Receeding Tides (mcyt)

Chapter 23

George woke against his will early in the morning shivering. His hands felt like ice cubes against his chest. Cold hands, warm heart, right? Seeking warmth, he curled deeper under Dream's arm and against his side. Finding no remnants of more heat, George pressed his forehead further into Dream's still-drying coat.

At the coat's stench, he jolted away from the fabric. As freezing cold as he was, no warmth was worth the stench of days-old sweat and saltwater trapped in the threads of patched cotton polyester. George still had his sense of smell at least to some degree, and he'd like to keep it.

With his eyes half shut, he lulled himself back to sleep lost in thought. If he weren't so sleepy and if it still existed, George would gladly bathe Dream in laundry detergent. Maybe one with a fruity scent? Strawberries seemed to radiate Dream energy.

He noticed a strip of his back colder than the rest of his body. Odd, since every inch of him was shivering. Brushing aside the ice under his skin, he rolled back over to Dream who laid unmoving. George sighed thankful that his friend was finally resting. After travelling so long in a state like his, George could only guess how exhausted Dream must have been at the end of each day. He laid beside him now wide awake watching the sun's rim peek over the seemingly peaceful sea.

He wasn't going to lie to himself. He secretly enjoyed the "watching the sunrise with your partner" even if his Dream was asleep. George huffed. Surely, Dream saw hundreds of sunrises already. Probably ones even better than this one. Oh well. European sunrises hit different. Especially during clear morning like this. Sitting upright, George gazed down at Dream's mask-less face.

They didn't get to meet in person before the Waves, and after the Waves, travelling anywhere for any reason was out of the question. Transports had no one to drive them, and animals were used more to raise crops and rebuild society. Words couldn't describe George's elation to finally have met Dream in person. He smiled, gently brushing his thumb over Dream's cheek.

Seconds later, George's smiled disappeared almost as if it never existed in the first place. Dream's skin was feverishly cold to the touch, and his peaceful expression laid uncannily frozen. George held his finger under Dream's nose hoping he would feel a warm exhale, and he pried open Dream's mouth open listening intently for any breaths.

Nothing. Both times.

George grappled for Dream's arm and forced his sleeve up and over his elbow revealing a collection of previously hidden burns and scars. Each in different stages of the healing process. Ignoring the horrifying injuries, George pressed two fingers to his Dream's icy wrists and then to the side of his neck. Both times seeking a pulse. Praying to find a pulse.

Nothing.

In a final desperate attempt to find any signs of life, George pressed his ear to Dream's chest. Both ears to double check. The slow and subtle heartbeat that had lulled him to sleep only hours ago had disappeared. Now George knew with certainty that Dream moved on. Tears burned behind his already dry eyes, and his open mouth refused to utter a single word. He felt the air in his lungs leave him, and the only thing George could think to do was sob.

Word count: 569