𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 // 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

An Inch Too Far Away

-An Inch Too Far Away-

AN: Gentle reminder that I'm merely using Dream and George as characters because I'm too lazy to set up my own, so their characteristics aren't accurate or realistic. I write dramatically, and I just hope and pray it works out sometimes. There will be major angst in this chapter, and very dark, heavy, TW worthy themes. If you are uncomfortable with very heavy angst, do not continue. If you are willing to submit to my angst, enjoy!

Dream's POV:

We were walking along the boardwalk. Walking in a direction I seldom took this far, upon a stretch of the wooden promenade I hadn't set foot on for two years. At least.

The fall of each footstep reverbrated through me, pounding in my chest and ringing in my head. My heartbeat synced to the rhythm of my steps, and as did my shallow, laboured breaths as my chest rose and fell. Every step was a tick of a clock, thrumming and resonating through the humid air, carried on the sea-tainted breeze and whispered into the innards of my mind. Time slowed between each tick, each step, each breath, yet seemed to be gradually accelerating. The lulling haze permeating the time between each pace was shortening as the wooden promenade stretched closer and closer to that damned bridge.

Somehow, it still felt like an infinity had to pass between every fall of my step.

I briefly remembered reading The Fault In Our Stars in high school, and I recalled a line that had pervaded my memory, even now. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. I wasn't curious enough to find out if that line was factually accurate, or to see if the math added up. Perhaps, it was applicable anyway. The dark, hazy infinities between each mental tick of the clock did seem to slowly ebb away and speed up as more time passed and more of our footsteps hit the boardwalk.

Maybe I should've taken up theatre instead of coding. I sure seemed to be better at being dramatic and pretending to be someone I wasn't than I was at solving problems.

"Did you know that you're more likely to get mauled by a dog than to get attacked by a shark?" George blurted randomly. I raised an eyebrow curiously.

"That was random." I snorted, smiling.

"It's true. Dogs are, luck-wise, more likely to attack you."

"Well, thank god none of us have dogs. All cats in our friend group." I sighed. George laughed quietly.

"I don't know the cat statistic, so don't get too comfortable yet."

"Rather a cat than a shark." I shrugged.

"You've got a point there, honestly."

Splash.

I turned suddenly, halting in my tracks.

George paused too, his expression questioning. Glancing behind me, I swept my eyes over the landscape, looking for the cause of the noise. Nothing austere, nothing out of place. Everything was as it should've been, how it was as normal. It was so typical of a January beach day. Quite a few people, but not as many as in the summer months. And definitely nothing that could've made a sound like akin to the one I'd just heard.

"I-" My mouth felt dry, dessicated. "I swear I heard something, something like a-a splash or-" My voice trailed off, my eyes looking back and forth.

"Dream. What?" George asked.

"I heard a splash. Like someone jumping into-" My breath hitched. Suddenly, I had a sinking feeling in my chest. Perhaps I knew exactly where the sound had come from. Horror choked my throat.

"There wasn't one." George cut me off, speaking slowly. My lips felt numb as I spoke, my throat seeming to close up. I looked down at my feet, eyes listless.