todd hated his life. he hated pararibulitis. he hated how him and his sister struggled with it. he hated everything.
he lived his life inside, ordering his groceries to his door and never making any plans. why would a messed-up, online college kid like todd go outside anyway? he only had his sister, amanda, to keep him company in his lonely apartment. sometimes he kind of hoped someone would crash uninvited into his house and change his world.
of course, he never meant it literally.
it was 2 am on a saturday when a man in a yellow coat slipped in through the glass window, rolling onto the ground clumsily. "hello!" he shouted cheerily, startling the apartment owner.
"jesus christ!" todd screamed, glaring at the boy in front of him. "who the hell are you? what in the world are you doing in my apartment?"
"well, coming through, of course! i'm dirk gently," the annoying intruder continued, smiling as if nothing was wrong. and todd had to admit, he was kind of cute.
"you can't just break in places!" todd shouted, pausing after that. his mind was decided that dirk was an opportunity for a friend, something he hadn't had for a while. so he continued with, "i'm todd, though."
"todd? nice name!" dirk replied, making himself comfortable by propping up against the wooden desk.
"why are you in my apart- fuck!" todd cut off abruptly, staring at his hand and shaking profusely.
"w-what's wrong?" dirk asked, tilting his head as his words became laced with concern.
"fuck fuck fuck fuck," todd muttered, holding his hand. in his mind, he was being shot with a burning sensation as invisible fire ripped holes in his delicate and fragile hands. he had become well acquainted with his visions, but he was hoping this one time he had a chance at a friend, they would subdue. of course, he never got what he wanted.
his hands increasingly began to get worse as they, in todd's mind of course, began to show bone.
"todd?" dirk asked, whom todd had thought had most likely left by now after being weirder out from his freaky illusion.
"c-can you hold me?" the one in pain asked, shaking in a ball on the floor as he wreathed.
"of course," replied dirk, not knowing what he was getting into.