But Our Friend is a Dog // a Dream Team fanfiction

Chapter 7: Rescue

**Content warning: harsh language**

*8 hours remain*

~George~

Pouring rain deterred visitors from the Brighton park, leaving us alone in the shower.

"Don't tell me Sapnap fell into the stupid manhole!" I grumbled, stepping off the cobblestone pathway. Dream nodded. Raising my volume, I called, "Sapnap!"

"George?" A muffled voice cracked with surprise.

Reaching the manhole, I grounded both feet in the slippery mud and peered over the edge. Sapnap stood alone inside with the top of his head barely reaching the edge of the hole, too far down to hoist himself up. Tendrils of wet brown hair stuck to his forehead. He shivered from the cold as rippling water lapped at his knees.

"You're such an idiot," I scolded. Despite worrying for his safety, I crossed my arms with exasperation and demanded, "How did you fall in?"

"I wasn't looking," Sapnap testified sheepishly. He pleaded, "Don't be mad when this is the least inappropriate kind of hole to be stuck in."

Resisting the urge to credit his sexual humor, I sighed with resignation. Dropping my arms, I observed the water creeping up Sapnap's thighs. "We'll get you out."

"Take my phone first," he instructed. Reaching into his back pocket, he presented his smartphone. Mud soaked my jeans and socks as I knelt, leaned forward, and snagged the phone from my friend's outstretched hand. I tucked it into the main compartment of my backpack along with mine, grateful for the waterproof lining as I zipped it shut.

"Alright, now are you ready?"

"Yeah, pull me up." Sapnap pressed against the wall of the hole, squinting as raindrops spattered his upturned face.

Anchoring my knees in the ground and allowing them to sink into the mud, I clutched both of his hands in mine. Eager to help, Dream strode closer until he crouched by my side. His fluffy gray pelt was dull and waterlogged, and the fur on his underside was spiky with mud. If we were not careful, we would fall into the hole, too.

"Jump on three," I ordered, hiding my fear of being unable to support my friend's greater weight. Sapnap bent his knees. "Three," I counted. From beside me, Dream firmly planted his paws in the earth and sniffed with anticipation. Readying my muscles, I tensed. "Two... one!"

Sapnap lunged upwards. I snatched his elbows, leaving his hands free to grip the edge of the hole. Dream caught the collar of Sapnap's hoodie. His sharp teeth tore holes in the fabric as he pulled with me.

As I feared, Sapnap's weight dragged me downwards more than I pulled him upwards. My knees lost their grip. Dream leapt away in surprise as I tumbled, joining our friend in the hole as Sapnap and I lost our footing and splashed into the pool. Ice-cold water filled my ears and nose until my head broke the surface. Tight with panic, my lungs gasped for air. Using my jacket sleeve, I wiped water from my eyes. Squinting against the rain from above, I saw Sapnap staring at me with concern. Great, now we're both trapped!

Water sloshed around my waist as I stood and looked above Sapnap's head. My backpack remained at the top of the hole; our valuables were safe. Dream was the only member of our team still free. Yelping with alarm, he began wildly scooping away mud from the hole's edge. Dream's soggy fur clung to his frame; he was skinnier beneath than I anticipated.

Rain continued to fall. A chilly sea-borne breeze whipped my face. When I remembered our race against the clock, anger replaced my defeat.

"Why did you have to take a stupid walk?" I confronted Sapnap. "I stayed up all night fixing the burner phone. You only had to stay inside! We could be planning how to change Dream back right now in my warm living room, eating breakfast, but no, you two idiots went to the park in the middle of a rainstorm!"