we pull apart the dark

chapter seven

"Okay, okay. Try it again! Really focus on it, visualize catching the ball with your-"

"Gerard, we have been at this for thirty minutes!! I haven't been able to catch anything you've thrown at me!" Frank exclaimed, stomping his foot for good measure.

Him and Gerard were trying all sorts of ways for Frank to touch things, right now Gerard was throwing rolled up balls of paper at him and pencils, even tried tossing his notebook at one point. Everything just flew through the boy's body, earning a frustrated groan and huff each time. Frank wanted to give up a while ago, but Gerard was so determined and kept pelting new objects at him and shouting how Frank just had to focus and try harder. It had ended up turning into a screaming fest by the end of it. And someone happened to have been walking by as it ensued, having heard the shouting and stopped to see what the commotion was. What the person didn't expect was to find a grown man screaming into thin air, while throwing paper in the opposite direction of where he stood.

On his own.

In the cemetery.

Late at night.

"Hey, buddy.. Are you alright?" A man with bushy hair called out from outside the cemetery, eyeing Gerard warily as he walked up closer to the fence guarding the entrance.

Frank immediately fell silent and still upon realizing what was happening, but Gerard remained clueless for a few moments. Staring at Frank all confused, not piecing it together quite yet before he responded to the man.

"Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just cause you're here in the middle of the night and all, hollering at nothing and... Throwing things?" The man then replied, stepping up to the gate and trying to get a better look at what was going on inside. If there was someone or something he was interacting with that he wasn't able to see from the lack of light or position he was currently at.

It was then that Gerard realized that this stranger couldn't see Frank. He forgot in that moment that no one else was able to see him the same way he did. He shot a look back to Frank, unsure what he should do, in turn Frank just gave a smile and shrugged sympathetically.

"Oh, um. Yeah, no just.. Letting off some steam. Bad day, y'know?" Gerard laughed nervously, suddenly chucking a balled up piece of paper towards Frank. Watching out of the corner of his eye as the boy ducked out of the way with a glare.

Both had anticipated the stranger leaving after checking on Gerard, which was a polite thing of him to do, but he was coming inside and walking up to Gerard now.

"That makes sense, we've all been there. You wanna talk about anything, or keep being destructive? Anyway, my name's Ray. I'm sort of new here, don't really know anyone aside from my own family and figured maybe I should say hi. Now that I know you're not insane." Introducing himself with a kind smile, holding his hand out for the other to take.

Gerard had stared for a moment at Ray's extended hand before taking it and shaking it carefully. Swallowing dryly and doing his best to not focus on how loudly his heart was pounding in his ears, the way he could hear the blood rushing through his veins, the scent of it...

"I'm Gerard, a bit new here myself, too." He lied. "How long ago did you move here?"

"Oh, about a couple weeks ago, actually. We're still settling and unboxing everything from moving. I needed a break from the chaos and paint fumes and decided to take a walk and then I heard you shouting." He laughed with a smile. "Me being nosey and all, I wondered what was going on and if the person being loud was okay."

Frank had moved at some point while the two were talking, watching his friend and this stranger interact, both curiously and with a hint of jealousy. Eventually choosing to stand behind Ray and wave his arms to get his friends attention. Even went as far as acting like he was going to hit the other, just to be a jerk and mess with his friend. Laughing when he caught Gerard's eyes bugging out for a split second and lurching forward before he caught himself when Frank's hand went flying forward and through the man's head.