Who: Josh Foley What: HoW Worst Fear When: November 14, 1963 Where: By the river, New York City Rating/Warnings: Not especially Status: Narrative, Complete
Josh took a long drink as he stared out over the river. The police hadn't come by to kick him out yet. That was good, he thought. Good. He took another drink.
He was alone, these days. His parents had rejected him long ago, of course, but getting kicked out of the Institute had been somehow even worse. The disappointed looks as his friends turned away from him. The angry way Bobby had jerked his arm away when Josh tried to touch him. The expressionless face of the professor as he handed Josh the eviction notice, no words necessary.
He hadn't understood what was happening, but no one would talk to him. He'd camped at the gates to the Institute for days, begging any time someone came through to let him too, but they wouldn't even look at him. He'd given up, eventually. And knowing he couldn't go home, he had wandered the streets instead, with an ache in his chest that never seemed to lessen.
He had tried to make a new family, among the homeless. He wasn't the only one on the streets, after all. But they hated him too, somehow, and either drove him away or left themselves whenever he drew close. Even the dogs avoided him. He'd once tried to tempt a few strays near him with half a pastrami sandwich he'd found in a dumpster, but they had only growled at him before slinking off into the darkness.