[cw: severe bullying, emetophobia, suicidal implication at the end, read at your own risk </3]
Somehow… They all got out alive. It was about time. But still… Another strange place… This time an island… And another Denizen. This one looked at least human, save for the strange mask.
And as if he’d follow them on a heartbeat. Who are they to assume that the rest of them are just sheeps that will get along with being told around?
… But did it look like anything would help him in the immediate? Vinzent wasn’t sure. Some hesitation was there… Before he resigned and decide to follow the strange fellow. Might as well find out what this is all about, maybe it’s another stupid as heck puzzle to solve.
…
Vinzent doesn’t know that a nasty surprise is awaiting him. In fact, when he dug around to find his own named tape, a frown was on his face. What could it be this time…? He doesn’t remember that many things he has let go (or chose to forget) for years now, but…
Eh. He’ll see. Time to find out.
As he was guided to one of these Treeves, as Comedy called it (what a bizzare name anyway), Vinzent put his tape in, and in he goes. … Not knowing that two people joined him in.
On there, is a school bathroom, most stalls empty save for one… A few tall boys, clearly in their teenage years, stood around, cackling while holding their phones up. Stall walls are dirtied with writing in German, but it matters little. One of the boys, clearly leading this whole thing, peered in the stall. Then, retching was heard, accompanied by the boys’ laughter. Then…
“Lemme in, guys. I’ll show him what’s it like to not listen to me.”
Then, closer the stall you got, the clearer you could see who was vomiting. He looked younger, sicker, bruises, old and new, blooming on his arms, but you presumed it wasn’t the only area. He was without glasses nor piercings, and with short hair, clearly holding his stomach. But his eyes, his face? His hair color? It was unmistakable as soon as the taller boy gripped and pulled his hair, with a smirk clear on his face.
“Do you understand when I ask you to give me your lunch, you hand it over? You can’t scarf it down and pretend I will leave you alone, don’t you get it? I need my fuel, you f-cking don’t, you dumb sh-t.”
Then, you heard Vinzent talking, his voice was a little lighter, but especially more deseperate, as his hair got more pulled each time.
“S-stop it, Paul! O-ow! I’m not doing that ev-! Ow, i-it hurts!”
Some of the boys behind couldn’t contain their laughter, as some got their phones closer to Vinzent’s face, who flailed at them in an attempt to shoo them away. Then, his wrist was grabbed, rather firmly, by Paul. And Vinzent’s arm was twisted behind, not without a scream of pain, and more laughter erupted. Paul’s smirk got wider as he heard the scream then the sobbing. He didn’t hesitate before slamming the poor boy on the stall, causing him to nosebleed, and only then did he release his grip on Vinzent.
Paul then got up, dusting off his clothes before giving one last glance at the shorter boy and, as if to add more salt on the wound literally, spat on his face. The laughter at this point became more of a background noise, but still noticeable.
“You’re just a poor loser who will never match up to me. If you just listened to what I said, you wouldn’t be here like this. Anyway, see you tomorrow~! Don’t forget to bring me my meal tomorrow properly.”
Then some cheers behind, as it fades away eventually with the group walking away. But Vinzent was still on the toilet, tired and bleeding. Again.
He has to clean up. He has to lie to say it’s okay. Again.
He has to make up a reason for why he arrived home late. Again.
He’s… So hungry. But he doesn’t want to eat. Why should he? It’s going to be stolen anyway. And yet… What happened today, it was exactly that. Either he brought his lunch and Paul will eat it all, and brutalize him. Or he doesn’t. And he still get brutalized. It doesn’t matter to Vinzent that his family will get worried… It won’t change. It won’t stop.
…
He’s so tired. He wants this to end.
… And it stops here.
Unbeknowest to Vinzent, two people were also watching.
… If both took a look at Vinzent to see how is he doing, well…
He’s frozen in place. This was clearly another repressed memory. One he didn’t want to remember, especially since… He did something else that specific night.
