Built From Ash - Sequel to Burned Out

Chapter 7: Stranger

TW: Gore? Also lots of describing causes of death including self-harm

Skeppy descended into a restless sleep. His nightmare began with him walking through a room. At first he could see nothing but darkness and feel nothing but what seemed like smooth glass underneath his feet.

He strained his eyes to see as the room began to lighten and immediately regretted it. On the ground were bodies, but not just any bodies, all of his friends. Most were Bad, but there was one of each of the Dream Team.

Some bodies had no hints as to what had killed them, but others were painfully obvious. One body's neck was bent the wrong way, a couple had blood spilling out of them, another had no limbs anymore.

Skeppy had no desire to see more of the bodies, but he felt as though there was something he needed to reach at the end of the dream. He tried to stare at the floor, but it was pure black and disorienting to look at for too long.

As he walked longer, he saw more and more of his dead friends, with more upsetting causes of death.

Near his feet, a corpse was holding a pill bottle in its limp hand. Over there was one with slit wrists. One of the worst was swinging from a noose, hanging from an unidentifiable source in darkness and swaying in a non-existent breeze.

The number of bodies on the ground began to slow down, finally diminishing to zero. He kept walking through the unsettling blackness, feeling as though he was floating on nothing.

Finally, a silhouette appeared in the distance. It beckoned to Skeppy. He sped up to a relaxed jog and when he reached the figure he saw it was the very person that littered most of the rest of his dream. He wondered how this one had died.

And then it turned around and said, "Geppy!"

"Bad?" Skeppy realized what was happening a half a second later. "No, no no no. You can't be here! It's too dangerous for you! I read about it, you could end up like those corpses back there!" Skeppy panicked, struggling to breathe.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm safe. Come on, breathe in, 2, 3, 4. Breathe out, 2, 3, 4. That's it, it's okay Skeppy, I can't be hurt here." I'm like a god.

The last bit remained unsaid, but Skeppy heard it loud and clear.

"Why are you here?" asked Skeppy.

"I wanted to see you again."

"Oh. I'm-" he cleared his throat, "I'm gonna come see you. In person." Bad looked shocked.

"So soon? I thought you'd take longer."

"Is it a problem?" Skeppy asked hurriedly.

"Not at all! I'd love to see you in a, erm, better environment than last time," his shoulders hunched slightly before straightening out.

"Me too."

An awkward silence fell, Bad scratching his neck and looking at the ground, Skeppy staring into the distance.

"So," began Bad, "how are things?"

"Um, obviously I've been having nightmares," said Skeppy, gesturing behind himself, "but I've been recording videos and streaming and stuff."

"That's good. I do miss streaming. I mean, the chat is toxic a lot, but I do love them.." Bad kept rambling, but Skeppy stopped listening when he saw something emerging from the blackness.

The figure was large and seemed to be pulsing with a strange light. As it got closer, Skeppy could discern two horns protruding from its 'head' and a sort of cloak floating behind it. Bad was still talking.