Once Upon A Time, Back In Highschool

The leaves and twigs snapped and crunched as we walked along, the sound echoing up through the trees. Gerard had parked as close as he could to the edge of the wood, but nothing was close enough, he still had to haul the body along behind him. It was so deranged the way I could walk along side my illegal boyfriend who was dragging a mangled corpse along behind him.

I had stopped crying long ago, I just wanted this to be over. I wanted to be able to just forget about it, although I knew I wouldn’t be able to block it out like Gerard did. I felt empty and rotted like some one had climbed inside me and scooped out my insides. I couldn’t read Gerard, he looked demented and that’s all that crossed me mind. He sill had his make up on, only it was scooped around his face leaving smudges and small black dots where he hadn’t shaved that morning. He moved like a robot, shovel in, dirt out, shovel in, dirt out.

He dug a ditch, it took most the day. I sat under a tree waiting for him to be finished, I was no good a digging, the shovel either got stuck or I scooped up a petty amount of dirt. Gerard did most of the work –digging I mean. He’d put the body in this quilt, which he set alight as soon as we were done.

The smell of rotting flesh furrowed through the air as the body smouldered. Gerard took my dirty hand and squeezed it before pushing great mounds of mud back over the top, jumping on it after to flatten it out like the rest of terrain.

“Don’t mention this to anyone,” Gerard murmured in my ear, nuzzling my skin, “It goes to the grave, right?” he said, I nodded and pushed my face into his chest, “Don’t cry, shh,” he whispered, rocking me from side to side, “Don’t cry Doll, you’re breaking my heart,” he said softly, brushing his hand through my tangled hair, “Come on, we’ll go to my house, have a shower -a bit of dinner and then I’ll walk you back to your house,” he murmured whilst we walked passed our den towards the edge of the woods.

Some people –alot of people- would ask why I put up with him. His personality can stink at times, he dresses like a homeless person and he is now a designated killer. But stupid, clichéd truth that I think I’d go mad with out him. I really love him, to the point where it’s just ridiculous.

Gerard drove back quietly, his face stony and dignified and his hand wrapping around mine. I hoped mum wouldn’t be too pissed I didn’t call; I couldn’t be bothered to explain. Once we got back to the house me and Gerard shared a shower, staying there for a least half an hour even though the water had started to run freezing after five minutes.

I pushed my face into his shoulder, shivering as he ran his soapy hands through my hair. Even though I was freezing he still managed to stay warm.

“Lets go get dressed,” he mumbled, whilst washing the soap away from myself, “I’m just going to get some clean clothes from down stairs I think you left some clothes here from last time,” he smiled. I nodded.

“Yeah, I brought some with me as well,” I murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed. I moved again when I saw I had sat on anonymous piece of paper. I moved it out from underneath me, staring at for a second.

Mikey’s mobile: 0345228792

I took the note and folded it neatly, my heart rattling my ribs as I did so. I then found my jeans and yanked them on, slipping the piece of paper into my back pocket so even if Gerard did see me take it, there’d be no way he would be able to get it back off me.

It may have seemed completely sneaky to be ringing his brother –but normal people aren’t like Gerard.

I mean, Mikey grew up with him, they lived together, ate together, worked together? I remember Gerard mentioning his first job was at Barnes and Nobles with his brother. I could just pretend to be his mobile phones sales woman, saying he hadn’t payed his limits and he’d need to meet me at the bank to sort everything out. Gerard couldn’t know though.

Now he’d killed some one. I had no idea what he was capable of.

“Ren.”

I turned around swiftly and smiled at Gerard, taking a cup of coffee that he was holding out towards me. He took a gulp, moving it around his mouth like he was considering something. Gerard smiled softly at me, stepping forward and burying his face in the top of my hair, murmuring something about walking me home soon.

I felt guilty hugging him whilst I was at the same time as getting a plan together to dig into his past. I needed to do it though. It’s not like he’d tell me.

I paced up and down my room, the phone in my hand and the number practically imprinted in my brain from typing it in so much. I kept chickening out, typing it, and then slamming the phone down.

“0,3,4,5,2,2,8,7,9,2,” I murmured, my thumb hovering over the green call button.

I stabbed it and pulled the phone up to my ear. It began ringing. I begged him to pick up but of course, my string of luck wound up in having his voice mail ‘Uh… hi, this Mikey. Blatantly I'm not here right now,” he pulled the phone away from his ear, “Gerard shut the fuck up man! -Anyways leave a message and I’ll get back to you whenever I can.”

I swore and chucked it down on my bed, I couldn’t believe I was stressing so. Suddenly it rang again and I snatched it up.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Uh hello? Did you just ring me?” It was him.

“Yes, I did. I’m Carol from Casher’s Credit Cards and we found a forge of your credit card-“

“Oh god really? I haven’t used that thing in months? Oh shit –can you find out who’s taken it –I don’t get it? How did they even get hold of my credit card?”

“Sir, I can’t really discuss all this over the phone would you mind meeting me at Casher’s credit Cards. We need to fill out some forms,” I asked, nearly in tears, I couldn’t stand going behind Gerrad's back, “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Yeah sure, when?” he asked, I could hear him scrabbling for a pen.

“Tomorrow, 10 am,” I asked briskly, wiping the few stray tears that had gradually made there way down my cheeks.

“Sure, see you then!”