I Scream Boy |-/ Joshler

Ice Cream Surprise

With his mother still in the hospital and his father juggling his younger siblings, Tyler was free to do his paper route.

He sped down the last hill in a fevered want to stop by the shop and see Josh. Ever since the day before in the hospital, something had been awoken in Tyler.

He was constantly shifting on the seat, readjusting his grip on the handlebars, and licking his lips. He needed more of what Josh gave him, as much as he hated to admit it.

The block that the shop was on was coming up, and he anxiously pedaled faster.

Except the shop was closed. There was no sign of Josh, not even the owners. Granted, Tyler was a few minutes early due to his hasty need for physical interaction, but Josh should at least have been walking down the sidewalk.

Confused, Tyler kicked off again and went towards the other side of town, towards Josh's house.

All the lights were off inside and out. Tyler put his kickstand down and ventured closer to the house, calling out Josh's name.

Hearing no reply, he went to the backyard. The hammock was still tied between the trees, whose leaves had begun to turn slightly yellow on the side that faced the forest. Fall was coming, and school would be starting.

"Josh?" Tyler called, this time with more volume. No reply.

His eyes fell on the forest. The tree line called to him, urging him to find Josh inside. He said he spent all his time there as a child, so how much could have changed?

He took one step before he halted. His father's words rang clear in his head, warnings of creatures and the darkness that the trees held within themselves.

"Stupid..." He muttered to himself.

And so he entered the forest.

It was quite peaceful, if he was being honest. Tyler's sneakers barely made a sound against the leaf-covered ground, no twigs snapping.

He took his time, seeming to forget the urgency of finding Josh. He had never been in the forest, ever, not even once, and he wanted to enjoy it.

There was a crisp smell in the air, reminiscent of rain. The sights alone were enough to make Tyler's heart swell with joy. A fox tail disappearing into a bush here, a bird flitting from one branch to another there.

And the sounds.

There was a babbling brook somewhere out amongst the trees, and the call of the mourning doves soothed the boy. He now knew why Josh loved the forest so much.

Stepping over a log with his gaze pointed skyward, he noticed a thick fog settled among the trees maybe 10 or 20 feet up. The trees were getting taller, thinner, and more spread out.

"Wow..." Tyler said through a vocalization of his amazement. Everything at the moment was so fascinating, so...new.

He was so enveloped in the trees that he didn't notice a figure standing in a clearing, hands at their sides. Their gaze too was focused on the sky, breath curling from their mouth in a small cloud.

Tyler cried out upon seeing the all-black figure, stumbling backwards. He tripped over the log, eyes wide.

Not two seconds later, a hand was grabbing his arm and hoisting him back up to his feet. He was crushed in a hug, very confused and very scared.