𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 | 𝙼𝙷𝙰 𝚇 𝙵𝚎𝚖! 𝙾𝚙! 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚁

22. "Ocean."

... It was quiet.

Lonely, even.

You stared mindlessly outside the window, the nightmare coming back abruptly after giving you a whole night filled with peace and a dream. A warm dream that it was. So bright... so... alive. Not a single zombie was in sight— those spawns of the devil. It was as if they never trashed the world you once knew. As if your world was once again perfect. Clear, blue skies you tried to hold in the palm of your hand, fluffy clouds you can only dream of eating... right from the detailed picture books. Maybe, you were delusional. Perhaps there was never a world like that at all. Just you and your simple dreams, and the basking green skies, pollution swelling in the air. A beach not to be found, the walking dead roaming the lands. And those foolish rich people— discarding most of humanity out of their walls.

Your nails dug into your palm. Eyes wavering down as a shaky sigh came out of your lips. Dark [eye color] eyes they were, filled with an unwavering darkness within. Something about your dead eyes screamed sadness.

And so with dead eyes comes a tragic story.

Oh, your story was tragic indeed. No doubt, really.

[Eye color] eyes continued to stare mindlessly, a frown evident on your lips. That nightmare was stuck in your mind. You trembled, glistening tears swelling up, streaming down your face.

-

"... [Name]!" A voice called out to you, knocking you out of your daze. "God— are you always this deaf?!" He seemed to be irritated with you.

"... I—... sorry?" You softly spoke, tilting your head as you looked around you. The ugly sky was around you and the boy in front of you. Who was he, the boy calling out to you?

"Woah, did you hit your head or something? You would have insulted me by now..." he muttered quietly to himself. "Anyway, come on. We need to get back to and . Are you up for it? I understand if you aren't— that zombie bitch slapped you good last night!"

"..." Of course, he met your glare. "Fuck off."

... That sounded natural coming out of your mouth. How often did you say those words before?

"There she is," he smiled warmly, offering you his hand seeing you were on the ground. "Come on, and won't wait forever."

"... Who?" You asked him, the names he say are muffled.

"... What? and . Seriously, [Name], are you okay? Do you even know my name?" Funny, you did not know his name.

You softly shook your head, concerning the poor boy even further.

"... I... okay," he sighed heavily, eyes dropping to the ground. "We're doing this again..." he muttered to himself, ruffling his black hair. "Atlas..."

"A-... Atlas?" You repeated, still stuck up on the fact that he mumbled saying something along the lines of 'we're doing this again'. "N-No..."

"...? Who are you to question my name, [Name]?" Atlas chuckled slightly, his blue eyes sinking into yours. His hand reached out, "Come on. We need to get to the twins— Rayne and Reenee. They'll be waiting for us, hm?"

"..." You hesitantly looked at his hands. Calluses covered it, as well as multiple scars and the stains of blood. Then, you quietly looked at your own. It looked the same. A soft nod, and he pulled you up gently.

"Aren't you quiet today?" Atlas questioned you, moving his raven hair out of the way. "What happened? You kill someone you used to know?"

"..." You don't know.