Categories > Original > Horror
Gerard stared up at the cold, beige ceiling. He twitched his foot, moved his hands from his sides to his lap, unable to get comfortable. “Hey, doc. Can I stand up? I don’t feel... Right, lying down.” Gerard asked aloud, not removing his eyes from the ceiling.
“Sure, go ahead. Whatever makes you happy.” Dr. Wills’ deep, almost growl-like voice replied.
“Thanks.” Gerard murmured, sitting up. He stood up, and began to pace around the room, tracing his fingers along walls, desks, books, trying to avoid the piercing stare of Dr. Wills. “Gerard?” he asked. Gerard didn’t reply, pretending to be utterly engrossed with a book plucked off the shelf.
“Gerard?” The doctor asked once more.
“Would you like to talk about why you’re here?”
“Why should I?” Gerard asked, sounding more like a toddler than a 17 year old boy.
“Because it’s good for you, we've discussed this.” The doctor sighed, with exasperation “Please? We can talk about anything you want, afterwards.”
Gerard pondered this notion for quite some time, before speaking once more. “Okay.” He agreed, “But you have to tell me what is going to happen to me, after I tell you.” Gerard continued, staring his doctor in the eyes.
“Fine.” The doctor replied, reluctantly, not breaking the eye contact.
Gerard cleared his throat, and began to speak.“It all began, on the 14th of January. It was Sophie Michaels’ birthday party. I was invited, everyone was... But, I didn’t know anyone. I was new to the Bellville High, and as you know, I don’t make friends very easily...”
The whole building tremored with the music pumping heavily out of the speakers, and the rhythmic jumping of it’s inhabitants. “Gerard! Heeyy!” A small blonde girl called out to Gerard as she trotted over, almost stumbling every few steps in her ridiculously high-heeled shoes. “Gerdddy!” she slurred, leaning heavily on Gerard.
“Oh... Anna. Hey.” Gerard yelled, over the music.
“It’s good to see you!” the girl giggled, moving her weight, much to Gerard’s relief, off him and onto the wall. “These shoes kill.” she mumbled, drunkenly, as she frowned at her feet.
“Mmm.” Gerard mumbled, scoping the party, looking for anyone else he vaguely knew. No such luck. He was stuck with Anna. Anna began unbuckling her shoes, putting her drink to rest on the floor. “It’s really good.” Anna murmured, motioning to her drink, her tongue sticking out of her mouth slightly, as she began unbuckling her second shoe.
“You want one?” she asked, looking up.
“Nah, thanks.” Gerard smiled, holding up his diet coke.
“Suit yourself.” Anna sang, before disappearing, shoeless, into the crowd. Gerard weighed up his options- Wander around alone, or dance with Anna. He sighed, and followed Anna into the crowd of dancing teenagers, calling out to her
“Anna, wait!”.
“Is that when the drinking began?” Dr. Wills asked, when Gerard paused, closing his eyes, reliving the memory in his head.
“Oh, no.” Gerard replied, his eyes still closed.”I refused a drink, and Anna knew better than to push.” He continued, smiling at the thought of Anna.
“She was cute, you know. A sweet girl.”
“Oh really?” Dr. Wills asked.
“You liked her? I thought you didn’t make friends easily.”
“Yeah, well. Anna persisted.” Gerard muttered. “Anyway... Then, Sophie Michaels, the host, happened. She was one of the most popular girls in school, and if she even so much as glanced your way, your life in this school was pretty much set, until you left...”
“Who is ouuuut here? Come out, come out!” A familiar voice called out. The door flung open, revealing Sophie Michaels. One of the most popular girl in school! She stumbled awkwardly out of the door, almost tripping as she teetered in her stilettos, “Gerard!” Sophie, squealed sitting beside Gerard on the porch, enjoying the cool air.
“Anna told me someone was out here! Why are you out here all alone? Are you not enjoying my party?” She questioned him, fluttering her eyelashes, looking mock-hurt, to accompany her last accusation.
“What? No! It’s just...” Gerard began, before he was cut off by Sophie. “Never mind. Come inside and have a drink.” Sophie said, pulling Gerard up.
He followed her into the dying party, and she lead him over to the small bar her parents had installed in their living room. Sophie sat Gerard down on a barstool, then skipped to stand around the back of the bar. She ducked down out of sight, and returned moments later, holding a bottle of Tequila and two shot glasses. Grinning, she poured the thin brown liquid into the two glasses. She slid one over to Gerard. Along with a lime wedge, she retrieved from the mini fridge, that Gerard could only just see behind the bar. “Come on!” Sophie urged him. “On three!”.
“Ah, the drinking begins now.” Dr. Mills murmured, half to himself, half to the boy, who was now perched awkwardly in an armchair, facing away from the stern faced doctor.
“‘Suppose.” Gerard mumbled, tucking his feet up into the chair underneath him.
Numerous shots later, Gerard found himself behind the wheel of his father’s prised Impala, laughing as Anna, and Anna’s friends Gabriel and Sebastian piled in after him. “Home, we go!” Anna, Gabriel and Sebastian cheered, together. Gerard began to drive, his alcohol intake overthrowing his good judgement.
“How much did you drink, that night?” The doctor asked Gerard, whose face was pinched into a wince, at the raw memory.
“I... I don’t know. 4 or 5 shots, and a couple of beers?” Gerard sighed, the pain and regret clear on his face. The doctor considered stopping his patient, who was becoming increasingly distressed, but dismissed the notion. We’re close to a breakthrough, he told himself. “Do you remember what happened after you begin to drive the vehicle?” The Dr. Wills asked, persistent.
“Yes. I do.” Gerard muttered, darkly. His body curled up in the chair, his face hidden in his knees.
When he came to, Gerard could feel the blood slowly trickling up his face. “W-what... Huh..?” Gerard mumbled. “Anna?” He mumbled weakly, realising he was upside down. The silence deafening to his ears, he tried to undo his seatbelt, but it was jammed. Opening his eyes, he came face to face with a shattered windshield. “Anna?! Sebastian? Gabriel?!” Gerard screamed, becoming more and more hysterical as each moment passed. He began to scream, tears running up his face, into his hair, matted with blood. Gerard began to tug frantically at his seatbelt, it was no use, it was stuck.
The tears blinding his eyes still, Gerard broke a shard of glass off of the windshield, and began tearing at his seatbelt, madly. The seatbelt eventually came loose, and Gerard dropped, suddenly. The fall was short, but the shattered glass that had pooled below his head stuck sharply into his head, neck and shoulders. Sitting up, Gerard began to push his door open. Gerard provided the required force, and the door flung open, before falling off it’s hinges. “Anna?!” Gerard called once more, pulling at her lifeless arm. “Sebastian!? Gabriel?!” he called, into the darkened back seats of the car. No response.
Gerard stumbled out of the car, falling out onto the road. “W-where am I...?” He muttered to himself, brushing the glass of his shoulders, neck and back. Slumping down, and leaning back against the car, he hugged his knees to his chest, slowly rocking himself. His hair still matted with blood, his eyes began to droop, and his head felt heavy, the salt of his tears, stinging the cuts that decorated his cheeks.
Gerard ran his fingers across the scars and scabs that patterned his cheeks. Facing away from the doctor, staring blankly out the large window, he spoke, breaking the long silence. “Please... What is going to happen to me, Doc?” The boy pleaded, turning to face the doctor, his salty tears stinging his face once more, his eyes desperate, searching the doctor’s face for some kind of an answer. The doctor watched as the silence grew, and all signs of hope left the boy’s eyes, unable to speak.
...
Gripping the clean white porcelain sink, Gerard stared into the mirror, a man with an unshaven, tired face listlessly stared back. Combing one shaky hand through his hair, the other still gripping the sink, the only support he could find to hold up his weary body, he stared into his own desolate eyes. Faintly through the doors of his room he could hear his name being screamed and the tireless banging of his hysterical mother. Slowly, he reached into his pocket, not breaking eye contact with his own reflection, and produced an iPod and a pair of headphones. Plugging them swiftly into his ears, he pressed play. The music boomed through the headphones, drowning out his every thought. Gerard reached up and pulled the door of the cabinet behind his mirror, finally breaking his own steady glare. Before him he saw shelves adorned with small orange prescription bottles, with smudged white labels. He never really liked the way they drugged him, anyway.
Taking down one small bottle, he twisted off it’s white cap, remembering to press down with the sides and palm of his hand in order to avoid the bottle’s child lock mechanism. “Huh..” Gerard laughed bitterly to himself “Why do they never have adult locks?”.
Dropping the lid to the sterile blue floor of his bathroom he slammed the door of the cabinet shut and raised the bottle to his lips. Swallowing the first few pills was awkward and difficult, but as Gerard’s consciousness deteriorated, along with the number of pills yet to be consumed, it became easier. Once the bottle was empty, Gerard’s grip on it vanished, and the bright orange bottle fell quietly to the floor, landing by his muddy black converse. Gerard took one last glance at himself in the mirror, and his cloudy, dead eyes stared back once more. Closing his eyes, Gerard lost all feeling in his legs and fell the the floor, his arms and legs sprawled out beside him, his hand resting by the bottle, mouth slightly open.
When his mother finally broke down the door, she found him lying just below the sink, one of Anna’s old scarves clutched tightly in his hand, he wasn’t breathing.
“Sure, go ahead. Whatever makes you happy.” Dr. Wills’ deep, almost growl-like voice replied.
“Thanks.” Gerard murmured, sitting up. He stood up, and began to pace around the room, tracing his fingers along walls, desks, books, trying to avoid the piercing stare of Dr. Wills. “Gerard?” he asked. Gerard didn’t reply, pretending to be utterly engrossed with a book plucked off the shelf.
“Gerard?” The doctor asked once more.
“Would you like to talk about why you’re here?”
“Why should I?” Gerard asked, sounding more like a toddler than a 17 year old boy.
“Because it’s good for you, we've discussed this.” The doctor sighed, with exasperation “Please? We can talk about anything you want, afterwards.”
Gerard pondered this notion for quite some time, before speaking once more. “Okay.” He agreed, “But you have to tell me what is going to happen to me, after I tell you.” Gerard continued, staring his doctor in the eyes.
“Fine.” The doctor replied, reluctantly, not breaking the eye contact.
Gerard cleared his throat, and began to speak.“It all began, on the 14th of January. It was Sophie Michaels’ birthday party. I was invited, everyone was... But, I didn’t know anyone. I was new to the Bellville High, and as you know, I don’t make friends very easily...”
The whole building tremored with the music pumping heavily out of the speakers, and the rhythmic jumping of it’s inhabitants. “Gerard! Heeyy!” A small blonde girl called out to Gerard as she trotted over, almost stumbling every few steps in her ridiculously high-heeled shoes. “Gerdddy!” she slurred, leaning heavily on Gerard.
“Oh... Anna. Hey.” Gerard yelled, over the music.
“It’s good to see you!” the girl giggled, moving her weight, much to Gerard’s relief, off him and onto the wall. “These shoes kill.” she mumbled, drunkenly, as she frowned at her feet.
“Mmm.” Gerard mumbled, scoping the party, looking for anyone else he vaguely knew. No such luck. He was stuck with Anna. Anna began unbuckling her shoes, putting her drink to rest on the floor. “It’s really good.” Anna murmured, motioning to her drink, her tongue sticking out of her mouth slightly, as she began unbuckling her second shoe.
“You want one?” she asked, looking up.
“Nah, thanks.” Gerard smiled, holding up his diet coke.
“Suit yourself.” Anna sang, before disappearing, shoeless, into the crowd. Gerard weighed up his options- Wander around alone, or dance with Anna. He sighed, and followed Anna into the crowd of dancing teenagers, calling out to her
“Anna, wait!”.
“Is that when the drinking began?” Dr. Wills asked, when Gerard paused, closing his eyes, reliving the memory in his head.
“Oh, no.” Gerard replied, his eyes still closed.”I refused a drink, and Anna knew better than to push.” He continued, smiling at the thought of Anna.
“She was cute, you know. A sweet girl.”
“Oh really?” Dr. Wills asked.
“You liked her? I thought you didn’t make friends easily.”
“Yeah, well. Anna persisted.” Gerard muttered. “Anyway... Then, Sophie Michaels, the host, happened. She was one of the most popular girls in school, and if she even so much as glanced your way, your life in this school was pretty much set, until you left...”
“Who is ouuuut here? Come out, come out!” A familiar voice called out. The door flung open, revealing Sophie Michaels. One of the most popular girl in school! She stumbled awkwardly out of the door, almost tripping as she teetered in her stilettos, “Gerard!” Sophie, squealed sitting beside Gerard on the porch, enjoying the cool air.
“Anna told me someone was out here! Why are you out here all alone? Are you not enjoying my party?” She questioned him, fluttering her eyelashes, looking mock-hurt, to accompany her last accusation.
“What? No! It’s just...” Gerard began, before he was cut off by Sophie. “Never mind. Come inside and have a drink.” Sophie said, pulling Gerard up.
He followed her into the dying party, and she lead him over to the small bar her parents had installed in their living room. Sophie sat Gerard down on a barstool, then skipped to stand around the back of the bar. She ducked down out of sight, and returned moments later, holding a bottle of Tequila and two shot glasses. Grinning, she poured the thin brown liquid into the two glasses. She slid one over to Gerard. Along with a lime wedge, she retrieved from the mini fridge, that Gerard could only just see behind the bar. “Come on!” Sophie urged him. “On three!”.
“Ah, the drinking begins now.” Dr. Mills murmured, half to himself, half to the boy, who was now perched awkwardly in an armchair, facing away from the stern faced doctor.
“‘Suppose.” Gerard mumbled, tucking his feet up into the chair underneath him.
Numerous shots later, Gerard found himself behind the wheel of his father’s prised Impala, laughing as Anna, and Anna’s friends Gabriel and Sebastian piled in after him. “Home, we go!” Anna, Gabriel and Sebastian cheered, together. Gerard began to drive, his alcohol intake overthrowing his good judgement.
“How much did you drink, that night?” The doctor asked Gerard, whose face was pinched into a wince, at the raw memory.
“I... I don’t know. 4 or 5 shots, and a couple of beers?” Gerard sighed, the pain and regret clear on his face. The doctor considered stopping his patient, who was becoming increasingly distressed, but dismissed the notion. We’re close to a breakthrough, he told himself. “Do you remember what happened after you begin to drive the vehicle?” The Dr. Wills asked, persistent.
“Yes. I do.” Gerard muttered, darkly. His body curled up in the chair, his face hidden in his knees.
When he came to, Gerard could feel the blood slowly trickling up his face. “W-what... Huh..?” Gerard mumbled. “Anna?” He mumbled weakly, realising he was upside down. The silence deafening to his ears, he tried to undo his seatbelt, but it was jammed. Opening his eyes, he came face to face with a shattered windshield. “Anna?! Sebastian? Gabriel?!” Gerard screamed, becoming more and more hysterical as each moment passed. He began to scream, tears running up his face, into his hair, matted with blood. Gerard began to tug frantically at his seatbelt, it was no use, it was stuck.
The tears blinding his eyes still, Gerard broke a shard of glass off of the windshield, and began tearing at his seatbelt, madly. The seatbelt eventually came loose, and Gerard dropped, suddenly. The fall was short, but the shattered glass that had pooled below his head stuck sharply into his head, neck and shoulders. Sitting up, Gerard began to push his door open. Gerard provided the required force, and the door flung open, before falling off it’s hinges. “Anna?!” Gerard called once more, pulling at her lifeless arm. “Sebastian!? Gabriel?!” he called, into the darkened back seats of the car. No response.
Gerard stumbled out of the car, falling out onto the road. “W-where am I...?” He muttered to himself, brushing the glass of his shoulders, neck and back. Slumping down, and leaning back against the car, he hugged his knees to his chest, slowly rocking himself. His hair still matted with blood, his eyes began to droop, and his head felt heavy, the salt of his tears, stinging the cuts that decorated his cheeks.
Gerard ran his fingers across the scars and scabs that patterned his cheeks. Facing away from the doctor, staring blankly out the large window, he spoke, breaking the long silence. “Please... What is going to happen to me, Doc?” The boy pleaded, turning to face the doctor, his salty tears stinging his face once more, his eyes desperate, searching the doctor’s face for some kind of an answer. The doctor watched as the silence grew, and all signs of hope left the boy’s eyes, unable to speak.
...
Gripping the clean white porcelain sink, Gerard stared into the mirror, a man with an unshaven, tired face listlessly stared back. Combing one shaky hand through his hair, the other still gripping the sink, the only support he could find to hold up his weary body, he stared into his own desolate eyes. Faintly through the doors of his room he could hear his name being screamed and the tireless banging of his hysterical mother. Slowly, he reached into his pocket, not breaking eye contact with his own reflection, and produced an iPod and a pair of headphones. Plugging them swiftly into his ears, he pressed play. The music boomed through the headphones, drowning out his every thought. Gerard reached up and pulled the door of the cabinet behind his mirror, finally breaking his own steady glare. Before him he saw shelves adorned with small orange prescription bottles, with smudged white labels. He never really liked the way they drugged him, anyway.
Taking down one small bottle, he twisted off it’s white cap, remembering to press down with the sides and palm of his hand in order to avoid the bottle’s child lock mechanism. “Huh..” Gerard laughed bitterly to himself “Why do they never have adult locks?”.
Dropping the lid to the sterile blue floor of his bathroom he slammed the door of the cabinet shut and raised the bottle to his lips. Swallowing the first few pills was awkward and difficult, but as Gerard’s consciousness deteriorated, along with the number of pills yet to be consumed, it became easier. Once the bottle was empty, Gerard’s grip on it vanished, and the bright orange bottle fell quietly to the floor, landing by his muddy black converse. Gerard took one last glance at himself in the mirror, and his cloudy, dead eyes stared back once more. Closing his eyes, Gerard lost all feeling in his legs and fell the the floor, his arms and legs sprawled out beside him, his hand resting by the bottle, mouth slightly open.
When his mother finally broke down the door, she found him lying just below the sink, one of Anna’s old scarves clutched tightly in his hand, he wasn’t breathing.
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