Ghosts

Puzzle Pieces

" G?" Mikey said snapping Gerard out if his trance

" Sorry."

" You alright?"

" Yeah just thinking."

" About what?" Frank asked

" What I'm gonna do once we get out of here."  he lied

" Huh. I never thought about that." Frank said

" I think I'm gonna be an artist. Maybe make comic books or something." Gerard said

" Good. You shouldn't let your artist talent go to waste." Mikey said

" What about you Ray? Gonna be a doctor or something?"

" No way. I've seen enough. I'm going back to school." He said sternly. " Frank's turn. What are you doing?"

" I don't know. I didn't think I'd live this long to be honest." He said shrugging.

" What about you Mikes?"

Mikey stayed quiet for a second. " I'm with Frank on this one. I don't know what I'm gonna do." He said

" That's alright. We got time to figure it all out. Were still young." Ray said

It felt weird sitting and thinking about what was next. I mean they had survived this far so whatever is next can't be that bad.

Gerard looked at his watch

"I'm going to go see if mom and dad answered yet okay?" Gerard said squeezing his brothers hand.

"I'll go with you." Frank said standing up

" we'll be right back." Gerard said hugging his brother

" Okay." He replied

The two left the room leaving Mikey and Ray alone.

" So... it's not a pretty sight huh?" Mikey asked

Ray shuddered. " It's terrible. I'm gonna have issues after this."

" It's even worse when it's your best friend." Ray said

" Thank you."

" for what?"

" saving my life."

" Don't worry about it. You know I'd do anything for you Mikes." He said smiling

Mikey didn't know what else to say. What kind of small talk do you make with someone who saved your neck?

" Oh! I almost forgot."

Ray took something out of his pocket. 

"Stick out your hand and close your eyes. " he said smiling

" What? Are you going to give me a handful of sand?" Mikey Joked. He stuck is hand out and felt something cold and metallic his his palm.

" Okay, open them."

Mikey opened his eyes to see the thin metal bracelet his grandmother had given him before he left. She got ones for both him and Gerard with their initials.

" Oh my God Ray!" He said excited.

" I thought it was gone!"

" It broke when you were brought back here. So I took it so I could try and fix it for you. I know your grandmother gave it to you"

" Thank you Ray!" He said trying to sit up to hug him.  Ray leaned over to hug him back.

"anytime."

Ray helped him put the bracelet back on his wrist observing the way the metal glimmered in the morning sunbeam coming in from a nearby window. His initials sunken into the metal

M.J.W

 Ray smiled seeing Mikey happy. He didn't think he'd ever see him alive again. It really hadn't sunk in that he was the reason Mikey was sitting in front of him right now.  He barley even remembered what happened and was just beginning to put the puzzle pieces in place to complete the picture.