Interaction [Dreamnotfound]

37 | Something to Fight For

Skeppy glanced around quickly, just to make sure nobody was there, then walked around the house to the edge of the forest. He would have to be careful, he knew that. But now that the government wasn't actively pursuing them...

He felt better. Relieved. The weight was gone from his shoulders.

He couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he walked through the forest. It was warmer out now, being mid-day, and the sunlight was beautiful, as always.

But something felt different.

The birds weren't chirping.

It was a small difference, but one that made Skeppy feel... uneasy. In all his times visiting the forests, whether at his house or Dream's, the birds had never, ever been silent. Not like this.

But he shook it off, and walked the same way he had gone the last time, thinking of what he would say to Punz. They wouldn't know about Eret, would they? Probably not... and Florida wasn't in lockdown, so they could stay safely?

There was just so much he had to say, and it was evident in his eager step as he ventured deeper into the forest. As he reached the glade where he had been stopped before, he paused, the strange silence making him shiver.

There was nobody there.

Skeppy wandered a bit further, looking around, but to no avail. There was absolutely no sign of any of the Upturns.

It was as if they had just... vanished.

Skeppy hesitated, then cupped his hands to his mouth. "Punz? Mega?" He turned, facing the opposite area of the forest. "Spifey?"
There was no answer.

Skeppy wanted to stay, but his instincts told him otherwise. No sound in the forest, and now the Upturns were nowhere to be seen? No, this wasn't normal.

This was dangerous.

Skeppy took a step back, carefully, then turned and began to walk back the way he had came, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't recall ever being this scared while in a forest. Usually, forests were... his home.

But not here. Not now.

Skeppy picked up the pace, glancing around him uneasily as he hurried back. The forest looked just as beautiful as always, but the silence was unnerving.

Before long, he had reached the back corner of Dream's house. Skeppy looked back once, just once...

He thought he saw a shadow, but it was gone before he could register it. Shaking his head, Skeppy stepped up onto the pathway and opened the front door.

He was met with chaos.

There were yells, shouts, coming from... everywhere. He could make out Floris's voice from above.

"Skeppy? Are you there?"
There was a frantic tone to Floris's voice, and Skeppy didn't waste a second, running to the steps. "I'm down here!"
Bad came out from the kitchen, noticing Skeppy by the foot of the stairs. "What's going on? I heard Floris yelling-"
"Skeppy, please come up, I don't know what's going on but I can hear Dream and I don't know what to do-"
Skeppy grabbed Bad by the arm, running up the stairs with Bad next to him. He reached the top and crossed the hall to Floris's room, coming face to face with Floris.

"What's wrong?"

Floris shook his head. "I can hear Dream, in George's room, and I don't know what's going on but I don't think they're okay and I don't know if I should go in or not-"
Skeppy turned away instantly, his heart speeding up, all thoughts of the forest gone. He could hear George yelling as well, but couldn't make out what he was saying.