FicWad

It was a slow process, but finally he opened his eyes, groaning softly as he did. The first thing he noticed was his dry mouth; so dry, the low moan he emitted almost arrived soundless. The second was his hands’ refusal to comfort his brow as the headache he was experiencing threatened to send him right back into unconsciousness. He lay motionless for a moment as he gathered his wits. It was dark, he lay in a comfortable bed but something was wrong. He hadn’t been drinking. Had someone slipped something in his water? Why was he alone? Confused, he tried once again to move his hands, and again he was met with no response. Pulling his arms purposefully, he finally felt the straps around his wrists. Repeating the exercise with his legs, he found that similar bonds secured his ankles.

“Help!” he screamed loudly; not really imagining anyone who could help would hear him, but more out of fear and frustration.

Repeating his cries, he heard nothing for a couple of minutes. Listening between shouts for help, he heard a sound like someone running in soft-soled shoes. It grew louder and seconds later he was squinting in the sudden light as the door flew open and the switch was flicked.

“Shh!” the angry female voice insisted. “You’ll wake the other patients!”
Gerard fell silent instantly.
“Patients?” he asked shakily as his eyes grew accustomed to the light and was now able to see the woman before him dressed in a nurse’s uniform. “Where am I?”
The expression on her face softened at the obvious confusion in the young man’s eyes.
“Don’t you remember coming here?” she asked. “You’ve been here a few days now.”
Gerard shook his head silently.
She nodded her understanding.
“Don’t worry, that happens sometimes,” she said with a comforting smile.
“I..I’m tied up,” he stammered, confused by the reply.
“No,” she shook her head, “you’re restrained; that’s quite different. You were very violent when you were brought in.”
“In where?” Gerard snapped. “Where am I?”
“My dear,” the woman cocked her head at the question, “you’re in rehab.”
“No!” Gerard cried. “I’ve been clean a..and sober. I shouldn’t be here! Where’s Mikey?”
“Who?”
“My brother!” Gerard grew more agitated. “I need to speak to him!”
“The young chap who came in with you?”
“He’s here?”
“Oh, no,” she laughed. “He’s long gone. He signed you over to our care.”
“No!” Gerard pulled fruitlessly on the restraints. “No! He wouldn’t do that! He wouldn’t just leave me! Let me go!”
“I’m sorry, if you don’t calm down, I’ll have to sedate you again,” she cautioned him.
“Mikey wouldn’t do this to me!” Gerard insisted. “Let me go!”

Sighing, she headed to a cupboard near the bed and pulled out a small sealed plastic pack. Unwrapping it, she turned to Gerard who had now grown quiet as he watched her with his heart thumping hard in his chest. As she filled the syringe she now held with liquid from a small bottle, his eyes grew wide.

“No, please!” Gerard begged, terrified by what was happening to him. “I’ll be quiet, I just need to speak to Mikey.”
Lowering the syringe, she smiled kindly as the needle punctured the skin of his arm and the liquid was forced into his vein.
“I’m sorry, my dear, I can’t allow you to upset the other patients.”

It was only a matter of seconds before the young singer felt a wave of darkness descend over his eyes and with a sigh he succumbed.

*

Mikey Way stared at the ransom demand. No matter how much he read and re-read the note, the fear wouldn’t subside. Pulling the inhaler from his pocket, he allowed himself two deep puffs but even that wouldn’t bring a halt to his stilted breathing. As he waited for the others to arrive, all he could do was pray that Gerard wasn’t being hurt.