Manburg Underground

A Home

It was four weeks later when George relayed his ideas to Dream. He'd gone out at least once a day to the busy streets above, scoping out places for them to stay with the money George had leftover in his bank account. It would be good for Dream to get out of Manburg, since it wasn't healthy to be cooped up in that one area for so long.

No one had returned in those long four weeks, but George didn't care. He wanted out. He wanted to put everything behind him and focus on his friend.

Dream sat at the table, eating his cold mush. His eyes were still full of sleep but he smiled when he saw George enter the room. "Hey George."

"Clay." George said, voice edging with excitement. "I have an idea, but only if you are okay with it."

Dream smiled and nodded. "What is it?"

George paused before taking a breath and relaying everything to his friend. "We would rent a small apartment, and I could get a small job at the local grocery. I have enough money in my bank account for three months of rent at the place I saw. I think it could be a really good change for you." He smiled. "Obviously I would have to look for bunk beds, but I suppose we could settle for one bathroom."

Dream sat in silence, eyes wide. Leaving behind this place sounded like an unachievable task, especially with the emotional attachment Dream had to this dismal place, despite remembering very little. But...change could be a good thing. Maybe it was time. Four weeks went by painfully slow and Dream couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life stuck here, being miserable.

Plus, eating mush was getting tiring and they were running out of normal food. "That actually sounds nice." He smiled. "When would we move?"

George looked up. "Um...I already bought the place."

George led dream out of the security gate and into the busy streets of New York. Dream seemed to fit well with the flow of foot traffic, whereas George struggled to keep in time with everyone else around him. He stumbled a number of times, and sighed in relief when he was able to stop in front of the newish looking apartment complex.

Dream's mouth was open in surprise at the front of the building. The door in front of them was plated in gold and tall marble columns held up the front. "This is where we are living?" Dream asked.

George huffed. "Yeah. It's not that great compared to my old house in Florida, but at least it's a place to stay."

Dream was in shock. He remembered very little about his past, but in the recent memories that had returned to him, he knew he'd never experienced something as extravagant as this place. George led him into the front and tossed him a key. "Thanks," Dream said, unsure how to react. "Are we actually going to live here?"

"I only have enough money for three months of rent, but it should be enough to hold me over a few paychecks for rent further down the line."
George explained. His manner was light and his walk purposeful as he showed Dream to the elevator.

He stepped in and as the doors shut, he caught a glimpse at his face in the metal, distorted, but he could see the slight bruising left over from previous events. How was he going to fit in with his face looking like this? Didn't he used to wear a mask? He couldn't do that in public.

George pushed his key into the door of the apartment labelled 14B and shoved open the door. The smell of fresh paint and a blast of cool air brought a spike of happiness to Dream's chest.

"This is it!" George said, thrusting his arms in the air to show the room, his voice echoing off of the empty walls.

As Dream walked in, to his left was a small kitchenette, already with a stove, a dishwasher, and a microwave. The counters were white marble and were matched by the white cabinets. It opened up into a sitting room that came with a stand and a flatscreen. Branching off to the right was a small hallway and he entered the bedroom. It was big enough for probably two twin beds with a nightstand in between. The master bathroom was large as well and had a bathtub separate from the shower. In it was two sink areas and a smaller room that held the toilet.