Hounded

12. a party with strangers

Momma and mr. Dun had sat Tyler down on the couch one morning, a few days away from Christmas. "Ty were going to be having a lot of people over later.. for a Christmas party." Momma dun spoke. "People?" Tyler asked. She nodded. "They're good people. They're family." Mr. Dun said.

Tyler gave them an uncomfortable expression. "Josh be there?" He asked. "Yes sweetheart were all gonna be there." Momma dun said. Tyler nodded hesitantly. He wasnt sure how he felt about it at the moment.

Over the next few hours his anxiety grew as he watched the dun family decorate and bake and cook for the party. Momma dun had dressed him in black dress pants, a deep red silk shirt and a black tie. He stood by himself in Josh's room staring at himself in the mirror.

He pulled at the tie and at his sleeves. When Josh came in he looked over at him. "You look cute ty." Josh smiled. "No Josh cute." Tyler said as Josh fixed the collar of his shirt and tightened his tie a bit. "Dont like." Tyler said. "You dont like the tie? You dont think it's nice?" Josh asked. "No." Tyler said.

Josh sighed. "You gotta wear it okay? For mom. She wants us to look nice." He said. "Why?" Tyler asked as Josh started to fix his hair, grabbing a comb to get the knots out. "Because it's a family Christmas party... i dont know it's just protocol to look nice for them." Josh replied, combing Tyler's hair back.

Tyler sighed as Josh kissed his forehead. "If you find it's too much come find me or mom or something and we'll take you upstairs or somewhere quieter okay?" Josh asked. Tyler nodded then followed Josh downstairs.

Momma dun made all the kids stand in front of the Christmas tree to get a picture. Tyler leaned agaisnt Josh's side and smiled only slightly when told to. After that they just waited around for the party to start.

It didn't take long for the house to fill. Josh had wandered off to talk to his cousins and such so Tyler stayed with Momma and mr. Dun. He stayed pressed to mr. Duns side, hugging him. Whenever someone new would come they'd come say hi to momma and mr. Dun then Tyler would be introduced. Hed shy away when they tried to shake his hand or give him a hug.

"Okay Tyler hunny you stay here were gonna go set the food out and all that." Momma dun said, kissing his forehead. She and mr. Dun disappeared before Tyler had a chance to protest and he moved to stand in the corner of the living room.

He was shaking as he watched all the people roam around and talk. It was loud and crowded and tyler felt like he couldn't breathe. A couple older ladys came over to him and started asking him questions that he couldnt answer or was told not to by momma dun and they kept saying how cute he looked in his little outfit.

A few tears rolled down his cheeks making the ladys grow concerned and ask what's wrong. He looked around the room for a familiar face he could run to but found no one he knew. Everything was too much and now a large group of people were looking at him because he was crying.

He heard people shouting and seen people running off towards the kitchen, he frantically looked around the room, his chest tight and throat on fire. He backed up further into the corner, hyperventilating. Then, he was gone.

He landed at the mansion. He hasn't been there in so long but right now it's safe. Hes safe here. He hugs his knees sniffling as he looks around. Hes in the living room of the mansion. Tears continue to roll down his cheeks as he hides his face in his arms.

Back at the dun house someone had went and got momma dun but by the time she got to the living room Tyler was already gone and people were freaking out over the fact that he literally vanished into thin air.

Momma dun could have told them it was normal but didnt because she didnt wsnt to freak them out anymore then they already were. Josh heard what happened and came into the room. His mother told him to go look for Tyler.