Lifeline {joshler}

two

tw: mentions of stitches, bandages etc. implied eating disorders, scars.

🌱

When Dr. Kemp returned, she brought with her the girl Tyler has seen earlier.

"This is Ruby, she'll show you around." She said gesturing to the petite redhead. On her queue Ruby stepped back out the doorway gesturing with a nod of her head for Tyler to follow, which he did.

They walked through the maze of corridors in mostly silence except for when they'd walk past a room of some significance and then Ruby would mutter its purpose without even bothering to stop.

"Showers are down that corridor. Girls bedrooms down that one." They continued down the stairs back to the ground floor. "Group therapy happens in here. This is the quiet room. This is the art room. This is the TV room- channels are monitored."

Eventually they made it to the largest room in the building. "This is the food hall; all meals are here. Meal times are set and you're monitored at all times for obvious reasons."

She twitched somewhat nervously as if waiting for him to say something, clearly Tyler's silence made her uncomfortable. Her gaze dragged up and down his skinny frame, her arms folding neatly over her chest as she leant against the wall.

It was like there was something she was desperate to say but she was trying her hardest to swallow it, he already knew what she was thinking, knowing she was waiting for him to give away whether her assumptions were correct. He refused to cave, instead just staring at him expectantly. With a bored sigh, she pushed off the wall and lead him back upstairs towards the boy's bedrooms.

She checked the room number against the scribble on her arm before opening the door for him. She remained in the doorway, aware that she wasn't allowed inside.

The bedroom was bare, the walls a depressing off-white. Only a set of drawers, a bed and a desk and little else. His small suitcase of things only served to make the room feel even more empty than before. There was a small en-suite with a toilet, sink and mirror but no door to it. He sighed even harder when he saw the two large windows were curtain-less, with no way to open them.

"No privacy." He muttered, back turned to Ruby, but just loud enough for her to speak.

"No blinds cos they need chords and no curtains cos curtain poles and no opening the windows so yeah" Ruby sighed, arms folded once again. "You'll get used to it."

"Meet me at the end of the hall for supper." She said after a lengthy silence, Tyler staring absent-mindedly out the window. He flinched a bit as though only just remembering she was there. "They'll shout so don't worry you'll hear it, plus they take a roll so if you don't turn up, you'll kinda be escorted there."

Tyler just nodded dumbly before letting Ruby smirk and close his door, walking off. Tyler reached down at the edge of his bed to pick up his suitcase but his arms were trembling too much. Instead of lifting the case he simply just pulled himself down, collapsing to his knees beside it. He immediately broke down into tears, cradling his head in his hands. A war of emotions taking up all the space in his chest, squeezing down on his lungs and straining his heart, all while pushing out at his lungs. He fell onto his side, curling up around his small bag of belongings sobbing harder until he fell into a broken sleep.