Survivors

13. XD, my only friend

Dream POV:

I hadn't slept in over forty eight hours at this point, I was exhausted and in desperate need of sleep. But I just couldn't. Tommy became more protective over his friends, especially Michael since the attack, often times not even letting us come near him.

But who I was really worried about was Karl. He hadn't woken up yet, and it's been two days since he fell asleep originally. Quackity's been on the verge of tears since then, becoming like Tommy, very protective.

George hasn't spoken at all, not even to make snarky comments. He never looked over at Karl either, he mostly just stayed away like he wanted nothing to do with him. And that was weird.

George had told me several times that he had been fascinated by what had been going on with Karl and Q since we met them, and now that this is happening, I have no clue what's going on or what I have to do.

I stopped the car in the middle of the road. I had to breathe, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Dream. It's okay, just take my place and sleep, you've been driving for like forty eight hours and haven't stopped since, you need your rest." Sapnap said from the back.

I turned to look at him, but all I could notice was Karl on the floor, tear stains trailing down his face and collar bones, looking like he was in even more distress. I couldn't handle it.

"Dream." Sapnap said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Just sleep. You need it."

I nodded my head and swapped places with him. I looked to the side, not wanting to see my new friends in pain, I couldn't handle that right now.

I lay on the bench and close my eyes, pulling my hoodie strings so my hood could cover my face and lessen the amount of light that came through the hole. And I tried to go to sleep.

George POV:

What's happening to Karl has happened to me before. It was years ago. I might been about twelve. I fell asleep and had one of my dreams, the ones with XD, and like usual they were great. Everything I had ever wanted.

So much time had gone past in the real word, apparently to the point to where my parents brought me to the hospital because they thought that I was in a coma because of how long I had been asleep.

I just remember hearing my mothers worried voice and wanting to wake up, to tell her that I was alive and okay. But he wouldn't let me. He threatened to never see me again if I woke up then. I debated.

I wanted to see my parents, I wanted to know that things are real, I wanted to see the real sun. But here, in dreamland, it was perfect. No pollution, beautiful everywhere I go, and he was there. XD, my only friend.

I looked at XD and asked him if I would wait a few more hours in real time if he would let me wake up, he immediately calmed down and replied with yes. I was so confused.

Ever since then I had slept more and more throughout the day, falling asleep at any given moment. And when I think about it, I was thirteen when I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy.

And I still wonder, was he the one who gave me this. Did he cause most of my problems? Or was he the open arms to cry in when I had them? Or was he both?

Thinking back to how Karl had described his version of XD, he was a demonic figure in a biblically accurate angels body. And placing that piece of evidence right next to XD telling me one of his foes was a form of fear, something to invoke in people to get them to do things for him, to get them to give him things that were personable and something that was theirs and only theirs. Like a memory for example.

Horror struck upon me when I realized that Karl might be experiencing what XD only told me about. I had to find him. I hadn't seen him in years, but now I long to see him like I had long ago, but for separate reasons now.

I lay back in my seat as far as I can, which is only about and inch if I wanted to be comfortable. And I fell asleep to save Karl.

I opened my eyes and I stood in a field. The very same flower field that I was in teased ago, and the one Karl and Quackity had also visited. But I couldn't focus on the nostalgia of greenery, I had to find Karl.

I ran throughout the field, it was just the same thing for miles.

Until I saw a giant figure. It looked exactly as it was described, a giant green biblical angel.

"XD!" I yelled. It turned its head, or at least that's what I thought it was, and looked at me.

"I haven't seen you in so long George. How have you been?" He asked, reverting back to his old self.

"Where's Karl?" I asked him. Karl needed to wake up.

"Oh him? He's going to be asleep until he gives me what I want." XD responded.

"I understand that, but Karl has done nothing to wrong you. Let me take his place, let me see you and talk with you more, let Karl go back to his life, let Karl go back to surviving." I beg.

XD remained silent before replying with "fine."
"I want to speak to Karl before he goes."
"Fine." XD repeats.

He turns and walks back to where he was originally. And I followed him.

Looking down at Karl broke my heart. So many tear were shed, I tried to cry out once more, thrashing away from XD when he moved closer to him.

"Please." Karl cried, his voice hoarse and scratchy, "let me go, or let me die. Please."

"Karl." I said. "I am taking your place. Tell Dream I will be asleep for a long while and I will explain everything to him when I wake back up. When that will be I have no clue. Just know that you are going to wake up and be safe. You are with your friends, nothing will hurt you or tear you apart from them out there, okay?"

Karl stared back at me, tears forming niece more in his eyes. He just nodded, muttering "thank you George."

XD snapped his finger and Karl had disappeared.

"Where do you want to visit now that your back?" He asked me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word count: 1130

Thoughts?