~The Arcade~DSMP//DNF//fluff

The Death Of A Friend

The hair on the back of Karl's neck stood tall like soldiers, the group together read the engraving on the headstone in horror. Karl read thr name engraved on the headstone over and over until it was burned into his mind. He stared at it, unblinking, unmoving. He glanced around at the horrified faces of his friends, but his eyes still stuck to the headstone infront of him. He reached his hand up and ran his fingers over the engraved letters, he wanted to make sure he wasn't imagining it. As his fingers scanned the letters, there was no question left in anyone's mind.

The headstone read, "Karl Jacobs, beloved friend and business partner. His murder was a real tragedy, but his vengeance was received."

It felt like the earth itself had stopped spinning entirely, minutes passed that felt like hours. No one spoke, no one moved. Alex's knuckles where white on Karl's shoulder. Dream had his arm wrapped protectively around George, and George gripped Dream's shirt just as tight, occasionally unclenching and reclenching his fist. Everyone had their eyes on the gravestone except Alex, who was watching Karl carefully, almost as if his look alone would protect the ghost from harm.

The world was completely still except for the gentle early fall breeze that swept through everyone's hair and ruffled their clothing. The trees surrounding the old graveyard rustled in the breeze as it picked up. George shivered slightly as the wind made the eery scene feel like a store freezer. Dream felt the small body shiver in his arms, he hugged him tighter.

Alex loosened his grip on Karl's shoulder, still staring deep into his eyes. He slowly stood, desperately keeping his eyes locked on the ghosts face. The other two seemed to relax just a bit knowing that Alex cared so much, but only a little.

Questions were still flowing through everyone's mind. "Why does it say Karl's name?" "Was this actually where he was buried?" "What happened here?" And the one that stuck to Karl's mind, "who did this?" About both the destruction of the graveyard and the odd gravestone, who had done it?

Karl felt a single hot tear burn down his cheek, slowly and painfully as it scorched and melted the skin on it's path. Karl didn't even seem to notice it until another slipped out of his eye and sizzled down his cheek. He winced in pain as Alex bent down and dabbed carefully at his eyes with a clean part of his sleeve. Dream and George crept closer, concerned for the ghost.

"It's so cold." The ghost breathed into the wind before he fainted into his friend's strong arms.