Given An Unwanted Second Chance

Chapter 5

This is the chapter that could really make or break this book's likeable-ness...

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I was shocked to see Nightmare's brother just lying on the ground as the golden portal closed above us.

A little too shocked to move.

How did he even get here??  I had assumed that this was a place only Nightmare could access along with his group!

Dream coughed weakly, raising his head to look at me.  "N-N-Nightmare...you...you're really...a-alive..."

I blinked, still stunned.  I didn't say anything.

Dream lowered his head, shaking slightly as he struggled to sit up.  Seeing him look so weak triggered a strange feeling of worry in me.  I finally moved, kneeling down next to him while looking around.  "How did you...why are you...? "

Dream began crying.  "I th-thought...you du-dusted...you...you did d-dust...but you're alive!"

I bit my lip.  How did I tell him his brother was really and truly dead...?

"Y-You shouldn't be here!  Dream, this is a dangerous place for you! "

I could feel the negativity of the AU we were in.  It was a lot, but it didn't affect me terribly like condensed negativity did.  But if a negative AU, an overly negative one, turned Dream to stone...

This place wasn't safe for him!

He trembled and I instinctively wrapped my arms around him.  "Dream, you need to leave!  Y-You might turn to stone again! "

Dream was still crying, and it felt...weird.  Like a joyful cry and a saddened one.  It was a bittersweet feeling to me.

Dream hugged me back.  "I thought...we KILLED you..."

I leaned my forehead to his.  "Dream...you did.  I'm...I'm not Nightmare...I'm not your brother..."

He lifted his eyes to meet my single one.  "Wh-What...are you talking about...?"

"My name is Eclipse, not Nightmare.  We..."  I trailed off, unsure of how to explain the situation.

Dream winced suddenly.  I pulled back and looked down, sucking in a sharp breath.

His legs were slowly graying...

...he was turning to stone again!

"No no no no no...hold on, Dream!  You need to leave!  You're turning to stone again! "

Dream ignored me, still clinging to me.  "I don't care.  You're alive..."

How did Nightmare come to hate his brother so much...?  He seemed like he cared a lot for Nightmare...

I began panicking, and my soul was beating rapidly like a heart.  It felt like it was tugging at strings.  Weak ones, but strings nonetheless.

Suddenly, the sound of teleporting, four distinct ones, sounded around us.  "Eclipse?  What's...huh?"  Cross trailed off, looking confusedly down at me and Dream.

"What's the boss's brother doing here?"  Killer asked, narrowing his eyelightless sockets.

"I don't know!  But I need to get him out of here!  This place is stone-ifying him again! "

Dream tried to back up slightly to stand and get defensive against the group, but his legs wouldn't listen, so he only managed to scoot a little bit away from me.