The Apocalypse [Dreamnotfound AU]

You're Alive

Karl and Quackity exchange a look. Sapnap sits up, gripping Karl's hand a bit harder as a wave of dizziness hits him. He finds his gun next to him, and feels a little safer holding it, even though there aren't any zombies up here.

He shoots Karl and Quackity a questioning look, and Karl sighs. "Techno told us to get you to safety, so we did. You were unconscious and bleeding and we didn't even know if you'd live. Especially not with a million zombies surrounding us. The others stayed behind to keep fighting the zombies. I'm sure they're fine, though," he adds, when Sapnap shoots him a look.

"You didn't check?" he snaps, even though he's not actually mad at Karl - and even Quackity. Not when he's glad that they're okay, at least. But he can't shake his worry thinking about Dream and George and all their other friends. Wondering if they're safe and alive.

"No, we didn't check," Quackity retorts, holding his broomstick a little tighter. "Karl was worried sick, and I had to protect both of you in case any zombies came upstairs. You think I don't wanna know what happened to them too?"

Sapnap deflates a little. He tries to struggle to his feet, and ends up leaning on Karl for support. Karl loops an arm around his shoulders, and he puts his good arm around Karl's waist. When he feels like he can stand, he says, "We need to check the first floor. Hopefully they fought off the zombies or found a place to hide. But they might be stuck and they might need our help."

"What about you arm, dumbass?" Quackity asks, sounding more worried than anything. "You can't fight like that."

Sapnap shifts his gun into one arm. "Let's hope we don't run into any zombies, then."

Karl nods like it's a solid plan, even though there's a glimmer of fear in his eyes. Quackity stares at them like they're both insane, especially when Sapnap starts walking toward the door that leads off the roof, Karl following at his side.

"If you two die, it's not my fault," Quackity mutters, but he follows them, holding his broomstick tightly.

They reach the door, and Sapnap shoulders it open. They all go quiet as they listen for any zombies in the stairwell.

"We boarded up the door to the first floor," Karl whispers, even though he sounds worried. "No zombies can get in."

Sapnap relaxes a little. "Come on," he replies, and they start down the stairwell, weapons in hand.

The door is blocked up by furniture and planks of wood. When Sapnap tries to drag away a chair, pain burns up his arm, and Karl slaps his hand away.

"Quackity can do it," he says, and Quackity looks incredulous. He opens his mouth like he wants to argue but then closes it and starts moving furniture, muttering curses the whole time. Sapnap smirks despite himself, Karl giggles and Quackity flips them both off.

Soon, there's only one chair left between them and the zombies outside. "Are you guys ready?" Quackity asks. "Or do you want me to take on all the zombies by myself, too?"

Sapnap rolls his eyes. "Obviously we're gonna help you, nimrod," he says, moving toward the door. But he feels his heart speed up as he reaches the door, feels Karl's arm tighten around him. He squeezes Karl's waist and takes a deep breath, trying his best to hold his weapon in one hand.

"Get ready," he murmurs to both of them as Quackity moves the last chair and swings open the door.

They charge out as best they can with Sapnap's injury and Karl having to half-carry him. But the hallway is mostly empty, except for a few zombies that are dragging their feet around slowly and aimlessly.

Sapnap skids to a stop, bringing Karl with him. Quackity swings his broomstick around, but lowers it when he finds no immediate threat after them. "Where the hell is everyone?"

"They're probably just hiding," Karl says, sounding more hopeful than he looks. "That's what we did, and we survived."

Pain shoots through Sapnap's arm like a reminder but he ignores it. His mind whirls, picturing Dream and George, his best friends. If he loses them...

"Hey," Karl says, squeezing his shoulder. He tilts Sapnap's head toward his with his fingers, forcing him to meet his gaze. "We'll find them. They're tougher than they look."

Sapnap snorts but nods, wishing the worry in his chest would loosen. But something about Karl's reassuring touch and the confidence in his words gives him hope. "We'll find them," Sapnap repeats, and he closes his eyes, letting the words circle in his mind. Dream and George are tough, he reminds himself. And Techno would never let anything bad happen to any of them.

The thought gives him enough reassurance to face the hallway and the zombies wandering in it. A plan's already forming in his mind. "Come on," he says to the other two. "Let's go kill some zombies."

(1438 words)

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