Sweet dreams

Chapter 18

"That's impossible." I laugh, even though I shouldn't. Sapnap must be playing some mean joke on us, but one look at his face makes my laugh die instantly.

A horrible feeling crawls up around me. I did this. All of our friends are gone, maybe even dead, because of me. We aren't going to make it out of here.

Inside I'm fighting with myself to stay positive, but outwardly I fix my face.

"What're we gonna do?" Techno asks quietly. "There's no way Dream would've killed him."

"I don't think that's the Dream we know anymore." I whisper, but they still hear me.

"I don't know. We can't just leave them if they are still alive." Sapnap sinks to the floor.

It's his two best friends in the whole world that are crazy and missing. Well, Dream isn't missing. But the one we know is. He's been replaced by some evil... nightmare. It's fitting for someone who goes by dream to be able to turn into our worst nightmares.

"We can't stay here either." I try to reason with him. "Maybe we can run back to our houses. I know it's far away but we can't try? Call the police?"

"What if we set a trap?" Techno suddenly asks, startling me. "No, I know it's a bad idea. But what if? I could be the bait and you guys could follow him?"

"Did you see how fast he moves? He'd be gone before we could get a good look at him."

We argue back and forth for a while, trying to come up with a good plan. There's nothing we can do, and we all know it. It's just denying the inevitable at this point.

"I'm not going to hide like a coward while our friends are still out there!" Techno says, or Sapnap, I can't really tell anymore.

"We have to." I blankly say. "If we go out there after them we die."

Everyone goes quiet. It's the truth. We now know Dream won't hesitate to kill us. Just a few short hours ago he was in a battle- a battle! With our friends. With his friends. With us.

I walk over to the door. It has a few cracks in it but still works, luckily. I shut it and turn the rusty lock, then sit back down. I don't take my eyes off the door. I just know something will come bursting through it, ready to kill us all.

"George really is gone isn't he?" I ask Sapnap. "There was something about Dream when he went after George... it was like he had to almost? If that makes sense."

"Lily I'm worried. About you, about everyone, about everything." Sapnap wraps me in a hug.

"One cannot be brave who has no fear." Techno says.

I look up at him, who's still standing.

"It's from a book I once read. I think I understand what it means now. At least if we die there's that." He gives a small laugh.

Finding comfort in random things. Inside I find comfort in the fact that if I do die, I won't be alone. But that turns sour fast, and I steer my thoughts away from that.

Instead we sit in silence, letting our minds process what happened. Letting us accept death.

Dream-

I walk through the abandoned streets without a fear. After taking care of George, I left him. I have to find Lily, Techno, and Sapnap. Oh, and Wilbur and Tommy.

I'm not worried about them though. With enough leverage they'll cave. I'm mad at lily though. I can't believe she managed to make me loose Tommy. He was in my clutches! At least I gained George.

A small squeak comes from someone, and I halt. My eyes scan the buildings, my mask back on so I see through it. I think it was tommy that I heard, because only he would make noise.

It's time to get Tommy and Wilbur.

Why

I will get everyone.

Why

I will win.