He stayed in the shower as long as he could stand. The chilly water invigorated him and made him feel halfway human. After he finished, he got dressed, stepped to his bed, moved the covers, and picked up the phone he'd forgotten at home the night before. It wasn't a big deal since he didn't have anyone to call.

He was about to type in his work number when his finger stopped midway to the screen. A message blared in his face. He'd missed five calls. "What the fuck?" He didn't even know five people who he could have missed.

When he saw they were all from work, his heart stopped. Why would they've called him five times? Unless something's wrong. Very wrong. But that couldn't be. He'd called the restaurant the night before. He'd needed to get out and had hoped he could make a little money while working off some of the nervous energy flowing through him.

Tyler listened to the first, second, and third messages. Confused, he played the fourth and fifth. They didn't make sense. His boss had called him five different times, twice on one day and three times on another, trying to get him to come into work. It would've been a great gag if his boss had a funny bone, or if he ever laughed. Something was messed up.

Tyler turned on his little transistor radio to find out what day it was. The phone had to be wrong and his boss hallucinating. Tyler was sure the news station would know. The answer came at the same time Tyler's legs gave out, and he fell on his ass. 

"How the fuck did I lose two days?" Holding his knees bent with his head folded down on them, Tyler rocked his body back and forth. "What the hell? If they'd found me, I wouldn't be here." What could have happened? Regardless of how many times he asked the question, he didn't have the answer. When he finally got it, he knew what he had to do. Where he had to go.

But first, he needed to call work and check if he still had a job. He paced the room as he dialed the phone. His breathing ragged, he took deep breaths trying to calm himself as he waited for his boss to answer. Both calls transferred to voice mail. He left a message, praying he'd hear back and the news was positive.

How could he have fucked up so badly? It was time for him to find out.

He picked up the cab closer than he should have, but right then, speed preempted stealth. He paid little attention to his surroundings, his focus on getting to where he needed to be.

At his destination, he hopped out, stomped up the path, and rang the bell. He bounced on his toes as he waited.

The door opened, a man smiled, and Tyler punched him in the face.

Tyler got two hits in before he realized the other man wasn't fighting back. Instead, the guy stood there for a moment taking what Tyler gave. Then without warning, the guy grabbed onto Tyler, holding him in a tight bear hug.

"Let me go, you motherfucker," Tyler shouted. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Calm down. Not going to let you go until you stop trying to hit me. And my name is Jarod in case you forgot." Tyler kicked out, and tried to free his arms from the hold as the other man spoke.

"I don't give a shit who you are. Let me go." Tyler's words were stuttered, his breathing too heavy.

Jarod tightened his grip. "Calm down. Stop swinging, and we can talk."

Tyler stopped moving, but his body remained tense.

Jarod still held him tight. "Relax."

"Fuck you, relax? I don't think so."

"Okay. Then just stop swinging at me, and we can go in the house and talk." Jarod's voice was too relaxed for the interaction.

It caused Tyler to become more incensed. "Fuck that. I'm not coming in your house. Why? So you can get me drunk again?" Tyler continued to try to break out of the man's hold. One hand pulled loose, and he used it to hit the guy in the face again.

"Let's call the police," Jarod yelled.

Barely hearing the words over the pounding in his ears, Tyler froze. If Jarod hadn't been holding Tyler, he would have fallen down.