A puddle of thick and bright red liquid layered the floor, drenching the clothes of the breathless little boy who was slumped on the ground.

The strong smell caused by the blood dripping down Zak's throat and cheek filled his nostrils unbulkfully, suffocating his sharp and fast breathes.

'He's back, he's coming, he's back, he's coming, he's back.'

Fast steps approached the only present door in that small, bright white bathroom, increasing the boy's breathing and shivering.

'Please, please, please.'

Two loud bangs made the door swing open, slamming violently against the wall on the side.

Zak crumpled on himself protecting his head with his arms and bringing his legs against his chest while, blood drenching his hair and clothes.
Frantically repeating the same phrases, or 'I'm sorry' and 'Please', he could feel his body shiver violently.
The unknown entity who stood still on the entrance of the bathroom stared with disgust and anger the little boy, approaching him with a growing grin.

'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.'

Seconds later, Zak found himself without the protection of his arms which got pulled away from his wrists, and left without air in his lungs because of his heavy weight on his body. Hands wrapped around his neck after a strained cry for help from the little boy, now left without any capacity to breathe.

'I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't breathe.'

He fought against the two hands desperately digging into them with his nails, while salty tears blended with the blood on the floor. At every movement he did, he would firmly clench on his throat even more.

'Please.'

All Zak could do was squeezing his eyes unable to look at his, and incapable of moving anything due the weakness caused by the lack of oxygen, his body was left without energy.

"You don't deserve to live."

The boy's arms fell on the sides and his watery eyes rolled back.

"You were just a mistake, let me erase you once for all."

Gasping sharply in search of air, Zak awoke and found himself on his dorm's bedroom floor, with his face wet from his tears and sweat, as well as the rest of his shivering body.
He desperately looked around him panting heavily while grasping the blanket that fell with him, and still not able to regain control over his breathing, he crumpled on himself covering his ears, feeling new tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Please," he wheezed, digging his nails into his skull. "make it stop."

Zak passed the whole night like that.
Nightmares over nightmares.
Panic attacks over panic attacks.
Nothing helped him.

"Make it stop..." repeated in a shaky whisper, closing his eyes.

After an interminable minute of panic and struggles, he was finally able to breathe normally, so he removed his hands away from his face, letting his arms fall on the floor while staring blankly at a indefinite point in front of him.  
A few moments later, after partially recovering from the panic attack, Zak weakly forced himself up in a sitting position leaning his back against the bed, reaching then his phone on the nightstand.
He turned the screen towards him, wich got bright.

"Shit." he muttered, clenching his teeth.

Dave and Clay sent him a pair of messages, both made him anxious.
The short boy scoffed at the Senior's name on his notifications, and brushing his finger on the screen, he opened Dream's chat first.

U ok? I'm super sorry for sunday night, i absolutely had to go to that shitty party. It was hosted by one of the most important provider on my side, if i didn't go prob i would be dead. Also sorry i didn't text you sooner but uh i really had to resolve some shit. Wanna meet @ 19?
< 1:34 am.

im not ok but whatever. dw for the rset. 19 suonds ok.
6:25 am. >

Zak glanced then at the dresser for some seconds, then looked back at his phone and started typing.

birng stuff almodt finshed amb10, i aslo nwed amitriptyline pls
6:26 am. >

do u ahve Zoloft??
6:27 am. >

Sighing, the short boy closed the chat passing a hand through his hair, wich somehow seemed still drenched of blood, naturally feeling it soft and dry in the between of his fingers and against the palm of his hand.
He opened Dave message against his will, totally not feeling like reading anything about him.

sorry for yesterday, i took some shit and i snapped for no fucking reason.
< 2:14 am.

Zak stared at the message.
Funny how the Senior thought he would resolve that easily with him despite the day before, in the locker room right before training, snapped at Zak for no reason and clearly 'said' he was done with his drama and problems, and that he tried everything to help him, and he was tired of trying.

'Bullshit.'

He closed the chat without answering, noticing only then there was another message, it was from Darryl.
Memories of what happened with him the day before made him sick and scared, he felt like he was going to break the Senior's patience sooner or later.
Taking a unecessary deep breath, the short boy groaned and opened the chat.

Goodnight little muffin, not sure what happened but I really hope you're feeling better now! Feel free to text me or come to my dorm if you need anything! <3
< 11:45 pm.

A small smile grew on Zak's face and disappeared right after. Darryl surely had questions and concerns about what happened, surely was mad, and the Junior for sure didn't want him to know about further personal problems and such.
He sighed once again and blocked the phone, standing up unstable he staggered towards the dresser.
Repeating his usual routine, he opened it, took four containers out the black box, swallowed some pills and took out a cigarette and a lighter before putting everything back in the dresser.
Zak faltered into the bathroom against his will, and closing the door behind him he glanced at the mirror on his left, unable to reflect him because of his position.
Gritting anxiously his teeth, he took one of the towels hanged on his right, and unfolding it, he placed the cloth on the mirror, covering every inch of it.

"This day is gonna be shit. I feel it."

The low sun tinted the buildings of a pleasant orange gradient, while shadows lengthened on the ground and Zak walked down the desert streets surrounded by abandoned buildings.

The Junior was right, that day was a anything but good.
Everyone's eyes were on him, and the situation got even worse than the time of the school journal article.
Someone spread out about having seen the police at Zak's home, and him moving in in the dorms was just a confirmation.
He tried his very best to concentrate during classes, but his classmates kept murmuring things to each other and trow him pieces of paper with questions written on them.
Some fans and supporters of the baseball team stopped him in the hallway worrying only for the sake of Saturday's game, and some pushed their questions way too far, making him snap twice. Once closing way too violently his locker, and the other punching some random ones.
He had an hard time trying to avoid Darryl and Dave, especially with the blonde boy, but somehow managed to.

Zak wasn't in the mood for meeting Dream, but he had to.

By the way, he was the one who nicknamed Clay 'Dream', he did because of his ability to create absurd ideas and projects for the future, that obviously were just in fact, a dream. It was a joke at first, but he loved it and the idea so much that he decided to keep it, so most of his friend called him that way.

The familiar figure of Clay stood against the wall of the usual abandoned store, head held down concentrated on his phone.
Zak approached him, and catching the movement caused by him, Dream looked up.

"Hey, Zak." he greeted, breaking away from the wall. "What's up?"

"Yo, you don't know?" the short boy asked, quite surprised.

"Nope. Should I?" he lifted his shoulders up, distorting his mouth to the side.

"My father almost killed me and got arrested. I moved into the school's dorms." Zak explained aloof, oddly calm.

"Oh." the taller boy furrowed his eyebrows looking away, trying to process the Junior's words. "Oh. Holy shit." he brought one hand to his mouth, sighing. "Please, don't tell me it happened sunday night."

"It did."

"Shit, I'm so fucking sorry Zak." groaned, cupping his face into his palms.

"It's okay. I'm alive, after all. Darryl literally saved my ass, I got lucky." he shrugged, as it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Wait," Clay brought a hand towards himself, frowning. "Darryl? Darryl Noveschosh?"

"Uh? You know him?" the short boy asked, frowning in turn.

"He was in most of my classes before i dropped out. I remember him disappearing for a whole year before I left." Dream explained, gesturing. "Please, don't tell him about you knowing me, okay?"

"Uh? Why?" he questioned even more confused.

"Just don't, easy. Uh, coming back to you, how are you feeling?" asked concerned, changing topic.

"Still not fine." Zak answered, shrugging. "Do you have the stuff I asked for?"

"Oh, about that..." murmured, looking down and pulling out of his jacket pocket a familiar cylindrical container. "I can give you amitriptyline, but nothing more."

Zak anxiety peaked in a fraction of a second, letting him stunned.

"What?! Why?" asked, angry and confused.

"Zak, do you think I'm fucking stupid or something? I literally gave you new pills five, let me point this out, five days ago. Each container contained twenty pills, and you literally finished them in five days, this is not okay. It's not the first time you finish them this fast, but I can tell you you're going to end up like one year ago."

"Clay, you can't do this to me. Not now." muttered tight-lipped, shaking his head frantically.

"I'm sorry Zak, this is getting out of hand. I can't keep doing this to you, you're ruining yourself." he calmly replied, sighing.

"No, nonono, please. I'm begging you, Clay." begged the short boy, grasping his jacked and pulling the taller boy closer. "Everyone has eyes on me, you can't do this to me right fucking now, please." his voice kept cracking.

Dream stared at Zak right into his eyes for a long moment before giving in, sighing and looking away.

"Only one last dose that must last you till Saturday's game. After that, i won't give you anything anymore." forced himself to grant, looking back at him.

The short boy slowly let go Clay's jacket, without breaking eye contact. 

"Thank you. Now, please, give me the other pills so I can go." blurted out, this time he was the one looking away.

The older stared at him for some seconds, sighing once again he slid off his shoulder a small black sac and pulled out two containers, placing them on Zak's open hand.

"Clay." the short boy gazed at him, thinning his eyes. "Please."

Dream silently groaned and took out of the bag the last container, abruptly putting it on his other open hand.

"You have to go detox yourself again, Zak. You can't deny it."

They both stared at each other for a long moment, the short boy refused to reply at his words.

"Have a nice evening." Clay muttered, giving him a concerned and disappointed glance before turning and walk away.

It was in the middle of the night, and Zak's body was slumped on the bedroom ground once again, he just recovered for the umpteenth panic attack due another nightmare, and was still shivering.

"I just want to fucking sleep..." murmured with hoarse voice, weakly wiping the semi-dry tears away from his cheeks.

Glancing at his nightstand, he forced himself to grab the phone and turn it on, sitting and leaning against his bed.
Once the screen lit up the dark room, he opened Darryl's chat. He needed him.

hi, sry id i disappreaed. i dndt what to dustueb u and i wasbt fweling liek tlaling to amybdoy. u up?
2:57 am. >

sry if i ditsurb u
2:57 am. >

Hi Zak, is everything okay?
< 2:57 am.

And don't worry! I understand why I didn't got to see you yesterday. And you never disturb, I wasn't sleeping anyway ^^
< 2:58 am.

im not okya
2:58 am. >

i catn sleep i keep hsving thinfg
2:58 am. >

adn im so fcking tirde
2:59 am. >

i dnot knoe what t do
2:59 am. >

I'm coming, I'll be there in two.
< 2:59 am.

waif whdt
3:00 am. >

Not reciving a reply, Zak anxiously got up and stumbled towards the closed, opening it.

"Are you shitting me?!" swore tight-lipped, not seeing a single clean hoodie.

A muffled and rhythmic knock came right after from the front door, making the short boy flinch.
Sighing, he closed the wardrobe and hesitantly approached the door, slowly opening it.

"Hey, little muffin." greeted the blonde boy with a sweet smile, carefully wrapping his body in his arms right after the door opened totally. "Is nice to see you. How are you feeling?"

Zak didn't protest at all and hugged Darryl back, laying his head against his chest. He didn't realize until then how much he missed being wrapped in his arms.

"Now, much better, but still.. super tired." mumbled in reply, sighing quietly.

"Aw, sorry about that." Darryl murmured softly, passing one hand through his raven hair. "I'd like to bring you somewhere, do you feel like it?" asked, carefully breaking the hug.

Zak nodded taking a small step back, uneasily trying to cover his badly bandaged arms while looking down. The blonde boy noticed, and took off his hoodie remaining in a black T-shirt, then handed it to him, smiling softly.
Darryl's left arm was covered with a tight thin black sleeve, wrapping it from the wrist to the shoulder.

"Here, put this on."

The taller boy patiently watched him hesitantly grabbing the cloth and putting it on, then once Zak looked up back at him, he hold his and and exited the apartment with him.
The Junior, without letting his hand go, locked the door and let himself getting leaded by Darryl, who caressed the back of his hand time to time.
A few minutes later, they were on the rooftop of the building, Zak looked up at the starred sky and then at the surroundings, fascinated.

"Wow..."

"This his my special secret place, I come here almost every night..." Darryl explained, turning towards the short boy and smiling, without letting his hand go. "or when I'm not feeling too good. I wanted to share this with you for a while now." admitted a little flustered, adjusting his glasses with the free hand.

A soft little smile formed on Zak's lips.

"Aw, that's sweet." murmured, bringing the free hand, covered by the long sleeve, against his mouth.

"Wait," said, resuming the walk and leading Zak in the opposite side where the stairs brought. "Here we are."

There where a blanket on the ground and a big pillow leaned against the wall, it looked warm and comfy.
Darryl sat down leaning his back against the cushion, and opened his arms inviting Zak for another hug.
The short boy sat on the side, then layed against his chest, getting wrapped back in Darryl's arms.

"You're shaking, are you cold?" he asked, caressing softly Zak's back.

"No, don't worry. I... keep having nightmares followed by stupid panic attacks, and I had one right before writing you... I'm... so tired..." he explained, his voice fading away on the final part of his sentence.

"Oh... You muffin, why didn't you text me before?" the blonde boy questioned, looking down at him.

"I thought you were mad at me for the other day..." admitted in a whisper.

"Why should I? It was an awful day, and you were super tired and stressed... I'm sorry if I pushed you to do something you didn't want to." murmured the blonde boy, twisting Zak's raven hair around his fingers.

"I'm the one sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that..."

"Hey, no more excuses, okay? We're good." said, giving a small kiss on his head.

They stayed there for a pair of minute, Darryl cuddling Zak, caressing him and playing with his hair while humming a sweet melody.

"Darryl...?"

"Mh?" he hummed in reply.

"I feel like I'm living a never ending nightmare... and I'm so, so tired of it... i don't know what to do anymore..." the short boy murmured, crumpling against Darryl's.

"Remember, little muffin, if you can make it through the darkest night, there will be a brighter day waiting for you."

"What about of all these rainy days I'm getting?" objected, lifting his head up.

"Rainy days are inevitable, Zak. But never forget that after the rain, there will always be the sun, and sometimes even a rainbow." hummed, looking down at him while still caressing his hairs. "I believe in you, and I bet you're going to find the most beautiful rainbow existent."

"You're right." the short boy murmured, nodding slightly.

Zak lowered his head back down, smiling. He found it funny, because Darryl talked about himself unconsciously.

He was his beautiful rainbow.

[unedited, 2950 words.]