silent // tyler jøseph

chapter three

Leaving the hospital, Josh and Tyler sat in the car in silence. It was all Tyler had heard in the past few torturous weeks; and it was all Josh knew how to handle.

It had been settled: Tyler would live with Josh for the time being. He hated the thought of losing his independence, however, he still needed to recover from the accident.

And Josh didn't quite trust him in his new state to stay alive.

Tyler had spent the last few weeks refusing food, staring out the window, and crying. Josh could only imagine he was still in a state of fear and shock; not being able to hear the world he once could was scary. And not being able to use his voice was even worse.

Josh looked over at Tyler, who stared out the passenger window with his glossy brown eyes.

Josh felt awkward- he wasn't sure what do to. They used to talk each other's ears off the entire drive, but now, there was nothing.

He reached over and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, causing him to jump at the sudden sensation.

He exhaled deeply, looking at Josh questioningly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but instead, he just gave Tyler a weak smile. Tyler, however, didn't return the favour, instead turning his head to continue gazing out the window.

Josh slowly took his hand away, putting it back on the steering wheel as he let out a long sigh.

The drive went slowly, but they finally arrived to Josh's house, where Tyler quickly opened his door, jumping out of the car and making his way up to the house without once looking back.

As Josh approached the house, he dug his keys out of his pocket to unlock the door. Once he did, Tyler didn't hesitate to step inside, toeing off his shoes and throwing himself down onto the couch.

Josh followed him over, sitting beside him.

"Hey.." he muttered, before biting his lip. Not speaking to his best friend would take getting used to. In absence of words, he put his hand on Tyler's knee, patting it gently.

Tyler's eyes fell to stare at the floor as they became tear-filled, and Josh pulled him into a side hug before he broke into tears, gripping unto his friend tightly in his fear.

A few days later, Tyler sat in the room Josh had prepared for him, staring at the television from bed. It was on a news channel which was all he'd been watching for the past few weeks. For days the headlines had ben about him and the accident, and he was growing tired of it. He didn't care about the new information; he knew exactly what had happened.

Someone else taking their own life had taken his as well, and now he was losing his own battle.

What was there to do anymore? The mere thought of music brought him so low. He could never write it again; all of those ideas in his head were just empty creativity that would never meet the world. He had lost everything that made him Tyler.

Then there was Josh, who was trying his hardest to help his friend keep it together, though he was hardly keeping it together himself.

He hated seeing his friend like this; forced into a silent tomb with no company but his thoughts. And he knew how destructive they could be.

He hadn't even tried to communicate with Josh, leaving the notepad he was provided with absolutely blank, and Josh didn't blame him.

Writing with a pen wasn't a good enough substitute for all they needed to say.

It was a rainy Friday morning, and it had been exactly a week since the incident happened. Josh had made breakfast for Tyler, and, as he refused to come out of the room, he took it to him.

He approached his room to see that he was doing his usual, staring out the window as he sat cross-legged and small on his bed.

Rain dripped down the glass of the window as Josh stepped over, placing the plate of eggs down on the nightstand as he sighed at the uneaten plate of supper that sat there from the night before.

He stepped over and tapped Tyler on the shoulder, causing him to look up.

Josh gave his friend a small smile, motioning towards the plate of food, which Tyler took one glance of before looking back at his friend and shaking his head.

Josh cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows, to which Tyler rolled his eyes.

He reached over and picked up his notepad, before writing it and shoving it at Josh.

"I'm not hungry." Josh read aloud, before sighing. He picked up the pen and wrote back to him: You haven't eaten in three days.

Tyler took the notepad back again.

So?

Josh gave him a desperate look, taking the notepad again.

Eat, please.

Tyler turned back to the window, eyes rapidly filling with tears.

He grabbed the notepad, scribbling his words sloppily as tears streamed down his face.

I can't do this.

He shoved it at Josh again, who read it before looking up at his friend, who began sobbing.

Josh just hugged him, and Tyler laid his head on hus chest as he cried.

And barely breaking through the silence, one sentence was whispered that the one who spoke couldn't even hear.

"Josh, I'm scared."