I Fought Them All Off Just To Hold You Close And Tight

(Gerard)

"Where's Mikey?!" I shouted over the chaos in the parking lot. I didn't know, or care at the time, if anyoen else was out. "Where's my brother?! WHERE'S MIKEY?!" I pushed through the jumble of people out of the burning church, searching for a farmiliar face. They all seemed alien to me then. But then I spotted him. Billie Joe and Tre were helping Mikey get to a car so he could sit down. His leg looked really burned.

"Gerard," he called when he spooted me. I ran over to him and hugged him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Of course I am! I'm just glad you're safe. Do you know if everbody else got out okay?"

"There still doing a headcount, but uhh ...."

I looked at him. "But what?"

Billie Joe turned to me and said, "Nobody's seen Frank yet."

(Bob)

I pushed past a couple people from Lyn-Z's family and made it To the guys. They were all crowding around Mikey, whose leg was pretty banged up. But someone was missing ...

Gerard was crying next to his brother on the car, and Ray was rubbing his back saying, "It's okay man. The fire department is gonna be here real soon. They're gonna find him. He's fine. It's okay."

It was Frank who wasn't there.

Suddenly there was a huge explosion behind us. The back end of the church roof had collapsed. Gerard screamed and buried his face in his hands. Billie Joe looked around, and then said, "Well, someone's gotta get that kid out of there, and apparently it's not gonna be the fuckign firemen!" Then he ran across the parking lot and into the blaze.

(Frank)

It's hard to breathe. Where am I? My body is buring. Do I have a fever? No ... no, this is external burning. Something in my eyes ... soemthing liquid. It burns. It burns worse that the other burning. I need to scream. That will take the pain away. My throat is dry. The vocal chords won't work. Something heavy is on top of me. It's crushing me. Now I really can't breathe. I open my eyes. Someone is there ... All black through the red haze. He yells something. I didn't hear. The liquid in my eyes is killing me. Make it stop!

The someone is lifting up what is weighing me down. I cough. It's involuntary. I cough again. And again, and again, and again. The someone is lifting me up. Make my eyes feel better! I try to move my legs. They won;t work. The someone is dragging me. Why? I have to close my eyes. The pain is too much. The liquid hurts me. Help ...

(Billie Joe)

Come ON Frankie! I thought. Just move your legs a little bit!!! I coughed. The smoke isn't gonna be much help for when I have to sing tomorrow night. The door is right in front of us Frank! Jut lift your legs a little.

We made it outside of the inferno, and it was easier to carry the small guitarist out in the open.

(Frank)

This air is different. It's ... nicer. I can breathe. I open my eyes once more. It hurts more now! Red flecks are appearing on the concrete, but ... how do they get there?

(Billie Joe)

Ray ran up to me and took Frank out of my arms. Gerard ran up to me and hugged me, crying into my shoulder. We sgared one of our looks, before he turned and followed Ray. An ambulance and a fire truck ad appeared while I was inside the building, so that's where they were heading. I wathed as the medics plopped Frankie onto a stretcher and slide him int the cabin of the ambulance. Of course, Gerard followed.

(Gerard)

The medics had put Mikey and Frank into the same ambulance, so this was an advantage for me. I wouldn't be torn about who to ride with. "Mikey," I asked, "are you alright?"

He nodded as he lay there on a stretcher. "It's just a sprain or something. I'm okay. Worry about Frankie." He looked at me one more time, before putting his head down on the pillow.

Frank coughed a coupl times as he lay there. I turned my attention to him. There was blood running from Frankie's eyes, and the lids were severely charred. "Oh, Frank," I whispered to myself.

"G-gera-ard ..." Frank coughed.

"Yes Frankie?"

"Make it st-stop."

"Make what stop?" I felt hot tears begin rolling down my cheeks.

"My eyes. Gee ... You l-let m-me fall ..."

"I ... I know ... Baby, I'm s-so sorry."

"M-make it stop Gee .... my eyes!" Frank wheezed a couple times, and the ambulance door slammed behind me. I felt the vehicle start to move.

"I promise Frankie ... it'll stop ..."