr. Gerard, have to administer the anti-venom. Only you were careless and misplaced it. I felt nauseous now. Frank was poisoned; severely poisoned. Somewhere in this room is the doll that holds the cure. Hurry before your patient flat lines. Tick tock; tick tock. I crumbled the paper and threw it against the wall. "I'm gonna make you feel better, ok?" I asked Frank.

"Thanks..." He mumbled to me. I slid my hands into one of the rips on Frank's shirt, yanking the fabric with all my strength until it ripped completely. I had to try and get his body to relieve heat before it killed him. His temperature was at a near fatal degree. There were more stitches on Frank's torso and I started shaking. I couldn't understand how someone could be so cruel. Frank was a living person who is probably one of the sweetest people I've ever met. I mean, he's a vegetarian; he won't eat fucking meat because of his love for animals. And here he was; on the verge of the death looking very much like a rag doll in front of me. Frank's only twenty three; he has so much more to get out of life. I had to help him quickly.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked and he managed to nod a little. His gorgeous hazel eyes remained closed. "Try your best to stay as conscious as you can, ok?" Again he nodded. I bent down and kissed Frank's forehead like mothers do to their sick children; pushing his hair out of his face and above his head. "I'll be right back." I practically whispered as I stood up. There were at least a hundred dolls in here. I was trying to find the cure to keep Frank alive in one of them.

I grabbed the doll closest to me and yanked the head off. Nothing. I threw the pieces and grabbed the next one. Again nothing. I repeated this again and again; ending up empty handed each time. I managed to clear the area around me then had to stand up and search more. I had maybe taken out twelve dolls so far; many more to go. I only had two hours, not even now, to find everyone then find a way out. I had no idea how long Frank had left because I don't know when the poison was put into his body. I knew it was slowly killing him but he was very close to the end already. His body looked weak and his voice matched in exhaustion.

More and more dolls lost their heads; nothing but empty space and a plastic smell inside. I sighed heavily in frustration as I chucked another staring face at the wall farthest from me. "Frank, how you doin?" I called back to him. I could just barely see his chest rising and falling; at least he was still alive. For now. Frank made some sort of noise and that gave me the slightest glimpse of relief because I knew he was conscious. But he was in a lot of pain. His body was at his maximum point of exhaustion (which is saying something because they guy is the fucking energizer bunny) and wasn't going to hold up much longer.

I quickened my search. I grabbed dolls, removing their heads with a loud 'popping' noise, giving the body a good shake, and throwing the pieces when nothing came out. Frank whined a little but I didn't bother myself with trying to comfort him because I was walking an increasingly thinning rope to save him. He was probably trying to fight off the pain and keep himself conscious like I asked him. Frank does almost everything I ask; but he's my best friend so we make each other do stupid shit all the time. He was relying on me now; relying on me to save him.

Extremely anxious and pissed off, I grabbed another doll that was before me and ripped its head off in a matter of seconds. I gave the body a quick shake; a syringe falling out and hitting the ground. I threw the doll at the wall and sighed very slight relief. I then realized it was a needle. I'm terrified of the things. They're sharp and just really freak me out. But Frank needed help; he was dying and I needed to save him. So I took a deep breath, shut my eyes, and reached down to grab the little plastic stick.

Just touching it made me want to runaway but I couldn't. I clutched the needle and returned to Frank. I had no idea where to put it but since his upper body was exposed I settled for his stomach. Sure I could have done his arms but something told me that wouldn't be the best idea. They were pretty hacked up as it was. "You're going to feel a slight prick." I told Frank as I fell to my knees beside him again. I actually doubted he would feel anything because he was covered in tattoos (that have been destroyed by the stitches all over him) and was probably used to it by now.

With another deep breath, I slid the sharp needle into the left side of his stomach and used my thumb to push all the reddish liquid out of the plastic tube and into his body. Once empty, I pulled the syringe out of his skin then threw it as far away from me as I could. Frank remained silent and motionless. "Frank...?" I asked fearfully. He didn't respond. I rested my hand on his chest but I couldn't tell if it was moving. I pressed my ear to his chest, desperate to hear a soft beating of his heart or expansion of his lungs but I couldn't hear anything. Then again, my head was spinning with everything imaginable. "Frankie...?" I asked, tears coming to my eyes as I sat myself back up. He was still silent.

I was too late. I didn't find the antidote in time and he had lost the battle to stay alive. Tears started to escape my eyes and run down my face; dripping to my lap where my jeans absorbed the salty liquid. My best friend just died in front of me and it was my fault. I couldn't save him fast enough. If only I hadn't spent so much time worrying about the fucking needle. Frank's life was hanging by a thread and I hesitated helping him because of my stupid Belonephobia.

Wiping my eyes, I slid my hand under his shoulders and lifted his upper body off the cold floor; pulling him close to me. Frank's head rested limply against my abdomen while his shoulder pressed against my legs. Frank's body was still coated in cold sweat and I just held him for a few minutes. I had to leave him and move on. I had roughly an hour and a half to find the other three. I would come back for his body when we made it out and had whoever was doing this locked up. I couldn't let them get away with this.

Suddenly Frank's body jerked and he started violently coughing. Immense joy fell over me because I didn't kill him after all. He was still alive; at the moment. But he was coughing quickly and hard. I pulled him into a sitting position, rubbing his back a little. He was more so choking then coughing and I didn't know what to do. Frank pulled away from me, forcing himself to sit on his knees like I was. He crawled away from me then suddenly started throwing up. I had seen Frank throw up numerous times; either from when he was drunk or just when he was sick. Frank is someone often sick. He's just got a weak immune system.

But I was horrified as I watched him. Black stuff was coming out of his mouth. He held his body up by his arms which were shaking and his stomach kept pulling tightly to his spine as he continued to puke. It was like everything inside his body was desperate to come out. A few moments later though he stopped, coughing a little more, then falling silent again. Frank sat on his knees in the same position I sat in; his hands resting on his legs as he breathed heavily. "Frank?" I asked very quietly.

He lifted his head and looked to me. His large eyes looked very exhausted but I saw some joy shimmer through them. "Gee?" He asked, crawling back to me. Frank crawled back to me and rested his head on my lap, pulling himself into a ball position. He was shaking; bad. I could see it in his body and hear it in his breathing. Quickly, I pulled my shirt off and managed to sit him up; sliding it down his body. Frank put his arms around me as though he was desperate to get warm. That was weird because a few minutes ago he was on fire; but now his skin is rather cold. He was still really sick and needed help.

"Hey Frankie." I whispered happily as I put my arms around him and rubbed his back to try and calm him down. Frank's arms shook a little and I increased the speed of my hands to try and warm him. "I know you don't feel good but we have to get out of here." I whispered to him after a few more minutes. I couldn't spare any more time. I still had to find Ray, Bob, and Mikey; not to mention play whatever 'game' they were involved in. I couldn't begin to imagine what condition they would be in after I found Frank so beaten up.

"What's around your neck?" Frank asked me weakly, his puzzled eyes looking at me.

"What?" I asked. I had completely forgotten about the collar. Obviously I obeyed all the rules of my little game because I didn't receive any shocks. "Don't worry about it." I said with as much of a comforting smile as I could manage. I stood up then pulled Frank up so we could leave. But Frank couldn't even stand. He was shaking too much and his legs refused to hold him. "I'm going to have to carry you." I told Frank. "Just hold onto me as tightly as you can." I told Frank, kneeling on the ground again.

Frank put his arms around my neck and I pulled his legs around my waist; holding him tightly then standing up. Frank weighs just as much as I do; probably less. He wasn't heavy but it had been awhile since I had given him a piggy back ride so it took me a moment to balance myself. Frank laid his head on my shoulder and held onto me weakly. "Relax but don't go to sleep." I told Frank. I was afraid that if he went to sleep, he wouldn't wake up again. His head moved a little and I assume he nodded.

Taking another deep breath, I headed for the door; sliding my feet through the sea of broken dolls. I had saved Frank; for now. I still had three more to find and about an hour and twenty minutes to do so. After that, none of us had a chance of survival. I wrapped my arms around Frank's legs and made my way into the hall again. I didn't know who I would find next or what I was going to do, but I was pressed for time.

I turned and headed for the next door; carrying a weak and patched up 'doll' on my back.


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A/N--- Who/what will Gee find next?

Will Frank last long enough?

Can Gerard even save them all?

You'll just have to wait to find out.

xoxo Tabi