Anathema

twenty seven - fire breathe

"Are you lost?"

"What's your name?"

"You're Tyler?"

"I'll help you get home."

Don't touch me!

Cold clammy fingers seized his neck and dragged him off the path, clamping over his mouth as he tried to scream. He kicked and thrashed as hard as he could, earning a foot to his gut and a fist to his face. He bit down on the fingers pressed against his lips and felt his mouth fill with someone else's blood. A scream pierced his ears and shredded his hearing until he couldn't even hear his friend crying his name.

He couldn't see, but he ran. He ran until his lungs were fire, but he couldn't stop. Suddenly, the phrase run for your life had a new very literal meaning. He couldn't see. He couldn't see. It was so, so dark. Someone's hand was in his, and he squeezed it tightly.

"Tyler!"

"Tyler, come back!"

"Tyler, you're going to get hurt out there!"

Go away go away go away!

"Tyler, you're alone."

"Tyler, let me help you home."

Let me help you.

Let me help you.

He hit the floor with a thud and a choked gasp for breath, and found himself staring at the blurry darkness under his bed with tears in his eyes. He tried to sit up, only to discover that he was tangled up in sweaty blankets. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, his sobs shaking his whole body, and slowly untangled himself. This was the fourth night in a row he'd woken up screaming or crying, remembering things that he desperately wanted to forget.

He knew it was because he'd gone back to the forest a few days ago, and only found Josh's pocket knife and his beanie, both stained in mud and buried in leaves and a thin layer of snow. He was absolutely terrified that something had happened to him. He didn't know if someone had found him, or if he had actually scared him away. He couldn't stand the thought of either of them, and it had started to affect how he slept at night. Every night, he found himself back in the forest, running for his life, or trying to catch Josh - the latter was by far the worst. He found himself in place of the man from his nightmares, calling Josh's name, offering to help him come home. He couldn't take it anymore, so he made a decision right then and there.

He wasn't going to sleep. He was going to stay up until he physically couldn't stay awake. Then maybe he'd pass out and escape the nightmares when his body finally crashed.

He climbed to his feet and stumbled, his balance nearly failing him. He shuffled to the door, rubbing his eyes to clear the blurry vision.

"Where're you going?" Clancy mumbled, yawning.

"To the bathroom," he said.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Liar," Nico hissed, and Tyler flinched.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. He left the room and flipped on the light in the bathroom, squinting in the brightness. When his eyes adjusted, he was met with his reflection staring back at him with empty eyes filled with nothing but tears.

Pathetic.

He turned on the sink and splashed his face with cold water, shivering afterward. How was he going to stay awake? He needed a plan. He'd tried to pull all-nighters before, and he always crashed around four for lack of something to do. It was already about three.