Interaction [Dreamnotfound]

35 | Fired

Im baaaaaaack with a bad update schedule: every 2-4 days bc im stressed out, sorry :(

-Cas

There weren't any s-mobs on the road. Skeppy made sure none were coming before he darted out from the forest and up the stairs to Dream's house.

His heart was beating fast, but not because of the dash to the house. No, he was still... stunned from what had happened in the forest.

His palms were sweating, but he held the vial Mega had given him tight in his hand, concealing it from view. He paused to take a breath and then carefully pushed open Dream's front door.

Coast clear. Skeppy slipped inside and closed the door behind him, locking it silently and walking into the house. He could hear Bad and Dream talking upstairs, so he went to join them.

The door was ajar when he reached the top of the stairs, so he pushed it open, the vial still concealed in his hand.

Dream was standing, Bad sitting and eagerly fiddling with the mouse as block characters hopped around on screen. Dream turned at the sound of the door being pushed open and grinned at Skeppy.

"What's up?"
Skeppy smiled back. "Nothing, nothing. Just took a walk around the house," he lied seamlessly. Dream's face changed slightly, but he kept the smile strong.

"Where to?"
"Nowhere, just out to the fields and back," Skeppy responded. Dream nodded slowly, and Skeppy felt his face heat up. He ignored it and turned to Bad, tapping him on the shoulder.

Bad turned, and Skeppy paused, watching his face. He seemed happy, genuinely happy, not happy like he had been when he had been working for the government.

Skeppy liked seeing him like that.

"Hey!" Bad exclaimed, and Skeppy felt his face light up in return. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Bad's grin didn't leave his face. "Dream's teaching me to speedrun!"
"Neat," Skeppy replied, the smile slowly coming back to his face.

At that precise moment, a phone went off.

It was the same old beeping, and the three boys reached for their pockets simultaneously, Bad and Skeppy bringing out their phones while Dream frowned as he searched his own pockets.

Skeppy stared at his blank screen, and then laughed. "Same ringer, of course! It's your phone, isn't it Dream?"

"Probably," Dream replied. "Left it downstairs. I'll be right back-"
Skeppy nodded, and Dream took off down the stairs two at a time. Instantly, Skeppy turned to Bad.

"Remember the forest upturns?"
Bad must have sensed the change in his voice, because his face grew solemn. "Yeah, what about them?"
"I met them this morning," Skeppy replied in an urgent whisper. "Out in the back of the forest. But I don't want anyone to know, okay? They gave me this -" He held up the vial - "And told me to get out of Florida because they're going to lock it down. We need to leave, Bad, and take Dream and George with us-"
Bad cut him off. "Wait, you met who?"
"Punz, Mega, some others I don't remember - they're part of a different group. The others got taken by the government, Punz told me, but it doesn't matter right now. We need to leave, Bad!"
Bad stared at Skeppy, and the fear in his eyes made Skeppy's heart speed up with his own worry. "I don't want to run again..."

Skeppy nodded. "I know, but it's true. London is already in lockdown. What's going to stop them from taking Florida?"
Bad looked away. "Are you going to tell Dream?"

Skeppy hesitated. "I... I guess so, I didn't really think about it..."

Bad shrugged. "Yeah, okay. When do we leave?"
He seemed to fine all of a sudden, it took Skeppy aback. "Tomorrow, I guess? I'm not sure-"
Bad nodded. "Ok. I'll pack tonight."
He turned back to the computer. Skeppy grabbed his arm. "Bad, why-"
"Skeppy? Bad?"

Dream's shout echoed from below. "Coming!" Skeppy yelled back, and then gently took Bad's hand. "It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be fine."
Bad nodded, but his face didn't change. Standing up, he pushed roughly past Skeppy and hurried down the stairs.

Skeppy followed, pushing away the nagging guilt that seemed to be taking over his head and hurrying down the stairs.

Dream had the phone in his hands, and he set it down on the table. "Fundy is on his way back."
"Floris? What? Why?" Skeppy stepped forwards, confusion on his face.

Dream shook his head. "They were already suspicious of him from when he randomly left. Apparently he got there and they just... fired him."
Skeppy stared. "Just like that?"
Dream nodded. "I know, I don't get it either. But he's... done, he's coming to live with us, and- oh, and he has news. They were going to lock down Florida, but now they're not going to."
The doubt was slowly creeping in. Skeppy shook his head. "That makes no sense. What, they just gave up on finding us?"
Dream shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so..."

Bad stepped in. "So we're not leaving?"
"Leaving?" Dream asked, but Skeppy interrupted. "Like because of the lockdown. I guess we don't have to go anywhere, do we?"
Dream shook his head. "Here is fine. Fundy says he'll explain more when he gets back, but until then, we're just going to have to wait."

Skeppy couldn't get it in his head. They had actually given up?
That's not what Punz had said would happen.

It didn't make sense.

In a s-mob halfway across Orlando, Floris was making his way back, genuine confusion scattered across his thoughts.

He was fired. Just like that.

For no apparent reason.

And Florida wasn't going to lock down. They had seemingly given up on finding George, Skeppy, Bad- everyone.

It wasn't something he had seen coming. The government didn't ever just... give up like that. No, it wasn't normal.

But he wasn't being tracked. He was gone, sent just to "live alone" for the rest of his days. Let go, just like that. Completely out of the blue.

It didn't feel right.

No, something wasn't right.

But he ignored it and kept driving.