While You Were Sleeping [Frank Iero]

I Opened Up My Eyes And Found Myself Alone Above The Raging Sea

"Tell me about this guy, the one you met at the hospital. Could he see you too? Like I can?" I said, still running my fingers through his hair.

He had stopped crying by this point in time, he only sniffed every once in a while. He turned and looked up at me.

"Yeah, he was nice, really old and wise. He said that he could see us, people like me and that he was too old and weak to help me find my way back. He told me that I needed to find someone, anyone that could see me, feel my presence, see me as if I was living. But he said that I was living, he said I was part of the 'living dead', part of people whose bodies were alive, but their spirits acted like they were already dead."

"But why me? Why did you come to me for help?" I asked, confused by his story. He could have asked anyone for help, not just me.

"Because you were the only person that could see me, that could feel me, that could care about me. I hadn't found anyone that could help me besides the man." He said, sitting up.

"Why didn't you ask him for help?" I asked, smoothing out the wrinkles in my sheets, avoiding eye contact with Frank.

"He was dying, Annabelle. He couldn't of helped me if he tried. And the so called 'psychics' of this town couldn't see me, no matter how loud I yelled or how hard I tried to be seen."

"But how can I see you? I'm not the kid from the Sixth Sense, I can't see dead people. I'm just a girl, I'm not your hero and I couldn't be if I tried."

"Please, Annabelle. I need you to help me, I need to get back into my body and I need to do it soon, before they pull the plug and give up hope that I will wake up."

"What do you mean? How long have you been in a coma?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I've lost track of time and space. All I know is that they've been waiting around for too long. My family is giving up on me..."

I quickly stood up, angered by his last statement. I didn't exactly know why I was upset, maybe it was the thought of my family doing something like that to me, but then again, I didn't know how long Frank has been in a coma.

"No, they can't give up! They can't! You're not dead!"

"Annabelle, calm down, please. They have every right to give up hope. I've been gone for way too long. But I want to at least try to wake up before they take my soul."

And in that moment, I did something I didn't think I would ever see myself doing. I fell to my knees, leaning on my elbows,.my hands folded and head bowed as tears of pure sorrow streamed down my face.

I started to pray silently to a God I didn't believe in, asking for help from this unknown being, who according to others, could help with wise words, but wise words wouldn't stop Frank's bleeding.

But I had to try, for Frank's sake. I had to try to help this lost soul, literally. And in that moment of lost prayer, I found it in myself, I found the strength to make a decision.

I was going to help Frank, no matter what it took. I was not going to break my promise, no matter how scared I was.

I opened my eyes and wiped my face and looked up to see Frank looking at me. I smiled at him and stood up before taking a seat on my bed.

"I've made a decision...I'm going to help you find your way back."

His eyes lit up as he smiled and clapped happily like a small child does when they win something.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You won't regret doing this!" He exclaimed, hugging me tightly and kissing my cheeks.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! You're welcome! Now stop!" I yelled as I pushed him off of me.

"Sorry..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

I chuckled lightly as two recurring questions didn't leave my mind.

Where do we start? How do we fix this?