Sands Of Time || Dream W.T.

Chapter 3

"H-how?"

George looked around, his eyes trailing every detail of the forest where he definitely did not fall asleep in. He mentally cursed, Crawling out of his bed in the middle of nowhere.

"Hello?" He asked hesitantly, searching for any form of consciousness around the dreamy forest. This was odd, this dream felt real, sun light, swaying plants, breeze, nothing like he's ever lucid dreamt before.

Shuffling was heard and George turned around just in time for his eyes to meet with grey once. A kid, not older than 13 looked back at him, expression unreadable.

"H-how?" The voice was familiar and George could've sworn he's heard it before. "You're George... How are you here? Are you dead?"

The kid knows his name?

"How do you know me?" George tried to seem strict but it came out horrified.

"You're Y/n's brother, I recognize you from the memories." Huh?

"Memories?– Who are you?" He looked around, scanning the area once again, he didn't know what he expected but when he looked back at the kid, he was now smiling at him. "How do you know Y/n?"

"I'm sure you'd like to see her, come." The boy signalled for George to follow, which he obliged, walking after the younger boy in complete confusion.

"How are you here?" The boy asked, breaking the silence as they walked through the forest. "I'm not really here, This is a dream." George shook his head, reminding himself that this was only his own imagination.

Xarl frowned but said nothing, How else would one react if you told them that?

"She's inside." The boy announces, looking at the cabin infront of them and George, like clockwork, made his way inside, darting at every square inch, eager to see his sister. His eyes traveled to a figure, laying down on a leather couch, eyes trailed ay the wooden ceiling.

"She's dozed off, I advice not interrupting her for now." George turned around at the younger boy's voice behind him. "What happens?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, I never tried. That's her way of sleeping, since she can't really sleep. It makes time stop and I need it to keep running or else I'll die." The boy shook his head, making his way to the kitchen, looking through some cabinets while George only looked at his sisters form.

"You want some cookies?" Xarl offered, pointing at the jar of cookies sitting on top of a shelf, intentionally left out of his reach.

"You... never told me your name." George answered much to Xarl's dismay. "Call me Xarl." The name ringed into George's head. "Jacobs?" He asked in confirmation to which the boy nodded to.

Something clicked in his head as he realized the familiarity, the kid was Karl Jacobs, it explained the similar voice and energetic yet cryptic personality however something didn't made sense in this place.
How was karl here?
And how come he looked different?

"I'm not your friend, Karl. I'm only a version of him." Xarl dismissed, side-eyeing the older boy as he continued to look up at the cookie jar in hopes it would just listen to his prayers and fall, just so he could swoop in a couple of bites.

"She makes good cookies, you know." The younger boy started, smiling as he didn't fail to catch George's attention. He pointed invitingly at the cookie jar, raising his eyebrows menacingly.

George never realized how much he missed Y/n's cooking until now, his ears perked up at the mention, the offer sounding much more tempting than it did a few minutes ago.

With a look of hope in his eyes, he walked over to the kitchen and reached for the jar, and let Xarl honorably pop the lid open. George reached for one, taking a bite and letting the nostalgia hit him hard.

He craved to taste the food she made for him, for them. Not just him, but for the others as well, he wished he could just live the times they were happy and together again, all of them.

He had Sapnap so it wasn't all bad, but he sometimes felt his friend was hiding something from him and it wasn't a really good feeling coming from someone who had no one. George knew what he felt wasn't healthy and that his shattered heart wasn't an excuse for any start of conflict... But then again, his heart was too broken to care.

A broken cry deep inside of his fragile figure was what reminded him that this wasn't real. He isn't in Y/n's limbo. He isn't tasting Y/n's sugar cookies. He isn't talking to a version of Karl. This isn't real.

"Y/n?" George snapped out of his thoughts as Xarl's words registered. He turned around to see his sister, sitting up rather annoyed. "Why do I smell the sugar cookies?" Her voice was thin and laced with sleep, almost so real.

"I- uhhh... You have a guest." Y/n rolled her eyes at that, still half asleep. What a shitty excuse if someone would even consider it one. Having guests is basically impossible, well to their situation at least.

"Oh and that explains somethin-" Her muttering was cut off by a figure, charging at her at the speed of light. Before she knew it, she was smothered into a bone crushing hug.

She was too stunned to move, surprised and... Well shocked. Soon enough, she looked down to the mess of brunette whimpering in her arms. She recognized those sobs, the scent, the homely embrace and for the first time in 8 years, she wanted time to stop.

"I- George-? Wh-?! How-?" Y/n couldn't form any coherent sentences as her mind clouds with confusion.

How is George here?

Is this a dream?

Is he also here?

How?