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— THE PSYCHIATRIC WARD HAD BEEN EERILY QUIET FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. No one knew quite what to say. Johnny had nearly fallen asleep a few times due to complete and utter exhaustion, but tried his best to stay awake. He wasn't even quite sure why he wanted to stay awake. Maybe it was so he could wallow in guilt, upset that he couldn't help save his friend.
That was probably it.
Guilt.
It bit and tore into his chest like the cold, unforgiving jaws of heartbreak. Gnawing at his ribs and settling in a cold, dull ache.
It hurt to think. It hurt to breathe.
Andie had propped herself up next to Johnny, letting his shivering body huddle into her as she tried her best to protect him from his thoughts. Distracting him was proving difficult.
The other boys in the room didn't know how to act. They sat silently, glaring down at the floor.
Every once in a while Chris would cough or sneeze, trying to hug himself in the most awkward manor, as if he was trying to warm himself up.
For DJ, it was almost impressive how quiet he was, as he was always the one to make jokes in light of a situation. But there was no humour in anything today, and he knew that. He began to question if humour would ever be an appropriate response after the things they'd seen. The things they'd experienced.
The boy simply scratched at the back of his leg, his thoughts all unravelled- confusing and loud.
They were all so quiet, and none of them were quite sure why. It was like a calm before the storm. The pitter pattering of rain before- with a crash of thunder- the sky comes tumbling down.
Though, they didn't know what this storm would bring. There was so much they didn't know, so much they were unsure of, and it was incredibly frustrating.
What finally broke the silence was Ethan's unprompted exclamation,
"Shit!"
All heads turned towards him, save for Andie who didn't know why Jonathan jerked to face the corner of the room.
"What the hell, Ethan?" DJ asked, curiously standing up but still itching at his hip.
"Something bit me!" Ethan's voice was a higher pitch than normal, as his shock and pain wore off.
"There's nothing in here to bite you?" DJ said, or rather asked as he began searching the room for the supposed culprit.
Ethan scoffed, "Well there's obviously something!" He snapped, rubbing at his arm.
Johnny began to sit up, watching the way Ethan and DJ searched the floor for anything that could have bitten the boy- and noticing that the area of skin Ethan was prodding at had begun to grow red.
Before Johnny could point this out, Chris spoke up, "Is it- is it cold in here to anyone else?" He asked, shaking like a leaf with his lips turning an odd shade of blue.
"What the hell is going on?" Johnny asks, glancing at all the boys, only to be ignored as Ethan jumped again, wringing his wrist in pain.
"Something keeps biting me!" Ethan exclaimed, looking down at the place he was apparently bitten.
DJ groaned, scratching at his leg again and forgetting his hunt for whatever bit Ethan. Along his arms there were little pink dots and rings of irritation as if bugs had been chewing away at his skin.
Andie sat forward, putting a hand on Johnny's arm, "What's happening?" She asks softly.
"I-I don't know." Johnny stated, his eyes darting between the other boys. "I don't know."
There it was again. I don't know. The phrase just wouldn't leave them alone.
Andie hopped off the bed and sped towards the doors, "I'm gonna get you some water." She claimed, silently hoping the water may calm him down.
Johnny barely payed any attention as she left- looking on at the boys that seemed to be suffering more and more with every passing second.
"Guys, what's happening?" Johnny asks, being careful of his stitches as he crawled to the end of his hospital bed.
Chris shivered, his skin as pale as snow and his features turning an almost violent shade of dark blue, his eyes sunken, yet a look of determination on his face as he spoke.
"Wait- think about- think about Neil-" He spluttered, hugging himself tighter. "We can't see him- we haven't- we haven't s-seen him since they found his body." Chris tried, still shaking and stumbling as he moved to sit nearer to Johnny.
"And?" Jonathan asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Ou-our bodies, Johnny. We must be reacting to- to our- to our body's environment." Chris stated, looking at the other boys who both nodded in realization.
"Pretty sure that means there's a spider trying to crawl up my ass." DJ laughed, itching at his thigh.
"Well what exactly are we supposed to do?" Johnny asked, standing up and beginning to pace back and forth next to his bed.
"Well, Neil and Vincent have both been found and we can't see them- right?" Ethan spoke up, taking over for Chris once he realized where it was going.
Johnny nodded slowly.
"Then you have your answer." Ethan said, pausing for what surely must have been dramatic effect.
"Find our bodies. Bring us home."
And this, this was the moment the sky came crashing down, no mercy.
author's note
this book is comin up on its finals my friends,, ive been really trying to pump out these updates so I can start working on a new project and I really hope these chapters aren't as shitty as I think they are
