Well Known Strangers

Chapter 1

I could never explain the amount of fear I had, or the rapidness of my heart rate as I drove 10 miles over the speed limit to get to the hospital. To get to you. To get make you feel okay. Or was it to make me feel okay?

I should've known; you were an hour late getting back from work. Our dinner was getting cold, and I started to get annoyed with you because you wouldn't answer my calls and wouldn't text me back. Your plate ended up in the sink.

As if nothing happened, I got into bed alone, knowing that everything would be okay in the morning, and I would find you asleep next to me. But that's not how it happened. I didn't wake up as peacefully as I planned. The sound of my phone ringing jolted me awake, and I quickly noticed that you still weren't back. I assumed the phone call was from you. I assumed you were okay.

"Hello?" I answered irritably, thinking you were on the other line. You weren't.

"Is this Joshua...Dun?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

This is when I started to worry, but I still assumed you were okay.

"Yes," I obviously answered. My voice wasn't as confident as I wanted it to be.

"I've called to inform you that Tyler Joseph took part in a severe car crash and experienced some extreme circumstances. He was entered into St. Jared hospital, taken into emergency surgery-"

I didn't even let her finish. Him finish? I can't remember. All I remembered was hanging up, my blood turning to ice, my throat becoming dry.

I sat there, not sure what to do, before I jumped up and threw on clothes that didn't even matter and a pair of shoes that most likely didn't match. I raced out of the house, grabbing my keys and not bothering to lock the door. I needed to get to you. You needed me. Or did I need you?

Every light I went through as I drove down a dark road seemed to be red. I had to have run fifteen lights. What did it matter? My biggest priority was getting to you. You weren't okay.

I remember looking at the clock on the radio before going into the hospital. It read 3:56 am. I paid no mind as I raced into the hospital doors, the smell of sanitizer and leather waiting room chairs immediately hitting my nose. My shoes squeaked as I searched around for you. I don't know what I was thinking. That I'd find you? That you'd be okay and walking out of surgery good as new? That we could go home and everything would be okay?

Eventually, I went up to the desk at which a tired young lady sat. I probably looked like a lunatic to the innocent woman. But that didn't matter. You weren't okay.

"Tyler! I'm looking f-for Tyler Joseph," I tried to ask as calmly as possible. Your name felt nostalgic in my mouth.

"Tyler...Joseph?" the lady asked as she began typing in the computer, taking her time. I could've strangled her.

"Yes," I said impatiently.

I started to regret hanging up on the lady that called to tell me about you. Now I was left clueless, knowing only that you were in a car accident and you were in emergency surgery. Knowing that little information made me sick.

"Mr. Joseph isn't permitted to have guest at the moment. He just left surgery about twenty minutes ago," she said calmly, as if you were perfectly fine. I wanted to believe her. I wanted you to be fine.

I stared at her, disbelief in my eyes. How could she keep me from seeing you? How could she be so careless? You were in trouble, and I wasn't there to make it better.

"When can I see him?" I asked, trying my best not to sound short tempered with the lady.

"It's gonna be a while. Maybe two hours," she answered distantly, and went back to her work.