Suffering Alone In Silence

Frank's POV

When I awoke I looked around lazily. All was quiet. I looked out the window, it was daylight. I sighed to myself as I thought about being here. I didn’t want to be here. I just wanted to go home to my father who beats me. He teaches me things that life won’t teach you. It makes me happy that he loves me enough to beat me into a real man. Just like him, I want to be just like him.

“Ah Frank I see you are awake. Would you like some breakfast?” Dr Master greets me with a warm smile.

“I’m not hungry.” Is my instant response.

“Frank, you’re safe in here and no one is judging you, just come to the dining room.” He tries to reason.

I think about it for a moment or two. I can see him waiting patiently for me to make a decision.

“Do I get to be out of these?” I ask, yanking on the restraints.

“Yes, if you behave yourself.” He responds.

“Okay, I’ll go to the dining room.” I answer; really all I want to do is walk around for a bit.

Dr Master smiles and comes over and releases me from my restraints. I smile a grateful smile at him and move so I’m sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Do I have any clothes? Or a toothbrush or something?” I ask.

“We washed the clothes that you arrived here in, and I can get you a toothbrush and toothpaste but I have to supervise.” He replies.

I nod anything to feel half normal. I wonder if my parents are going to come and see me, maybe bring me some more clothes. I watch as the doctor leaves. While he is gone I take a look at my body. I am covered in bruises and cuts. I have white gauze over my arm and curiously peel it back to find that I have a neat row of stitches down the inside of my arm. That’s strange, I don’t remember cutting myself there.

The doctor returns and glances at my arm. He lays my clothes on the bed next to me and a toothbrush and toothpaste are placed on top.

“You have 25 stitches. Do you know how you got that?” He asks kindly.

“No, honest to god I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.” I answered.

“Well maybe it might come back to you.” He sighs and replaces the gauze over the wound.

“Keep it covered, we don’t want it to get infected now do we?” He asks.

I don’t answer, knowing the question is rhetorical. I hop down from my bed and make my way over to the bathroom. I close the door and take a piss, before getting dressed. I open the door and let the doctor watch me while I brush my teeth.

By the time we reach the cafeteria I have decided that I don’t like people watching me do the most basic stuff. I take a seat towards the back of the dining room and look at all the other patients. They look normal to me but on closer inspection I notice that they act differently. There are a group of people who are playing with their food instead of actually eating it, there are a group of people who look really strung out, then there are a group of people that look normal but you can just tell that they are a little ‘fragile minded’.

I sigh once again and place my hands on the table before hiding my face in them. I hear someone take a seat next to me but ignore them. I only look up when the person greets me.

“Hey there Frank, how are you holding up?”

It’s none other than Gerard. I find it strange that I am happy here is here. Right now he is my only link to the outside world, and my only friend, Mikey.”

“Hey Gerard, I doing alot better now that you’re here. How’s Mikey?” I reply.