Receeding Tides (mcyt)

Chapter 24

Tommy's body instinctively jolted at the sound of shrill shrieking swears. Adrenaline shot through his body, and his feet dug themselves into the sand scattering it in all directions. His eyes darted around the beach between blinks in a hasty search of who or where the scream had come from.

Across the burned-out fire, Wilbur grumpily stretched, and Philza rolled away from the noise. With her heavy half-lidded eyes, Nikki looked ready to shoot whoever uttered something so unholy. All equally agitated. Glancing up, it couldn't even have been mid-morning. At the horizon, the sky was still orange. Way too early to be awake. Even if it was the end of the world. Sand was nothing compared to a mattress. Tommy glanced beside him to see a sniffling George leaned over Dream's head. He tilted his head confused.

"Gogy?"

The moment he opened his mouth, Tommy caught a glimpse of reality, and he knew he should have kept quiet. He sucked in a breath shaking his head. George nodded confirming Tommy's thoughts, but the boy couldn't accept it.

Dream laid in the sand with an arm resting on his stomach and the other limp by his side. His head lolled against George's arm. Tommy wouldn't call himself delusional, but he assumed Dream was in the middle of a dream. A really good one probably. As far as his name went, Dream had nightmares far more often than not. The man deserved a peaceful sleep. Tommy couldn't make his own mind believe that lie. Dream's limp arm laid facing the now-azure sky, and a piece of crumpled paper rested between his fingers.

"He's still warm."

Tommy looked to George as if there was hope, but George's tone told him otherwise. Wilbur and Nikki traded a knowing glance then looked away while Philza watched silently. No one wanted to admit it, but they all knew this was going to happen. The only question was: when? When would he finally let go? When it happened, would they be ready? Tommy and George. Would they be emotionally prepared? Philza, being the ever so responsible one, placed a blanket over Dream's face.

"C'mon George, we should find a place to bury him."

"No!" Tommy heard his voice before he realised his mouth was open. "I mean, um... the sand! Yea, the sand... it'll uncover him easily and uh... the dirt! It, It's too hard for digging."

Philza nodded, "You're right, Tommy but we can't leave him here."

Wilbur nodded adding his own input, "And Sapnap is supposed to be here soon. Think we could take him with us?"

"Maybe but Sapnap doesn't know what's happened," Niki countered, "He'd be crushed if we just showed up with Dream like..."

She made vague hand gestures trying to convey death.

"Like this."

"He would," George sighed, "I'd hate for Sapnap to arrive here and the first thing he see be Dream like this."

Tommy sighed looking out to the water, "How's he gonna get home?"

The ocean laid uncannily still. Few gulls flew above the waves, and the tide pushed its way up the shoreline. Even the sea breeze froze to mourn.

"He said his sister was waiting for him," he continued, "Tubbo and Ranboo and everyone else in the States too. They're all waiting for him to return."

George's voice came out nearly inaudible, "Someone who'll never come home..."

The group fell silent all processing and mourning. Quietly, Philza proposed an option.

"We could wait for Sapnap and let him decide what to do. He's known Dream longer than all of us."

Nikki and Wilbur agreed while Tommy sat silently staring blankly at his shoes. As much as he disagreed, he was out voted either way. Even George thought it was the best course of action, but Tommy couldn't imagine having to decide what to do with a body. Much less the remains of a lifelong friend.