The Apocalypse [Dreamnotfound AU]

A Cure

Sapnap can feel Karl's worried gaze burning into him, even from across the cafeteria. He closes his eyes, willing his heartbeat to calm, and tightens his hands into fists. A bolt of pain shoots through his arm, but he ignores it. The pain is nothing compared to the way he heart squeezes when he thinks of the tears in Karl's eyes.

He'd heard Karl's sobs when he'd found the classroom him and Quackity were hiding in. Each sound had broken his heart, especially when he knew he was the reason Karl was crying.

"Hey," Techno says from above him, and Sapnap snaps his gaze to him, his heartrate increasing.

"You find anything?" Sapnap asks, his voice quieter than he's hoping for. Even though he knows it's stupid, hope shoots through him as he meets Techno's eyes.

Techno seems to hesitate before he kneels at Sapnap's side. Fear brushes through Sapnap at the silence. But then, he catches sight of the thoughtful look in Techno's gaze. The one that says he might have a plan.

"What is it?" Sapnap almost growls, struggling to sit up. Techno helps him lean against a wall, that calculating look still in his eyes.

"I need to tell you something," Techno starts, and Sapnap feels like his heart might combust. "Ever since I realized you got bit, I've been looking for a cure. And there is a cure. I just haven't found it yet."

"There's a cure?" Sapnap breathes, his brain too full to make sense of everything.

Techno nods. "Before I met Montero and Quackity, I was with some other guys. One of them got bit and we all thought he was done for. But one of the other guys who was some kind of chemistry genius figured out a cure. A few days later, our group got attacked and we had to leave some stuff behind. Including the cure."

Sapnap realizes what he's trying to say before he says it. "So the cure might still be there?"

Techno nods again. "The place we were hiding out in was a community center. It's not far from here, but that's not the problem. I went there when I found out about your bite, but it's been overrun by zombies. Way more than we have here."

The hope that was building in Sapnap disappears, his heart sinking. "We can't fight that many zombies. We can't even leave the school in the first place. Especially with Dream and George missing. It's impossible."

"Right," Techno says slowly and Sapnap raises his brows at his tone. "About that. Dream and George aren't missing. They're just in a classroom on the other side of this floor. And blocked in by zombies."

"You knew where they were?" Sapnap sputters, caught between anger and relief. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I needed to get you here and I couldn't have if you knew where they were. Don't worry," he adds when Sapnap's eyes turn stormy. "They're fine, trust me. I'll send Bad and Skeppy after them, but you need to rest. We still have to figure out how we're gonna get you to that community center. Montero's already working on a plan."

Sapnap swallows and he's never felt more torn. Even with his stupid injury, he wants to run out of the caf and go find Dream and George. But a part of him knows that Dream will never let anything happen to either of them. That'll have to be enough until Bad and Skeppy get to them.

"You're sure they're safe?" he says quietly, somehow a million times more worried about this than about getting his own cure.

"No doubt about it," Techno says, sheafing his knife, and Sapnap feels inclined to believe him.

Dream's POV

"This sucks," George whines, flopping down on the floor.

Dream snorts, moving to sit next to him. "Come on. Being stuck alone in a room with me can't be that bad."