Amuri // Dreamnotfound

1 - Coast

Dream should look away; every parcel of a nerve is crying out for him to shut the blinds. The thin veil separates him from an unfaltering fear that he cannot quite place. His arms tense and blood pumps loudly through his chest, enough so for him to hear it. Ba dump. Ba dump. He can't make his heart still.

It is blue in the night. Clouds pass in a waning display, encompassing the aircraft that Dream resides in. To the left of him, a small opening frames a chunk of sky, hazy and littered with stars. He's never been too fond of airplanes; they kindle a sense of dread, stemming from a crushing fear of heights. He's been terrified of high elevations for as long as he's known life. But tonight, enveloped in warm blue, Dream purposefully focuses his sight on the depths below him. Shadowy, sparkling, and deep; below looks to be the ocean.

As the plane veers closer to land, light etches its way into existence. Buildings and street lamps embellish a small coastal town. Dream hesitates to turn away, despite the distress brought on by the high elevation. The dark makes landing less intimidating; less terrifying. The plane jolts to the ground and shakes aggressively against the runway. The metal enclosure rolls to a stop, and a deep voice booms across the speakers.

"We have just landed in our location, Amuri, at a quarter past eleven. It is currently a warm seventy-five degrees, but expect that to rise by about fifteen come day. Amuri is six hours ahead, so Florida time is still about five AM." The pilot drones on and Dream grabs his carry-on bag, a worn drawstring, and slings it around his shoulder. He slugs his way out of the plane, down temporary stairs, and through airport doors. The adrenaline of landing has finally passed, thank god, but an irrepressible sensation of exhaustion has replaced it.

Fortunately, he won't be residing far from the airport. A condo awaits his arrival, already occupied by Sapnap and Wilbur, both of whom had arrived four days earlier. George will be landing the following day. Dream fishes his phone out of the drawstring and quickly moves his thumb across the screen. He finds Sapnap's name in his contacts and dials his number; Sapnap answers after the second ring.

"Dream! Did you land?" Dream quickly turns the volume down, not expecting Sapnap to be so loud.

"Yeah, like ten minutes ago," he says, pausing to yawn. "I'm at baggage claim."

"Okay, great! Me and Wilbur will be at the airport in five."

"That's good," Dream drawls and picks up his suitcase. "It's unjust that I've been denied sleep for this long." He spots his suitcase and takes it with him. The wheels hum as they roll across the tiled floor.

"Did you not sleep well on the plane?" The slam of a car door punctuates Sapnap's question.

"I was too worried about crashing the whole time." This evokes a giggle from the other side; Dream can't tell if it came from Sapnap or Wilbur.

"You sound like my mom," Sapnap prods. Dream opens his mouth for a comeback, but is instead engulfed in another monstrous yawn. "You know where to go, right?"

"I think so. This airport isn't very big." Dream navigates his way through colorful hallways; bright orange walls clash with his dull exhaustion. A short ways ahead, an "exit" sign adorns two sliding glass doors. Dream steps through the whirring doors, bracing himself for the sweet humidity. Amuri is different from Florida; the breeze carries a more tropical scent, embroidered by salty ocean mist.

"I'm outside near the entrance," Dream announces into the tangy air.

"Cool, we'll be there soon," comes Sapnap's voice. Dream ceases to respond once more, but instead opts to take in his new surroundings. Nearby is a 50's style restaurant with a jukebox in front of it, shielded by a colorful overdrop. George would like that; he likes old things. Maybe they could go tomorrow when he arrives. Though Dream doubted that George would be up for much of anything tomorrow, given the scathing time difference.