Purpose | Josh Dun (ON HOLD)

Calm Before the Storm

It had been about a week and a half since I have heard Tyler and Josh's music, and Halloween was just around the corner. The boys were trying to figure out their costumes for this year.

"I'm thinking of being a M&M for Halloween, what about you, Jish?"

"I don't know, man. I'm probably gonna go as a backpack...that'll be pretty sick."

I spent the last week and a half hanging out with them. It felt amazing to have friends like Tyler and Josh. Because of them, I had become more happier. The voices in my head weren't banging on the sides of my skull, demanding to be let out. I no longer had an existential crisis every night and I actually wanted to wake up in the morning. My family even tried to argue less; they talked things out instead of attacking each other's throats. It seemed like my whole life was turning around.

But I should've known better than to actually think that I could be happy. I should've known that everything would soon plummet down. I should've known that it had all been the calm before the storm.

~🌟~

The sun met the horizon, transforming the sky into a spectrum of blues, pinks, and yellows. The sun made the hills its grave soon after, welcoming the darkness of the night.

I gazed out my bedroom window, observing the wonders of the night sky. I wrapped my blanket tighter around my frame, it was a chilly night. After all, it was nearing the end of October and winter was in close proximity.

It was a peaceful night. The stars twinkled, the moon waned, and the crickets created a melody that flowed through the frigid air. But it wasn't long before the cerebral thunder arrived, ripping angrily through the previously peaceful night.

A vehicle, dark as ebony, skidded to a halt in front of the Joseph's house. I squinted through the darkness, hardly making out the two silhouettes that emerged from it. One man and one woman, it appeared through the dim lighting of the street lamps. The two marched up to the door of the Joseph's house and started to violently knock on the door. I glanced at the time, it was 11:40 p.m. What were they doing there at this time?

The porch light turned on and the door swung open, revealing a very angry Mr. Joseph. He started to shout at the two people. I couldn't make out the words, they were muffled from the distance. I curiously opened my window to try to hear better.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Well good thing the cat has nine lives.

"We're taking Joshua! You have no right to keep him here, it's been long enough!" The man yelled.
"There's no way in hell Josh is going anywhere with you two!" Mr. Joseph shouted back. The woman shoved Mr. Joseph to the side, and stepped inside of the house.
"Joshua William Dun, pack your shit, you're coming with us!" the woman shouted into the house. Mrs. Joseph came into view. She grabbed the woman's arm and dragged her back outside.
"We haven't seen our boy in years! You have absolutely no right to keep him away from us!" The man yelled. They were Josh's parents, I assumed.
I guess that vacation they took wasn't very relaxing.

That was when Josh came outside, and he was seething with anger.
"I'm not going anywhere with you guys!"
"Oh yes you are, boy!" The man yelled and grabbed Josh's arm.
"No I'm not! I'm eighteen now! You have no custody over me!" If I was in their position, I would shit bricks. Josh is frightening when he's angry.

"What have you done to my boy's beautiful hair!?" The woman screeched when she noticed Josh's blue hair.
"Do you like it?" Josh said with a smirk on his face,"I did it myself."
"Oh dear Lord!" She gasped and grabbed the sides of Josh's face,"Look at his face, Bill! He's got stretchers! And a nose ring!"

"I can't believe you, Joshua! After everything we've done for you! This is how you respect us?" The man, or Bill I guess, shouted.

"After everything you've done?! What have you done exactly, besides making my life a living hell?" Josh replied to the man.

"I was teaching you a lesson! I had to make sure that you would become a perfect gentleman! But I guess all those lessons went to waste, huh? I mean look at you," he said with an angry laugh,"You're a punk!" he continued, gesturing towards Josh's appearance.

Josh went out of control, charging towards the man like an angry bull. Mr. Joseph tried to hold Josh back, grabbing his arms. Tyler soon came to view, rushing to stand in front of Josh to hold him back. It looked like Tyler was whispering in Josh's ear, probably to calm him down.

Whatever Tyler said seemed to do the trick because Josh stopped fighting and backed away. His head tilted up, looking at the direction of my house. His eyes finally landed on my bedroom window and his eyes met mine. My eyes widened and I quickly closed the blinds of my window. I was embarrassed.

It didn't take long before I heard the shouting again. I peaked through the blinds to see what was happening. The man had grabbed Josh's arm and was dragging him towards the car.

"Josh please! Don't let them take you! They're gonna get you killed! I can't lose you!" Tyler pleaded, tears streaming down his face.

But it was too late. The man had already shoved Josh into the car and zoomed away. The Joseph's receded into the house with solemn looks on their faces.

The night became peaceful again. The stars twinkled, the moon waned, and the crickets resumed their melody. But the cerebral thunder never left. Instead, it made its way into my skull, creating one way conversations between my demons and I. It created islands of violence that never seemed to stop attacking. It was a land of suicidal- crazed lions that fed off my each and every thought. They left me restless, fighting the ongoing battle in my mind.

At around four in the morning, the tidal waves returned and washed away the islands. They drowned the viscous lions. But I knew that they would soon return, they knew how to swim.

A/N: I wasn't planning to update today but I had the sudden urge to write at 2 a.m. last night. I fell asleep before I could publish it though so here you go.

I hope everyone has a great Easter!

Stay alive |-/
-Angie 💕