We're Going Live

Gerard sobbed, his jaw suddenly being smacked into the table opposite him. Hot tears fell out from underneath his clenched eyes, forcing him to let a strangled sob from the back of his throat.

“You taught my son you stupid son of a bitch!” Officer James Howard screamed.

The cell Gerard was currently being held in was a shit hole. Literally, some one had thrown up in one of the corners and people had yet to clean it up. He was being treated like an animal. Officer’s would pass and cat call, make fun of him, strip him of what he was wearing and shove him a cold shower until he looked like he would talk.

He’d been shut in a closet with no clothes, food or water for a day. He’d been tied to chairs and taunted, porn being shoved in his face at any opting moment so he was in distress and was barely able to move. He’d had guns shoved up places he didn’t want, he’s been hit with chairs, tables. He’d been denied his one phone call for a week and he was always, always dealt with by the bent cops of Newark Police Service.

“You stupid son of a bitch!” Officer Howard repeated slamming Gerard’s face into the table again, making him snivel, “You’re just lucky Samuel found out about us locking you in the shittiest cell we could find, you’ll get your phone call, get up,” he ordered.

Gerard did everything he was told, he got dressed, he cleaned himself up and told the commanding officer he had run into a wall, that’s how he had acquired the bruises. Snivelling, Gerard punched in Mikey’s number, knowing Ren would probably be there. He hoped she’d be there.

“Dolly?” Gerard asked when the phone answered straight away.

“Gerard!” she said from the other end of the phone, her voice sounding thick.

“Oh god baby, I miss you so bad. It’s like a fucking torture chamber in here, they’re all fucking bent like fucking circles darling. I gotta get out of here, I’m going insane. I haven’t slept it days,” Gerard paused and closed his eyes, warm tears seeping down his cheeks, “I don’t know how much longer I’m gonna be able to last in here Doll,” Gerard whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear.

“I’ll get you out, honest, can’t we bail you out or something? I mean, we could sell the house and stay with my mum? Couldn’t we do that?” Ren asked desperately, holding the phone outwards slightly so Mikey could hear.

“I don’t know, I don’t think so… they’re treating me like an animal, the room I’m in,” Gerard stopped again and swallowed, trying to work the saliva around his mouth, “The room I’m in doesn’t even have a bed! I need out of here,” he whimpered, taking her muted sobs and Mikey’s breathing for a sign to go on, “How’s Charlie? Who told on me? How did the police know?” Gerard pressed, feeling like he was going to snap in half if he heard Ren cry anymore.

“Charlie’s fine, he keeps crying though and I can’t get him to stop,” she sobbed, trying not to let her words be smothered.

“I wouldn’t worry doll face, he’s not even gonna remember who I am,” Gerard sniffed, turning his back away from the probation officers, “I just want to see you all again,” he suddenly sobbed, breaking down. Gerard couldn’t help it, he leant against the phone box and sobbed silently. He cried and cried and cried, unable to old it in. The officers sniggered watching him crumple to his knees and sob into the phone. He sniffed loudly, hoping to clear his nose passage.

On the other end of the phone, Ren was shattering in a million shards. Two million, three million, four million, gone. She crouched down onto the floor, leaning against the bedside cabinet. It stung so bad to hear Gerard being so helpless. Mikey sat down beside her, hooking his arm protectively around her shoulders.

“I’m gonna get you out Gee, just hold on a few more days, okay?” Ren sniffed, wiping her nose on the back of her sweater sleeve.

“You can’t get me outa here, I’m fucked. I can fucking see the exit if they take me down corridor B, it’s torture, I hate it-“

“-Gerard… listen. I will get you out. I’ll do anything-“ Ren’s voice suddenly got drowned out by a prodding officer, muttering at Gerard that his time was up, “I’ll get you Gee, honest.”

Mikey looked doubtful as she slammed the phone down, burying her face in the dents of her knees. He sat rigidly, his arm feeling like a piece of corrugated card.

“You’re not gonna do anything stupid are you?” he eventually asked swallowing deeply as he slid down the side of his bed, making the grey material of his Anthrax shirt slid up and reveal the bottom set of his slight six pack. He quickly pulled it back down and looked across at Ren, who was still crouched over, “Ren?” he asked again.

“What?” she asked, snivelling.

“You’re not gonna do anything stupid are you?” he repeated, watching as she pushed her self up against the wall to walk out of the room. She walked around the bed, stumbling over the few bed clothes Mikey actually had forgotten to put away.

“Yes,” Ren muttered, watching as Mikey opened his mouth to protest, “So just don’t try and stop me,” she added quickly, leaving Mikey in the room by himself.