Sick Of The Silence (Salvis)

The Trial

It was going to happen eventually. Travis knew that. He knew he couldn't just hold it all in forever. No matter how hard the boy would try to keep it a secret from his father. The truth was inevitable after all. In all honesty, he didn't fully believe it himself. Even as he stood in the pouring rain, the final bruise Travis thought he'd ever receive from his father just now blooming under his right eye, in front of none other than Sal fucking Fishers stupid house. With its stupid porch and its stupid chipping paint and with his stupid faggot friend barreling out of the front door.

-

The Court house smelled of a hospital. In a way it was strangely nostalgic to Travis. Memories of that night leading him to the towns emergency room after the incident. Of hospital food and blood tests and even strange visits from police officers to 'investigate' on the tragedy of Addison Apartments. Weeks of not knowing what the hell was going to happen to Sal Fisher. Even as he sits in the court room listening to that girl who Travis thought was once one of Sally's closest friends testify against the man, he did not know what was to happen. What was to come of The Sally Face "Killer".

-

The crack from the front door slamming open jostled Travis enough to strike him with an unsettling worry. He watched in complete and utter shock as one of Sal's friends - Todd - bolted out the front door, ignoring Travis entirely. His eyes followed the four eyed ginger for a moment before turning to the door once again. There stood a roguishly handsome man, his face scrunched up in perplexity. Travis was able to identify him as Todd's boyfriend, Neil. He's only heard of the man from some overheard conversations in high school between Sal and Todd. If he was in any other state of mind he might have been surprised they were still even together.

 Though, it looked as if Neil was fighting against his own better judgement to follow after his boyfriend. Travis finally finding his voice spoke in a tone not far from fear "What's going on" 

Neil seemed hesitant to answer before speaking up, not even bothering to look at Travis but at Todd's disappearing form running down the road

"Something's wrong with Larry and Sal. Something bad happened at the apartments and now Sal wont answer his texts."

-

The room fell even more silent once Ashley was finished her testimony. Everyone watched as she stepped down from the booth and back to her seat two rows behind him. Although Travis was set on watching Sal, who seemed to not even care much for his surroundings as he began to stand from his chair. The guards made quick work of seating Sal back down. Nobody could ever tell what was going on behind the mask but the way Sal's eyelids lowered in confusion, Travis knew the man wasn't aware of who else was to testify. Whispers and silent debates went on as the judge had called up the next witness. Travis leaned forward to grab at his crutches that rested at his feet before supporting himself on them as he stood up. Eyes all around the room watched as Travis hobbled to the stand, refusing help from the Bailiff. Once he hopped in and settled into the booth all attention was up front. "Please stand. Raise your right hand.". Travis awkwardly stood, raised his hand. "Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?" and Travis spoke with nothing but confidence, "I do"

-

Travis had never ran so fast in his life. Not even that time when his mother chased him around the house with her husbands belt after Travis had broken her favorite vase. He remembered his father being in the study that night when his mother asked for it, casually taking it off and handing it to her like it was a pen and not a weapon. 

Adrenalin coursed through him once he saw Todd's running silhouette appear into view. Weirdly enough, Travis' mind was back at that day in school, ink from his pen staining the side of his right pinky as he scribbled out words and sentences from that small piece of notebook paper he stole from Mable's dumb emo journal. He remembers feeling disgusted with himself, hating every word he wrote but still writing them down because it made him feel better. Pretending it was a girl he was writing the letter to seemed to make it easier for him but every time he'd scribble down the word you that stupid masked face would come to mind and he'd just get even more angry at himself. At one point he ditched the paper entirely, throwing it in the trash and not realizing he'd missed it until after he'd left the bathroom... after Sal had walked in and talked to him from the other side of the stall that he remembers vividly smelling like shit and piss and definitely not vividly remembering the way Sal had sounded so genuine about inviting him to hang out with him and his friends. He'd never taken him up on the offer up until now though. And to be fair what was happening right now seemed to back up all of his other reasons why he shouldn't have. But instead of listening to reason he ran even faster, calling out to Todd who seemed to falter at Travis' voice