Back from the dead
Chris allowed his phone to drop to his side while his mind went completely blank. He dragged his fingers through the blond hair. They had found Josh, and that was a whole year ago, and he hadn't know until now? Why had they not called him much earlier? Josh dad and mum had sounded happy and sad in one when they told him just now. It was all so unbelievable. All nightmares he had had about not being able to save Josh, and now, he was fine? They had found him for real! He who had been tormented by guilt all this time. But why hadn't they called him earlier about it? That part still bugged him very much. He should have been one of the first to know that Josh had been found. Something was wrong for sure. Mr. Washington had at least told him that it was now okay to go and talk to Josh, and Chris would sure as hell not miss that chance. He quickly put on some outdoor clothes and went out from the student dorm. It was time to finally see that face he had been missing so much.
He ran to the hospital Josh where staying in. He wondered why he was staying at a hospital a whole year. That made him even more worried. He had his suspicions, but didn't want to think about them just yet.
When he arrived, his face and hair was wet of sweat, and his glasses where almost upside down. He called for the nurse, asking where Josh where staying. She told him that he probably was sitting on the bench in the back of the hospital. It was a nice place where you could get some privacy, of you didn't want to be around other people. And Josh apparently liked that solitude since he often went there.
Chris ran to that direction and stopped when he arrived, almost choking when he looked at his friend who he hadn't seen in such a long time. His face was covered by a pollution mask, but it was unmistakably his Josh. His hair was in the same style as always, and he was nicely dressed in a black suit and white shirt. He looked a bit longer, and skinnier, but his body still looked kind of strong. His eyes looked a bit bagged from lack of sleep, but they still looked alive, tired but alive.
Suddenly Josh noticed his presence and looked up. His eyes first flickered with recognition, then complete shock. After looking at him for a while Josh quickly let his eyes down on the floor, not meeting Chris.
"Christopher?" It came out almost as a whisper. Chris felt how his heart overflowed with emotion, hearing that voice again. He quickly rushed to Josh's side and hugged him tightly.
"Josh! Oh my god! Is it really you bro?" Josh got even more shocked by the hug, and quickly drew back from it, almost as if the hug burned him.
"Chris, What are you doing here?" Josh voice was kind of weak.
"Your father and mother called me and told me you where here. You've been here for a whole year without any of us knowing? For real?" Josh turned his face away.
"You should not have come here cochise. I told them that no one should come. Why would you even want to see me after all I did?" Chris looked at him, not understanding why Josh was acting like this.
"Are you talking about what happened at the cabin? Listen, sure, we were all scared out of our mind, and that stunt you pulled was really stupid and mean. But you where not in your right mind. We know that. You where out of your meds, and you still suffered from the loss of your two sisters. So, we can't blame you. I don't hold a grudge, and I'm sure no one else does" Josh chuckled
"I was even on the wrong meds, so no wonder why they didn't work huh? At least now they have given me the right one. And how could you be so sure that the others would forgive me? Listen. I am glad to see you, so glad. But... things will never be as they once used to be" Chris stood up, backing away a little. Trying to look Josh in the eyes.
"What are you talking about? You are here and alive right? And I am here, which should tell you that I still am your best friend! I am so happy you are here. I mean, I though I would never see you again. We can start anew. And you must tell me everything that happened back there in the mine. How could you survive?" Now it was Chris turn to look down, trying to keep the tears inside his eyes. Josh sighed.
"I wish Chris, I wish things could be back to normal. You wanna know what happened back there, and I am not ready to tell you" Chris looked at äJosh's pollution mask.
"Why do you have that mask?" When Josh didn't answer, Chris asked again.
"Come on Josh. I am your best friend right? You can tell me anything" Josh shook his head.
"I told you. Leave okay? I can not tell you how sorry I am for what I did. You should go on with your life as best as you can and forget about me" Chris was out of words, his jaw dropping.
"What? Are you for real? I mean, how could you say something like that? Of course I won't leave you. I did in the mines, and I can't tell you how filled with guild I have been. Now, I never want to abandon you again" Josh sighed.
"Then I'll show you. If that will make you leave and forget about me" Josh slowly began to take off his mask, and when it was off, he turned his whole face towards Chris, who gave up a gasp. Josh had a big scar going up his whole cheek on the right side, and his canine teeths where sharp like a vampires.
"Oh my god! So... the wen...wendi" Josh turned down his face once again.
"Yes, It got to me. I was down there for so long. I was starving. I tried to keep myself from eating anything, but if you never have starved you can't possibly imagine how painful it is. How your stomach twist and turns in pain of hunger. I tried to survive without it, but then I saw that body, and my mind went blank. After that, I can't remember anything from back there. The next thing I can remember is how I woke up at this hospital in solitary confinement. Obviously I had been quite a handful when they find me and tried to bring me back here. And in a... monster-like state as well. Then again, I still am" Chris, still shocked by the reveal, shook his head.
"No Josh. I mean, sure. I can see that you've... changed... quite a bit. But It's still you" Josh laughed an emotionless laugh.
"You think? Did you really take a good look?" Josh reached two fingers toward one of his eyes and to Chrises surprise took away a lens. Josh never used lenses before. But when Josh looked up, he could understand why. His left eye was milky and blueish. The same eyes that those monsters had. Chris refused to look away. He still didn't want to make Josh think that this would change their friendship.
"You are not fully turned. With that lens, you basically look like you used to. The scar, that eye and sharp teeth will not change who you are on the inside" Chris smiled and once again took place besides Josh, who had placed the lens back into his eye.
"Don't be stupid cochise. But I can't complain. I got what I deserve, after all I did to you guys" Chris gave him a sad look, and then once again embraced his friend.
"Josh. I will never leave you. You and I, we are brose forever right? I never hated you once, even when I was my angriest at you, I still was your friend. Don't let how you look make you shun away from me and the others" In Chris embrace, Josh silently cried, buried with his head in Chris chest. It had been so long since he had let our any kind of emotion. It felt really nice.
"I'm so sorry Chris! I'm so sorry!"
When he calmed down, they ended their embrace.
"Chris listen. You really shouldn't be close to me any more. I'm still not... safe. I still get blackouts now and then. Then I can't control myself when that happen at all. And I can't remember anything. The nurses has told me I attack them, and the only thing that can calm me down is to get tranquillizer. I... I will never be who I once was. That's why I've been telling you to leave" Chris wasn't sure how to react. But one thing was for sure. He didn't care. He would do what he could for Josh, and keep his promise of not leaving him.
"I don't care Josh. Listen, would you let me take Sam here as well? I know she would be dying to see you. She has been... very depressed since you've been gone. No one has been able to make her leave the house for especially long. I think she would be really happy to see you" Josh looked at him as if he was mad.
"Of course she can't come! I mean, I didn't even want you to come and see me like this. So how the hell do you think I would allow her?" Chris sighed at his friends stubbornness. That was sure something that had not changed. But he could at the same time understand. It was not hard to know that Josh always had felt something towards Sam, and that Sam also felt the same towards Josh. It was really strange that they hadn't hit it of already, a long time ago. Not that Chris was the best one to judge. After all, he had never dared to make a move on Ash before Josh had put them through that night of horror. Guess that what's had been needed for Chris to actually take that step and dare to open up his heart for her.
"Fine, but Sam is not a shallow girl. She does not care what you look like. She will just be happy you're here and alive. But I'll allow you to take your time. Just remember, you can't live all alone. Everyone needs other humans to interact with. Or else they'll go crazy" Josh once again laughed that emotionless laugh Chris was not used to hear.
"As if I could go any crazier. I don't think It would do shit to me" Chris gave up one last sigh.
"I'll be here tomorrow again, weather you like it or not. I want you to tell me more about everything that happened to you up until now. And one of these days I'll also make you meet the others" Josh just smiled a pale smile and shook his head, as if to tell Chris that would never happen.
They said their good byes and Chris left. It felt strange leaving. But he didn't have much time. He needed to be back at school soon, or else he would get in trouble for sure. He wanted to keep his good attendance. He hadn't missed one school day since he started, and would like to keep it at that. Josh was more important of course, but now when he had seen Josh, and knew that he at least was alive, he could go and see him again in the morning. It was anyway Saturday, no school.
He didn't pay that much attention in class anyway. When the day was over he and Ash went to get some dinner at a local pizzeria. There he told her everything. Well, at least that Josh was okay, even though Josh mother already had called her.
"I know! It's so amazing! How could he survive! We should go there and meet him first thing tomorrow" Chris stopped her before she would get to over enthusiastic.
"No dear. For now, let me be the only one. He... he really don't want to see everyone just yet. He is fine with me, but only me for the time being. He has been through a lot, as we all have" She nodded, showing that she understood.
"Fine. Tell me when he's okay with meting me and the others then" Chris agreed.
Chris was awoken by the annoying alarm. He turned it off and dragged his legs out of the bed, placing the glasses on his head. He looked through the closet to find some clothes to put on. He decided on a red sweater and jeans.
The breakfast consisted of egg and bacon. When he was full he took his bicycle and went down the road towards the hospital again. He didn't want to waste time he could use spending with Josh.
Chris entered the hospital and felt the energy being very rushed. Some nurses ran back and forth with quick steps and hurried looks on their faces. He went to the information counter, the woman behind it seemed stressed as well, calling back and forth. When she finally got space to breathe, Chris saw his chance.
"Excuse me, but I wonder. Is Joshua Washington in his room. I want to visit" She stopped everything she was doing and focused on Chris.
"I'm sorry sweety. But he seems to have an attack. He has gone berserk and can't be taking visitors right now" Chris was at a loss of words. So what Josh had said was really true? He needed to get there anyway. He pretended to listen, but then sneaked under her eyes. He didn't know where Josh's room where, but he needed to find it. He only needed to follow the commotion, and the room would be found.
As Chris expected, Josh room was not so hard to find. A nurse was on guard at the door, making sure he wouldn't escape, and inside crashes and low growls could be heard. Chris gasped and rushed towards the nurse.
"I need to go in there! He is my friend!" The nurse looked at him as if he had a death wish or something.
"It's mot safe to go in there right now. Hopefully we will have the shot ready soon to calm him down" Chris crossed his arm in a decisive manner, showing that he was not going to leave.
"I told you, let me in at once. I don't care. Maybe seeing me will calm him down" The nurse thought for a while and then agreed.
"Fine, but get out as soon as it becomes to hard to handle. He has bitten many of us already, and it hurts like hell" She slowly opened the door, letting Chris in. The room was completely in chaos. The furniture had flown everywhere, and the things that could break had been broken. Josh was hunched on the floor, eyes locked on the nurses. He now and then gave of some very animal like sounds, growls.
"J...Josh" Chris stuttered. He had never seen his friend like this. By hearing Chris voice, Josh's head jerked towards him. Chris couldn't help but gulped. His friend looked more like an animal then the Josh he knew. It was almost as if the misty eye penetrated the lens. Josh bared his teeth as a warning.
(So this is a fic I started :D I really hope you guys will like it :D give a Review if you liked it or if you have something to add or anything :) I Always love to read you guys thoughts)