...Welcome To My Nightmare...

CHAPTER TWO

★NO POV★

A large number of police officers gather around a deserted house in the centre of town. The residence appears dilapidated and on the verge of collapse, with grass that is so over grown that someone could easily go missing inside of it. However, it’s not like the condition of the other houses in the area is much better.

The house is situated in a neighbourhood populated exclusively by criminals, making it a highly perilous area for passer-by’s. All the houses are in a state of disrepair, with some appearing even more shabby than the one currently being raided by the cops.

Approximately 30 people are present at the crumbling house, including police officers, GUN agents, and crime scene investigators.

 Most of the police officers are stationed outside, working to prevent the large crowd of neighbours and curious onlookers from breaching the police line surrounding the front yard.

Meanwhile, the rest of the individuals are inside the residence, conducting searches in the rooms and collecting evidence from the crime scene.

Outside the main door of the dwelling stands a very anxious Tails, his face as pale as a white sheet of paper. The fox hugs himself and keeps his ears pressed against his head as he gapes at the pallid overgrown grass.

Despite the noise and commotion of people conversing and taking snapshots, he can’t bring himself to look up at the crowd, his mind downright engulfed within his most recent memories.

He finds it hard to accept the reality of the situation. The events he had witnessed seemed unbelievable and surreal. He couldn't come to terms with the idea that the Destructix could be dead, no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise.

The child couldn't stop trembling. Even though the weather was warm, an unseen chill kept running through his body, causing him to feel frozen from within.

From the moment he laid eyes on the crime scene, a single question continued to nag at him, desperate for an answer.

Who was responsible? Who could have committed such an act? Yes, the Destructix were lawbreakers. They were antagonists who had created significant problems in society. But did they merit death? Did they deserve to perish in such a terrible manner?

Who would have the courage to commit such an act against other living creatures? Who would have the courage to –

"Excuse me... Sorry- Thanks." Tails lifts his head gradually, snapping out of his reverie. He quickly spots blue and red figures making their way through the crowded area. As they approach the front of the crowd, the azure and crimson individuals become more distinct with each passing moment.

Sonic and Knuckles finally make it to the front of the crowd, where the police officers quickly raise the police line and let them through without posing any questions.

"Tails... There you are, buddy. " the two males reach the front door, standing in front of the young fox. Tails does little to acknowledge their presence, and gives a simple nod of the head.

 "The Commander is waiting for you inside..." The yellow youngster replies almost in a whisper, everything still feeling completely surreal to him.

Sonic takes a deep breath before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Go home, buddy. We'll take care of everything from here. You've done enough.” Tails was inclined to decline the offer. He was eager to assist and uncover the person accountable for the deaths of those in the cabin right behind him.

However, he was unable to muster the strength to do so. The fear within him was overwhelming, preventing him from returning inside to confront the violent scene once more.  He knew he couldn’t do it. He knew he wasn't strong enough.

He releases a soft breath before fixing his gaze on Sonic's. Sonic responds with a small, comforting smile.

“Thanks guys... Could you give me a call if you discover anything new?”

“I will, I promise.” Tails nods his head before he turns around. His two tails start spinning rapidly before they propel him into the sky, leaving Knuckles and Sonic standing alone.

“You ready?” the echidna asks, sensing a bit of anxiousness coming from the hedgehog besides him.

Sonic nods his head before making his way to the entrance of the house and enters through the already open door.

“I'm ready.”

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

•°•°•Somewhere in an alternate dimension•°•°•

A figure swiftly moves through the woods with lightning speed, silently leaping from one tree branch to another. His fur is covered in mud, and a deep gash on his cheek is bleeding profusely, with thick rivulets of blood running down his face.

Enormous trees make up the area he was currently in, their large branches making it easy for the figure to run across them.

The deep crimson sky creates an eerie, dim light over the forest below, casting a faint red glow over the whole ambient.

The smell of peril and death lingers in the atmosphere, causing various creatures to seek refuge in their shelters, unwilling to venture out during the night-time.

Despite this, the figure keeps running, the eerie sensation in the air seeming to propel him to run faster, making him even more determined to find shelter as quickly as possible.

His time was running out. He needed to find refuge, and he needed to do so quickly. It doesn’t matter where. In a cave. In a hole in the ground. In an empty tree trunk. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that he doesn’t remain out in plain sight.

It is crucial that he doesn’t remain in the woods at night. He has just five minutes to locate a shelter before the sun would disappear and the blood red moon would take its place.

The male comes to a sudden halt, feeling his heart pounding violently against his ribcage as he anxiously scan his surroundings.

 He grips his head and turns it in every direction, searching frantically for a place to take cover, while the noise of rustling bushes and animal cries begin to echo from the forest below.