thanatophobia // joshler [✓]

final courage

it was the next day after we all slept on the idea. well, the idea of attack, but we had no real plan to fall back on.

we were hidden in the same alleyway from last night, trying to figure out what we wanted to do for tonight. we all sat in a deformed circle, discussing ideas.

"since they're set up in a warehouse... they'd probably be on the top floor since there's the most storage space." patrick explained.
"so how does that help us?" brendon questioned.

"we know that we can roam freely on the first three floors since they'd be on the fourth." patrick clarified.

we all understood by nodding in agreement but tyler was strangely quiet. he has been ever since the talk we had from last night.

"so maybe pat and i could get a general direction of where we're going tonight by following the trucks tracks about halfway." brendon suggested, patrick agreed.

"are you guys gonna be okay here?" patrick asked tyler and i.
"we'll be fine." i assured him.

they agreed and walked off to follow the trail as much as they before they got tired and/or before they got caught.

tyler didn't move a muscle and just sat in the same position with the same lost expression on his face. i scooted over to sit next to him but that still didn't phase him.

i could feel something was off about him. tyler was always saying something to somebody, whether it was one of his sassy remarks or trying to figure out something for the group. but he was just silent.

"what's going on with you?" i asked him, but he still refused eye contact with me.
he sighed, "i'm anxious."

"what for? the plan?"
"i know what's gonna happen." he stared straight ahead.

"and what's gonna happen?"
he paused, but hesitantly answered, "i'm gonna die."

i stood up and went in front of him so he could look at me whether he wanted to or not. i knelt down to get closer to his sitting level.

"you're not going to die." i told him firmly.
"i am. i know i am." he further tried convincing me that he was gonna die.

"why do you say that?"
"somebody always dies when it comes to mcr. and i know it's gonna be me." he blankly told me.

i decided to sit down in front of him, as to get a more serious approach with him. he finally looked me in the eye, i could see the same broken boy i saw last night when he told me his fear, and right now he was terrified.

"tyler, you're not alone in this. we're doing this as the clique. we have your back tonight, nobodys gonna let you die." i spoke with a lot of certainty in my voice to better assure him.

there was nothing but silence from him for a minute, i was hoping i was able to convince him. if we were going to beat mcr tonight, we needed everyone at their best. especially the ring leader.

"josh there's something about you... you have this caring aspect. but why do you care about me so much?"

"because you saved my life the first day, and i plan on thanking you by saving yours for as long as i'm in your clique."