Suffering Alone In Silence

Frank

Soon Donna puts down a small plate in front of me. I take a look at it and notice that she has made corn fritters. I like corn fritters, especially when they have been freshly made. I smile up at Donna and thank her. She smiles and tells me to eat. There are only two little fritters on my plate and I think to myself that I can manage that much food.

Gerard comes in just after I’ve taken my first bite. He smiles at me and takes a seat next to me. Donna serves him up a plate and we all sit down to eat. I glance at the clock and see that it’s two thirty, which means that this must be afternoon tea.

I have finished my first corn fritter, and go to take a bite out of the second when there is a knock at the door. I freeze, and panic seeps into my veins again. I know it’s her behind that locked door, I just know that she has found me and is going to take me away.
Gerard looks at me then to Donna and Mikey.

“Were you guys expecting someone?” He asks, quietly.

“No,” Donna and Mikey reply.

“I’ll go check then,” Gerard replies cautiously.

I wait for him to leave the kitchen, before looking at Donna and Mikey. Donna nods, knowing exactly what I want to do. I get up and race up the stairs, into my room and into the closet. I sit huddled up in the corner until I know it’s safe to come out.

Suddenly loud voices can be heard. I identify one as Gerard, one as Mikey and one as Donna. The other one is familiar, but I can’t place it. This makes me terrified. I whimper quietly as heavy footsteps can be heard on the stairs. My body starts to shake as I can hear the footsteps come towards my room. My locked bedroom door is kicked open and I start to sob. This is it, this is my death. I bury my face in my knees, and cry.

“Frankie, baby, I found you!” The voice is high pitched, but I can hear the underlying anger in it.

I look up and am met with the face of my mother. I scream bloody murder as she drags me out of the closet. I kick and flail, scream and cry, and beg for mercy as she hauls me down the stairs by my arm. My legs have stopped working so I am pretty much being dragged down the stairs.

I cry out as my arm dislocates at the shoulder. I beg for death to take me right now. The brutal bashing of the stairs stops as we reach the first floor. I find myself laying on my back in the middle of the lounge room, half way to the door, when my mother drops my arm. I cry out once more as pain flares through my body. Everything feels broken and I am now desperately begging for death.

“You can’t take Frankie, I won’t let you, you cruel bitch!” I hear Donna; her voice is full of malice.

I try to roll onto my side to see what is going on, but the pain is too much and I can only go half way. It’s enough to see that Gerard and Mikey are unconscious and that Donna has my mother by the throat.

“Help...” I cry out, my voice full of pain.

I watch as Gerard stirs, he looks around, notices me and literally crawls to me. He is exhausted, and probably concussed, but he still makes his way to me and holds me up. I cry as the pain sears through me once more.

“Gerard...phone the cops...please...” I manage to gasp out.

He lets me go and reaches for the cordless phone. I hear him speak, but I can’t make out the words. My body has overtaken my mind and is telling me how much pain I’m in. My vision starts to fuzz, and I fight the urge to close my eyes, but it’s too much, and I am far too tired to care.

“NO...baby open your eyes, Frank open your eyes hun, come on keep them open for me,” Gerard is shaking me and I wish that he’d stop already.

“Gee. ’M so tired, so tired, lemme sleep,” I mumble.

“No baby, come on just keep them open a bit longer,” He begs.

I try and mange to keep them open for a little longer, fighting it all the way. I keep my focus on Gerard and his eyes that are full of worry.

“Why you scared?” I mumble.

“Because I don’t want to lose you,” He replies, leaning down and kissing my forehead.

“I’m scared Gee, so scared,” I mumble, closing my eyes for a minute.

I want to open them to see Gerard, but I can’t. Everything has faded from me. I can’t hear anything, and all the pain has left my body. Maybe my prayer for death had come true, maybe someone out there didn’t want to see me suffer anymore. I would like to thank them.