Lost ❄️ Reddie

7

Thirteen sat on the bed in the room he'd been trapped in for nearly two weeks. It was cold and he was constantly curled up under the blankets, but as long as he wasn't being interviewed and forced to find people, he was satisfied. After seeing the boy with curly hair in his visions, Thirteen constantly tried to track him down.

He hoped that the boy was actually talking about him, and that he was going to save him. He tried to remember who the boy was, because he seemed familiar, but he couldn't. It was like all memories that he had in the past had been stolen from him.

Thirteen didn't remember anything before arriving in the lab he was trapped at. He wished he did, since he felt that there was pieces he was missing that could impact his feelings. He knew there had to be something before he showed up at the lab.

For example, Thirteen knew if he hadn't had a life beforehand, he wouldn't know how to do basic things, like speak and know simple math. He had a colorful vocabulary, so he knew he had to have learned it from somewhere.

The door to his room opened, pulling Thirteen from his thoughts. He saw the man he knew as Dr Brenner walk into the room, carrying something.

Thirteen didn't know what he had and didn't speak. He was afraid but curious, and was going to wait until the doctor said something.

"You've been lying to us, Thirteen," he said, sitting in the metal chair beside the bed. "I told you to tell us everything you saw."

"I did," Thirteen responded quietly, his face burning red and heart picking up speed.

"Then why are there signs of you using your powers outside of our little chats?"

"I, uh, I can't control my p-powers when I sleep," Thirteen said, pulling his knees to his chest. "And it's not important. I don't see anything of importance."

Dr Brenner sighed and grabbed Thirteen's arm. He poked the juncture that was on the inside of his elbow and Thirteen cried out in pain. There was something inside of his arm.

"This little chip monitors your sleeping and emotions, as well as your heart rate. It shows us that you've been using your gifts while awake. Why?" Dr Brenner asked, his voice sounding slightly more aggressive as he gripped Thirteen's arm harder.

"St-stop," Thirteen whimpered, trying to pull his arm away.

"Why have you been using your powers?!" Dr Brenner yelled, digging his nails into Thirteen's arm.

"To see! I s-saw someone with a book of pictures that look like me!" Thirteen yelled, whining in pain and trying to pull his arm away.

Dr Brenner released him, sighing deeply. "What's this person's name?"

"I don't know."

Dr Brenner leaned close to his face. "Then find out."

"No."

"What'd you just say to me?"

Thirteen stood up, his jaw clenched and casting the doctor a hard glare. "I said no. I'm not going to let you hurt him."

The doctor grabbed Thirteen's arm and began to drag him down a hallway that the boy had never been down. He felt uneasy and scared, trying to pull away.

They stopped in front of a silver door and the doctor opened it, revealing a small, isolated space.

"No, let go!" Thirteen yelled as the doctor shoved him inside, shutting the door behind him.

Thirteen banged on the door, unable to see since the room was dark and had no light switches that he could feel. He continued to scream and sob, wanting to get out and find the boy with the curly hair.

Thirteen didn't understand why the doctor wanted him around, since all he did was defy orders. So what if he could see people in his head and have visions? He didn't have to share anything. Why the fuck did his powers matter?

Even though he wanted to get out, Thirteen knew he couldn't. He sat on the ground and tried to calm down, even though his lungs felt like they were closing up. He longed for an inhaler, positive that he might've used one before.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus. It took time, but after a few hours, he was able to calm down enough to use his powers.

He could see the boy sitting on the dirty seats of an old bus. The boy was crying, shifting through the pages of the book that Thirteen saw himself in.

Thirteen could tell the bus was cold, as the boy was cuddled up in a sweatshirt. There were splatters of dark liquid on his sweatshirt and he had his glasses off to avoid covering them in tears. There was something in his eyes that showed how lost and afraid he was.

In the vision, Thirteen was able to walk around and investigate. He stood next to the boy, even though he was unable to see him. Though he couldn't see him, Thirteen chose to believe that the boy could feel his presence.

He sat next to the boy and saw him flip through the book, before landing on the image Thirteen loved the most. It was the image of the two of them, both younger. For the first time, Thirteen saw writing beside the picture.

"Richie and Eddie, 9-27-82"

"Richie?" Thirteen said aloud, his eyes still focused on the image of him and the boy, Richie.

The name felt right, it felt comforting. Thirteen reached out and rested his hand on Richie's, even though the other boy wouldn't feel it. As soon as he did, Thirteen felt at peace.

He noticed Richie look up and wondered if he could see him. Then, as he stared into the dark orbs that made up Richie's eyes, he was pulled out of his vision.

Thirteen's eyes flew open as the door to the room slammed open. He began to panic, thinking that Dr Brenner somehow managed to find out who Richie was, but realized that the man outside the door wasn't Brenner.

"Hey, kid! Are you okay?" asked a deep voice, walking over to Thirteen.

"G-go away, please. I didn't do anything wrong, I promise," Thirteen whimpered, struggling as the man picked him up.

"Hey, I'm not with them," the man said, carrying Thirteen out of the dark room.

Thirteen winced at the bright lights of the outside hallway as the man carried him down the hall and outside of the lab to a truck. He didn't understand what was going on, but didn't fight back when the man sat him down in the front seat of the truck.

"It's okay, kid. I'm going to get you somewhere safe," the man said, looking around at a bunch of back trucks taking people out of the lab. "We need to keep you hidden, though."

Thirteen didn't respond but nodded, looking out the windows nervously.

A young woman knocked on the window to the man's car, and he rolled it down.

"Did you-" she cut herself off, seeing Thirteen in the passenger seat and smiling before climbing in the back of the truck. "Did you already talk to the doctor?"

"He said to take him back to Joyce and to keep him out of sight so they don't try to take him to some other lab," the man responded, starting the truck.

"Alright, sounds good. Can we stop at a 7-11 or something so we can get this kid some food and so I can call Jonathan? He said to let him know we're safe and all that," the girl said, putting on her seatbelt as they started driving away.

"Sounds good. I should probably call El," the man responded, patting Thirteen's shoulder. "Don't worry, kid, you're safe. Do you have a name?"

Thirteen looked up at him. "Eddie. M-my name is Eddie."