The Unfinished Symphony: A Retelling of the Dream SMP War

Chapter 5

Merry Christmas! In honor of the season, we're releasing two chapters. Happy holidays and enjoy! :)

CHAPTER 5

Wilbur walked down the hallway, slow and swaying. He repeatedly pushed himself off of walls, knocking paintings off, hearing the splintering of frames but not caring. His vision was fuzzy, he was on the verge of blacking out. The chills and loss of sight weren't stopping him from getting to his room, though. He finally stumbled in the door, shutting it and haphazardly flopping onto his bed. He could still smell the fumes from his last alchemic experiment, and it was clouding his mind. He could almost see a red haze, like smoke, surrounding him. Suddenly, Wilbur found it hard to breathe. He began to cough, struggling to breathe against the smoke filling his room. It seared his lungs, choking him, making him unable to call for help. He gasped on the floor, unsure when he had gotten there. His eyes were wide but only saw the smoke, twisting into faces smiling grotesquely.

"Do it."

"What?" Wilbur looked around for where the voice came from, but the smoke shifted constantly, faces temporary.

"You know you want to."

"Do what?"

"Don't lie to yourself."

"I- I don't know what you're talking about-"

"War is impending. War is necessary."

"Wh- why is it- why is it necessary? I don't want-"

"Don't lie to yourself."

"Stop saying that, I'm not!"

"Wilbur."

"What do you want?!?"

"Wilbur."

"Leave me alone!"

"Wilbur!"

Wilbur awoke from whatever nightmare he was having on the floor, curled up in a ball, covered in a cold sweat. A tear or two rolled down his cheeks. Niki was on the ground next to him, desperately trying to wake him up. "Wilbur!"

Wilbur coughed and rolled over to his side. "N-" He coughed again. "Niki?"

"Wilbur, what happened to you? Are you okay? You were struggling to breathe but everything was fine, and then you started talking to nothing like you were having hallucinations and-"

"You- you didn't see it?" Wilbur was shaking, confused, afraid. "The smoke?"

"The- the what?"

"The smoke, it- it was everywhere, it was... filling the room, Niki, it was choking me!"

"...Wilbur, there was no smoke..."
"But- but it was everywhere, I saw it!"
"Wilbur, I really think you should go to bed."
"Niki, please, it was really there, I saw it-"
"Wilbur." She took his hand. "I know you're scared and you're sick right now. I'll investigate the smoke, but I need you to sleep for me. Okay?"

"I- Niki, you believe me don't you? You don't think I'm crazy?"
"No, Wilbur. I do think you need rest though. We can figure it out when you're better. I promise."

"...Okay. Goodnight, Niki."

"Goodnight, Wilbur." Niki quietly left the room and carefully shut the door, only to run into a very concerned Fundy.

"Niki..?" He asked, trembling.

"Oh, Fundy... I-" She glanced back at Wilbur's room. "Let's talk in the main hall, okay?"

"...Okay."

She led Wilbur's son away from his father's room, where he had dropped into a dark world unimaginable.