Chapter Text
"He just won't speak, I'm worried"
"Is he retarded?"
"I think he might be mute"
"But when we force him to speak, he makes sounds"
"Maybe he is retarded"
"He's good for nothing"
"Josh, you're embarrassing me, speak"
"I TOLD YOU TO FUCKING TALK"
Those were the sentences Josh heard on a daily basis. He could talk, he knew he could. He was just scared. And today, scared was just an understatement, right now he was absolutely terrified. Josh hurt a kid. He didn't mean to, but the kid was calling him names, and said his mom didn't love him. The rest, well you know.
"Joshua, what made you stab the kid?"
"............"
The woman had a sharp look, and she tried way too hard to look sweet. "Joshua, it was an 11 year old. You're 17. What drove you to do so?" He had started scratching at his cheek. "Joshua, why do you start doing that? Do you get anxious? Do you have the need to harm yourself?" She kept asking questions, and Josh started rubbing his arm. She suddenly rolled up his sleeves. "Joshua" An ear-piercing scream erupted from the brown haired boy.
"I'm so sorry, he has no self control-and, and..." His mother looked at him, and her eyes screamed at him. Useless motherfucker. Josh put his head down, ashamed. People started walking past him, and whispering as he started shaking. Their shadows screamed that he was alone. His vision started getting blurry, and he looked up and only saw blurry faces.
Why am I here? The hall ways were white. The rooms were plain and clean. A boy with a strangely large forehead was glaring at a couple of the doctors. "Fight me, whore" The boy spat at a blonde nurse. Next to him were 2 boys, an emo looking one and one who looked way too innocent to be here. The innocent one was rocking back and forth, and he started hitting his stomach. Then 4 other boys, then more, and more, and more. Josh had starting shaking. They're going to laugh at me.
"Here's your room. If you need anything, ask one of the nurses, okay sweetie?" Said a middle-aged woman. Josh nodded quickly, wanting her out of his room as soon as possible. She patted him and left. He started looking around. Bunk beds, 2 shelves, a door leading who knows where, probably a bathroom. And a box of stuff. "Hey" Josh covered himself with his arms, in fear that someone would hurt him. "Oh, you're one of those, huh?" He had started shaking badly as he leaned in the corner of the wall and sank down. "No, it's okay. I won't hurt you. I'm Tyler. What's your name?" The boy known as Tyler said. His tone didn't seem like he meant harm. Josh tried to talk but Spooky told him not to. So he just pointed at his mouth. "You can't talk?" He nodded. "It's okay. I talk a lot so you won't have to worry. I'm here because I tried to kill myself. And I don't eat. Are you here because you don't talk? Because you can't socialize? Or do you react badly when people look at you?"
Josh put up 3 fingers. Usually he got anxious when people asked him too many questions. But Tyler asked them in a way that he didn't get scared. Tyler laughed and sat in front of Josh, who looked at him with wide eyes. "It's okay. Look I can help you. You won't have to suffer being here, or be scared of talking to people. okay?" Josh flinched as Tyler put a hand on his brown hair. He flashed Josh a smile as he ran his hands through his hair. "You say things with your mouth" Tyler said, as a joke. Josh cracked a soft, hesitant, smile, and opened his mouth, then immediately closing it. He's going to get tired of this really quick, isn't he?