FicWad

They didn’t have to wait long; soon a middle-aged man answered the door, with a receding brush of grey hair, rimless circular glasses, and a flannel shirt with a pair of blue Levi’s. ‘’Can I help you?’’ he asked, Gerard didn’t waste any time, pushing the man into the house, down to the floor - and following him inside. Lauren followed, closing the door and staring around the room, grimacing at the vomit-coloured carpet, the 70’s battered sofa, and the damp, mildew smell mixed with the stink of beer.
Gerard stood over the man, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with pure hate – the man squirmed at the sight of the gun. ‘’Who are you? What do you want?’’ he asked desperately,
‘’Don’t ya remember me? ‘Cause I sure as fuck remember you,’’ Gerard spat, Lauren felt anger towards the man on the floor after hearing what Gerard had said about him. He disgusted her, and she decided right then that she would help Gerard, if he asked. The man deserved whatever came to him – she could see that by taking one look at his sniveling face and round, surprised eyes.
‘’Oh my god…Gerard? ’’ The man squinted,
‘’In the flesh. What – ain’t you happy to see me? Thought you’d be jumping for joy right now – getting ready to push me into the corner and rape me – just like old times, huh?’’ his voice was getting louder and louder, he kicked the monster in the ribs, suddenly thinking back to when he was younger, and he couldn’t defend himself. Now he could.
‘’What do you want me to do?’’ Lauren spoke up, Gerard turned to look at her, his eyes were filled with excitement and desire for the man’s blood to be splattered across the sea of vomit-coloured carpet, Lauren guessed.
‘’Get a knife from the kitchen, please.’’ Gerard smirked, ‘’glad to see you’re willing to participate.’’ He crouched down next to the man, pushing the gun into his head.
Lauren walked briskly into the kitchen, grabbing the knife from the rack – then stilling her body before she walked back into the living room. Did she really want this? A man’s blood on her hands? ‘’He deserves this – if I don’t do it – I’ll die for sure. ’’ She whispered to herself – propelling her body back into the living room. Gerard looked up from the man, his eyes wide, and excited – a grin plasters on his lips.
‘’Come here,’’ Gerard crooked a finger, beckoning her to go to him. She felt as though she was in a dream, shallow and lucid as her legs carried her over to Gerard and his monster. ‘’My beautiful assistant…’’ he cooed, his dark hazel eyes staring at her as though she was an angel. She was helping him to slay his monster, and within himself, his psychotic mind made a connection with her.
‘’Let me go – please! Gerard, I’m sorry!’’ the monster yelled.
‘’Shut the fuck up!’’ Gerard hit the monster with the bottom of his gun, growling the words threateningly. ‘’You’re not sorry at all – you enjoyed everything you did.’’.
‘’N-n-no…I w-was on drugs at the t-time…I didn’t k-know…’’ the monster stammered.
‘’Don’t think for a second that I’ll believe that bullshit.’’ Gerard continued, ‘’pass me the knife, Sugar.’’ He held out his hand to Lauren, and she handed him the kitchen knife. ‘’And keep watch.’’ He warned.

Lauren scoped the room, and as soon as she saw the children’s toys in the corner – her heart seemed to slither down into her stomach. She walked away from Gerard, reaching the corner and letting out a strangled gasp. The toys were covered with blood. She took a step back – stumbling into the sofa, and then running down the tiny hallway, trying to find the bathroom so that the bile in her throat could be set free.
But it wasn’t the bathroom she walked into – it was the bedroom.
The sheets were rumpled, blood-splattered, just like the toys. But this time, there was a child lying amongst them in pajamas. ‘’Oh....’’ she bent over, and vomited, gripping the doorway with her fingers as she stared through her tear-stained vision.
‘’Who’s there? ’’ A voice made her rise slowly, wiping her mouth. The child was sitting up – a little boy with black hair and brown eyes.

Just like Gerard would’ve had when he was that age - A voice inside her head spoke up.

‘’Everything’s going to be fine....’’ Lauren soothed, walking to the bed, and holding out her hand. The child took it,
‘’Are you going to take me away from the monster?’’ he asked.
‘’Yes, I’m going to take you away from him. Come on…’’ she led him down the hallway, into the living room. Gerard looking up from his crouching position – paling as he saw the boy.
‘’I found him in the bedroom…’’ Lauren explained.
Gerard stared at the child – and Lauren could see him breaking inside as he stared. He saw himself, scared and defenseless – and snarled, wanting to scream and plunge the knife into the monster’s cold, empty heart. But he didn’t; ‘’Get the kid out of here, Lauren – take him into the kitchen.’’ He commanded. Lauren nodded, leading the child into the damp, dark kitchen, closing the door behind them.
‘’What’s your name?’’ she asked,
‘’Thomas Coleson, my mom lives a few houses away – she went to work and left me here, ‘’ he explained, his eyes wide and afraid.
‘’Okay, Thomas, I’m gonna take you to your mom as soon as this is over, and you’ll never have to come back here again – okay?’’ she promised. The little boy nodded – he seemed to already have a wall built, guarding himself from the adults around him. Lauren almost cried then and there, thinking of how the child would grow up, maybe even turn out like Gerard.

Gerard lifted the knife – and plunged it down into the crotch of the man – who no longer was a monster. He was monstrous, yes, but now Gerard knew – he was a man who could do monstrous, unthinkable things. The man howled, his eyes widening in pain, ‘’No! No! You fucker! You fucking faggot!’’ the man screamed at Gerard.
Gerard cocked his head to the side; ‘’Shut the fuck up,’’ He grinned, holding the man’s head down, and bringing the knife to his eyes, slipping it downwards, into the sockets. The man screamed even louder, his body flopping as he tried to move his head – only serving to dig the knife deeper – his limbs twisted, gripping the vomit carpet. Gerard moved the knife skillfully, cutting through tissue in the man’s eye, freeing it. Gerard grinned at the blood-covered eye, and then, as the man’s mouth opened with another scream, he pushed the eye into the man’s mouth. ‘’Chew it.’’ He jabbed the knife into the man’s ribs.
He chewed, groaning and sobbing as he did – but only one eye could let the tears go now.
Gerard made short work of the next eye – forcing the man to eat it – and then watching as his blood-filled sockets ran over, down his cheeks as he gripped the carpeting. ‘’Good. Hope you enjoyed you last meal.’’ He giggled manically, taking the gun and pointing it into the man’s head once more; he pulled back the hammer, and pulled the trigger.
And it felt like he was free.
It wasn’t like when he had left the prison – he had been a prisoner of the monster-man for much longer.

Lauren held Thomas close to her when the screaming had began – covering his ears and not saying a word as the terrible sounds echoed through the house. She hadn’t helped Gerard – apart from handing him the knife. Had that been enough? She didn’t know – she hoped.
When Gerard stepped into the kitchen, she released Thomas, and he gripped her clothes as he stared at Gerard; ‘’Who are you?’’ he demanded.
‘’I’m Gerard,’’ Gerard spoke softly, and Lauren could see the pain in his eyes right then – and it shocked her.
‘’Thomas’ mother is at work right now…I want to take him to her....’’ Lauren spoke up. But the police sirens seemed to answer her, telling her that she wouldn’t be the one to return Thomas.
‘’Come on, we have to go. Thomas can wait for the police…outside…’’ Gerard snapped, pulling Lauren out of the house.

Once she was driving them both away from the house, she broke down. Her tears running down her cheeks as she tried to compose herself, wiping the tears away repeatedly, until she managed to stop crying, sitting back into the chair with an expression of pure despair and exhaustion.