Monsters in the Closet

potassiumboron

~I'm drinking coffee on a trampoline~
Original poster
MYTHICAL MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
  3. One post per day
Online Availability
3pm - 1am (GMT / BST)
Writing Levels
  1. Beginner
  2. Elementary
  3. Intermediate
  4. Adept
  5. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Nonbinary
  4. Transgender
  5. No Preferences
Genres
Monsters, supernatural, fantasy, romance, criminality, slice-of-life (modern or set in past, usually with some twists)
;kn.png

For Mary and Graham Tempest, the Evergreen Retreat was supposed to be a new chapter in their lives. It was supposed to represent them changing for the better, leaving behind a world of stress in the city for the more relaxed way of living, emphasising nature and calm. They wanted to start afresh, to create a home in the mountains that allowed them to be themselves without the challenge of modern day life. They wanted to offer up the retreat to others to experience what they knew they could produce; a community of like-minded individuals who came as strangers and left as family, refreshed and revitalised after their stay.

For a few years, the married couple succeeded in their aim. They didn't have any stress on their shoulders, able to life life the way they assumed it ought to be lived; without worry about success and a drive to collect worthless material possessions. They had dozens of guests flock to their retreat throughout those first five years, creating the community they had always desired whilst also juggling the challenges of parenthood when River eventually came along - though the challenges were very slim in comparison to the challenges they would be faced with later on. River was raised in accordance to his parents' philosophy. He was taught to value nature and, rather than studying the topics other kids his age were taught, he was taught to grow fruit and vegetables, how to make clothes and pottery - all the lessons his parents hoped would come in handy for their son when he eventually took over from them at the lodge.

Of course, that was never going to happen when they discovered just what was wrong with him. All their dreams of a calm new life faded the instant they were faced with the challenge of dealing with River, eventually deciding that the best place for him was underneath the home in the basement, locked away from the world. It was safer for everyone, they decided, which was precisely why they also decided to drug him. As hurtful as it was watching their son grow up in the confined, dark space, they always convinced themselves that it was either that, or leave their son out to hurt others - and end up getting himself killed in the process. It was unfortunately necessary to leave him suffering alone in the dark, however difficult it genuinely was for them.

Eventually, they grew out of that guilt, even going as far as to forget River was even their son. No guests that visited realised that they even had a child, being told that the couple had always tried but never succeeded in procreating, and that the retreat was like a child for them. Ignoring River existed was surprisingly easy, sometimes leaving him for days on end without realising he was even down there until the noise of chains being moved about and tugged upon caught their attention - which River was beaten harshly for as punishment for drawing attention to his predicament.

Years moved by without any real incidents, the couple growing more and more comfortable in their surroundings. They thought that they knew how best to handle their son, going all those years without him managing an escape and without anyone ever getting into the basement to discover the secret that was hidden down there, so, however difficult it once was for them, they finally managed to get over it and live the way they always wanted to. Dealing with River wasn't a difficult task anymore, with the boy often too drugged up to even respond to their presence, and after one quick visit every few days, they could return to their lives with their guests without giving the boy a second thought.

And just like any other time they received a new guest, Mary and Graham eagerly welcomed in Josef when the other came through their door. They never judged when they received a guest - it didn't matter what life they were getting away from; they deserved a chance to get over whatever it was they were trying to get away from. For many, it was escaping the rat race and the city lifestyle, to get back to a more relaxed way of living. For others, it was trying to get over addiction, which the couple were now adept at dealing with, with many of their guests choosing to get over their addictions by removing themselves away from the temptation. Because of their previous experiences, they both noticed Josef as an addict, though didn't judge him for it, nor did they draw attention to it. Instead, with wide smiles, they ushered him in out of the cold happily.

"Welcome-- come on, out of the cold. I assume you're a new guest here? It's an awfully long way to travel up here if you're not looking to stay with us," smiled Mary as she dusted the specks of snow off Josef's shoulders. "I'm Mary; this is my husband, Graham. Come on, let's get you in and warmed up. I have some tea brewing, we can talk in the kitchen about your stay with us."
 
The drive had been horrendous. Driving a day and a half straight through six different States in a snowstorm that seemed to spread out all of those said States, all the while desperate to avoid the authorities wasn't good for anyone, especially not a drug addict with only a few bits of cocaine to last him 12 hours. He had gone through a myriad of different emotions, contemplating killing himself at least four times as he traveled the pretty vacant backroads in an attempt to get any authorities off his back. He was tired, his body ached and his hands couldn't stop shaking. The only thing that kept him going was the resort he had found while scrolling desperately through his phone.

It was the perfect place to hide out for a little bit with the added benefit of possible care for his addiction. It was high up in the mountains in another State with people who would only know them if they were active in the cocaine scene in the midwest. Luckily for him, these hippies seemed like the type that the most dangerous they would go was weed and that was nothing. Once pulling up to the resort, he was too exhausted to really take in the beauty of the scenery, the snowy hills and the beautiful pine trees that circled the property is hardly appreciated. Instead, Josef pressed his head against the steering wheel of his admittedly beat up, the cheap car he had been given by his father when he was sixteen to catch his breath, holding back the urge to cry. It was a relief to him and after a day of tension, it was no surprise he was ready to sob. He held it back and instead grabbed his bags of things, slinging them onto his shoulder as he approached the resort.

To be invited in so caringly was a bit of a surprise. He hadn't been given such an affectionate and kind introduction in years even though he never really realized it until that point. Offering an awkward smile, he murmured a quiet thank you in response before stomping the snow from his worn-out boots. He didn't really radiate the vibe of a drug dealer, especially not one with as much money as he had (since he grabbed everything he could from Miranda). He instead looked like a poor soul who needed guidance and this seemed like the best stop. Adjusting his things, he offered a shrug.

"I... heard of your resort and I thought it was exactly what I needed," Josef explained, his accent thick even after spending most of his life in the States. "I'm in need of a break and this sounded like the perfect place to, ah... break? I'm sorry if I showed up at a bad time. It wasn't very bright of me to drive here but I didn't expect the storm to be this bad." As he spoke, it was clear that Josef was struggling both emotionally and physically. He was shaking both from the cold and his sobriety and his eyes were red from the previous crying. He was skinny and his stomach growled for emphasis, having survived off of some cheap McDonalds and energy drinks for the past day. Rubbing his face, he offered another smile. "I saw how lovely everything is and I think I'm in need of a bath, aha...'
 
  • Ah Seen It
Reactions: potassiumboron
After a very brief look between her and her husband, Mary smiled as she gently took Josef to the stairs. She didn't need to exchange words with Graham to know what to do next. She was often the one to deal with the most sensitive guests, having a natural warmth and gentleness to her that often suited the guests that needed that level of comfort. She was often called motherly, which was a compliment she accepted happily, however wrong it was. Her behaviour to her own son was hardly motherly, after all.

"My husband will prepare you some tea, I'll get you settled in upstairs. You can meet the other guests we have here during dinner; we all eat together, you see. We value the community feeling here. Of course you're welcome to eat alone, but we strongly recommend you take part in the community we're building here. We share our problems and we all seek to help one another; it's a philosophy this place is built on," she began as she started up the stairs, opening the door to the only available room left. Even though she often forgot she even had a son, it didn't stop a brief sadness from hitting her when the door to River's old room was opened. Even though every trace of him had been erased, including the old drawings he had sketched onto the wall as a toddler, she still found herself seeing it all in front of her, remembering just how normal things had once been. She got over the nostalgia in seconds, gesturing in Josef with a bright smile.

"This is the Chestnut Room; my husband named it. I'm not sure why, I don't know how that man's mind works sometimes, but it's a cute name, I suppose. Get yourself settled in and have a nice bath to warm yourself, then come and get your tea when you're ready to meet everyone else for dinner. It's vegan, of course, but I'm sure you already knew that before you came here," continued Mary as she absently smoothed down the creases in the quilt. "...I'm babbling, aren't I? Sorry, it's just the excitement of having another new guest arrive-- I'm sure you'll love it here."
 
Taking in everything quietly, the high ceilings and open windows were beautiful. He had spent the last 3 years in a small apartment filled with toxic people so to be welcomed into such a nice and warm environment was culture shock. It was nothing like the shady part of Chicago he spent his time and despite feeling like shit, he smiled. Gripping the railing, he sighed deeply once in the bedroom. He ignored the strange air and instead happily set his things to the side to flop down on the bed, taking in the fresh smell and the warmth of the blankets eagerly. It wasn’t until he reminded himself he wasn’t alone that he quickly sat up with an apologetic smile.

“This is lovely, thank you. I think this’ll be just what the doctor ordered,” he replied, sitting up in embarrassment with reddened cheeks. “Um... yes, of course I’ll join you. I... can’t thank you enough for reserving a room for me. I’m sure you get plenty of guests so I’m glad you made a special arrangement for some stranger like me,” he murmured, pushing up to his feet to inspect the bathroom curiously.

“You said there are others like me, right?” He confirmed after a pause, his smile now fading anxiously. He was incredibly embarrassed about his condition and he knew his trembling hands and wavering frame weren’t a very pleasant sight to see. He’d much prefer to keep to himself and try to figure everything out on his own but he knew he probably couldn’t. “Thank you.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
"We've had plenty of guests who arrive seeking an escape from their lives or help with their problems, yes. We're not here to judge, Josef. We value honesty and we respect that, so yes, we have had -and currently do have- guests who have addiction problems, but I can assure you that Graham and I are equipped to help you and them with that, so there's no need to worry. Everyone here understands what you're going through and we're here to help; it's a community. I think that's what we wanted to create here the most," she nodded firmly, her sympathy kicking in when he took in just how exhausted he looked, which made her force back her natural desire to chat and learn more about him. She was naturally sociable, but she also knew when it was best to just shut up and walk away, and now seemed like one of those times.

"Just come and join us when you're ready, we won't hold it against you if you preferred to get an early night's sleep. I imagine you've had a long drive here. This retreat isn't exactly easy to get to, but I think that works in our favour; we're far enough away from the cities to be isolated from all of that modern day stuff. You might find it difficult without WiFi and TV -most our guests struggle a week or two- but we have plenty of books and activities to keep you occupied."
 
"I think being away from technology is just what I need right now," he reassured. If there was no signal, there was no way to be tracked back to his location and thus no cops finding where he was, right? Taking out a fresh pair of pajamas and some soap he had brought with him, he cracked his stiff neck and shoulders before peering out the large window off into the large property, only now taking in the beauty. After a good moment of stillness from Josef, he blinked and moved forward.

After another quiet thank you and a nod, he moved to the bathroom. He hadn't had a bath in years, often instead resorting to just showers. To be able to soak in the hot water immediately relaxed some of his muscles. He wasn't quite adjusted yet to the relaxation aspect but it was at least on the right path. His shaking had ceased a little once warm and after a solid hour of his soak, he returned clean of any ickiness and smelled far better than a day of sweat and tears. He looked better too, outside of the tired eyes - his favorite baggy hoodie was hiding his frame well while matched with some boxers. Once emerging from his bedroom, he decided to at least get himself out a bit to talk to others or Mary at the very least. With some warm socks, he took his time not to slip on the wooden stairs to head to the main lobby, his eyes immediately landing on the warm fireplace and the comfortable couch surrounding it.

"This place is... better than I was expecting," he declared out loud with a meek smile. He didn't want to keep the mentality that it was too good but it was natural for his paranoia to do so. He kept himself quiet, though, instead of battling his paranoid thoughts internally as he took a seat and stared at the fire absently, impatiently waiting for dinner to start. He didn't want to just go searching for food in a place that wasn't his own so he would at least be polite enough to wait patiently. He may be a criminal but he wasn't an asshole.
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
"I'm glad you like it here. We've worked so hard making it perfect for our guests, you have no idea how rewarding it is for us to hear you say you like it," smiled Mary from the kitchen, glancing in from the room to the lounge, where several of the guests currently were. Most of them were sitting around reading -a common activity to do just before dinner- though two or three others were happy to just sit with their eyes closed in silent meditation; something Mary and her husband often encouraged among their guests.

Graham himself was sat contemplatively on the couch, his legs folded and his hands rested on his knees, though his own peacefulness came to an end the moment he heard the faint sound of chains, his ears tuned to the familiar sound at this point. His eyes widened quickly, exchanging the same silent look with his wife who did her best to continue as normal; as though she hadn't heard the noise. As Graham calmly headed off to deal with it, as subtly as he could, she quickly opted to glance in and distract the guests, smiling wide to keep their attention.

"We're having a nice salad for dinner; with stuffed peppers and jacket potatoes. It should be nice and hearty, warm you all up. How was your bath, Josef? We sometimes struggle with the water here; it sometimes doesn't get as hot as we'd like it to be. I assume everything was alright this time, though?"
 
“It was amazing, yeah. Haven’t had a bath like that in years,” he admitted as he absently fiddled with his sleeves to at least keep his hands busy. He had heard the noise and noticed the anxiety the two seemed to show but said nothing. He didn’t know what it could be and for all he knew it could have just been his mind playing with him. Pursing his lips, he let a thin-lipped smile.

“I’ve been living off McDonald’s for a good while,” he admitted, avoiding the woman’s eyes. He knew how judgemental vegans could be and he didn’t really want to deal with possible backlash. “I could use a nice, home cooked meal. I bet you have to travel quite a bit to get the food, huh?” He asked, mostly for small talk and to keep him from just sitting with his thoughts.

“I plan to stay for a month, enough to figure my... issues out, unless you suggest longer. I don’t know the whole ‘recovery’ thing works, you know? This is all very new to me, though most things are,” he explained with a laugh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
"We grow most of our food in the Spring and Summer months. Graham heads down to one of the tourist lodges and picks up items that way to avoid heading into the main city, he really isn't fond of it. We have bad experiences with the city, we prefer to leave it all behind. You don't need to go back to it until you feel you're ready. Could be a few weeks, could be years. We really aren't going to mind, Josef. When you step into this lodge, you become family, and we aren't going to force family out if you don't want to leave," she promised with another of her typical smiles, sharing the expression with another guest who glanced up at the warm words, having heard the same promises before.

"So if you want to stay for a good year, that's fine with us. We're happy to have you," she confirmed as she returned to her cooking, satisfied that her husband was dealing with River quietly enough for her to not force out conversations that weren't natural to cover up the potential noise.
 
“That’s pretty amazing,” he admitted before looking around, his warm feelings falling when he noticed all of the other patients looking at him. He avoided their eyes too, his throat growing dry the more anxious he became. Clearing his throat, he looked up at Mary only briefly.

“Could I have a glass of water?” He asked, his voice cracking. “Could I have that cup of tea? My throat is dry, I haven’t had anything to drink all day, I think it’s making me dizzy,” he explained before getting to his feet to follow Mary. “Maybe it’s my blood sugar, that wouldn’t be surprising...”
 
"If you're dizzy, sweetheart, take a seat. I'd hate to have you faint on us," she frowned, immediately abandoning her cooking and hurrying across to the small kettle. As much as she had decided to shun everything about modern life, she refused to live without electricity. Her husband was keen to do so, deciding that if they were going to live in the middle of nowhere and adopt a new lifestyle, they might as well go the whole way through with it, but Mary had been insistent upon keeping some aspect of her life, including electricity and the oven and refrigerator. Going without those just seemed to be utter lunacy to her.

"Here," she nodded as she placed the herbal tea in his hands, adding a dollop of honey for good measure. "It should make you feel better. We have spearmint tea, which is lovely, but I thought I'd give you a fruity one instead; you look like you'd prefer the sweetness at the moment. You don't need to worry about lifting a finger; this is a retreat, you're here to relax, hm? So sit down and drink your tea, I don't want you exhausting yourself any further, Josef."

Despite her words, Mary only relaxed when noticing her husband return with a smile, physically breathing out in relief. For all she knew, her husband could have been killed down there and her whole life could be ripped apart in seconds. To see him return with a smile and a nod gave her the chance to fully relax, unaware that, just a few days later, her husband's visit and his carelessness would lead to River making an effort to escape.

Graham, after years of feeling as though nothing could go wrong, had grown careless during his visits to his son. During his recent visit, he unknowingly left the chains unlocked, which gave River every opportunity to formulate a plan to escape. It took days just for him to get his mind in the right space for him to even realise the chains weren't tied up properly. After days of drifting in and out of consciousness, the realisation finally kicked in and the only obstacle left was for him to somehow get out of the basement before his parents made their next visit, and the only thing that stood in his way was the door. Through sheer fortune, the door wasn't shut properly; another area Graham had unfortunately overlooked.

As midnight struck, with the guests and River's parents all asleep soundly in their beds, River managed to tamper with the locks enough for them to open and for him to slip out. Any chance of him just running for escape was impossible - he was beaten badly, he was still dizzy from the continuous drugs pumped into him and incredibly weak from the lack of food. Hell, he could barely go a step without forcing back the urge to vomit or faint. He only managed to get as far as the hallway before collapsing, lacking the energy to make a run when hearing footsteps approach, apparently resigned to the fact that the first chance of freedom for him was now over.
 
Josef has always had sleep issues, even long before he started his bad habit. He could go days without sleeping at the worst of times and the sobriety wasn’t helping. What did get better was some of his tension as he had finally gotten a bit used to everything - not enough for him to be particularly eager but enough for him to be able to join in conversations and talk quietly without his paranoia making him have a panic attack as it did the first few days.

Because of that restlessness, Josef intended to make himself a cup of herbal tea and sit by the fire for a bit. Hopefully it would relax himself enough to return to bed so he could start the day off well and continue with the pleasant and definitely needed environment. Unfortunately, what he saw on his way down the steps was a sickly young man in nauseating amounts of neglect.

Looking around anxiously, he moved to help River up. He wasn’t the strongest person, he could admit that, but his anxiety helped him lift up River enough and to help him into the public bathroom to at least see what the hell was happening.

“Listen - can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?” He asked as slowly as he could despite his fear. The kid seemed more than just a little fucked up on drugs but he at least knew the signs of drug use well from experience. “Hey, hold up - lie down, okay? Let me get you some water,” he suggested, holding the mug he had brought with him under the faucet to offer. “You have to stay hydrated.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
The bright lights of the bathroom did very little to help River, who covered his eyes with his hands to protect them. After spending so long down in a basement that very rarely had any light, it was inevitable that the lights now would physically hurt his eyes, which were beyond sensitive. That, and the genuine amounts of pain he was under, didn't stop him from appealing for help, managing to lean himself up against the bathtub which gave him enough support for him to be able to talk to Josef without collapsing again.

"...No, no, we... y-you have to get me out of here," he began in a raspy, almost broken tone, shakily forcing himself up from the perch against the tub. As badly as he needed the time to rest and gather as much strength as he could, that would take far too long and time was of the essence if he wanted to leave. This was the best opportunity he had ever had to do that, and he didn't want to waste any time talking to Josef about what was wrong, not when that time could be spent rushing out of the home and into freedom.

"Please, j-just help me, I can't... I can't stay here, this i-is-- it's hell," he whispered with an anxious glance behind the other at the sound of footsteps, though when he was delirious and on the verge of passing out, it was easy to believe he had imagined them. He spent so much of his time in absolute fear that he often just imagined the sound of footsteps, which he naively convinced himself weren't real in this instance, though they became very much real the moment he witnessed Josef being knocked out and then received the same blow to the head for his own troubles.

Unlike River, who was thrown back into the basement and chained up properly, Graham and Mary set Josef into bed and spent the night getting their act straight so there wasn't any holes in their story. They saw Josef wandering about in the night, sleepwalking and talking to himself, before he fainted and knocked his head on the bathtub, they lied with a convincing look of worry and concern on both their faces, gently relaying the story they had figured out to the man in the morning.

"It was so worrying for us, we didn't know what was happening," frowned Mary as she sat at the edge of the other's bed, her hands neatly in her lap. "You were talking, babbling about some boy-- we couldn't wake you up, they say it's bad to wake a sleepwalker, but then you fainted and-- and I blame myself, I should have woken you before that happened. I'm sorry, sweetheart."
 
It took Josef a good amount of time to wake up from the head injury. He hadn’t expected it, naturally, not to mention he had been tired to begin with. So for a good five and a half hours, Josef remained still. When he eventually cane around, it was slow at first, his eyes blinking slowly as the urge to vomit and the dizziness hit. When he realized what had happened, though, he shot up quickly only to pause with a whimper to hold his pounding head where he had felt a bandage to.

“I saw a boy, he... he was sick and.... and he needed help and I didn’t know what to do...” He babbled out, choking a bit. The whole thing was terrifying so it was no surprise that it made Josef’s eyes begin to well with tears. Sniffling, he wiped his face quickly of tears.

“It felt so real - I was sleepwalking?” He confirmed, finally taking in Mary. “I’ve... Ive never sleptwalk before, that’s... scary, though I suppose it could be because I’m sober, right? What... time is it?”
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
"It's only nine in the morning, sweetie. We found you around three after my Graham heard noises and went to investigate, then I came and saw you talking and then... then you fell and hit your head and I... I honestly thought you'd died, there was so much blood," she grimaced with a hand on her chest, sniffling for good effect. Not that it had to be dramatised, of course. The whole experience had terrified her, knowing that River was so close to escape and that Josef might have called the police on them. After all, River was clearly -and severely- underweight and was littered with needle marks and bruises. Any person in their right mind would assume the worst.

It also hadn't helped her to see her son in such a state. For so many years, Mary had kept out of the basement and allowed her husband to deal primarily with River. They never talked about him, so she never really understood the terrible condition he was in; the condition she had allowed him to fall in. Seeing him for the first time, collapsed on the floor and shakily breathing as he attempted to stay alive was shocking, so any need to dramatise how shaken she was wasn't necessary.

"I... I think it's best if you rest all of today. We'll fetch you some food and whatever else you need, but after the fright you gave us and the nasty knock to the head, I'd rest easier knowing you were safely tucked up in bed today, Josef. Just to be on the safe side."
 
"This has never happened before," he repeated under his breath, wincing when he put the smallest bit of pressure to it. Flopping back, he tiredly closed his eyes to stop the dizziness he suddenly felt. It was probable that he was dealing with a concussion though he was no doctor. All he knew was that he felt like shit and wanted to just go back to sleep. Pinching his nose, he peeked open an eye and dared to offer a smile.

"Thank you for helping me," he eventually replied. "I could have died, you're right. You've already done so much for me, Mary, but could I perhaps ask for some water?" He groggily whispered, desperately trying to keep his accent from being too deep for the other to understand. As he spoke, though, he kept thinking about what he had apparently dreamt. It felt way too real for it to be just a dream, he hadn't remembered when he had gone to sleep? Perhaps he blacked out? It was often the one way he actually fell asleep when he didn't use some type of drug to do that instead. "I don't mean to ask too much from you."
 
"Oh, nonsense. I'll fetch you some water right away, with a little dash of lemon. Just you rest. Nothing is too much trouble, Josef, trust me," the woman nodded as she affectionately tucked him under the covers, forcing back the urge to frown at the recurring thoughts in her head. She was doing her best to persuade him, and she thought she had done a goo job, but what if he didn't believe her? What if he was certain something was going on and would run out to the nearest lodge to call for help or the police? Mary wasn't usually a paranoid, anxious sort of person but in this instant, all she could do was think of the worst.

"I... Well, just call for me if you need anything else," she nodded once returning with the glass, holding her nerve as best she could to prevent her hands from shaking and spilling the water. "Please, try to get some sleep. Last night must have really taken it out of you."
 
The next few hours would earn silence from Josef as he faded in an out of sleep. It would be at least four until he would make an appearance amongst the other guests, shuffling carefully down the steps. He felt like he was going crazy and it was one he didn't really expect to feel this... horrible while being as many days sober as he was. If it was a hallucination then this was the worst and most realistic hallucination he ever had, especially while being sober. It was clear, how much the whole thing had really affected him and it was obvious by the reddened eyes and generally exhausted body.

"I need some soup," he murmured as he took a seat amongst a group of others, his face pale as he ran a hand through his hair. "Am... I seeing things? Mary said I was sleepwalking but I-I don't remember ever doing that before?" He asked amongst the other. It was proof of how desperate he was since he hardly ever initiated any conversations with others and instead preferred to simply watch. Running hands through his hair, he was watching the others desperately for some sort of advice.
 
"Are you honestly suggesting that there's even the slightest possibility that this wasn't a hallucination? You really believe that Mary and Graham would be capable of doing something that terrible to someone? I've been here for a year now and I've never seen anything out of the ordinary - and those guys are the sweetest, most genuine people. They don't even kill bugs that fly in here, and you think they'd hurt a human being? You're insane if you think that--"

"He's had a traumatic experience and needs clarification, not chastisement. Don't be so inconsiderate, Jack," tutted one of the women around the table, far more sympathetic than the man seemed to be, even if the insinuation didn't exactly please her either. The difference was that she understood how confused the other was and shouting at him would hardly help matters.

"It was a hallucination. I looked out of my room and Graham was carrying you to bed; there was no sign of anyone else, I promise you that. These things happen sometimes, as scary as they are. You just need rest and time to recuperate."
 
He already felt regretful bringing up what had happened because he already knew what he was saying was controversial. To be yelled at for wanting some sort of confirmation, Josef only pulled his knees close shamefully. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, he said nothing for a good moment before tears began to brim.

He had been as honest as he could with his new friends and as emotional as he truly felt. This only made him backtrack on his progress though, and instead had him simply nodding. “Thanks, guys.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron