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A rectangular room that is painted a blinding, mental hospital white. A clear wall of thick plexiglass cuts the room perfectly in half. Separating two teenage boys, a bully and a loser.
Bright white. That's the first thing my eyes notice when I- come to consciousness? No, I never blacked out. Even now I'm conscious I'm standing feeling the sting of blood seeping threw the gash on my shoulder and the burn in my throat as oxygen is finally allowed back into my lungs.
I don't really know where I am. But... I am calm. That's what I know. Too calm for what I just endured. And to calm for having just been kidnapped... I think. Was I kidnapped? I can't even remember how I got here...
Red that isn't from me, moves outside my peripheral vision. On drowsy instinct my eyes follow it and threw the blur of my naked eye I can only make out a human shape and blending colors. Blurry red blotches scatter the shape.
Still chemically calm I shuffle to the middle of the room where I promptly run into something the noise caught the person's attention. It's still blurry but I know who he is. And I'm suddenly glad to know that there seems to be a wall of cold plastic blocking him from me. I don't need my day to be worse. Not today. I can't handle it today...
My eyes burn... Don't cry.
"Tozier? What's going on?" Henry asked like he didn't hate my guts. He must also be effected by this odd calmness. As least he isn't screaming.
"I dunno, man. I- just got here... you?"
"Yup... what do we do now?" He asks like an idiot.
"Why're you asking me?" I lean onto the clear wall. It's colder than I thought it'd be.
"You're the only one here."
Good point I guess.
"Right..."
how am I supposed to talk to this guy? The only "talking" we've done was during the routine bullying. I wouldn't even consider that a conversation anyway.
"What happened to you? Ya look like shit."
Great. Truth or lie. My favorite game to play with people who ask about my home life.
"What about you...? I don't think ketchup gets that dark."
I'm hilarious. Thanks.
"I asked first. Tell me and maybe I'll tell you."
What a liar and dick and dushbag. He's really the whole package isn't he. Again, hilarious.
"...ya know what..? Sure. Might as well tell someone." I pause for dramatic effect. "My dad beat me lol. Gave me the old one two. It's not as bad as it looks."
He's quiet. He's staying quiet.... maybe he knows I lied about how bad it is? What would he know though, really?
"It's honestly my fault! I egged him on again and he dealt with it. Like every dad..." I continue as I slowly sink to the ground which smears blood on the shared wall.
Stop talking...
"I was misbehaving like I always do! Because I'm useless and can't do anything right-" my eyes burn....
why won't you shut up..? He doesn't need to hear this. Shut up... shut up. Sh-
"Shut up, you're really fucking annoying..."
Oh. He did talk. My face is wet and hot...
"Sorry...." He's sitting with me. Back to back against the cold wall. Separated.
"God- don't apologize. And are you seriously crying?"
Wow- this is embarrassing. Wishing dad finished the job right now.
"I- whatever. Your turn."
Get the salty eye milk off your face! Quick!
"Hah... no."
Dick.
"Wha-"
"You're lying. I'm not saying shit til you tell the full truth."
Ohhh... yeah, no. I don't think this is a great idea-
"My-"
Oh god why.
"My dad WAS angry... that wasn't a lie. And I did piss him off. It was got a bit to serious this time."
Trash mouth at it's finest. I can't even stop talking when I want to...
"??" Bowers makes a question noise or grunt- idk but he made a noise.
"At least I know the only way for it to get worse is for him to succeed in killing me haha..." he's staring. I know he is... "...He tried today..."
Damn it, do I really have to cry every time??
"I- killed my dad. -And my friends..."
Oh shit... it's quite again... the wall feels thinner... if that's possible.
"Huh. Uhhh-- whyy..??"
Great question. Watch him kill you next!
"It was after a pretty bad beating..."
...beating.? Guess we are similar, hah.
"I lost my switch blade. I found it. In my mail box with a balloon tied to it."
"A balloon..?"
"Mhm. Then she told me to just. Kill him. And I did. It gets pretty fuzzy but I do remember killing my friends too."
"Can't say your dad didn't deserve it. And honestly Derry is better off without him. But, what'd your friends do?"
"Nothing. I don't why I did it. It just happened. And now I'm fully aware and here. Is this hell?"
"Hah. I wish. I'm not lucky enough to be dead yet."
I think he smiled. But I'm not really facing him.
"Who's 'she'?" I ask in reference to the woman he mentioned in his story.
"A woman on TV. She said my name and the kids started chanting. And that clown..."
Clown... like IT, clown!?
"Sounds like something IT would do."
"IT???"
"This guy. If you could call it that. It is dressed as a freaky ass clown and it kills and eats kids."
"Are you comparing me to some horror movie, Tozier?"
"No, it's- been stalking me and my friends." I have to adjust my sitting position to be flush against the thin plastic wall again.
"Huh."
"Yeah..."
Awkward silence. Again. I'm really tired...
"Maybe I can kill him too."
"I wish you luck. We've been trying to no avail."
Warm. A warm body pressed against my back. It was startling but not hated. I guess.
"... Maybe I could kill your dad too. That bother ya?"
"Not like he does anything anyway. All he does is lounge around. It would be nice, not having him around..."
"Cool.." he leans fully against me.
"Cool." I smile as my tears dry naturally this time...
"I still hate gay people..." he ruined it.
"Good to know..." I roll my eyes.
"So I still hate you. Don't go around thinking we're all buddy buddy now."
"Of course not.." I still smile. Guess it's comforting somethings won't ever change.