Josh quickly navigates his way through the unknown house, not paying mind to details as he's in a hurry to not get caught. The heel of his small black boots taps against the floor with a small thunk as the boy runs around corners, rose decorated skirt flowing behind him.

Josh shivers as the atmosphere falls uncomfortably silent when he stands still to decide which door he wants to run out. The front door seems like the better option because it would put him on a street that he could then use to figure out where he is. He jolts when a loud thunk comes from across the house. His heartbeat rises, he's not sure if his heart can take this much fright at once. The boy clutches onto a random hoodie he had picked up off the back of the couch as he flings the front door open, not bothering to close it behind him. He knows he will freeze within minutes if he goes out that door shirtless.

Josh almost slips when he reaches the porch, stopping dead in his tracks. His eyes widen at the several shades of green surrounding of the house. The boy's hopes of being on a familiar street crumble to smithereens when his eyes take in the sight in front of him. Tall trees surround the house from all sides, the buildings sit in the middle of a nice forested area. Josh's eyes scan the trees, hoping to see some kind of gap, he wishes to see asphalt roads and grey rooftops. He wishes that his eyes deceive him, that it's just a couple of trees. The wind playing in the branches shatters all the hope Josh had left in him.

The boy quickly tugs the stolen hoodie over his head as the cold air nips at his bare chest. He ignores the paint smearing around the collar as it slides along his face. He descends down the slippery stairs, slick from the fresh rain. His boots slide on the surface as he skitters away like a scared dog. Josh's heart seems to stop for a moment when he loses balance for one second.

The boy's eyes miss the path hidden by a bush, he takes off in a random direction not really knowing which way to go. Josh has no clue where he's going or how deep in the woods they are. He glances around hoping to see a car but then quickly realizes that in order to start the car, even if he found one, he'd have to head back for the keys. He doesn't let that cloud his mind as his feet carry him far from the worn down home that contained his captor. Josh's feet move fast, he heads into the forest with a heartburn in his chest.

His mind is so preoccupied with finding some kind of help that he doesn't notice the tears continuously streaming down his rough skin. His tears gather and blind him as he runs. Everything's so blurry that he isn't surprised when his foot gets caught on a stray vine and sends the boy tumbling onto the muddy forest floor.  Josh yells out in pain as his ankle twists a way it shouldn't, knees sliding along the rocks and fallen pieces of bark. A faint ripping sound comes from his skirt as it gets caught on a branch. He doesn't have to look to know the tight-fitting knee socks had been torn.

A soft sob comes out as a hiccup, he feels the heat on his skin before it's replaced by throbbing pain. Josh scrambles off the forest floor, knees and palms bloodied, muddy. It hurts so much, every step is a torture. The boy had probably pulled his ankle, he feels it. The pain doesn't stop him, the panic in his veins forces him to push forward ignoring every other sense. Run, run, run. Run as fast and as far away as you can. Run till your legs break and your lungs give out. Run till your heart stops.

The forest continues, the boy feels like he's been running for hours but it's been only ten minutes. He's sure that he had run away far enough, a sob flies out of his mouth when he can still see the house from afar when he turns away. Josh stops for a minute to rest, the house is seen due to the hill he's resting on. The forest is like a giant ocean, it descends down and suddenly rises. Josh hides in the shadows afraid that he'll get noticed. He breathes deeply, he can see more once he's on a higher place. Josh looks around frantically, trees still blocking his view. Suddenly, his eyes catch a thin grey line far away in the distance. Josh realizes it's a highway or some kind of important road that probably leads back to the city.

The boy forgets his pain once again as he rushed down the hill, not getting his eyes off of one point in the distance. It's easy to get lost in the forest so the boy tries to keep his eyes on the small opening far away in the trees where he first saw the road. It's farther than he imagined. It seems that no matter how hard he runs, the distance stays the same. Josh nearly goes insane but finally, he's able to breathe again once he reaches the forest fence that's built to keep the wild animals from crossing the road. Josh's fingers rattle the metal net, a cry never leaving his mouth. He can't climb that it's too tall. The scared boy glances left and right, noticing a small gap that could fit a small deer. He tumbles through without thinking. His knees and palms scrape against the ground once again, breaking the thin layer of dried blood. Josh's vision is obscured with tears, he's in the middle of the road like a scared deer in the headlights. He doesn't know which way to go.

___

Rain splatters against his face, the boy shivers from the wind. His boots are almost soaking wet, he stepped into mud way too many times. He shakes, hands wrapped around himself to keep the warmth in. His attire is not made for weather like this. The boy's skirt once nice and clean now turned grimy brown with green undertones. The knee-socks barely hang above his knees, blood soaking through the thin fabric, torn at some places. Josh hadn't seen a car once, it's getting darker and darker as the clouds shroud the clear sky. He fears for his life, there are wild animals in the forest. Josh would rather be mauled by a bear than come back to that house. The disgusting metallic taste doesn't leave his mouth. The brunet shakes his head trying to get rid of the memories, the feeling of flesh tearing against the blade. Blood on Josh's hands. Tyler's blood.

Josh's head throbs with pain, his lungs are exhausted, chest on fire. He opens his mouth trying to collect some rain, only a few drops land on his tongue. The boy sucks on his tongue greedily, trying to swallow. He gags, feeling the paint on the tip of his tongue. A disgusted shiver rippled down the back of his neck and continues down his spine as the memories of him being tied to that chair re-visit him. Josh will never be able to get rid of this feeling. The boy's chest aches reliving the happy memories he had with Ty. Josh remembers Tyler's warm smile, squinting eyes, that glimmer he had in them every time he stepped through the doors of the coffee shop. Josh shakes his head, he doesn't want to remember their first date, their first kiss, his first time...

The boy manages to snap out of the memory whirlpool forming in his mind as he hears a timid sound of a car engine in the distance. He turns around, the headlights blind him from far away. He hops to the side of the road, hands waving vigorously. Josh looks like a mess, he's bloody, dirty with tousled hair and bloodshot eyes. If he was driving that car he wouldn't stop for him. The car, in Josh's relief, stops. He runs up to it without thinking, dark windows hide the passengers inside. He has a smile creeping on his face. Salvation, finally.  He's able to laugh again.

The door opens swiftly, Josh tumbles to the front seat crying, his arms and legs shake. He cannot thank his saviour enough, he's sobbing uncontrollably.

"Thank you so much," he mutters, fingers failing to grasp the seatbelt. The engine starts and the vehicle begins to drive away.

Josh rubs his swollen hands, knees aching from the heat that blows from the car's AC but he doesn't care.

"Thank y-" Josh's words cut off by the lock clicking. He watches the pin slide inwards, trapping him inside. Tremor forms in his chest again. The boy takes in a harsh breath, his head slowly turns to look at the driver.

Tyler's already twisting the steering wheel making the car turn around. Josh lets out a scream, he pushed desperately at the door trying to open it. He doesn't care that the car is moving, he just wants to get out. The lock stays in place, the door doesn't budge. Josh presses the window button vigorously hoping it would open. There's a scoff heard from Tyler Josh doesn't even dare to look at him.

"You'd really jump out a moving car, huh?" he says with a chuckle "What makes you hate me so much... Oh, wait. That's right."

"Let me go!" Josh yells, fingers clawing at the car door

"Shush, little mouse," Tyler grins, fingers flip the gear switch as the speed increases "You might hurt yourself."

Josh buries his face in his palms. This can't be happening. It can't be. Why him? Why him out of all the people? Tyler turns up the radio a little, a cheerful tune emits from the small device. Josh's stomach twists, he feels like throwing up at any moment. He can't do anything but sit quietly and cry. If he tried attacking Tyler the car would swirl into the trees, Josh didn't want to die. But at that point death seemed more inviting than captivity. Tyler's fingers grip Josh's wrists before he can even do anything. Josh eyes down the bandage wrapping around Tyler's injured hand. Crimson slowly seeps through the white fabric.

"You're making this worse,"  he seethes

"Just l-let me go," Josh's head shakes

"No," Tyler simply states, the small black car gradually loses its speed. They roll into the driveway promptly, Josh never stops crying all the way back.

The older man hops out of the car and pulls Josh out quicker than he can think of a possible escape plan. Tyler drags the boy down the path, back into the house. Josh lets out noises of protest as he's being shoved through the front door. Tyler pushed the boy on the couch harshly, the curly-haired boy's eyes widen from the sight of Tyler unbuckling his belt

"You've been nothing but trouble for me," Tyler's leather belt slides out of the hoops swiftly bringing panic to Josh's heart "I've tried being nice."

"No, no, no, please," Josh shakes his head, he's got an idea what Tyler is about to do to him "I'm sorry- Please- No."

"You've been a bad boy," Tyler swiftly wraps the belt around Josh's wrists, tightening it a little bit too much for Josh's comfort "Naughty boys go to the bad boy's room."

Josh feels himself being pulled off the couch, he sobs as the man drags him across the house. Josh tries to resist but even injured, Tyler is stronger than him. The lock of a small closet-like door clicks and Josh is being shoved through them into pure darkness.

"Please!" Josh screams before he falls onto the cold ground. The door slams in front of his nose, the lock clicks two times.

Josh feels the dampness in the air, a suffocating smell of uncleanliness. His eyes widen in the dark to adjust, he listens to the steps behind the heavy door. After a few minutes, Josh realizes that Tyler is not coming back.

This time, instead of trying to escape, Josh crawls into a corner and cries as his body curls into a fetal position on the cold floor.