THE RUN AND GO : JOSHLER

9 : SIR

The first thing Tyler did was take his shirt off.

His vision was blurry. His ears were ringing. Blood drenched his shirt, his pants, everything. It bubbled out of the wound on the side of his abdomen and ran down his stomach and his legs until it pooled in a dark red puddle at his feet.

Tyler took the shirt and tore it in half, right down the middle. The thin fabric ripped apart easily. He wrapped the shirt around his abdomen as tightly as he could, making a makeshift tourniquet around his wound. He had to stop the bleeding.

Tyler gripped the edge of Brendon's bed and pushed himself up into a standing position.

As soon as he was on his feet, he fell right back over again. His head spun, and his tunnel vision made black spots appear over his eyes. His head pounded as he laid there on the cement floor. He couldn't do this.

Yes he could. I can do it, he told himself. I can.

Survival was a second nature for Tyler. He'd been in situations much worse than this. He had known what to do then, and he knew what to do now. His mind and thoughts shut down, and his instinct took over. He was Mad Gear, the leader of the Clique. He could do this.

Tyler shakily stood to his feet, using all the strength in his body not to collapse. He stood there for a moment, his weak body swaying back and forth.

Then, he gripped his wounded side with his hand, and started walking.

Stupidly, Brendon left the door unlocked. Tyler walked-or stumbled, rather-right out into the dark corridor. No one was around except for him.

"Prolly figured I would be dead," Tyler scoffed under his breath, gritting his teeth and rolling his eyes. Brendon was either really stupid, or really confident in his aim.

Tyler walked slowly at first, blocking as much blood as he could with his hand. When he found he was still standing and not unconscious, he picked up his speed.

He tried to run, but he just stumbled to the side and hit his bare shoulder on the wall. He winced and gripped his wound tighter.

Tyler put his hand on the wall for support and continued, despite the blinding pain coursing through the entire right side of his body.

He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth.

Josh. He had to get to Josh.

✗✗✗✗✗

Josh started running.

He ran faster than he ever had before. His legs burned, but the pain didn't phase him. He pushed away any and all thoughts in his mind except for one: finding Tyler.

As Josh bolted down the hall, he knew exactly where he was going. Tyler could have been anywhere, but the Green Gentleman's room was the first logical choice.

Maybe he wasn't there. Maybe Brendon took him somewhere else because his bedroom would be the obvious choice-

Josh suddenly skid to a stop and stared wide eyed at the scene in front of him.

Tyler was there, heavily leaning against the wall, a look of stunned, painful shock spread across his face. A trail of blood followed him.