[Exhaust Pipe]

Fallen.

He pushed the door open, turning his run into a sprint as curses followed him from the two inside. His so called "loving parents." A tear rolled down his cheek as he continued to run, his shoes grinding against the worn pavement. The only sounds in the still night were his, his sobbing. And his footsteps. With his fists tightened to the point of whiteness, he continued to press forward towards the one place he felt alone.

His foot slipped. And his whole body came down with it, hitting the stone hard. He didn't even let out a cry. He deserved this, right? He couldn't get up. His leg was searing with pain, and he felt something coming off his ankle. Perfect. Pulling himself up, he almost cried out, stumbling a little, the pain too much for this "sensitive little boy". He was too weak for it.

Pulling himself against the wall, with tears still streaming down his face, he caught his breath. His legs wobble and he collapsed again, laying against the wall. Glancing over to where he had fallen, he saw his phone. It must have fallen out. The screen was glowing, indicating a new notification. Using his other foot to pull it closer to him, he picked it up and stared at the screen, before swiping to open it.

His only true friends were in here. Out there. Nowhere near him. Hands trembling, he barely registered the message." Hey. Are you ok man?" Sighing, his fingers shakingly stumbled over a response, tapping the wrong letters or tapping the same letters multiple times, causing him to have to delete it again and again. Eventually he hit send on the almost trademark message of his." Yeah, I'm ok."

He wasn't fucking ok.