east of eden 𑁋 salvis.

VIII

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He managed to get a good distance away, almost to Lake Wendigo. Travis figured since no one ever really went there, he'd be good.

That is, until he reached the lake itself, and saw Sarah and her friends splashing around in the water. Only in underwear, soaked in cold lake water and playing some game that Travis didn't know the name off... Sarah was on Larry's shoulders, pushing Ashley, who was on Neil's shoulders. Maple, and Chug splashed each other, trying to push each other under the water as they probably waited for their turns to play the game. Todd seemed to be judging, watching Ashley and Sarah closely.

Travis' eyes widened, he felt as though he'd walked into something he wasn't supposed to. He took a step back, intent on running off to find somewhere else, only to step on a stick. It, of course, cracked loudly, though as though that wasn't enough, Travis had to lose his balance and fall over.

The group stopped, looking over at him. He tried to get up and run, only to fail and fall over, thanks to his injured ankle. Sarah got off Larry's shoulders and Ashley got off Neil's, and they all grouped together. They talked amongst themselves for a moment, but Travis didn't attempt to flee again. He was in too much pain to muster up the energy to move at all.

It was only a moment before someone was walking over and kneeling next to Travis. Sarah.

Even despite swimming only a few moments ago, she was wearing her mask. She'd been wearing it in the water. Travis wondered if she could even take it off, or maybe she couldn't because it was a medical thing.

"Travis?" She asked softly, looking up for a moment as Larry walked over to join the two. He glared down at Travis, but seemed to hold more concern than anything for the blonde.

Travis couldn't even muster up the energy to speak to them, just slowly closing his eyes. He felt sick, and hot and cold all over, there were spots in his vision. He just didn't feel all that great. He wanted to go home.. But not the home he knew. A different home, a real home.

Sarah says something, but it's muffled. Travis opens his mouth slowly, he feels like he's going to puke. And yet, despite that, he speaks one small word, a word that, when he looks back on it later, he knows is going to change everything.

"S-Sal?"

And then the dark spots take over, right as Travis gets the view of Sarah looking as though she'd been slapped right in the face. At least, from her eyes it looks like that.

-x-

He wakes up in a room, one that isn't his. Band posters litter the walls, the floor is basically not there, since it's covered in clothes-whether dirty or clean Travis doesn't know and isn't sure he wants to find out-a red guitar in one corner of the room, balanced against the wall. Masks of different kinds are hung above the dresser, of which is covered in pill bottles and fake eyes. An orange cat lays on top of Travis' feet, snoring loudly.

He knows almost immediately that this is Sal-Sarah's bedroom. Although why is he there? The last thing he can remember is being at Lake Wendigo.. Now he's here, in Sarah's bedroom? Why? How did he get there? Surely she couldn't have brought him here, right? No way she'd even want to, let alone be able to. She didn't hold much strength in her, it was obvious. She wouldn't have the strength to carry Travis and how would she have transported him here? So many questions Travis didn't know how to answer.

He lays in the bed for a moment longer, listening to voices talk and laugh loudly outside the closed door. Travis recognizes most of them-Larry, Sarah, Ashley, and Robin-Although there was another voice, a deeper voice, that Travis didn't recognize. It sounded like someone older, maybe a father? Sarah's father?

Travis slowly stands, ignoring the small hiss he gets from the cat that had been laying on his feet, due to him pulling his feet out from under it. And as he stands, he of course has to almost fall, thanks to the killing pain in his ankle mixing with the stinging in his stomach to catch him off guard. Luckily, he catches himself, but only by grabbing onto the bedside table and thus knocking over the glass of water there.

The glass, much to the blonde's luck, comes spilling over and falling off the table, landing on a book and shattering. Which-how the fuck did it shatter? That was only like a two foot fall- Whatever. Someone's already rushing in to see what the fuck happened.

And of course that someone had to be Sarah, Travis sees as he turns to look. She rushes over, gently pushing him back onto the bed and crouching down to look at the mess of water and glass and apparently blood, since somehow a piece of glass ended up in Travis' previously good foot. He didn't know how he didn't notice the pain as it happened, probably only didn't because he was in so much pain he was used to it.

"Lay back down." Sarah muttered softly, and Travis almost wanted to protest, but she gave him this look that told him it'd just be for the best if he did as told. So he did, he nodded and laid back down, hugging the cat as it moved from the foot of the bed to right next to Travis.

Sarah didn't even ask about the glass, she didn't seem to be angry about it either, as Travis had expected. Although he'd only really expected that due to his father, probably. If he had done this at home Kenneth would be pissed.

She left the room for a moment to get rid of the glass, quickly coming back to sit next to Travis on the bed.

"What the fuck happened, man?" Travis ignored her. No way was he gonna tell on his dad again. This was a secret he'd take to the grave, something only he and his journal would get to know about. No one else would ever be allowed to hear about this, they'd tell and he'd have to go through the shitshow of dealing with CPS all over again.

"Travis, you can trust me. I won't tell anyone." He rolled his eyes. Those stupid promises meant nothing, he'd never believe any of them. Maybe Sarah meant it now but the moment Travis told her what happened she'd go right to the police. She'd never be able to keep it secret. No one ever has in the past, why would they be able to now?

"Nothing. Fell down the stairs." He muttered, looking at the cat in his arms. He fumbled around with the collar for a moment, finding the name tag to read it. Gizmo, cute.

"You fell down the stairs?" Sarah repeated, clearly not believing Travis' bullshit lie. He nodded gently, his head was pounding. Probably from losing as much blood as he did, whatever Kenneth marked into his stomach made him lose a shit ton of blood.

"So 'the stairs' carved the word 'sick' into your stomach?" Travis' blood ran cold at that question. Sarah saw it?! How th fuck did she see it?! Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is bad. Did she see the other stuff? The scars and the scabs on his wrist.. The- God, the faggot carved into his arm?!

Travis didn't respond. He swallowed thickly, his throat felt so dry. He could feel Sarah staring at him analytically, he hated it. Stop staring!

Travis sighs shakily. Sarah cleared her throat and slowly stood, nodding a bit. It seemed like she got the information she was looking for here.

"I'll make you some food, alright? You need to eat. Just stay laying down, don't get up right now." She says softly, walking away only a moment after. The door shuts behind her, leaving Travis alone. He did as told, laying down and staring up at the glow in the dark stars on Sarah's ceiling.

And suddenly, he sobs. He remembered the events of the past 24 hours, and he sobbed, not even trying to stop and help himself as he felt hot, salty tears stream down the sides of his face.

God, he wishes he could die.

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