wasteland - dreamnotfound

Chapter Seventeen

~|Dream|~ 

I screamed. 

As George fell backward into the arms of his own pool of blood, the fire in his eyes fading as he let himself be caught, I screamed. 

I wailed until my lungs ached and clawed, I sobbed until my eyes were raw. Of course, it didn't take much, from the crying I'd already been doing, but that was nothing, nothing, compared to the pain I felt watching his act. 

The way he smiled slightly with each slice or shot of his weapon, the way his eyes flashed with each attack they made on him, the way the spark, the spark in my George's eyes began to fade.

And then finally, it disappeared.

And it hurt. 

Everything hurt. 

I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Should I have? He's not going to die, right?

Techno has a plan.

He's got to have a pl- 

"-ream. Dream! Hey! Listen to me!" 

"What..?" I mumble, feeling hollow. Empty. My body is numb as I struggle to stand.

"Dream- Clay. You need to listen, okay? You need to stay here with me. Can you promise me that?" I can barely see Techno, barely hear his urgency. 

But that doesn't mean I can't hear it at all.

"Yes." I say quietly, blinking slightly to clear the haziness from my eyes.

Techno places his hands firmly on my shoulders. "Good. Okay. He's going to be fine if you cooperate, yeah? But you need to stay with me here. George is going to be okay." 

I swallow. The world is beginning to rush back to me, destroying the sort of hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Okay. Yeah."

Techno smiles sadly, and I'm vaguely aware of the cuts and bruises littering his arms and along his exposed skin. They show through small rips in his shirt, too, and I find worry clawing in my stomach. 

"Are you okay, Techno?" I ask carefully as he takes his hands away from my shoulders. 

He nods. "You're worse off than I am, Dream, don't worry about me." 

I hesitate before turning away with a soft, slightly disbelieving hum. "So.. We have to kill off guards?" 

"Yeah. Wil's already in, George was a pretty good distraction." 

My stomach twists at that. "Right. So, the patrols are coming back out?"

"Yes, we have to move. That's why I came to get you. They're our targets, while Wilbur and Tommy lead groups inside." 

"Then?" 

"Then we save George." 

"We, as in you and I?" I ask quietly. 

"Yes. Wilbur and his groups need to get out before they're caught, leaving the door open for us. We won't arise as much suspicion as we're, you know, Techno and Dream." Techno says, beginning to walk towards the building.

I don't answer.

White hot fury finds itself wedged in my stomach as I gaze at the spot where George had been. They had taken his unconscious body away a few minutes ago, leaving only a dark stain of blood- Both the guard's, and his- as the only indicator of his battle, his burn.

I shiver.

Techno grabs my arm, tugging me toward the wall next to the doors. "Clay. Focus." He says firmly.