"Deyfa cannot speak unless told to speak."

Those words haunted Joshua throughout the day and into the night. He could not stop thinking about how the young boy had no voice. Joshua heard stories of inmates having their tongues removed so they couldn't warn other inmates of Fangelisi corruption.

Joshua worried the boy was one of them and wanted so badly to try and see him again.

As the ship was sleeping, Joshua quietly slipped out of his cell and made his way to the bow of the ship.

As he walked there, he immediately caught a glimpse of the young boy sitting among the bridge deck. It seemed the boy goes out there all the time and not just during Joshua's shifts. Maybe he feels safe when he is out there.

Joshua used this opportunity to seek him out and not be detected. Reaching the bow, Joshua slipped on his hood and slowly approached the bridge deck.

When the young boy saw him, he attempted to hide, but Joshua quietly called out to him.

"Boy, please! Don't hide!"

The boy hid behind a wall on the bridge deck; fearful and afraid. Joshua knew he was scared, but he gently walked towards him.

"Dear, boy. Please don't be afraid."

The boy clinched his eyes closed; holding back tears. He shook his head repeatedly and refused to come out. Joshua continued to plead with him.

"I know you're scared, but I promise you, I won't tell anyone that you've met me."

Hearing those words, the boy opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and appeared from behind the wall of the bridge deck.

Joshua, taking a moment to look of the young boy, took notice of his pretty he was. His brown eyes glistening across the waters of ice, and his fluffy hair in the blossoming pastel pink.

Despite being dressed in the ugly black inmate uniform, the young boy was beautiful. Joshua smiled when he saw him in full frame, even though he kept himself hidden in the shadows.

Joshua reached out his hand.

"It's okay, dear boy." He said. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

The boy continued to be reluctant, but when he saw the kindness and fondness Joshua displayed, he came out from the shadows and took his hand. When their hands touched, a feeling of peace overwhelmed the young boy. He felt safe.

However, as deyfa, he was not allowed to talk.

"What's your name?" Joshua asked.

The young boy stood motionless and did not speak. Joshua remembered he was deyfa, but he felt that he could possibly get him to talk.

"You can talk to me." He said. "I won't say a word to anyone."

Hearing the trusting voice Joshua spoke, the boy built up enough courage to tell him his name.

"Tyler."

"Tyler, what's your name?"

The boy nodded his head.

Joshua smiled.

"It's pretty."

Tyler smiled and nodded again.

Joshua shook the boy's hand as a greeting.

"I'm Joshua Dun, but you can call me Josh."

"Josh?" Tyler asked.

"Yes. Josh."

"I like that name."

Joshua smiled again.

"Thank you."

The man grabbed Tyler's shoulders.

"You shouldn't be out here alone. Why don't you come back with me to my cell?"

Tyler instantly shook his head.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I... I just can't."

Tyler released himself from Joshua's grip and ran back into the shadows of the bridge deck. Before he could disappear, Joshua called out to him.

"Wait!"

Tyler stopped running and stood still. His back was turned to Joshua.

"Will I see you again?"

"Yes." Tyler replied; nodding and shaking his head. Fear overtook him, but he stood firm and held himself together.

"I'll come back to see you." Joshua said. "I promise."

With those words, Joshua and Tyler separated. Joshua went back into the ship, and Tyler disappeared into the shadows.

~

Getting back to his cell was not easy. Every night, Fangelisi men patrol the ship for escapees, but Joshua Dun was an inmate of stealth and secrecy.

Back in Reykjavik, Joshua constantly snuck out of his cell and avoided captivity. He went and stole commissary money to buy food to avoid eating shitty prison food. That wasn't until he was beaten and taken to solitary confinement for 30 days.

Now, on the way to Husavik, Joshua could not be detected by anyone. He was going to gain his freedom in any way possible.

Getting back into his cell, Joshua slipped into the bottom bunk and wrapped himself in the frigid hard blankets. As he prepared to drift off into sleep, Eloise woke up.

"Fjandinn?" He said; stepping down from the top bunk and jumping into Joshua's bunk. "What did you do, Joshua?"

The man was confused.

"I... uh..."

"Where did you go?"

Joshua could not lie to his cellmate and friend.

"I... I snuck out."

"When he heard this, Eloise grabbed Joshua's face with his hand.

"Ópokkinn pinn!" He shouted. "What were you fucking thinking?!"

"I'm sorry, I... I just wanted to-"

"I told you not to see the boy! He is deyfa!"

"I... I just couldn't help myself-"

"You couldn't been fucking killed! You stupid ass! How dare you!"

Suddenly, a guard slapped his metal rod against the cell door; startling Joshua and Eloise.

"Fangi! Haltu kjafti!"

The guard left right away before the two could see him. Eloise, disquieted by what transpired, claimed himself and released Joshua. Still, he was angered by what his cellmate and friend had done. He warned Joshua, but he couldn't help himself.

Despite his feelings, Eloise was interested to know what Joshua saw when he snuck out.

"What did you see?"

Joshua sat up from his bunk; facing Eloise and telling him everything. Even though he promised Tyler he wouldn't tell anyone, Joshua trusted Eloise and knew he would never betray him.

"I went to see Tyler."

"The deyfa boy?" Eloise asked.

"Yes." Joshua replied. "That's his name. He's a very beautiful boy, but fragile. It's obvious he's been through something."

"Yes. Deyfa are constantly placed in harmful conditions. You don't ever see them on the ship. In this case, Tyler hides."

Joshua started to understand the severity of Tyler's life. He is deyfa and he hides away from the inmates, or maybe he is told to hide. It made Joshua more eager to know Tyler and to protect him, if possible.

"I need to know, El." Joshua said. "I have to help him. My curiosity is formidable for me."

Eloise did not argue with his friend. Although he was fearful and affrighted by the risk he was taking, he knew in his heart that this was his destiny.

He nodded and agreed.

"Mjög vel, gerou pao sem pú verour."

Joshua understood what Eloise said. He concurred with his desire to seek Tyler out and know him.

"But I will tell you, Joshua, this secret will remain in this cell, hef pao?"

Joshua nodded.

"Já."

Eloise smiled.

"Good."

Getting back into the top bunk, Eloise drifted off to sleep. Joshua remained awake for the remainder of the night. His thoughts centered around his first meeting with Tyler and how much he wanted to see him again.

Hugging himself in the frigid blanket, Joshua closed his eyes and dreamed of Tyler, the pretty pink haired boy.

~

hey everyone! its hannah! i hope you enjoyed this chapter!

im so excited to finally write the first meeting between tyler and josh! the story is going to get more intense and i can't wait to see where it goes from here!

once again, i want to remind you that this story gets slow updates because this is a complex story to write and i want to make sure it comes out well, so please bare with me on this one!

i hope you enjoyed it! please vote and leave some comments! that will be very appreciated!

i love you guys! thank you for supporting me!