The Hyenas {Dreamnotfound AU}

13. I'll always find you

TW ~ This chapter may be distressing to some readers, please reconsider reading if you are triggered by situations of death ~ TW

George's POV

My world spins as I hear his name roll out of Fundy's mouth.

Eret.

I try to keep standing up but I soon find myself clinging onto Clay, who has rushed beside me as soon as he heard the name drop, holding me up by bringing his arm around my back, supporting my armpits. I grab at his shirt and ball it in my fist. I hear his voice in the distance as I stare blankly at Fundy, who blurs in front of me.

Eret.

He is joking. This is a sick joke. Fundy must be a Hyena who has done his research. This is not real. It can't be real. My head drops and I look at the ground, which is moving under me. I stand still, but the ground is moving away. I get dizzy looking at it.

Eret.

I have not been able to produce a single sound, let alone speak. I still hear Clay somewhere in the distance, but I can't distinguish the words he's saying. Fundy's voice is sounding through somewhere too, but he's inaudible as well.

Eret.

I feel my legs getting wobbly under me and I hang onto Clay tightly, who helps me down to the ground. I carefully sit down as all my surroundings are still moving and I hear a loud ringing in my ears. It wants to consume me, I feel like I am going to throw up, or faint, or throw up and then faint, or just die on the spot.

Eret.

But I can't. Eret is here. He's alive. He's sick, but he's alive. He's not dead. He survived. He's alive. And I get to see him again. My best friend is here. And I get to see him again.

Eret.

My vision slowly starts clearing, as my surroundings stop spinning around. Clay's voice becomes louder behind me, he is sitting with me between his legs, slowly pushing his fingers through my hair as he just rambles random things to me. It calms me down. His other arm is around my chest, making sure I don't fall forward at any point. Fundy is looking at the scene from the side.

"Eret is here," I whisper, and Clay hums behind me. "I get to see Eret."

"He's right here, alive and well," he whispers back to me, pressing his lips into my hair. I feel tears gather in my eyes, which don't take long to spill over the edge, running down my cheek and falling into my lap. His hand reaches up, wiping them off my face as soon as he notices them.

"Are you ready to go in?" he asks me softly. I nod slowly, and carefully he lets me go and helps me to stand up. Fundy's eyes display a mix of astonishment and pain as he looks at me. He stays quiet, not questioning why suddenly I can talk, or how I know Eret. Maybe they discussed it as I zoned out. I don't know. But Eret is here.

Clay wraps his arm around my waist and we walk towards the stairs, Fundy following close behind. We make our way down the stairs. And there he is. Laying on his side on the ground, shivering under a thick blanket.

"F-F-Fundy?" he stutters as he hears footsteps coming down the stairs, not turning around to look. "Y-You took so l-l-long."

"You're alive," I say, before Fundy can answer. Immediately he stops shivering. With the little power he still has in his body, he starts to sit up, and he looks our way. His tired eyes grow wide as he spots me.

"G-George?" he whimpers, his lip trembling. I nod, feeling my eyes getting wet once again, and Clay lets me go. I run towards him and let myself crash into him, holding him the tightest to me as I can. His arms weakly slide around me as well, and he lays his face on my shoulder.