What's Worth Saving (Is Never Worth Letting Go to Waste)

Chapter 22: We Are The Saviors (I Am The Savior)

Time moves differently in the vault.

Dream had taken the old clock away, leaving Tommy with no sense of how long it had been, or what time it is outside, or any way of tracking anything. Another layered aspect to Dream's malicious torture, pyscologically taunting the inhabitants of Pandoras' Vault.

It could have been hours since Dream killed Karl. It could have been days, even a week. Tommy has no idea. Time froze when Dream ran his friend through, and hasn't resumed.

So Tommy sits in silence, the only noise bubbling lava. He can't bring himself to look at Karl, not often. It hurts more than anything else, and brings the memory of what happened bubbling to the surface.

Tommy's so tired of death. He's so tired of everyone around him dying, of being ripped away from him over and over again. He thought by now he would be desentized, that he would be used to all the grief. But he isn't. Every time someone he loves dies, he still feels the same pain. He still feels like he's the one being stabbed, every single time.

And what's worse still is it's never the end. The story doesn't stop. Dream always brings them back. There's no finality, there's no mercy, there's no acceptance. The cycle of grief never ceases because it never closes. Tommy remains stuck in depression or anger but he never reaches acceptance.

Even Wilbur's death never felt final, Wilbur, who had been well and truly dead for a year. Tommy never accepted that he died, instead raging on, raging for a brother who had been lost, wanting for an explanation, for something.

And just when he thought he finally, finally , would get a chance to move on and realize that he's never coming back, Dream brings him back.

Tommy doesn't bother trying to process Karl's death. He knows Dream is going to waltz in and bring him back soon, because the time traveler is far more useful alive then dead. He just wants to teach him a lesson, a reminder of what happens when he's crossed.

Tommy's shoulders sag, fresh tears forming at the edges of his vision. He's cried for an eternity, tears ceasing only to come back in full force later. It feels like he's stuck in a loop, one where he just has to wait for Dream to return and bring back Karl.

For what , he wonders. What point is there? Dream will just hurt him again. Karl will have a plethora of scars, just like Tommy does. Dream will do whatever it takes to change the past, and that includes shattering anyone who dares defy him.

Dream will never care. Tommy knows he'll never care about what he's done. He leaves his victims to pick up the pieces of their broken lives, while he simply watches from the side as if he's done nothing wrong.

What's worse still is there's no escape. Tommy knows it's part of his sick mind game, and it works. Tommy knows there's no way he can make it out of here, and it tears him apart. He doesn't know what to do anymore.

Tommy glances over at the lava, the swirling river of fire crackling softly. He wonders if it is possible for Dream to revive ashes. He wonders if lava is truly an escape from the fate Dream has planned for him.

He risks a glance over at Karl's still body, the blood flow long since starched. His head is turned away, a small mercy. Tommy doesn't have to look at faded eyes and grapple with his failure even more than he already is.

He wonders if he should take his body and jump into the lava. Maybe all their problems would go away for good. Dream might not be able to hurt them anymore. They might be stuck in limbo, but Tommy would have the satisfaction of knowing Dream wouldn't be able to get to them anymore.

Tommy turns away from the fire. It's a stupid idea. He knows that Dream will find a way to bring him back. He knows that there's no point in putting himself through pain that might be for nothing. He knows it's better to wait and hope and pray that someone will rescue him.