Hounded

4. He'll be froze to death by nightfall

It was cold the next day, the dull coolness of autumn starting to fade into a harsh winter's cold as it was close to the seasons change. Josh was bundled up nice and warm today, a thick hoodie under a jacket. His breath was white in front of him as he, brendon and Dallon made their way to gravestone road.

Inside the mansion seemed even colder than the outside, maybe that was just because of the dingy look the place had. They made their way to the living room where Tyler was laying on the floor in a ball. He was trying to keep warm as he left the hospital in only a thin white tshirt and pants, he must be froze.

Josh felt stupid for not realizing this, he would of brought Tyler something to wear. "Hey ty." He spoke softly. Tyker whimpered quietly, his teeth chattering. "Fren." He whispered.

"Hey." Josh said walking over while taking off his jacket. He wrapped it around Tyler's shoulders and hugged him to try to warm him. Tyler growled a bit and Josh pulled back. "What?" He asked. Tyler looked down at his hand, the shard of glass still lodged in his skin.

Josh's eyes widened. "Oh my god Tyler what did you do?" He asked, grabbing Tyler's hand. Tyler tried to pull away, growling and whimpering. Josh looked up at dallon and brendon hoping they'd know what to do.

"What happened?" Dallon asked sitting down on the floor with them. Tyler didn't give a response as Dallon carefully looked at his wound. "We gotta take him to the hospital to get this properly looked at... itll get infected if we dont." Dallon said, looking at Josh.

Tyler growled angrily, he was not going back to the hospital. The other boys looked at him. "No." Tyler said. "... you might have to..." josh said. "No!" Tyler yelled. "Ty-" josh cut himself off as Tyler vanished from in front of them, instead going up in a corner. "No!" He yelled again.

"You gotta or its gonna get infected!" Dallon exclaimed. Tyler only growled. He looked down at the glass in his hand before ripping it out and throwing it to the floor. It shattered into tinier pieces below him. Blood dripped out of the now exposed wound and fell to the floor beside the broken glass.

"We gotta do something." Brendon said. The others nodded in agreement while Tyler stayed up in the corner breathing harshly. "What if we call an ambulance and get them to treat him here?" Dallon asked.

Tyler dropped to the floor, pushing Dallon harshly to the ground. "No." He growled. Josh grabbed him and hugged him. "Calm down." He said. "No, nonononononono" Tyler rambled.

"Communicate with me tyler. Find a way to tell me what you're thinking." Josh said. Tyler tried. He looked around and tried to find something, he tried to explain himself but he couldn't and he got upset. He squirmed in Josh's grip until he fell to the floor.

He screamed, screeched rather. He gasped for air then started crying. Josh kneeled on the floor beside the boy and rubbed his back. "Hey you're fine." He whispered. Tyler was shivering again.

Josh pulled him up to a sitting position and hugged him. Tyler sniffled. "Stay." He whispered. "You wanna stay here?" Josh asked. Tyler nodded. "Safe." He whispered. "Okay." Josh whispered back.

Tyler's teeth started chattering again and he shuffled closer to Josh. "Maybe you come to my house? It's safe there too." Josh whispered, he wanted Tyler to come with him so the boy wouldn't freeze during the night.

"No." Tyler replied. "Please?" Josh asked softly. Tyler shook his head. "I know you're scared to but I want you safe and warm... and it's both those things at my house... that and I'll be there, you wont be alone at night." Josh said. Tyler sniffled.

He didn't want to leave the mansion in case someone recognized him on the street and called the hospital. He wanted to stay with Josh though. "Stay." He whispered. Josh sighed. "Please? Come to my house. We'll get my mom to tend to your hand, get you cleaned up and in something warm, get you some actual food, something that's not candy, you can sleep in a bed." Josh said.

Tyler whined. He wanted Josh to stay here with him. "Please?" Josh begged. Tyler huffed but was quiet. Josh looked up at dallon and brendon who shrugged. It was quiet for a while. Carefully josh stood up, taking Tyler with him.

"If I start walking out of here... with you in my arms like this... are you gonna start freaking out?" Josh asked. Tyler didnt reply, brendon looked at his face. "Hes asleep." He whispered. Josh nodded then he and the other two made their way to the front door.

Outside it had gotten colder while the sun started to set. The boy in Josh's arms shivered in his sleep so Josh hugged him tighter. The boys went their separate ways and when Josh arrived at his house Tyler was shaking like a leaf.

Josh sighed at the warmth that crawled over his exposed skin as he entered his house and shut the door. He toed off his shoes and went to the kitchen where his mother was preparing dinner. "Hey sweethear-... uhmm what?" She asked gesturing to the sleeping boy covering in bruises, cuts, dirt and blood.

"This is Tyler... the boy from the mansion I told you about... I took him here cause if I didnt he would have froze to death out there." Josh said. His mom nodded slowly. "I thought you were joking or something when you told me." She said. Josh shook his head.

".. you're not mad that i took him here are you?" He asked. His mother smiled softly. "No. I'm proud of you for being such a caring person." She said. "Well I couldnt leave him there.. as much as he wanted to stay.. hes my friend, I want him safe." Josh said.

His mom smiled and ruffled his hair a bit before turning back to the stove. Tyler was startled awake by the sound of a spoon hitting a pot and he started freaking out. He was panicking, he didnt know where he was and he was terrified that he wasnt safe.

He left josh's arms, disappearing into thin air. This startled Josh's mom. Tyler now sat up in the corner of the kitchen, he was hyperventilating as he stared down at Josh and his mom. "Hey Tyler it's okay, calm down you're safe." Josh spoke softly. Tyler didn't move.

"This is my mom. We're at my house. You're safe" josh said. Tyler vanished again, appearing directly in front of Josh and hugging him. He shuffled closer to Josh when Josh's mom took a step towards him.

He watched her with fearful eyes. "Hi sweetie, I'm Josh's mom, you can call me momma dun... would you like something to eat? I'm making spaghetti." She spoke softly. Tyler looked up at Josh. "Yes get him something to eat... I'm gonna take him upstairs and get him washed up and into something warmer. Then maybe you could have a look at his hand?" Josh asked.

"What's wrong with his hand?" Momma dun asked. "He had glass in it earlier, he took it out though." Josh said. Momma dun nodded and shut the stove off. "Come on, upstairs to the bathroom. I'll finish supper later." She said starting to walk out of the room.

"Shes not gonna hurt you, youre safe. I promise." Josh whispered to Tyler who hadn't moved. "Fren." Tyler whispered. "Yes ty, im you're friend.. and you trust me right?" Josh asked.  Tyler was hesitant but he nodded. "Alright then come on." Josh said, leading Tyler upstairs.

He sat the boy on the edge of the tub while his mother grabbed the first aid kit from under the sink. Tyler quickly warmed up to Momma dun. She made him feel safe, so he decided he was safe here. Momma dun filled the bathtub and carefully washed the dirt and dried blood off the boys skin.

Tyler's old hospital clothes were thrown in the garbage and he was dressed in one of Josh's hoodies and a pair of Josh's boxers. He sat on the edge of the tub again as momma dun disinfected his wound, he whined and growled a bit at the sting but momma dun soothed him.

After his hand was wrapped in a bandage momma dun finished supper and joshs family came to sit down at the table. Tyler was nervous again and wouldn't go in the kitchen. It took a bit of convincing but Josh finally got him to go sit down at the table and eat.

He cleaned two full plates of spaghetti  and guzzled down four pieces of garlic bread. He passed out at the table after he finished eating and Josh had carried him upstairs to his bedroom.