Sacrificial //joshler

four

josh sits in chemistry the next day, the reality of what really happened last night slowly sinking in as he listens to the kids around him whispering.

"i heard josh and tyler were there and had to fight their way out."

"i heard panic at the disco saved them."

"look at josh just sitting there. he probably has ptsd."

he's snapped out of his trance-like state when tyler drops his books on the lab table next to him, smiling. "sup, joshie?"

josh's blood run colds as he curiously takes in tyler's appearance. he looks perfectly fine, glowing even. no blood or bruises or anything remotely close to what he saw last night. how is that even possible?

"you're okay," he chokes out, dumbfounded.

tyler is quick to sit beside him. "of course i'm okay, idiot."

"but last night-" josh is quickly interrupted.

"you always overreact," tyler rolls his eyes, "like that one time at summer camp when you thought there was a tornado coming for us but it was just thundering."

he laughs at the memory, but josh can't help but give him a confused stare. how can he feel anything other than remorse right now?

"people died last night, tyler," he points out. "it's all over the news."

"was it anybody that we know?"

josh scoffs. "yes! lots of people that we know."

"hm," tyler shrugs. "sucks for them."

"what is wrong with you?" josh can't help but ask.

how can tyler have no regard for the fact that so many people died last night? his reaction to everything is not normal. tyler would normally be very sympathetic in a situation like this, or at the very least he would be stoic. not completely mocking the deaths of innocent people or downplaying it like it was anything other than a total tragedy.

"what's wrong with you?" tyler snaps suddenly, giving josh a completely cold stare. "besides the obvious."

josh can't do anything but twist his face in confusion, blinking a few times at his friend. why the sudden hostility? he wants to ask what tyler even means by that, what the fuck he's talking about, but he doesn't.

it's obvious that tyler isn't acting his usual self. maybe he's so guilt-stricken that he's lashing out? that could be the case, but what about last night? what about the blood and the putrid pit of black bile that josh spent forever cleaning while fighting back tears? it couldn't have been in his head. he can't be overreacting.

looking down at his lap, he notices his cuticles are stained black. he tries not to think about how rancid it is and quickly holds them up to show tyler.

"ew, fuck," tyler's nose scrunches. "that's disgusting. you should wash your hands once in a while."

josh slowly lowers his hands in defeat, trying not to let tyler's mean demeanor affect him. does tyler maybe just not remember what happened last night? he didn't seem phased at all, just grossed out. it is gross. josh has scrubbed his hands numerous times, but they're stained.

their teacher enters the room, silence falling over the class. she sits at her desk and sighs, looking at them all for a moment.

"just like the rest of you," she says, "i don't know why they made us come in today. last night, we lost several students, parents, and even our beloved calculus teacher."

"no way," tyler whispers, elbowing josh's side. a big, toothy grin is planted on his face. "miss martinez ate shit? guess it doesn't matter if you forgot your book today."