Chapter Text
“Happy Birthday!” Tyler’s family cheered as he blew out his candles. Seventeen candles.
This wasn’t much of a party. Just his parents and siblings and a cake. The lights were dim and the smoke from the candles made everything look fuzzy.
“What’d you wish for?” Mrs. Joseph had to talk over Jay and Madison fighting.
“Hey!”
“I want that one!” They were pulling the candles out of the cake and arguing over who got to lick off the frosting.
Wish? What did I wish for? Tyler didn’t make a wish, but he wondered what it would have been if he had.
Mr. Joseph started cutting the cake. Cookies and cream ice cream cake. Tyler’s favorite. Or at least it was.
Zack passed out plates and spoons like his mother asked him to.
The cake was cold. The frosting was sickeningly sweet and left a film in his mouth. Tyler lost his appetite after a few bites.
Tyler threw away his plate. “May I be excused?”
Mrs. Joseph looked up from her plate. Everyone was still eating and talking. Except for Jay who was pushing a blue matchbox car around his plate. “Excused? Already? But honey, it's your birthday. Don't you want to spend time with your family?”
“No.”
Tyler's parents looked at each other and frowned.
His mom rose up from her seat and grabbed her plate. “Fine, you can be excused.” She looked annoyed. Tyler didn't know why, nor did he care.
Tyler went upstairs to his room. He plopped himself on his bed and put on a pair of headphones. He turned on his mp3 player and System of a Down started playing.
The loud music was eventually drowned out by some kind of white noise. Like wind blowing past a an open window of a car.
It wasn’t long before Tyler realized that he was no longer alone. There was someone else in his room. A man stood before the foot of his bed. He was in a red suit and a black tie and he wore a black ski mask over his face. Tyler could see the man’s eyes glowing red through the mask.
Tyler pushed himself as far back into his headboard as he possibly could, “Wh-what d-you want?”
The man stood still. Stiff as a board. His voice was muffled, “Someone stopped taking his meds.”
Tyler glanced over at the two pill bottles on his nightstand then back at the masked figure standing before him. He blinked and when he opened his eyes again, the man was standing at the side of his bed next to his nightstand and hovering over him.
“You’re not a little boy anymore, Tyler. You shouldn’t have to be reminded to take your medication.”
Tyler swallowed, “How do you know my name?”
“Oh I know everything about you. Now take your pills,” The man’s voice changed from strangely sweet to stern.
Tyler picked up a bottle from the night stand. Antidepressants. He swallowed a little, green pill with a sip of water. The taste of the pill on his tongue made him grimace.
“Take another one,” the man with the red eyes ordered.
“But I’m only supposed to take-”
“Another one,” he interrupted Tyler.
Tyler swallowed another antidepressant.
“Another.”
Tyler swallowed a third. He closed the bottle and grabbed the other. Antipsychotics.
“Take three of those too.”
He did. Then he laid back on his bed while the masked man hovered over him watching him.
After about an hour, Tyler began to feel heavy. Almost like someone was trying to pull him through his bed.
“Ahh, now you’re ready,” The strange man smiled. “Get up.”
Tyler tried to stand up, but his legs were shaky and unbalanced. He tripped over himself and almost fell forward, but he caught himself.
“Come on… You can do it.”
Tyler followed the man out of his bedroom, hanging onto the walls so that he wouldn’t fall. His head felt swimmy and everything around him moved in and out of focus. “Wait, I have to go to the bathroom.”
Tyler wasn't going to be getting any privacy. The man followed him into the bathroom.
He gripped the sides of the sink and hung his head over it. “I think I'm going to puke.”
“NO,” the man’s voice was loud and abrupt. “You mustn't.”
Tyler swallowed back down what had come up in his throat. His throat burned. He looked up at the mirror and stared at himself. He was drooling and his eyes were dilated and bloodshot. He made eye contact with the masked man in the mirror. “Where are we going?”
The man’s eyes grew brighter.
Tyler doesn’t remember anything after that. He doesn’t remember what the man with the glowing red eyes said to him. He must’ve blacked out. Guess that’s what happens when you overdose.
When Tyler awoke, he was in a dark room. He was sitting on a cold floor and up against a bare wall. He heard a loud clap and instantly the room was illuminated. The room was empty and bright, white. Tyler had to squint to see clearly. His head still felt weird.
The red eyed man was back. Or maybe he never left. He was standing before Tyler, but he had company this time. Another man a few inches shorter than the the other. This man was wearing a tight, green alien mask. His shirt was white and it had the sleeves cut off. One of his bare arms, his right one, was completely burnt from the shoulder to the wrist. Tyler tried his best not to stare.
“Ahh good, you’re awake,” the man with the ski mask began. “Almost thought we lost you there. Well, not really. I knew it wasn't time.”
Tyler tried to use his hand as a visor from the brightness in the room.
The taller man continued, “Anyways… we haven't been properly introduced, have we?” Tyler was about to shake his head, but he couldn't. “No. We haven't. You can call me Blurry,” he outstretched his hand for Tyler to shake it. His skin was black like charcoal and Tyler refused to touch it. “Fine. You always were rude.” Tyler didn't know what that could've meant. “You're probably wondering about my friend here,” Blurry gestured to the man in the alien mask. “Well, he would prefer that his identity remain anonymous at this time, but you can call him Jim.”
Blurry and Tyler both stared at Jim who stood there frozen, like a statue.
Blurry broke the silence, “My boy, Jimmy doesn't talk much.”
Tyler was confused. What did these two weirdos want from him.
Blurry read his mind, “Oh Tyler, the only weirdo here is you.”
How does he know what’s in my head?
Blurry’s muffled voice interrupted Tyler’s thoughts, but his mouth didn’t move, “Because I’m in your head.” Blurry gestured around the room, “We all are.” His mouth still didn’t move.
Tyler looked around the room. There were no doors, no windows, or light fixtures. It was just a big, white box. He noticed something in the far right corner. He had to look around Blurry to see what it was.
It was a person. A young man. He was was hunched over on the floor. Shaking. Struggling to stick a needle in his arm.
Blurry turned around to see what Tyler was staring at. “Oh him..”
“Who is he?”
Blurry shrugged, “Everyone does strange things to deal with the pain.” He gestured at the man in the corner, “He uses that needle to stop the images in his head.”
Tyler started to stand.
Blurry clapped his hands together. It echoed like a clap of thunder.
Everything went black again.