Our Foundations from Decay

Frank POV

I drowned my hands under soapy water after dragging my intoxicated mother to bed, scrubbing the stickiness off my fingers. Gross. Alcohol had a habit of sticking like a porcupine in candy-floss, its repulsive scent making me shiver.

"Kristy. You doing alright?" I watched as her slumped shoulders started to quiver. This poor girl must be devastated. I walked over and sat next to her on the couch, placing my hand on her back. I carefully moved her hands from her face, making Kristy look at me. Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears as she spoke, voice trembling.

"Frank, I messed it all up. He's probably never going to want to see me again after we kicked him out like that. Did you see him? He looked so scared." Kristy let out shuddered breath and fell forwards onto my chest, her head drooping down.

"I just don't know what to do." She admitted.

My sister had always been smart and mature, oftentimes more than me, so seeing her like this broke my heart. I patted her back, attempting to comfort the heartbroken girl in my arms.

"Hey, don't say that. I saw the way he looked at you like a lovesick puppy. He likes you heaps, and even if he somehow doesn't, I'll always be here to rough him up."

Kristy let out a small chuckle, wiggling out of my grasp.

"You've just got to keep talking to him. You're the coolest, smartest, and kindest girl I know, and he'd be crazy throw it all away just because of an insane mother." I continued, hoping that she'd understand what I was trying to say.

Kristy was the only family I had left. I thought back to when she was just a tubby little toddler, remembering the way she used to always cry and start having tantrums whenever I hugged her. She was such a troublesome baby, but I loved her beyond belief. I still love her more than anything. I pulled my sister back again, holding her close. She hugged me back as she cried, just like she had when she was younger.

"I wish we lived somewhere else. I can't stand this, Frank."

"Yeah. I can't either."

After confirming my mother and Kristy were asleep, I started conspiring. When I truly though about it, living here wasn't all too bad. We had food, shelter, basic necessities, and our Mom had never lifted a hand at us. Yet it was absolutely intolerable. We never got to stay out later than 5, and we never had friends over due to Mom's bad temper. We couldn't sleep, eat, do anything at all without being on edge, our livelihoods threatened by the very risk of existing a bit too loud or excited. Even a bit too happy.

I was already seventeen, and planning on moving out as soon as I could anyway. I was originally going to leave and never look back, but after tonights events I realised Kristy could never be left here alone. Mom won't mind much. She won't have to spend money buying us food, so I'm sure she wont care.

But where to go? I have to fix my phone first. Grabbing it off the kitchen bench, I tried recalling those DIY tricks I had seen on the internet years back. Doesn't radiation help or something? And don't microwaves create radiation? The idea had made sense in my head, yet I deeply regretted it when the phone started spinning around in the microwave, its frame decomposing in spikes of electricity. I watched in horror as the machine began glowing, the glass front beginning to crack in all directions.

Oh. My. God.

"I'm so screwed."

The microwave closed in on itself before suddenly blowing up in a storm of radioactive dust, the noise blasting shockwaves through the house. I heard screams of fear and fury almost immediately, freezing as both Kristy and Mom stumbled in.

"FRANK! WHAT IS THIS?" My hungover mother stomped towards me, her face displaying an anger beyond that of a provoked lion.

"Uh..." I said pensively, "It suddenly exploded... on its own?"

I swore I heard a vein burst in her forehead as she viciously yanked open the entrance outside, an inhuman anger adorning her face.

"GET OUT! RIGHT NOW. I am SICK of you!" She pointed furiously at the door. "I said get OUT!"

I didn't linger long and muttered a half-assed apology before grabbing my confused sister by the arm and dragging her out the door.

"Frank? Wha..." She rubbed at her tired eyes, still reeling from confusion. We stepped out into the chilly night, making our way down the suburban street.

"Kristy. I think we're finally free." I let go of her arm and held her hand instead, looking up at the moths fluttering around the dimly lit streetlights.

"That's great, but where are we going to go?"

Ah. always the questioner, huh?

"I hoped you'd have some ideas."

Kristy deadpanned at me, her purple nightgown fluttering in the breeze. She pulled her phone to of her pocket, scanning through her contacts list. Her wide eyes looked back at me, an idea clearly brewing in her small head.

"Maybe... Yeah, this just might work."

I tilted my head at her, urging her to go on.

"Mikey said that it's just him, his brother, and his dad at their huge house, right? And he also once told me that his big bro sometimes went to this little studio apartment thing they have in town. I was thinking that maybe If I hung out in their house, you might be able to crash at their studio."

I grumbled at the thought of my sister living in a home with her crush, but pushed it aside out of necessity.

"I don't like the whole 'being in the same home with a boy thing' for you, but other than that it sounds good. Would you be able to send your little boyfriend a message?" I asked.

"Yep!" She grinned in response, ignoring my taunt. "I'll do it right now."

Kristy was on the task fast, typing quicker than I could see. Glad we got something figured out.

We walked in silence for a few minutes before I suddenly had an epiphany, causing me to almost trip on the cobble below my feet.

I'm going to be living with Gerard Way.