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It was impossible for Ty to describe what came over them at that very moment. Maybe stamina they had been saving up. Maybe all the running made them faster. However, most likely of all, they were really, really worried about their friend.
"Nico! Nico, stop!"
He was too far away to see, but they could at least tell which direction he went in by looking at thin trail he left.
"Leave me alone!" A small male voice cried from afar. They needed to pick it up.
"Nico, please!"
"I said leave me alone!" Ty could hear the tears he was shedding in his voice.
Then, a sharp pain shot through Ty's ribs. They collapsed, holding back a groan. How long had they been running?
Far too long, obviously.
"Nico!" They yelled from their sitting position. Obviously, no response. They tried another approach.
In a less desperate tone, they shouted, "I'm sorry, Nico! I know you need to be alone! That's okay! But it's dangerous!"
No response. Again. Not even a "go away!"
After catching their breath and their cramp going away, they pushed up with all of their muscle, and got back on their feet. There was nothing. No rustles of leaves under a young boy's feet, no cries, not even the whispers of bugs.
No sound at all.
A thought crossed their mind. No. No, that couldn't be. He would have screamed, right? Unless...
No. It wasn't true. He was thinking of the worst possible outcomes.
Right?
The noise to break the strange silence was the crunching of leaves under Ty's feet. Now he was desperate. Really desperate.
"Nico! Please answer me, Nico!" They cried. As they ran, they shoved the leaves and branches out of their way, one of them scarcely missing their eye. But they hardly noticed.
Constant shouting came from the young kid. They looked all around them to make sure they didn't miss a single inch as they sprinted through the dirt and leaves. They tried to push the bad thoughts away, but it was almost impossible.
No, he can't be dead.
He came upon him almost instantly. He wasn't dead, thank the heavens. He was sitting by a tree, his knees pulled up to his chest. Even though he was trying to hide it, Ty could see the small movements and sounds from his face that was tucked away.
"Go... away..." the muffled sound of the young boy's voice said.
"No," Ty said bluntly. They said right next to him, legs crossed.
Nobody said anything at first, until Nico decided he couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Why are you here?" he asked, still muffled.
"Because it's dangerous out here," Ty answered. "And I care about you."
