@lilshitmax || continued from here
FEAR and COLD are searing through his chest, chest that
has a stuffed bear held close to it by two trembling arms. IN and
OUT, he tries to tell himself, but his lungs won't cooperate, pushing
air in and out faster than he thinks is healthy. It makes him lightheaded,
and he feels tears sting at his eyes, feels his throat trying to close up
as sobs threaten to tear themselves out.
The only thing Neil has is his bear, and the backpack over his shoulders,
and the clothes on his back.
Events from the evening play back in his mind against his
will; his parents, screaming, ARGUING- nothing UNCOMMON
between the two lately, but this time, it had been about HIM.
Useless. Worthless. A DISGRACE to the Armstrong name.
His father's words tearing through him, his mother's negligence
to protect him, leaving him COLD and hollowed and BLEEDING-
metaphorically speaking. Until it cascaded down upon him, and the
next thing he knew, Neil was out on the streets. This all feels FAKE,
like one of his make believe stories gone terribly, terribly WRONG, and
he can't shake the numbness, the SHOCK, that petrifies him on the
corner of the street. Neil blinks, feeling a few tears fall, looking numbly
down at them. Realizing he needs help- that it's the beginnings of FALL,
that it's getting COLD, that he has NOWHERE to go- he fumbles in his
pocket for his phone, pulling it out and dialing the first number that comes
to mind- Max.
Neil knows it's been YEARS, that they never spoke, that he'd always
been the RUNT of the camp, and yet in a fit of desperation, he finds himself
calling the least likely person anyone would think he'd have called. As the
phone rings once, twice, Neil finds himself fighting harder and HARDER to
hold back the sobs that shake his shoulders, BEGGING for Max to pick up.
When the phone is answered, it was like any PRAYERS he sent had been
answered as well, and before Neil knows it, he's breaking down in violent
SOBS over the phone.
" M- Max," voice is cracked, choked, STRANGLED with sobs, "I- I- I need, I n- need HELP... "
