The Dreamer - Arc 1 out of 3

The Warehouse

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The following includes Katie (@petalstothemetal on TikTok), Sam (@voiceondainternet on TikTok), & Bex's (@britishcatswitch on TikTok) writings.

DJ Ross belongs to Katie. Chase Wood & Ryker Sylain belong to Sam. Leora Clark belongs to Bex.
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The moment that the van crossed over the border into Canada, there was a weird feeling that seemed to engulf the entire van. Everyone inside felt this feeling of being drawn towards something that they couldn't see.

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Eventually, Chase drove them to a warehouse. It looked abandoned, the grass was overgrown and the outside of the building looked like it was untouched. That feeling of being drawn towards something became stronger as they got closer. The four were now standing outside of the warehouse. This was where they needed to be.

Leora had a wrench gripped tightly in her hands. She had lost her dagger way back at the convenience store after Ryker knocked her out. "So... what do you think is inside?" She asked, doing her best not to seem scared.

DJ was standing outside and blinked a few times. "...well, this looks like a great fucking time. An abandoned warehouse. Cool. I'm ready to monster mash my way into a coma."

"Monster mash?" Leora asked and tilted her head.

Chase took a few steps ahead of them, taking a deep breath before reaching to open the doors. "I believe this is where we will find the dreamer, as the prophecy had said."

Ryker kinda just... was looking around the area.  Even though creepy and mysterious, there was a calming effect that made the warehouse almost feel safe.. as weird as that was.

DJ nodded a little, watching the door. He froze and his eyes widened, clutching his chest. "....oh fuck..."

"I like it here." Leora said softly and smiled.  She paused, "DJ? Are you okay?" She asked, a little worried.

DJ took a deep breath and looked at Leora. He looked back at the doors and swallowed hard. "...y-yeah. I'm good. I just..." he blinked a few times."...I think I know who it is."

"Whaaaa? Who?" Leora asked, surprised.

Chase seemed to be embracing the calming feeling more than the others. He opened one of the doors and walked inside, the door shut behind him.

Ryker looked at the two, then at the door when it slammed.

Before he could answer, he watched the door slam. "Shit, chase-"

"Chase?" She asked and then quickly went after him.

As Leora opened the door, Chase was still just standing inside. He was looking around curiously at the interior of the warehouse. The inside was very clean, it was nothing like the outside. It smelled clean, and everything seemed to have a place.

Leora smiled and walked up to him. "Hey you spooked us, what'd you rush in for?"

DJ watched the doors carefully, feeling knots tie in his stomach. Running his hands through his hair, he gripped it. "Holy shit. We're going to die, in a warehouse, in Canada. Without ID. Or passports. We're fugitives in the nicest country on earth and we're going to die here."

"There's worse ways to go." Ryker said as he looked around the main room of the warehouse.

The main room had hallways that they could go through if they wanted to explore. There wasn't furniture in any of the side rooms, but what was inside of the building was very minimal. Not much to it.

Chase took a few more steps inside, he adjusted his backpack and peaked down one of the hallways. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He said, seeming to be in thought as he looked down the hallway.

"Okay should we split up and each go down a hallway?" Leora asked Chase.

DJ was.... not going in. Fuck that sHit.

Chase turned around and frowned. "DJ, you have to come too. I don't think we should split up... not until we know what we are up against in here."

Ryker well... he got distracted and peaked down one of the hallways. Curiously, he began walking down it while the others talked.

Leora noticed, "Ryker hold on, Chase said to wait!" She called and frowned.

DJ paused and looked down the hallway Ryker went down. Well... that got him in. "Ryker, stop!" He quickly went inside and went after him.

When DJ went down the hallway, Ryker seemed to have just.... disappeared. Chase and Leora were still in the main room. The air seemed to get heavier and they began to feel a little more calm again. This was the same feeling that they felt outside.

Leora rubbed her neck, "this is all weird..." she said softly and gripped her wrench tighter. She softly reminded herself that Red needed her and that she needed to be brave.

DJ looked around and took a deep breath, going through the rooms to try and find him. "Ryker? Come on, this isn't fucking funny-"

As DJ looked around, he found no sign of Ryker anywhere. The only sound was the echo of DJ's footsteps and his voice through the rooms.

Chase swallowed hard, nodding a little as he looked around the main room. "I guess we could go after them... or... we split up. But I don't know how big this place is."

"This place seems huge... but its probably safer if we stick together. Let's go find the other two and keep in each others line of sight." Leora said, determination burning in her eyes.

DJ was just.... wandering around, trying to find Ryker.

"Sounds like a plan." Chase smiled, then began walking towards the hallway. As he walked, he pulled out his phone. Chase immediately stopped in his tracks, taking a few steps back as his hand went over his mouth.

He had received a message telling him that Astrid was now not waking up as well.

Tears in his eyes, Chase dropped to a knee as he stared at his phone. He well... he was now very emotionally vulnerable as he read about his wife. Chase knew that she was okay, but so many other what ifs came into his mind.

DJ was unsuccessful in finding Ryker. As he walked, the scene seemed to change around him, almost like he was walking into some other world. But it didn't at the same time. Now that he had been alone, it was easier to do. DJ was now wandering around his dream world. However the scene of the warehouse around him didn't change, the atmosphere did. The air was more clear, making it easier to breath and he was alone.

"Chase? Chase we have to find DJ and Ryker so we can wake everyone up." She said and put her hand on his shoulder.

DJ took a deep breath looked back behind him. "...Guys?" He looked back forward. "Ryker??" He took a deep breath and kept heading forward."This isn't fucking funny, guys-"

DJ would walk for a few more steps before his vision went black. It's go time boiiiisss.

Chase just stared and swallowed hard, carefully putting his phone away as there was no longer service. "Y.. yeah.." he stood back up and took a shaky deep breath, heading into the hallway.

Leora quickly followed him, gripping her wrench tightly. "I wish DJ told us who it was before he ran off..." she mumbled.

"Mmm.." Chase looked at the ground as they walked, trying to stay focused but he couldn't. Another wave of calmness washed over the two as they continued down the hallway. Eventually, the sound of two sets of footsteps turned into just one. Leora's, to be specific.

Leora stopped walking  "Chase?" She asked weakly and looked around. "DJ? Ryker?"

Leora had experienced the same feeling DJ did, almost like walking through a portal. She was now alone, in her own dreams.

anothah one bites the dust.