The Ghøst in Apartment Twenty Øne

15- Red vs. Blue

After Brendon left Tyler's apartment, Dallon and I got straight to work.

"Ok Josh, do you remember everything I told you from yesterday?"

"I think so, but go over it again just in case." I answered as I flexed and popped the joints in my hands.

"I'll try to sum it up really quick. It's easier and more effective if you can use the energy from your anger to conjure up the force field, but you can't let the anger consume you. That's when you get blinded and it makes it easier for the Agma to catch you off guard. So, think of something that makes you angry and motivates you. Then, just focus on the area you want the wall to appear. Use your hands too; it makes it easier until you get the hang of it. Ready to go again?" I nodded and shook my arms out a little.

"Great. We're going to try a smaller area than yesterday. I didn't think of this until last night. Instead of trying to block the frame-way from the kitchen to the living room, we're going to use the doorframe in Tyler's bedroom. I'll be in the room, and you'll stand in the hallway. Block the entire frame so I can't leave the room, got it?" Dallon said as we walked from the living room to the bedroom.

"I'll give it a go."

My tone was unconfident.Yesterday hadn't gone well at all. I was only able to bring up bits and pieces of a wall, but never one solid wall. Although, hopefully starting with a smaller space would help like Dallon said. I will learn how to do this, I have to for Tyler.

I'm just frustrated with how much trouble I'm having. Dallon has been the best though. He never got frustrated with me or yelled at me for complaining. He simply gave me advice, encouraged me, or whipped out a snappy comment and moved on. Dallon walked into the bedroom, and then turned to face me.

"Whenever you're ready, Josh." I nodded my head and took a deep breath.

Closing my eyes, I began to focus on something that would make me angry. I chose to think of the anger that flowed through me the first time I made the wall appear. Right after Blurryface had hurt Pete, scratched me (effectively ruining my FAVORITE jacket), and then tried to get my Baby Boy.

I remembered the rush of fire that went through my veins, the tightness in my chest, the blinding red light that seemed to cloud my whole mind. I slowly opened my eyes, raised up my hands, and looked at that stupid doorway.

I tried to envision the wall just rolling across the doorway like a sheet of cellophane. This seemed to work pretty well, if I could just get it to where my "cellophane" didn't have any holes in it, I'd be golden.

"Ok, try now." I said. Dallon stepped forward and put his hand out in front of him. At first it was going well, but part way across the frame, there was a hole in the wall that was level with Dallon's shoulder. He gave me an apologetic look.

"Damn it!" I shouted while throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation.

"You're a lot closer though Josh! That was the only spot!" Dallon said, always being the optimist in our growing friendship.

"C'mon, just give it another try. I have a good feeling about this one..." His voice was soft and he had placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Fine." I mumbled. After giving me a quick pat on the shoulder, Dallon turned and went back into the bedroom. I closed my eyes once again. I could feel the heat run through my veins once again, but this time I kept my eyes closed. I raised my hands and once again tried to put the wall across the doorframe. Once I thought I had gotten it, I opened my eyes but kept my focus.

"Ok, try now." I said softly, my voice sounded distracted because I was trying as hard as I could to keep that wall up.

Dallon stepped forward and began to move his hands along the wall. His hand didn't go through once. He began to push harder against the wall, and I could feel it start to falter in my mind a little, but just fought back harder. Dallon kept pushing harder and harder, and I just kept fighting.

Finally, Dallon backed up a few steps, took a running start, and threw his entire body against the wall I had built. I couldn't believe my eyes. Instead of just hitting it and falling down, it actually made Dallon fly back across the room and into the opposite wall.

"Oh my God!" I said as I let the wall dissipate. I ran into the bedroom and help Dallon back onto his feet.

"I'm so sorry dude; I didn't mean to do that!" He laughed and pulled me into a tight hug. That was the last thing I was expecting.

"Don't apologize, Josh! I'm so proud of you, you did it! Not only did you put up a complete wall, it was damn powerful! I couldn't put up one like that until my second day of trying!"

Dallon's words of affirmation put warmth in my heart and a smile on my face. Little did I know, the very one I was doing all of this for would be the one to take that warmth away.

"Ok, just because you did it once doesn't get you off the hook. Let's go again!" Dallon said in a chipper voice. I groaned.

Tyler's POV

Brendon and Jenna had just left my room. Jenna had to go to her job at the local animal shelter and Brendon went to go tell Josh the news that I could leave here tomorrow. I didn't want to leave.

Ever since last night, I've had mixed feelings about seeing Josh again. I know I shouldn't listen to Blurry, but so much of what he said was making sense to me.

I've only ever had one serious boyfriend in my life, his name was Oli Sykes. He was a transfer student from England in my sophomore year. I was assigned to help him around the school, and we hit it off.

During junior year, we started dating. He was my everything. I confided in him all of my thoughts, feelings, and insecurities. He loved me anyways, or so I thought. Half-way through senior year, he convinced me to have sex with him. I gave him my virginity, and he ended up taking so much more than that.

After we slept together, he broke up with me. He was also friends with the druggies of the school, and I never had any malice towards them until then. They had dared him to try to sleep with me because it was known around the school that I didn't sleep around. He took them up on that bet. He won.

That wasn't even the worst of it. After he broke it off with me, he spread all of the secrets I had ever told him around the whole school. All of my insecurities, pet-peeves, people I didn't like, and fears became common knowledge to everyone at the school.

All of my friends left me except Brendon. Shortly after all of this was when my siblings died and my parents got divorced. That was when Blurryface first showed up.

That was why I was suddenly so wary of Josh. I had known Oli for years and he stomped on me like I was nothing. I've know Josh for a matter of weeks. What's to say he isn't faking? I couldn't ask him if he was lying or not, he'd either lie again or I would just think he was lying.

There was no winning with my mind. I heaved out a sigh and let my head fall back against my pillow. I don't know what to do. Blurry has always made me feel anxious, but maybe he was just also helping me prepare for the real world and the life I had ahead of me.

On the other hand, Josh made me feel happy and safe. But the same question comes back, what if it's all an act? All I know is this: I'm not going to get rid of Josh, not just yet. But I will definitely be more watchful of the things he says and does.

I was broken from my thoughts by a nurse entering the room to bring me lunch. I smiled and said thank you, but grimaced down at the tray after he left. I've only been in the hospital two days and I'm already sick of the food.

Maybe Brendon can take me for ice cream tomorrow after I'm discharged...with a slight smile at the thought of ice cream, I began to pick my way through the tray of mediocre food.

While I ate, a picture of Josh flashed through my mind. A picture of his smile, his scrunched up eyes the color of fresh coffee, his fluffy blue hair that made me want cotton candy whenever I saw it. I smiled.

But then, it changed. His hair was bright red. Red circles appeared around his eyes and he was wearing all white, which matched his dramatically paler skin, except for a black scarf. His smile was non-existent; his eyes were no longer warm and welcoming. They were cold and distant.

He looked angry.

Angry at me.

I normally saw blue Josh, but what if he was red underneath?