Øverturning the lies (a twenty one pilots fanfiction)

~Tyler~

Why can't he breathe? The simple act of filling his lungs with oxygen seems impossible now.

Something is holding him in an invisble, viselike, grip.

No one is looking at him; all of the workers are directing their attention to the ground, as usual. But it feels to wrong to be among them like this, seperate.

Everything feels wrong.

His hands are shaking and he can't stop them. Nor can he stop the terrible feeling that something bad is about to happen. It's a terrible kind of foreboding.

His heart is beating wildly, as if trying to escape this ...Tyler closes his eyes.

It's too much for him to deal with right now, reality.

Prison.

That word comes to Tyler's mind, and when it does, he opens his eyes.

Something at the back of his mind whispers that its not true, some tiny spark that reminds him of Josh, even though he isn't sure if its really his fren or not.

But it feels true. He feels trapped inside of himself, with no way to escape.

Except...

Tyler dares to raise his eyes just slightly and look at the bishop who may as well be the only thing keeping him standing right now.

And his heart starts to pound for a completely different reason.

"Don't worry," Nico whispers, almost...reassuringly.

Part of him knows he shouldn't trust the bishop, but he can't help but feel soothed, at least slightly, by Nico's words.

He feels...protected.

He lets Nico lead him forward, and for once his hands don't feel quite as unfriendly and cold. Not quite.

Their footsteps echo in the long, empty corridor.

"Come with me," Nico says quietly, and Tyler can't help but feel a pang of fear.

The bishop chuckes softly. "Don't worry, child, I'm not going to hurt you."

You have before, Tyler thinks.

What Nico says next gives Tyler the impression that the bishop knows what he is thinking.

"You had to learn," Nico says. "It was the only way to prepare you."

Tyler swallows.

He's suddenly very, very afraid.

"Tyler," Nico says, and its the first time he's ever hear the bishop say his name.

It gives him a strange feeling, one that Tyler isn't sure is pleasant or unpleasant.

"I'm not going to hurt you," the bishop says again. "I'm trying to save you."

Vialism, Tyler thinks.

That's what Nico means. He wants Tyler to...

He closes his eyes again.

Is that what he wants? Is it truly right, simply because the bishops and the neon lights of Dema proclaim it to be?

Without warning, tears come to his eyes.

He's so tired of all the uncertainty. So tired.

For several moments he's completely unaware of the world around him. His eyes are still closed, as if that will change anything.