Art Entwined In Blood

13 - Relief

"Frances."

"Do you really remember me after so many years? How thoughtful."

Gerard bit back his screams and tried to calmly speak with clenched teeth: "I thought... I heard that you were killed. Why didn't you come look for me?"

Frances sighed, but it was only out of pity.

"You really don't understand anything, do you? You didn't pick up what my intentions were?" he snickered, "I was correct in picking you to be an idiotic drone to latch on to. You even let me! You're just a fool who was too hopeful and naive to keep waiting for me. You really believe that I loved you? Possibly when you were mortal. But you became a monster. You almost killed me, Gerard."

Gerard's face lost any color it may have had, revealing thin skin with fragile bones underneath. His bottom lip started to tremble, his eyes stinging and his hands finding it difficult to clench into fists. He had nothing to say. For the first time since he was able to speak, Gerard's mind was blank except for the gradually rising pain in the back of his head. He was confused.

"What... What's happening?"

"Your heart is breaking."

Frances took slow steps toward the frozen man, and Gerard noticed that they were hesitant. He was afraid. They were both afraid. They stood staring at each other, their faces void of any emotion. Gerard allowed his face to crunch into a twisted mess of features. His body bent forward, his arms reaching out to balance himself. He couldn't breathe. He didn't need to breathe. A gasp crept through his lips, and a quiet scream resulted from it. He was meaning to keep looking in Frances' eyes, but everything had become blurry. He clamped his eyelids shut, squeezing small droplets out and rolling down his delicate features.

"Gerard."

Gerard screamed like he was releasing a demon from his lungs and quickly gripped his midsection, fearful that he would explode. His knees buckled under his weight and he fell to the cold floor, almost without a sound. His breathing became erratic, and when he tried to regulate it, it only became worse. He attempted to open his eyes, to look at the man in front of him whom he had loved so dearly throughout his long life, but the only things he could see were blurry figures standing around him. The only sounds were muffled voices and a high pitched ringing. His head oscillated, looking for something, anything, that may aid him to be rid of these sensory ailments. He could feel hands of his shoulders, tenderly, but he could not make out what the person was saying. He could only hear loud sobbing. He realized, then, that it was his own sobbing.

"Get away from me!" he screamed, his voice trembling without control. He pushed the person away from him. The person was taken aback, but still pursued to speak with him.

"No, go away, Frances! I don't want you here now!"

He covered his head with his large overcoat and waited until his senses were regulated. He sat up and looked around the damaged store, at the small amount of people who were surrounding him looking concerned. On his right side stood Frank, crouched down on his toes so that he was eye level with Gerard. The puffy-eyed man stared at Frank soundlessly, searching his eyes for recognition. He found none.

"I had this feeling I needed to come down here. I found the place trashed and you were curled up crying. Are you okay? Did you get hurt? I'm sorry about all the people around. There was a lot of noise, everyone came to check it out."

Gerard squeaked out an "I'm fine" before returning his gaze to the dirty, cracked floor. Frank sighed in a "I know you're not fine" way and started to shoo the civilians away from the man. He gently rested his hand on Gerard's back, to which Gerard flinched a tiny amount. By the time he looked up again, all the people had left and it was only he and Frank in the desecrated convenience store.

"You were in my hospital room, right? When I was in a car accident?"

"Yes," Gerard hesitated.

"So you know Jamia, right? I'm not trying to bum you out even more, but I just can't help but think something bad is happening. Just everywhere."

Gerard rubbed his eyes a little and sat up, signifying for Frank to go on with his story.

"So, she's been really sick lately. I don't know what it is, and the doctors can't even describe it. Nothing helps, either. She has migraines all day and her normal medication doesn't do anything. We even tried upping the dosage and it still did nothing. She can barely keep food down; she's losing a lot of weight. I'm afraid that... that she won't be around much longer."

Gerard thought of Frank's petite wife, caring for Gerard even when she knew he had other intentions for Frank than being a friend. She was a kind, pure soul that Gerard had to admit he was quite jealous and fond of. She did not deserve to suffer. Then he thought of Frances and his brother, Michael. He couldn't stand to think of either of them in a positive light. His own brother was treacherous and could not have compassion even if there was an injection that gave him this feeling. Frances. Oh, Frances. He was a fiend, an evil force that he regret ever having in his life. From the dim lit alleys in New Orleans to the glamour of early Hollywood, Frances was there. And it was disgusting. He looked to Frank.

"Do the doctors have an estimate?"

"Maybe a month or two."

"That's not enough time."

"Believe me, I know."

Gerard's eyes had dried up by now, the sorrow lingering, but not stinging any longer. He considered that maybe the pain of his eyes stabbed out would work in his favor. Damn that Oedipus.

"Would you like to see her?" Frank inquired.

Gerard merely nodded while already standing up.

—————

"Oh, it's so nice to see you Gerard."

"I apologize that this is happening. I do wish that I could be of any help."

"No, no, this is something that can't be controlled. If it has to happen, it has to happen. That's life."

"C'est la vie."

"Exactly. I'm happy that you were able to see me though. I really appreciate that."

Frank had started to tear up and left the room, leaving Gerard and Jamia to chatter quietly.

"I think his amnesia is going to wear off soon. He's starting to have dreams about being inside your mansion. I told him he should stop eating sugar before he goes to bed," she chuckled a bit.

"I'm sure it will. I'll take care of him when you're gone. That, I can promise you, Jamia," he smiled softly, then added, "Who did this to you? Did you see what he looked like."

"I remember a rose. I'm sure you know what that means."

Gerard nodded solemnly, firmly grasping her frail fingers. He touched his forehead to her hand and quietly whispered a Latin prayer before slipping a silver ring with a ruby onto her third finger.

"It will keep you safe until your time comes. No more visions, no more pain."

She gazed at him astoundedly, her eyes rimming with fluid. She uttered multiple "thank you"'s under her breath, lightly kissing his hand and raising it to her forehead. Just as Frank had returned, they uttered their farewells, possibly for the last time, and Gerard was gathering his things. Frank had asked if he could drive Gerard home, but Gerard refused.

"I need a good walk right now."

"Could I join you? I'll walk you home."

Gerard shrugged lightly and looked to Jamia. She held up her fingers and danced with them, making the ring reflect small rays of sunlight across the walls.

"I'll be okay," she beamed, almost cackling at this newfound gift of relief that Gerard had given her. Frank kissed his wife and told her that he'd be back soon.