Senses Fail
Outside The Wall
I couldn’t take it. I had been patient for too long, and all he ever did was push me away. I still loved him, and I always would no matter what. But I just couldn’t stand it. I quietly listened to what he was telling Ray. He had heard Frank die, though he hadn’t known it at the time. I knew that had to be painful for him, but instead of letting me help him he stopped speaking to me altogether.
I left. I went back to the reception area and collapsed in one of the chairs, crying hysterically. One of the doctors came and sat next to me, waiting patiently until I was calmed down enough to talk.
“I have some good news for you,” she said kindly. I sniffled a few times. “With the new medication we’re giving him, he can be released.”
I nodded. “Thank you,” I said softly. Maybe there would be hope after all. I waited for several minutes until I heard the footsteps in the hallway. I looked back. Ray and Mikey.
Mikey was pale. His hair had reverted to its original brown, and his eyes were dark and empty. But he smiled.
“Hi Alicia,” he said. I hugged him and began crying all over again. “I thought you gave up on me.”
“I would never do that,” I said into his shoulder. He returned the hug.
“I know.” We stayed like that for a full minute, then finally pulled away. Ray smiled and led us out the door to his car. My car wasn’t there; I had walked. Mikey and I sat in the backseat.
“Where are we going?” I asked Ray. He just smiled.
“Wherever Mikey wants to go.” Mikey hesitated for a few moments.
“I want to go visit Gerard. And Frank.” My breath caught in my throat.
‘I hope he’s not-’
“Their graves,” he added softly. Ray nodded and started the car. I remembered that Mikey never got the chance to go to the funeral; the doctors were afraid it would just be worse for him. This would be the first time he had been to the cemetery.
I left. I went back to the reception area and collapsed in one of the chairs, crying hysterically. One of the doctors came and sat next to me, waiting patiently until I was calmed down enough to talk.
“I have some good news for you,” she said kindly. I sniffled a few times. “With the new medication we’re giving him, he can be released.”
I nodded. “Thank you,” I said softly. Maybe there would be hope after all. I waited for several minutes until I heard the footsteps in the hallway. I looked back. Ray and Mikey.
Mikey was pale. His hair had reverted to its original brown, and his eyes were dark and empty. But he smiled.
“Hi Alicia,” he said. I hugged him and began crying all over again. “I thought you gave up on me.”
“I would never do that,” I said into his shoulder. He returned the hug.
“I know.” We stayed like that for a full minute, then finally pulled away. Ray smiled and led us out the door to his car. My car wasn’t there; I had walked. Mikey and I sat in the backseat.
“Where are we going?” I asked Ray. He just smiled.
“Wherever Mikey wants to go.” Mikey hesitated for a few moments.
“I want to go visit Gerard. And Frank.” My breath caught in my throat.
‘I hope he’s not-’
“Their graves,” he added softly. Ray nodded and started the car. I remembered that Mikey never got the chance to go to the funeral; the doctors were afraid it would just be worse for him. This would be the first time he had been to the cemetery.