Bruised Boy Byers - Byler

8

                                                                                 460 words

He sighed and pulled Will into a warm embrace, who was still shaking. Tears stained his face. "It's gonna be ok," Mike comforted, holding Will's head to his chest. "C'mon. Let's go to bed." He ushered Will to lay down and scooted in next to him, reaching out and flicking off his lamp before throwing an arm around Will. Will let himself puddle into Mike's warm arms, trying to let his jagged heartbeat settle back into his chest. He felt so groggy, a hazy drowsiness washing over him. Like waves. He could feel Mike pull him closer, his eyelids feeling heavy. Like ruins.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Mike snickered, ruffling Will's already untidy hair. Will gave a weak, pitiful smile and rolled out of Mike's bed. "I left your clothes there, sooo yeah. I'll leave you to it," Mike finished and shut the door behind him, leaving Will alone. Will sighed, peeling off Mike's clothes and putting on his own, eyes avoiding his fading purple bruises and the bandaged up scar. He didn't know where Mike wanted his clothes, so he put them in his clothes basket and hoped that was ok. Will was relieved that he kept almost all his books at school too, or school today would be tougher than it needs to be. Will took one more deep breath to soothe his anxious heart.

"Mornin' Will," David greeted as Will walked by the living room.

"Good morning," Will replied, looking at his feet. His heart pounded as he approached the front door. He really didn't want to go home tonight, but he really didn't want to bother Mike and David anymore. He felt like a leech.

"Hey, Will! You want breakfast?" Mike called out from the other room.

"No thank you," Will answered, picking off a dry bloodstain off the top of his shoe and slipped them on. Panic and adrenaline still ran through his blood, It kinda felt like being watched, but being watched by yourself. Does that make sense? No, no it doesn't. Nothing makes sense.

"Ok then, uh, I'll get the car started," Mike said, skidding into the hallway, his gray backpack almost sliding off his shoulder. Will nodded in agreement and sat at a small bench-like seat near the front door, his leg bouncing up and down. David walked by, observing the anxious and hunched up posture of the small boy.

"Are you ok, Will?" David asked softly, going over to kneel down next to him. Will's eyes darted to him. He seemed to always look scared, his eyes always wide and his chapped lips always pursed back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Will tried to convince, but inside he felt like he was sinking into bad feelings, or that he already sunk. He didn't know.