Sunset in Paradise ✅

Part 53

Dream is in italics (like this)

Real world is normal lettering (like this)

Third Person POV

Josh had been asleep for an hour or so before a dream began to creep into his mind. He didn't mind it at first, but then his dream became dark.

It was the last day of the school year and he was talking to all of his friends. That is, until Josh noticed that Justen wasn't there. Josh thought about where Justen could be and the only place he could think of was his and Justen's special spot. Not being able to get out of the conversation though, Josh had to stay and talk for another ten minutes.

And, as if the timing couldn't be any worse, Josh's mom asked if he could bring Michael home. Josh reluctantly did so before driving to his and Justen's special spot. He got out of his truck and walked over to the giant oak tree. Not seeing Justen, Josh decided to call out to him.

"Justen?" Josh called.

There was no response.

"Justen?!" Josh called out again.

There was still no response, however, Josh heard a breaking of a branch.

"So you're in the tree now are you?" Josh asked, turning around to face a pale faced Justen.

Josh screamed and jumped backward. He then stood up and walked over to Justen with tears in his eyes.

"Justen?" Josh asked, cuping the poor boy's cheek. "Is that you?"

Justen stayed where he was as Josh began to realize what had happened.

"You didn't," he said.

Justen began to swing.

"You promised me!" Josh yelled. "You promised you'd never do something like this again!"

Wind rushed around the boys as Josh began to cry.

"You fucking promised me you'd be safe! You liar!!! You fucking lied to me!" Josh cried.

Suddenly, Justen's hands found Josh's shoulders and violently began to shake Josh. Josh began thrashing at him until he heard a woman cry out in pain.

Josh's eyes flew open and he saw his mom kneeling on the floor, holding onto her ribs.

"Mom, are you okay?!" Josh asked, scared that he was the one who hurt her.

"The more important question is if you are okay," Josh's mom said, looking up at him.

"What do you mean?" Josh asked.

"You were crying in your sleep before yelling something about a promise," Josh's mom said. "And then when I tried to wake you up, you started throwing your arms around."

"Did I hurt you?" Josh asked, scared for his mom's answer.

"It's probably just a bruise," Josh's mom said, brushing it off. "But I want to know what your dream was about."

"It was nothing," Josh said, fully remembering his dream and how pale and dead Justen looked.

"Well, it was obviously something if it had you screaming and crying," Josh's mom said.

"I don't remember what I was dreaming about," Josh lied. "I'm sorry that I woke you up."

"Don't apologize," Josh's mom said. "I was up getting a glass of water anyway."

"Okay," Josh said.

"Alright, I love you," Josh's mom said, kissing him on the forehead and leaving the room.

"I love you too, mom," Josh smiled as his mom left his room, closing the door as she did so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Justen's house, Justen was having a not-so-similar dream to Josh's.

Justen has just gotten home with his sister, Natalie, when he smelled the familiar scent of weed in the house. He feared the worst as he walked through the house and to his dad's room. Opening the door, the smell smacked him across the face. That's when Justen was met with an angry dad. Justen's dad was red in the face and his bloodshot  eyes locked with Justen's. Justen immediately ran over to Natalie. He tried to pull her out of the house so nothing would happen to her, but with her frozen in fear, it wasn't easy.

Justen's dad stomped out of his room with the same angry face he had shown Justen. Natalie only stared at her father, scared of what he might do. He only pushed her aside and grabbed Justen by the collar of his shirt.

Justen tried to not let it bother him. But the aroma was too much and with Natalie watching everything, there was nothing Justen could do.

With a smirk, Justen's dad laid the first punch. And after the first punch, there were many more and Justen's dad only stopped when there was a knock on the door.

Justen's dad stopped hitting Justen and dropped Justen on the floor so he could answer door. Justen's dad smiled an evil smile when he saw Josh standing in front of the door.

"No!" Justen cried, seeing his dad's smile.

Justen's dad pulled Josh inside the dirty house and smirked at him.

"Don't touch him!" Justen said, getting off the floor and jumping on his dad's back to distract him.

Justen's new tossed Justen off his back and Natalie grabbed Justen to hold him back. While natalie was holding Justen, their dad turned back to Josh. Justen, knowing what his dad was going to do to Josh, started to try and escape his sister's grip. When Natalie felt her brother trying to escape, she started violently shaking him.

"Wake up!" she growled. "Justen, wake up!"

Justen's eyes flew open and he looked up at his dad.

"Are you okay?" Justen's dad asked, worry in his voice. 

Justen only nodded.

"Are you sure? You were screaming and throwing yourself around on your bed," Justen's dad said.

"I'm fine," Justen said. 

"Alright, just let me know if you need me, okay?" Justen's dad asked.

"Okay," Justen said, watching his dad leave before grabbing his phone.

He dialed the number to the one person he wanted to talk to: Josh.