Wanderlust is a private, ongoing TTRPG hybrid campaign that combines Dungeons and Dragons' play system with that of Call of Cthulu's, created by Summre01. Wanderlust is a horror-based campaign.
It's set in a reality that once acknowledged magic to exist and follows the footsteps of 5 friends with the ability to access it during their slumber.
NOTE:
This page is not free to edit. Grammar, spelling, and formatting corrections are okay.
Synopsis
"Wanderlust takes place in the world of Aromis, in the fictional town of Logsville, Kansas, where magic has slowly been eradicated, eventually becoming only part of myth, legends, and fairy tales. But magic is not something that can be easily rid off. For a few people, it manifest in their dreams. These people typically feel like something is missing in their life, and seek it out in their dreams. Throughout the campaign, players will discover little mysteries that will take a little dreaming, and a wake up call. They will also have to deal with not only problems that occur in the dream, but problems that may happen to their bodies in reality. Can these dreamers survive before reality catches up to them? Or do they have the courage to dream bigger?
Wanderlust will have two worlds, reality and the dreamscape. The dreamscape will use the DnD system with a few added dream mechanics. Reality will use a different system where the main dice you will use is a d100. Think of your DnD characters as personas/stands/reflections of your reality character. Note that reality character ages will have to be between 14-18 for story purposes."
Characters
Player Characters (PCs) | Non-Player Characters (NPCs) |
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Locations
NOTE: This is not a list of every single location, just those visited/revealed to the party.
Dreamscape
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Logsville
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Beaver Beach
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Story
NOTE: All session summaries below are written by Summre01. Wanderlust and TTRPGS in general are a collaborative and improvised experience, so it's not easy to get every little thing down. You're welcome to fill in the blanks with your imagination or ask us for specifics! :)
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Philiam thought today was going to be a normal morning for the Waffle House. But that was his first mistake. There is not a single normal moment in the holy house of waffle. Markus and Iris walk in for breakfast and Philiam cooks them the equivalent of a Michelin star restaurant meal. But before they can really dig in, a strange music permeates the house and everyone starts to fall asleep. But before they fall into deep slumber, Philiam and Markus manage to catch a glimpse of a strange figure in an orchestra uniform. Philiam opens his eyes to a day in the Waffle House. An unpleasant memory. A Karen was yelling at him, asking why he wonβt accept her Dennyβs gift card and finally shouts for his manager. Philiam goes to get Johnny, the Waffle House manager, but there was something off about him. Then his coworker Brian tries to take a bite out of Philiam and he quickly darts into the pantry room for a way to escape. While in the process, he finds Markus and Iris sound asleep. He slaps Markus awake but Iris is a deep sleeper. After some investigating, Markus quickly realizes everything he writes comes true and he takes advantage of this by trapping the horde of people after them in the hallway. They try to leave the Waffle House but find they canβt because of a crazy hurricane. Iris finally wakes up and they try to figure out a way out of the situation theyβre in. After a few failed attempts of escape, the group realizes theyβre in a dream and transform into their dreamselves. Finally, they have a way to fight the horde and Karen. After a few close shaves, they survive and defeat the creature that is Karen and the horde. They wake up to find reality affected by the dream hurricane, and Philiam decides he deserves the rest of the day off. He drives everyone to their respective locations, and they go about the rest of their days.
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Last day of summer, and our dreamers are up and at emβ at the arcade! Making sure they donβt waste their last day of freedom, Philiam plays piano tiles to finally beat the high score. Lilac once again tries to find Mr. Woodβs(the arcade owner) secret gun hidden in one of the claw machines. Markus tries his luck at the lucky wheel and gets a big win! Not long after, Philiam finally achieves his goal and claims the top spot at piano tiles. As Iris is innocently doing her job as one of the arcade workers, the arcade starts to go haywire and completely shut down. Philiamβs and Markusβ ticket prizes start to be reeled back into the machine to their dismay and the Mr. Wood bust out in anger yelling at Iris. Wanting to keep her job, she quickly tries to figure out what happened by opening up the insides of the lucky wheel and find what seems to be water. Iris immediately suspects Markus, but of course tries to defend his good name. Mr. Wood tells everyone to figure out what happened or heβll call their parents AND the school on them. He then exits the arcade to go pick up supplies to fix the machines, leaving our dreamers with a mystery and a mission to find the culprit.
The gang splits off to look for clues, with Markus hoping to find something in the breaker room with Iris. Nothing comes of it, and they come back to the main room with Philiam, who has the mysterious water like substance on his trusty frying pan. Curious, Markus inspects the water closer to find it glitters. Touching it, his hand transforms into its dream version and remembering the events that had transpired at the Waffle House from before, he quickly looks at one of the blank screens of the arcade machines. He finds himself to be staring at his dream self, but he was still in reality. Lilac scrolls through Twitter hoping to find some kind of entertainment and finds Mr. Woodβs Twitter feed to be full of arcade footage of numerous shenanigans. With this, the gang quickly rush to the security room to have a closer look on the events that had transpired. They find that there was no build up to the accident, it seemed to all happen at once. With the mysterious glitter water like substance leaking out of all the arcade machines at once with the lights briefly flashing then turning off. Having an aha! Moment, Philiam realizes that they might have to go to the dreamscape to find out what truly happened. He informs the gang of his thoughts and squints at his frying pan knowing what he had to do. But before he could turn to violence, Markus pulls out his pull box and drugs everyone with his melatonin pills(with consent).
The dreamers then fall asleep to the dreamscape, and check the footage again. This time, they find big cute goldfishes floating into the arcade and start spewing, what the gang now calls, dream goo everywhere and all over the arcade. They go and check if the fishes are still there, and they were, floating around happily, just chilling. Philiam tries to to round up the fishes and lead them to the exit but find that none of them follow him. But as he opens the exit he finds that logsville, has completely changed in the dreamscape. One thing the dreamers notice is a huge pirate ship near Jacqueβs fishing store, and they start heading in that direction hoping to find clues about the fishes origins. The dreamers get split up with Markus and Philiam finding their way to the Jacqueβs fishing store, only to find a huge dock filled with different boats. Philiam recognizes his coworker Brian, cleaning one of the boats. They go and talk to him and Brian weirdly recognizes Philiam, even through his orc-ish features. Philiam suspects nothing, but Markus can tell he was hiding something. They ask about the fishes and Brian gives them two nets to catch them with and goes back to cleaning the boats. Philiam then realizes as he stares at the water that it was the same substance as what the goldfishes were spewing out. They then head back to the arcade, ready to catch some fish.
Lilac and Iris get lost in the dream fog that suddenly enveloped them, and they are suddenly transported to a neighborhood they recognize. They look around and see that they are in front of Timothyβs house, which has become a party city in the dreamscape. Recalling unpleasant memories, Iris quickly walks away from the building with Lilac in tow. They get lost in the fog again, and end back up in the arcade with Philiam and Markus. They cram as much fish as they can into the nets and they set off back to Brian. After awhile of searching for Brian, they find inside of a big goldfish. He sees the sad goldfishes crammed into the nets and tries to release them, but the dreamers are suspicious of his intentions with the fishes. After finding out genuine concerns for the fishes, they let him release them, and the fishes quickly flock to him and cuddle. The dreamers take this opportunity to question him and find out some potentially useful information. After much insistence to give them more nets, Brian gives the dreamers more and leaves them off with a warning to be careful of the music.
The dreamers return to the arcade, only to find all the fishes have left the arcade and are now panicking in the front. Seeing that they are clearly scared of something in the arcade, the dreamers investigate to find that their beloved arcade machines have turned into arcade enemies! Facing off against the piano tiles machine which has turned into a piano tiles dragon, Philiam readies his trusty frying pan. Hoping to get the plushies trapped inside the machine, Lilac targets the claw machine monster which grew arms, legs, and a head, all being a claw. Markus tries his luck once again with the lucky wheel, wanting those tickets he got scammed out of back. The arcade machines recognizing Iris as one of the arcade workers, donβt really to attack her. In fact, the claw machine scoops her up and traps her inside its belly with all the plushies to keep her safe and sound. One by one the arcade machines fall, with Philiam getting a new high score on piano tiles which canβt possibly be beat. With luck on his side, Markus pulls on the lucky wheel and gets the best prize, its defeat. Lilac breaks open the claw machine and swims in plushie paradise with Iris happily clutching plushies. After everyone adopts their respective plushies, Markus inspects the black goo that now littered the area, in place of the dream goo. He warns everyone to not stay in the goo for long and they quickly go to wake up. They find Mr. Wood fixing up the machines, and after some questioning, he lets them go home.
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Peter didnβt expect for his last day of summer to be so eventful. The arcade manager, Laurent Wood, called him in the afternoon to ask him for help. Peter quickly rushes to the arcade and finds it in a wreck. Mr. Wood tells Peter some kids messed up the arcade and theyβre helping out clean up the mess. After introducing the kids to each other, Mr. Wood goes to the employee room and falls asleep. Peter finally meets his fellow coworker Iris, along with Markus, and Philiam. Peter and Philiam quickly clean up the arcade with Markus and Iris being useless. The group then suddenly hear a mysterious music they recognize and they all fall asleep.
They wake up to the arcade replaced with a grand Carnival! Peter recognizes the carnival vaguely from one time in his past where he ate weird gummies and had visions. The dreamers find that the circus is surrounded with a forcefield of dream goo that will revert them back to their reality selves. Peter gets curious what the goo tastes like and takes a lick. He finds that it tastes like whatever food he was thinking and his mind immediately goes to think of what dirt tastes like. The group start to get curious and start tasting the dream goo, until what seems to be the ring master of the circus comes up and greets them. The ringmaster recognizes Iris though, but Iris insisted they didnβt know each other. He dismisses the thought thinking it must be a different Iris. He then welcomes them inside and tells everyone to enjoy themselves in his carnival. He then leaves the group to their own devices, and they all rush to the petting zoo.
In the petting zoo, they find the animal wrangler with four Monkeys clinging onto him, and he delightfully welcomes them inside to explore all the various animals he takes care of. The dreamers curiously go up to a fish tank with a little island and find numerous frogtopus swimming around. Peter sees a pink frogtopi on the island and pets it, quickly becoming attached when it wraps its tentacles around his finger and starts nuzzling against it. They play around with the frogtopi a bit, and find that the pink frogtopi is named Pretzel, becoming more attached. Before the dreamers could see what other animals the animal wrangler has, they hear a scream and they quickly rush to where it came from. Peter says goodbye to pretzel, but the frogtopi climbs up on his shoulder ready to face anything with him.
The dreamers rush to the scream and find a dead body. A body that looks exactly like Iris. Standing before the body with knife in hand, is the ringmaster, looking frightened and confused. Peter covers Pretzelβs eyes, as the ringmaster starts to get dragged away. He brushes his captors off and runs towards the dreamers asking for their help, before being taken away. Recognizing that the ringmaster truly is confused, she puts on her thinking cap(metaphorically), getting ready to solve the truth behind this murder mystery!
The dreamers go to question the harlequin of the circus(senior officer) about what couldβve led to the murder. She tells them that the Iris look alike was their trapeze artist and that she had no idea what couldβve taken place here. She insists on the ringmasters innocence and tells the gang about tension in the circus. The circus is ready to up and leave to go perform for the next town, but the ringmaster had insisted on staying. The circus being loyal, stay with him, but not happily. Curious why the ringmaster insisted on staying, they go to find him.
The dreamers go to where the ringmaster was being kept prisoner and asks him a few questions about what happened, and a bit about his past. They find out that he doesnβt recall how he got there and that his memory is a bit fuzzy. They also find out his reason for staying. They hear about how the ringmaster had traveled to logsville before and met his wife there. Wanting to go back out into the world and travel again, he leaves his wife, not looking back. Later, he comes back to logsville, only to find his wife has remarried, and has a child. His child. Not wanting to ruin their newfound happiness, he decides to not reveal his presence, and instead, stay at the town to watch his child grow up. Before they could question him further, the animal handler shows up and escorts the prisoner elsewhere. Peter notices that the animal wrangler has one less monkey on him. Suspicious of the animal handler, Philiam intimidates him, and the animal wrangler quickly runs away, only confirming the dreamerβs suspicions of him.
They go follow him and find him talking with the trapeze artistβs partner. They notice the dreamers though, and quickly make their escape. Looking around for clues, Peter takes a picture of the dead body and finds weird stuff on it. He shows Markus the picture and he quickly deduces that those were ingredients to a charm spell. Philiam finds a trail of monkey fur leading to the animal handlerβs office and they search the office. But before that, they realize the intelligence of Pretzel and start asking him questions, with Markus leading with his knowledge of frog and octopi language. They find out that the animal handler was forcing Bobert the monkey to do something which worried pretzel. They also find out that the trapeze artistβs partner looks slightly different from how they used to look like and been unusually interacting with the animal handler. Finally, they ask Pretzel for his opinion and he thinks that the monkey is a victim, the animal handler is too dumb to orchestrate such a plot, and the trapeze partner has been acting funny. They then search the office and find instructions for how to use a ring of reverse polymorph and form the conclusion that Bobert is the dead body. They peek outside the office door to make sure they wonβt get caught and find pretzel distracting the animal handler from going further. The dreamers use this opportunity to escape, but sadly leave a good friend behind.
They then search for the trapeze artistβs partner and found where she rooms, which strangely looks similar to Irisβ room. Markus gets curious about the other rooms though, and finds a ball pit next to the trapeze partnerβs room. He steps inside and gets drag in, and the others jump in to make sure he was okay. They find themselves in a strange cave like room with little light. They landed in something wet, and assuming its dream goo, Markus and Peter lick it, only to find that it tastes like blood. Philiam lights the room and find that theyβre standing beside another dead body. But it was the body of the trapeze artistβs partner. Horrified, Peter vomits and Markusβ reasons with himself that heβs just in a dream and itβs not real. Philiam takes a picture of the body and the flash reveals another dead body, but much less fresh. It was the body of the old trapeze artist, who they assumed was replaced by Irisβ look alike. They find that both bodies have been killed by the same weapon, a mace. After some looking around, they find that there is black goo slowly making its way towards them, so the dreamers quickly find a way to leave.
They then search the trapeze partnerβs room, which strangely looks like Irisβ room. Knowing her way around her own room, she find more of the components of the charm spell somewhere in a drawer and her diary. She flips through it and Philiam takes a peek, finding out about Irisβ social food chain list. They investigate the diary further and find that the writing start to get messier. As it gets messier, it at first rants about how the ringmaster is being unfair keeping the whole circus tied down to one place. It then starts to get more unreadable, and the pages soon are just filled with the phrase βrun awayβ, written in the black goo. They leave the room and gather the whole circus together, thinking they might just have cracked the case.
They tell everyone how the trapeze artistβs partner is a fake who charmed the ring master to be at the scene of the crime. They also mention how the animal wrangler helped the fake by making one of his monkeys morph into the Iris look alike, and killed it. All because they wanted to leave the boring old town. Everyone looks towards the animal handler and the trapeze partner. The trapeze partner smiles wickedly and morphs into Irisβ dream self. She raises her hand and snaps, everything turning dark.
Now what really happened in the murder?
WHO? - Iris and the animal wrangler
Iris is a changeling who is able to shift her form into anyone. She has disguised herself as the trapeze artistβs partner. The animal wrangler helped in Irisβ schemes.
WHY? - Iris wants to run away with the circus
When it was time for the circus to leave and perform for the next town, the ringmaster had insisted on staying. Although a lot of them were unhappy with this decision, they all decided to stay with him since he was the ringmaster and they were loyal to him. Iris, who was the trapeze artist at the time, was mad at the ringmaster for forcing everyone to stay in such a boring town. So to make it easier for the circus troupe to leave the ringmaster, she frames him for her murder, and disguises herself as the trapeze artistβs partner.
HOW?
Iris who is an artificer, created a ring of reverse polymorph(a ring that lets an animal assume the shape of a person). Then, thanks to the help of the animal wrangler, she used the ring on one of the circus monkeys to make it assume her form, and then killed it to use as a fake body. Next, she uses her expertise on charms to charm the ringmaster long enough so that they could be discovered in front of the body of the transformed monkey with knife in hand.
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Our story starts with the first day of school at logsville high. Everyone is seated in the MPR of the school, facing a stage, waiting for the principal to make their usual blather welcoming the students. The MPR is a buzz with friends talking to one another, gossips being passed around, and groans about how they want to go back to bed. It may all seem like nothing has changed in the quaint town of Logsville, but something is very different this year. The principal walks onto the stage, mic in hand. And as she takes a breathe to start speaking again, the lights shut off. Everyone in the room hears a hissing sound that quickly dissipates, as music starts to play over the panic that ensues. There are screams, remarks of disgust, laughter, and confusion. The lights turn back on, to display a horrible scene.
That some of our other dreamers canβt see because they arenβt there. Rewinding time back, we find Peter, Philiam, Markus, and Iris at the carnival in the dreamscape, revealing the truth behind the murder of the Iris the trapeze artist, who was revealed to actually be Irisβ dream self. She had just snapped her fingers and all the lights in the area turn off. Then spotlights turn on and shine to show Iris on the trapeze performing tricks. And as sheβs performing these tricks, she shape-shifts into different members of the troupe. She explains to them how she plans to make the dreams last forever, and everything starts to drip in that familiar black goo. In response, the ringmaster tells her he wonβt let her take the carnival, and quickly runs away using a camera that could clear out the black goo. The dreamers run with him and Peter manages to see Pretzel getting taken away by the authorities. They successfully escape and the ringmaster thanks them for trying to prove his innocence. He then takes their picture and everyone wakes up in the arcade. Mr. Wood quickly ushers them out after finding out theyβve all been asleep in the arcade for so long itβs the first day of school and theyβre late!
Everyone is gathered in the principalβs office along with Colleen Wood, being blamed for causing the massive prank in the MPR during morning assembly. Principal Lambert and Mrs. Yor, who is Colleenβs mom, present evidence of their involvement in the prank. The gang tries to argue against them but to no avail. They are punished with one hour of after school detention for the whole school year. The gang tries to investigate for clues to prove their innocence, and finally end up in detention. They all end up falling asleep to investigate the dreamscape version of the school. They find out from Colleen, that there is an ongoing war between two sides of the school: the greenery and the smokery. Ms. Yorβs goal is to make the whole school green, while principal lambert tries to make the whole school clean. Peter and Markus team up to investigate the greenery, where Peter got a green thumb to be cool with the carnivorous plants there. On the other side, Philiam, Iris, and Lilac get little mushroom buddies to destroy something from the greenery side. After some mishaps, they meet up and go to Mrs. Yor to reason with her. There, they find Mrs. Yor become aggressive and see she has turned her daughter Colleen into a green, plant-like, mindless puppet. Our dreamers are sure in a pickle with this oneβ¦
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When our dreamers went to detention, no one knew the trouble that sleeping in class would bring them. And now here they are, facing off against Mrs. Yor, who has become a disturbing plant monster. Everyone was unsettled by her transformation, but most of them stayed strong. Markus wasnβt able to handle it and was about to go into a bout of madness, but the mushrooms made him high to distract him from the terrifying situation. Peter was deeply shocked by this display and he couldnβt handle it, even with the mushrooms help. He runs away from the fight, too frightened to even look back. Colleen manages to break out of her green state and has an argument with her mom about her absent father, until she finally steels herself to wake up her mother from this nightmare.
They try to attack Mrs. Yor, but found that only with the mushroomsβ help, can they defeat her. So after the mushrooms go for an all out spore attack, this gives the dreamers a chance to run to the smokery side, where the principal tells them to stall the green witch until her special mushroom is ready. The dreamers set up a mushroom defense against Mrs. Yorβs plant zombies who were fellow students turned green. Finally, they were able to stall long enough for the Principalβs special mushroom to beef up and take down Mrs. Yor. But to do this, the principal and her special mushroom sacrificed themselves so that the green witch is no more. The school somewhat returns to normal, and the dreamers are forced to part with their mushroom buddies, only being able to have one as a companion. Philiam and Iris have a tearful goodbye to Mushrilliam and Little Guy, while Lilac hugs Spore tightly. Philiam then finds a small blueprint of the prison hole, and Markus is finally out of his high to find a green frogtopus patting his head.
Feeling relief after being freed from the tense situation, the gang wakes up to find that two hours have passed since detention was suppose to end, with the janitor and Peter nowhere to be found. Colleen finally explains the dreamscape situation to the group, detailing how she, Brian, and Devin first found it at the beginning of summer break. She explains to them how at some point the dreamscape was beginning to be covered in this dark fog and their dream selves, separated from them, wouldnβt let them wake up back to reality. They started to defeat their dream selves and found the dark fog dissipating, including their own dream forms. But Brian wouldnβt let them defeat his dream self, and him now being stronger than herself and Devin, they went around defeating other peopleβs dream selves. Until Devin apparently had an unfortunate accident, which made Colleen go solo. She tried to find clues about the dreamscape in the dreamscape library, but found that by herself, she couldnβt find anything. Since then, sheβs been defeating everyoneβs dreamselves, but now she only has a couple of fights left in her until her dream form disappears. After this explanation, she runs off to check in on her mom, and gives Markus her number to call for help, before leaving them room. The gang make a plan to rescue their dear friend Pretzel first before anything, and Markus then faints.
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While the dreamers investigate the school and whatβs going on between Mrs. Yor and the Principal, their little buddies go on their own mini adventure! Snilliam sees just out of the corner of their eye, a small green tentacle. But before they can do anything, Snilliam gets interrupted by Little Guy, Mushrilliam, and Spore wrestling. Snilliam gets everyoneβs attention and leads them to a green frogtopus that gives them a blueprint of the prison hole. She explains through hand gestures and shadow puppets, how the frogtopus gang are planning to break one of their own out and wanted to ask the dreamers for help. Their conversation is interrupted by plant patrol, and they quickly find the dreamers and settle back on their shoulders. The green frogtopus now named Panera though, found friendship with a high Markus
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Peter didnβt expect his last day of summer to be so eventful, but he surely did not expect his first day of school to be so frightening. As he witnesses his history teacher, Mrs. Yor, transform into a horrible plant monstrosity, he couldnβt help but scream. His heart dropped even more when he sees the green from his thumb start to climb his hand, to up his arm, and throughout his body. The mushrooms try to help Peter by spraying spores all over his face to distract him, but it was no use. There was only one thing on his mind and itβs to escape. He scratch at the vines covering the door, until his nails cracked and bled. Seeing how this wasnβt helping, he puts his hands on the wall and summons everything in him to burn the vines to ash. Peter runs away, as far away from whatever was about kill him. He doesnβt even feel guilt for abandoning his friends. In his mind, he thought, theyβre going to be fine, but Iβm not. I have this weird green rash and itβs not going away.
He runs and runs, sprinting as far away as possible from that mess. And as heβs running, his eyes to starts to tear up and he starts crying. He canβt help but close his eyes to it all. Peter wonders, why him? Why does it always have to be him? And he keeps running without a destination in mind. It starts to feel like heβs been running for hours and the fatigue starts to get to him. Peter collapse on what feels like grass. His breathing starts to calm down and he opens his eyes to a beautiful sky of light pink and orange clouds. He just lies there for a while until he hears voices. Kids laughing. He gets up and turns toward the sound, and he sees that heβs at loverβs peak, but itβs different.
Loverβs Peak used to have a beautiful cherry blossom tree, but not anymore. And yet, he sees it in front of him, even more beautiful than what he remembers. A petal like leaf from this tree floats towards him and he is quickly reminded that itβs just dream when it turns to liquid at his touch. No hesitation, Peter tastes it, and to his dismay, it is a taste he is all too familiar with. His own tears. He looks up and sees his kid self sat under this tree. The memory is blurry, but he chuckles a bit remembering all the good times he spent under the tree playing video games. His smile quickly disappears however, when another figure approaches the tree, his childhood crush. Her face is blurry, but he still remembers her radiant smile and the pain in his heart knowing that that smile could never be for him. He then sees time move forward fast, and he gets hit with tinges of nostalgia as he remembers his many play dates with this crush. Then becoming distant when they grew up. Time then starts to slow down as he sees his pre-puberty self pacing nervously in front of the tree. Peter knows this day, as it was the day he was taught his place. The day he was shown that all he could ever be was a weak and pathetic little boy. His crush, all grown up, then enters the scene, breaking past Peterβs pacing. He goes up to hug her saying itβs been so long, but she backs away asking what did he want. Peter tries to close his eyes to this painful scene, but when he does, he is suddenly in this moment, playing it out as if it was happening right then and there. Heβs in front of his crush with his sweaty hands and his heart beating so fast. He thought, this is the day I finally tell her, no more regrets. Peter then confesses his feelings for her.
As heβs confessing his feelings, he starts to recall more of this memory. His crushβs face starts to unblur and he finally remembers who his childhood crush was. He didnβt realize who it was before because of how much weed he always consumed. He sees her surprised face, then pity and guilt, until she looks down and her face darkens. He then feels someone hold his shoulder tightly from behind and Peter turns to see htmtyio.
βWhat do you think youβre doing with MY igdrfireln, brah?β
Peter looks back to his crush for an explanation, but she just turns around and walks away. From behind her, htmotiy goons appear with axes.
βNo matter how many times I beat you, you donβt seem to get it do you, Peetri. Iβve been lenient with you but making moves on my dglfeinrir is the last straw man.β
He nods to his boys. They start to approach the tree and Peterβs eyes go wide as he sees one of them swing and whack the cherry blossom tree with the axe. Then all of them start to hack away.
Peter tries to rush forward and stop them, but heβs held back by hiomytt, and in his middle school body, there was nothing he could do in that moment. In his head though, he starts to hear a voice, his own voice.
βAre you really going to let them push you around like that dude? Arenβt you sick of taking the beatings? We have power now Peter, and itβs time to start dishing out some payback.β
But Peter closes his eyes and remembers, that he is no longer that weak, and pathetic little boy he once was. And he decides to reject the dream and power through this situation with his own power. His dream form then fades away then manifests into the form of a pheonix in front of him. After taking in a few punches and dishing his own out at Rand, the pheonix intimidates Rand and his friends in a great flash and everything goes white. Peter then wakes up and finds his body slumped over grass. He opens his eyes and realizes heβs back at reality, when he sees heβs at loverβs peak, with his beloved cherry blossom tree nowhere to be found. But he looks at where this tree once stood, and he sees a small hummingbird next to a little sapling. He smiles, knowing thereβs hope for him and this tree yet.
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The gang find themselves in the principalβs office once again, but this time, Ms. Lambert is giving them the pass. She says sorry about blaming them for the prank, and lifts their year long punishment. They then proceed to go to class, and it is here that everyone meets Warhead the magical rufous hummingbird. During snack, Peter goes to the back of the school and tries to smoke weed, but Warhead tries to make sure he doesnβt smoke anymore since it gives him memory issues. Iris tries to go up to her cheerleading friends, but senses something lurking behind her. She turns to look around but it quickly darts away. She only had one clear look at it, and saw herself in a shadow like form. Spooked by this, Iris goes to the cafeteria for the safety in numbers. Markus tries to find Devin for inspiration in his writing, but canβt seem to find him anywhere, so he goes to Iris. She didnβt seem to be listening since in response she said, βI think I saw myselfβ and that was all Markus needed for that lightbulb. They talk about her distressing encounter and Markus planned to go find Peter to tell him about it. Philliam took this chance to go talk to Brian, and to make sure no one was listening in on them, Brian texted a message in Philliamβs note app. This is where Philliam learned that Brian was a horrible speller. Oh, and that the orchestra man is threatening to kill the creatures that lived near the pirate ship if Brian didnβt do what they said. Lilac was in the roof of the school eating donuts.
After their next class, during lunch, Iris took this opportunity to fix her status with her cheerleading group. Philliam decided to make little cute meals for everyone to take to their mission to save Pretzel. Markus goes to find Peter in the back of the school to tell him about Irisβ predicament. Peter is confused, thinking that Iris saw herself in the mirror but Markus explains further. Markus then leaves to go eat his chicken sandwich lunch only to find Peter eating it. He heads towards the cafeteria as Peter tells him to tell his supplier Jerry where he was, and runs into Devin looking worried about something. Philliam happens to pass by and gives Markus a lunch seeing that all he has is a banana to eat. Jerry then also comes across them asking where Peter was. In the back of the school they start to see smoke, then a big fire and some screaming. It slowly becomes more quiet and thatβs when Devin confesses about how he had to get rid of his momβs dream self, and she ended up in a coma as a result of battling with her own dream self. He asks for Markus to take care of himself, and that he can at least help them out if theyβre going to the dreamscape library. Markus then inquires about a hypothetical situation that weirdly resembles Irisβ and Devin tells him that that situation weirdly resembles his momβs problem. His momβs dream self had made it to reality and was chasing her. Only his mom could see it, and she ended up so up in a coma as a result of a fight against her dream self.
The bell rings and they each go to their own classes, until school finally ends. The dreamers all text each other where to meet up, and somehow, Jerry infiltrates this group chat and also meets up with them. After a colorful interaction with Jerry, the dreamers finally fall asleep at the back room of the Waffle House. They wake up to breakfast land, and head to the prison hole where Pretzel was imprisoned. They find a big hole with an ominous red light hanging over it, with 10 hatches that had white lights around them. After awhile the light turned green, and the dreamers quickly figure out theyβre playing a game of red light, green light. Lilac decided to take this to rest since she didnβt really know Pretzel and let the group do their own thing. The dreamers get split up, leaving Philliam by himself, when they all move during a red light and fall into separate rooms. Philliam found himself in a room with the walls painted as if he was in sea. Nothing seemed to happen so he climbs out and finds himself out of one the hatches. Markus, Iris, and Peter get stuck in a room with a huge globe of the earth falling onto them. Markus pushes the world up and lets the others figure out a way to escape. They donβt do it very quickly but they figure it out and manage to climb out of another hatch.
They all fall into another room and Philliam is dropped into a room full of water. He sees Pretzel trapped in a ball and chain, but Philliam makes light work of it and gets Pretzel out of there, only to be stopped by sharks. Markus, Iris, and Peter though, find themselves in a beautifully lavish room, with nice plants and marble walls and tiles. They look down to see the whole floor is covered in this puddle of water, and they see their own reflection. They all fall in love with themselves and start praising their good looks, but then they see the otherβs reflection and are absolutely disgusted by it. Markus and Peter quickly get into an argument while Iris fonds over herself. Lilac takes this time to file her nails. Philliam punches a shark out of the way and manages to get out of the room before he ran out of breath. Peter finally breaks out of his trance and stops the others from drowning themselves from trying to get a better look at their reflection. They all get out of their own rooms, but then fall into the first room Philliam fell into. Peter and Iris then believes they are fish, but Peter snaps out of it. Being so done with the prison hole, Philliam carries out a fish Iris, and they find that the other frogtopi have provided them a ladder to get out of. The frogtopi then have a party to celebrate, and when the celebrations end, Panera says goodbye to the dreamers. Panera asks Pretzel to take care of Markus for her, and the frogtopi heads towards the pirate ship.
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The dreamers hurried to the library immediately after rescuing Pretzel, taking advantage of the time they had left. As they approached the imposing structure, they found Devin already waiting for them at the entrance. The libraryβs grand doors stood before them, towering and crafted from rich, dark wood, intricately carved with celestial patternsβstars, moons, and swirling constellations. The carvings seemed almost alive, subtly shimmering as though starlight danced across their surface. The massive doors swung open soundlessly, inviting them into a world that defied expectation.
Inside, the library was nothing short of breathtaking. The vast interior appeared to mirror the expanse of outer space. The walls, floor, and ceiling seemed to vanish into an endless void speckled with glowing stars, nebulae, and drifting cosmic dust. As they stepped further inside, the dreamers noticed that the space shiftedβwhat had seemed like a starry expanse took on a strange, unmoving plaid pattern, as though the universe itself had been woven into an intricate fabric. Despite the disorienting visuals, they pressed onward, their curiosity overpowering any unease.
Suddenly, they found themselves transported to an entirely different realm, one steeped in mystery and magic. The air shimmered with energy, and the atmosphere was heavy with an ancient, otherworldly presence. Around them, in a semicircle formation, hovered robed figures, their cloaks glimmering faintly like the night sky. Their faces were obscured by shadows, but their voices resonated in perfect unison, creating an eerie yet harmonious chorus. βYou must be aligned in your goals,β the figures declared. To illustrate their point, they introduced a testβa game of one-word storytelling. The dreamers worked together, forming the sentence: βOur goal is to not be in trouble outside of the dreamscape, plus why can the others who come from dreams also come to our world?β The robed figures responded with knowing smiles, their approval evident. However, they had one more challenge for the dreamers. The dreamers had to prove themselves as worthy seekers of knowledge before meeting their idol. With that, the dreamers were split into three groups. Markus and Devin found themselves in a room filled with ominous shadows, where Markus was forced to confront manifestations of his deepest fears: Philliam, Rand, and his own mother. Each figure taunted and challenged him, but Markus faced them with determination, defeating these symbolic demons. In doing so, he gained a critical piece of knowledgeβthe identity of the mysterious orchestra man who had been haunting their journey. Bree and Philliam were thrust into a competitive trial: a high-stakes cooking challenge. Bree sketched an intricate dish for Philliam to replicate, and together they prepared an omelet worthy of Gordon Ramsay himself. The renowned chef appeared as a judge, his sharp critiques pushing them to perfection. Their success granted them insights into the origins of the black goo and the mysterious connection between their town and the dreamscape.
Meanwhile, Iris and Peter were immersed in a virtual gaming arena, where they faced escalating challenges requiring quick thinking and flawless teamwork. As they progressed, they uncovered the truth about how their dream selves had come into existence. (I forgot what Peterβs question was.)
Once their trials were complete, the dreamers regrouped, their collective knowledge proving their worth. The robed figures nodded in approval, granting them permission to meet with Lunaeisβ messenger. But before proceeding, the figures issued a warning: they had to keep their eyes close for the entire experience.
The group stepped into an ornate elevator, its interior lined with pristine marble. As it began its descent, the walls transformed. Thin, glowing green wires emerged, snaking across the marble in intricate patterns. The glowing lines multiplied, forming a circuit-like design that pulsed with life, and the walls darkened, shifting to a sleek black surface etched with luminous circuitry. The elevator continued its descent, the hum of its machinery resonating through the confined space. Finally, with a soft chime, it came to a halt, and the doors slid open, revealing what awaited them at the bottomβa mysterious, otherworldly chamber where their questions would be answered, and perhaps, their wishes granted. The hallway stretched before them like a living, breathing entity, its walls pulsing with a sickly green light. Along either side, thin, glowing circuit-like wires slithered and converged, pulsating rhythmically in sync with an unnatural beeping sound that filled the air. The sound was faint at firstβbeepβ¦ beepβ¦ beepβ¦βbut the longer they stood there, the louder and sharper it grew, stabbing into their ears with each pulse. The wires undulated like veins, the pattern jagged and erratic, resembling a heart rate monitor gone haywire.
Red wires dangled grotesquely from the ceiling, some hanging low enough to graze their heads, while others spilled onto the floor like ruptured arteries. The coppery smell of blood seemed to hang faintly in the air, though none of them could pinpoint its source. Each step they took produced a soft crunch, as if the floor beneath them was brittle, fragmented, and not entirely stable.
At the far end of the corridor, an ominous green light shone brilliantly, beckoning them closer with an almost hypnotic pull. It flickered erratically, like a flame caught in a dying wind, casting eerie shadows that danced along the walls. The oppressive weight of the atmosphere pressed down on them, making each breath feel heavier than the last.
Peter, trying to break the tension, suggested a race to the end of the hallway, his voice forced and uneasy. Iris and Philliam hesitated, but they eventually agreed, if only to distract themselves from the suffocating dread. The three took off down the corridor, dodging the dangling wires and stumbling over the ones scattered across the floor. Philliam surged ahead, his determination overriding his fear, and crossed the threshold first. As the green light engulfed Philliam and Iris, a realization struck them both like ice waterβtheir eyes! Panic flooded their faces as they remembered the warning and squeezed their eyes shut. Philliam grabbed Irisβs arm, urging her to stay still, to resist the lightβs call.
Peter, however, didnβt stop. He slowed to a halt just before the threshold, staring wide-eyed at what lay beyond. His face went pale, his breath catching in his throat as he saw a figure slumped in the center of the roomβa thin, frail, and sickly version of Markus. The wires that adorned the hallway were embedded in his emaciated body, puncturing his veins, pumping something unholy through him. Markusβs skin was ghostly pale, stretched tightly over sharp bones, and his head lolled weakly to one side. His eyesβglassy, vacantβseemed to flicker with faint awareness.
Before Peter could process the horrific sight, an icy, needle-like pain stabbed into the back of his head. His vision blurred, the pain twisting and clawing its way into his thoughts. A voice, not his own, hissed venomously in his mind, compelling him with an unrelenting force: Make them open their eyes.
Staggering back, Peter turned to the others, his voice oddly casual, βYou have to open your eyes. You need to see this!β His tone was desperate, almost manic. Iris and Philliam recoiled, shouting at him to stop, to focus, but Peterβs insistence grew louder, more frenzied. The argument escalated, tension clawing at the edges of their sanity as the hallway seemed to close in around them, the beeping now a deafening roar.
Finally, they reached their destination, a vast, dark chamber where the air was thick with an almost tangible silence. A voice, cold and disembodied, echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once: βSpeak what answers you seek. Speak your wish.β The words carried a weight that seemed to press into their skulls, demanding complete submission. The group hesitated, the weight of their questions and desires heavy on their tongues. After a moment, they spoke as one: they wanted to know how to destroy the dreamscape. The air shimmered violently, and visions erupted before their eyesβvisions of dream realms collapsing in on themselves, of twisted, surreal landscapes disintegrating into nothingness, and finally, of the Dreamscape Theatre crumbling to ash.
Then Markus, his voice breaking with desperation, declared his wish: βI want to be cured of my sickness.β
As soon as the words left his lips, the chamber plunged into complete darkness. Markus was alone. Around him, shadows shifted and twisted, forming into a haunting mirror of himselfβthe frail, sickly version of himself. It stared back at him, its hollow eyes brimming with something dark and knowing.
The figure loomed before Markus, its skeletal hand outstretched, the wires embedded in its sickly body writhing like serpents. Its voice, smooth yet venomous, filled the air. βYour wish is simple, Markus. All you need to do is accept the dream. Take my hand, and I can make you feel better. You wonβt have to worry about sickness or pain anymore. No more hospitals, no more pills, no more rushing to be remembered. You can live, without fear or struggle of the death looming over your shoulder.β Markus froze. His mind churned, a storm of thoughts and doubts twisting inside him. The temptation hung heavy in the air. His trembling hand hovered uncertainly, his breath uneven.
And then, Devin stepped beside him, his presence cutting through the tension like a blade. βMarkus,β he said softly, his voice steady and warm. βIβm not gonna tell you what to do. You donβt need me to, because I already know youβre not going to take his hand.β
Markus glanced at Devin, his expression uncertain. βWhy?β
βBecause,β Devin said, a small smile tugging at his lips, βyouβre the strongest person I know.β
The frail version of Markus sneered, its voice dripping with malice. βOh, please. Heβs a twig compared to you, and you know it!β
Devin didnβt even flinch, his gaze fixed on Markus. βYouβre strong, man. I mean, look at you. Youβre so sickβlike, disgustingly sick. Youβve got to lug around a pillbox just to make it through the day. Youβre in and out of the hospital constantly, having tests, checkups, and treatments that most people couldnβt handle. And yet here you are. Most people wouldβve given up by now, but not you. You still have hope for a future. You still dream. βAnd your dreams arenβt small, either. You want to be a writer. You want to be remembered. Thatβs huge, Markus. Bigger than anything I could ever imagine for myself. Youβve been dealt a shitty hand in life, yeah. But youβre still here, fighting. Thatβs strength. Real strength. And you donβt need some scales or dream land here to make you strong. Youβre already strong.β
Devin reached into his bag and pulled out a book, its edges worn and cover fadedβthe very first book Markus had ever written, Tablus. Markus stared at it in disbelief as Devin placed it in his hands. The memory of that book rushed back to him with vivid clarity: the hospital room, his parentsβ bittersweet smiles, his motherβs quiet sobs. He had been so proud of it, so eager for their approval. But their sorrow had crushed his hopes, leaving the book tainted with pain. Heβd thrown it away, unable to bear the weight of it anymore.
Devinβs voice pulled him back to the present. βYou know, before we were friends, I saw you throwing a bunch of notebooks away. I was curious, so I dug through them and found this. Iβm not much of a reader, but this bookβ¦I actually liked reading it. Itβs why I came up to you in the first place. Itβs why weβre friends.
βSo even if you donβt become famous, even if the whole world forgets your name, I wonβt. Iβll remember you. Always.β
The frail Markus shrieked, its voice echoing with fury and despair. βNONSENSE! Heβll die! Theyβll all die, and who will be left to remember us then? No one! Take my hand, Markus, and you can stay in this healthy body forever. If you donβt, youβll be left with nothing but an expiration date, counting down every second of your life. Fifteen years, Markus. Fifteen years of pain, of struggle, of suffering. Devin doesnβt understand the agony you carry every single day. Accept the dream! Reject reality! All that waits for you there is regret, misery, and death!β The room fell silent, the weight of the decision crushing the air from Markusβs lungs. But then, something inside him stirredβa flash of resolve. He looked at the frail version of himself, then at Devin, and finally at the book in his hands. His voice, quiet at first but growing stronger with each word, broke the silence.
βNo,β he said, his tone firm. βI wonβt accept the dream.β
The air around them seemed to tremble as he continued. βI know I donβt have much time leftβmaybe seven years, maybe less. But I want to spend the time I do have making my own choices, living my own life, in reality. Because the people standing behind me, they inspire me every single day! Much more than any extra time could. I donβt need your dreamβ¦ because Iβm already living mine.β
The frail Markus howled in rage, its form twisting and contorting, wires snapping free from its body as the dreamscape began to collapse. The group leapt into battle, the nightmare lashing out with everything it had. The fight was brutal, but in the end, they overcame the dream.
As the nightmare withered and crumbled, Markus approached it, kneeling down to meet its fading gaze. His voice was soft, almost tender. βIβm sorry it had to be you.β
The nightmare withered away, leaving only silence. The robed figures reappeared, their solemn voices cutting through the stillness. They tell them that they wonβt be getting their wish, and that they must return to their dimension.
Before the dreamers could respond, they found themselves standing outside in the cool night air, their minds racing with everything they had learned. They all then go to Canes.
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The dreamers go back to school after a crazy fight with Markusβ nightmare. They find the school almost deserted. Lilac, relishing in the lack of people, goes to chill in the art room. Markus and Peter go to the principalβs office to confront Ms. Lambert about Markusβ notebook and find out that Rand was suppose to be the one to give it back to him. They also find out that all students are missing cause they went to Randβs party. The principal shoos them out of the office so the she can think about what to do next. Iris meets her dream self, who tells her that the circus is all ready to leave, but Iris pushes her away saying sheβs not ready. Her dream self frowns at Irisβ change of heart and disappears. Iris then feels someone tap her shoulder and she accidentally punches Lauren. After some apologizing, Lauren tells her all about the latest gossip. She tells her about Randβs party and not going to it since Iris and Rand have beef. But she couldnβt help but go check on it to see if her crush, Tucker, was flirting with anyone. Strange enough, she finds no one there. She tries to call her friends, and the police but finds that no one is responding. She happens to find Jerry and he tells her that he knows where the party is and heβs going to stage a prison break. She agrees to go help Jerry but only because sheβs worried about what Rand is doing to those poor party people.
She also decides to investigate why the school staff has been disappearing and passes by the hospital to see itβs been the busiest itβs ever been. She decides to see what was happening there and finds out from one of the patients, that theyβve been getting strange dreams about a pirate who drowns him. Thatβs when Philliam finds Iris to have her help him get into the theatre room to get more clues about the orchestra man. Lauren leaves them alone and they proceed to break in. Iris finds the conductor costume and sees that the inside is smothered in dream goo. She also discovers Markusβ notebook in its pockets. Meanwhile, Philliam looks through Wartβs desk and finds a cassette tape thatβs labeled βNwonk syawla evβi ydolem aβ. Philliam fumbles it around and gets dream goo all over that was in the desk. The label changes to read βA melody better left unknownβ. Curious, Philliam pops into a cassette player and the room suddenly starts to swirl around. Philliam manages to keep his sanity in this weird turn of events, but he hears Iris start to scream. She runs out the door, and Philliam chases after her. Markus and Peter, finding out that Rand was the last person with his notebook, raid his locker and deface it with an egg and burn one of his textbooks. Thatβs when Iris passes by them screaming and Peter catches her to calm her down. Iris starts to flashback to carefree days when she used to play with Peter when they were kids. Iris finally calms down and everyone gathers around for a group hug. Thatβs when they hear Devin and Brian talking about taking down Brianβs dream self since heβs the cause of people ending up in the hospital. The group decides to help him and they head off.
Trusting the dreamers to get the job done, he leaves to go deal with Randβs party. The dreamers finally arrives at Brianβs dadβs fishing store and go to sleep there. They wake up to the same old docks by the long winding river to the pirate ship. Brian suggests a race and everyone pairs up. Peter teams up with Iris, Philliam offers Markus to be a team, and Lilac is left to race with Brian. The race was on, with the double B team in the lead. Philliam and Markus were close behind while Iris and Peter were struggling. Lilac and Brian cruise on ahead while playing a quick game of uno. Philliam and Markus struggle to keep up but they manage with their clever tricks. But Iris and Peter arenβt out of the race yet, since they have clever tricks of their own. They manage to close the distance between them and Markus and Philliam. They glare at each other as Markus gets a boomerang from a lucky block and take second place once again. Lilac and Brian, comfortable in the lead, have a conversation over a nice cup of tea. Markus super charges the boatβs motor and widens their lead against Peter and Iris. But their not giving up the race for second place quite yet. Using his repair man skills, Peter improves the boat motor, just being able to keep up with Philliam and Markus. In response to this, Markus takes out his dream notebook and gives the boat a boost with a jet engine, but sadly the engine gets wet and turns back into paper after one use. He thinks about using it again but sees Iris glare at him and opts to keep the rest of the pages for a rainy day. The race finishes with Lilac and Brian in first, Peter and Iris in second, and Philliam and Markus depressed about their loss.
After some rest, they get back on their feet to face Brianβs dream self. They go into a fight after Brian refuses to come with his dream self to sail away. It was a harrowing fight, but the dreamers manage to come out on top. Brian assures himself that heβs going to be okay even without the dream, and pirate ship along with his fishes start to fade away. They all say goodbye to Brian one last time and one of them approaches Lilac to say goodbye. Brianβs dream realm then all fades away, but he assures the dreamers that the frogtopi are still alive. He opens his jacket to reveal them all clinging onto his jacket, and some chilling in his pockets. But one does wonder, whatever happened at Randβs party?
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Mulling over their time together at the dream library, Iris planned to meet with Peter at a familiar location. They both arrive at Loverβs Peak with Peter being a little late. Peter told Warhead to go home without him since he felt this was going to get personal. They both then talk about each otherβs problem with each other, clearing up the air. Feeling that Iris has changed, Peter offers to plant the cherry blossom seed he got together. They make a quick pit stop to get shovels, fertilizer, and some water to plant the seed. They find that it quickly sprouts. They then go into a tangent about how long the tree will grow and find out it takes 7 years. Peter notably thought in his head at that moment, βSucks that Markus wonβt be alive when the tree is grown.β They laugh and reminisce till nightfall and thatβs when Warhead was sent by Peterβs grandma to come get him. Peter sweating because he forgot to tell his grandma about staying out late, he calls her and is immediately berated by her. Finding out Peter is still with a friend, she promptly invites Iris to dinner and they all have fun time. For this one moment, all was okay in Logsville.
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So our story starts with Jerry. He agreed to come with the dreamers to the Waffle House, to help them with some prison break they were planning to do. While everyone was eating, he went to the bathroom real quick, but when he came back, everyone was gone. He was going to text in the group chat where everyone went but found that he was banned. He goes back to the bathroom and cries himself to sleep, only to wake up in the dreamscape. There he finds the dreamers doing their own thing, but still upset about being left out he wanders around and ends up at the school. He finds Rand doing something suspicious and decided to investigate closer. He sees Rand putting these weird mushroom people into cages that all seem to be moving towards the direction of his house. He instinctively hides from Rand and stumbles upon a cage with a mushroom in it. He manages to rescue one of the mushroom people and finds out that he has the ability to understand what these mushroom people were saying. The mushroom starts talking and he tries to quiet it down so that Rand doesnβt find them. But he still finds them, and thinking itβs not the real Rand, he confesses and tells him about the people who hated him. Rand brushes him off as being high and walks away.
Jerry finally uncovers the mouth of the little mushroom he found was named Mushrilliam. Mushrilliam tells him all about how Rand was kidnapping their people. Thatβs when he asks Jerry to help him and Jerry decides to have a prison break of his own. He starts to try and unlock the cages to free what he thought was customers to his βbusinessβ. Just right when he was about to do it, thatβs when Brian stops him and tells Jerry he canβt just start doing things willy nilly especially with Rand still nearby. Brian tells him that he needs a plan and more help than just one mushroom. Brian tells Jerry that him and Devin were already planning to take care of Rand, so he can join in on the plan. Brian and Jerry return to the dreamscape and Brian goes to find Devin. They agree to meet at the Party City. Jerry then starts to head back home.
Meanwhile, Lauren goes to investigate Randβs house and finds Charlie the cat looking for beef. Thinking sheβs just high from Randβs weed plants, she goes along with it and heads towards Nerdhalla to take the cat home. She runs into Jerry and Mushrilliam who enlists her help on the prison break. She agrees so that she can check on Tucker and the people who were at the party. The next day they head to Randβs home in the dreamscape. They wake up and go to the Party City where they meet Devin. He tells Jerry that Brian went off with the dreamers to go deal with another thing, and they head inside. The Party City is dark with only the disco lights used for illumination. The music is loud and there are numerous people dancing to it.
Lauren goes to find Tucker while Jerry investigates around to see how to free the mushroom people. Mushrilliam and Charlie get caught up in the party and start dancing and eating the party food. Devin goes to try and escort people out of there. Devin finds Little Guy roaming about and gets his help in making the partygoers forget what happened and wake them up. They start to carry cages out of the Party City as everyone is doing their own thing. Lauren is tempted by Tucker and starts to party a bit with him. She gets a bit information out of him though, finding out that Rand did some ritual to summon the ghost of party city to make this crazy party happen. Jerry looks around and sees that Rand has the keys. He tries to trick Rand into thinking his shoelaces were untied but he has bunny slippers on. This makes Rand suspicious of Jerry and a ghost comes out of him and goes through Jerryβs body before going back to Rand. Jerry has lost himself to the party spirit and proceeds to get swept up in the party.
Finally satisfied, Lauren leaves Tucker to find Charlie snacking. Luring him with beef, they go to find Jerry having a dance off with Mushrilliam. He gets absolutely demolished by Mushrilliam and snaps out of the party funk. They try to get the keys from Rand but fail to get all of it and they decide to have a dance off for the keys. Jerry beats Rand which makes the ghost of Party City come out to fight them to defend the party. Devin sneaks around and manages to get the keys to unlock all the cages and sneaks back out. They beat him up and Charlie manages to demoralize the ghost by peeing. Jerry gives the finishing blow, and the mushrooms see this and pronounce him the king of the shrooms. Jerry, Luaren, Charlie, Mushrilliam, and Devin all celebrate their victory with the now freed mushroom people. Thatβs when the dreamers and Brian show up and celebrate along with them. Jerry then takes everyone out to Canes to celebrate, including the mushroom people.
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The adventure begins as Markus and Peter are on their way to Beaver Boardwalk for a joint 2 week field trip hosted by the clubs of Logsville Highschool. Beaver Boardwalk is a bright and beautiful port town, but it is in a derelict state and no one knows how the town became like this. The usual tourist activities have been halted because of the damage and the mood of the townsfolk are in a sorry state. But that wonβt stop Markus and Peter from having fun! They first explore their very fancy hotel room and Markus checks out the bathroom only to be astonished seeing the toilet have a fountain feature. He tries to experiment with the buttons on the bidet, only to have it sprayed all over his face. Peter discovers Markus in the midst of this and shames him for his weird hobbies. Embarrassed, he shuts the bathroom door and proceeds to enjoy himself in the hot tub with bubble jets. Peter orders them food, but believing Markus is allergic to gluten, orders him gluten free everything. Markus is upset and he explains how he isnβt allergic to anything, but Peter argues that he canβt be sure. After eating, they go down to the main lobby to explore the hotel and find their fellow students planning out what to do for the day. They also find a pool room, and it was a close match, but Markus won out in the end. Markus and Peter then decide to go find some souvenirs, but find that most of the shops have been closed down for repairs. They manage to find one open, but all the prices are crazy! The souvenir shop owner admits that he marked up the prices seeing that he has no competition, and itβs all just business.
Markus decides to buy a snowglobe, while Peter is interested in an odd looking really detailed statue that the souvenir shop was selling. It was a highly detailed statue of the townβs mascot, a hybrid of beaver and mermaid together. Peter wonders about why the nipples on the figure are really detailed, but he keeps these thoughts to himself. The shopkeeper explain that the statue was of the Kindred, who was said to help the town drive away pirates that bothered the town. But he admits that itβs just an old tale the townsfolk tell tourists for marketing purposes, and he shoves a plushie of the kindred into Peterβs face. The marketing works, since Peter decides to buy the kindred plushie and name it Romano. They then go to the beach to participate in the sand castle building event. A couple kids come up to them and mock their intelligence, which makes Markus and Peter determined to beat these kids in sand castle building. Markus and Peter discuss on what to build and they decide to build a sinking pirate ship with the kindred overpowering the pirates to depict the story the souvenir shop owner told them. Peter gets inspired and builds an amazingly detailed ship, while Markus goes out to find materials to use for their sand castle. Their sand castle turn out marvelous, and they decide to go reward themselves by eating at the restaurant, The Beaver Place. After filling themselves, they discuss what they should do next. Peter thought about trying to sneak into the casino by pretending to be Markusβ dad, but Markus points out the fatal flaw in the plan. He points at Peterβs zits and Peter feels offended, but quickly bounces back when they decide to go fishing. But before that, they go to the beach to check on their sand castle.
They go to the docks and meet a nice lady named Ariel who runs the fishing supply store. She tells them the something big has been scaring the fishes and pulling the fishing rods away. They could fish, free of charge as long as they donβt lose her fishing rods and they agree. They proceed to spend 2 hours trying to row out of the docks. Getting sick of arguing with Markus on how to row a boat the right way, he grabs Markusβ paddle and manages to row the boat out of the docks. They begin to fish, and Peter catches a big one. So big, that it actually drives the boat forward. Peter grips the fishing rod tightly and fights against it. He pulls with all his might and the fish leaps out of the water. It flops onto the deck, only for Markus and Peter to realize that what they caught wasnβt a fish. It was one of the Kindred the souvenir shop owner talked about. Markus and Peter have a stare off with the kindred for a while until it says, βsupβ and begins to flop out of the boat and back into the sea. Markus and Peter begin screaming and shaking each other to check that they are both not dreaming and confirm that they are indeed not dreaming. Peter mutters under his breathe that the nipples on the statue were accurate and they needed to tell someone about their discovery. Markus and Peter then realize that the kindred swam their boat farther from the dock and start to sweat at the realization they will have to row the boat back again.
Markus and Peter make it back to the dock and subtly ask Ariel what would people think if some other people just happen to find those half beaver mermaid things the town likes so much, so they donβt sound crazy. Ariel points them to old man Earl at the harbour, who believes in the Kindred nonsense and off they go to meet him next. But before that, they go to the beach to check on their sand castle. They find old man Earl sleeping on the bowsprit of a huge whale ship. They wake him up and ask about the Kindred which he fangirls about. He tells the boys they can go meet them if the Kindred likes them enough. They agree to go with him to meet the Kindred and Peter starts to get excited at the thought of riding on a huge ship. But on the other side of the whale ship, away from the harbor, Earl drives a small ship to the boys and tells them to hop in. Peter is disappointed, but forgets all about it when Earl tells them that they have to sing to get the Kindredβs attention. Markus and Peter are awful, which causes a Kindred to spit water at their faces. But Markus just needed a vocal warmup, and manages to duo with the Kindred. They meet Benny, who was the same Kindred they caught during their fishing trip. Benny warns them to be careful at night since some suspicious people start roaming around the town. The duo take this into consideration, and decide to make one last stop to the Beaver Den castle. But before that, they go to the beach to check on their sand castle.
The boys arrive at Beaver Den Castle and find out more about the history of the town. They listen in on the guide explaining how the castle has a deep basement where the royal family held meetings with the Kindred and established a close friendship. Peter asks the guide more questions about the castle and the guide tells him that if he wanted to see more of the castle they can win a night stay in Beaver Den if they win the beach volleyball competition being held in Beaver Beach. While Peter was listening to the guide intently, Markus sees a group of suspiciously robed people sneak further into the castle. Markus mentions this to Peter, and like responsible teenagers they tell the security about this. The security guard is caught off guard by their visit and nervously explains that the robed figures are probably just employees. It is clearly the guardβs first day on the job and Markus feels bad for the guard. Peter ainβt buying it though, and he points out that their uniforms or robes were suspicious. The guard explains that the neighborhood watch of the town wear those robes and the boys walk away from him. Peter then whispers to Markus how the guard was clearly lying which Markus is surprised to hear about. Peter theorizes that the guard might be part of some kind shenanigans the robed guys are trying to do. The boys agree to investigate the castle further by dominating the beach volleyball competition. They both then look at the time and realize they need to get back to the hotel before curfew or else theyβll get in trouble! But before that, they go to the beach to check on their sand castle.
They make it to the hotel with 3 minutes to spare and go back to their rooms to get ready for bed. Peter calls first on the bathroom and only to be astonished seeing the toilet have a fountain feature. He tries to experiment with the buttons on the bidet, only to have it sprayed all over his face. Markus discovers Peter in the midst of this and shames him for his weird hobbies. Embarrassed, he shuts the bathroom door and proceeds to enjoy himself in the hot tub with bubble jets. Markus orders them food and after Peter was done in the bathroom, they eat their fill. After eating and some Markus lore, they decide to head to bed. Peter wakes up, only to find himself underwater and he starts panicking that heβs drowning. He calms down after realizing heβs not and sees Markus is still asleep. He shakes Markus awake and shouts at him that heβs drowning. Markus immediately starts panicking and believes that heβs drowning while Peter is cackling. Peter tells Markus that theyβre not actually drowning and Markus expresses his shock by swearing which Markus doesnβt often do. They look out the balcony and find that the whole town is submerged underwater. They also realize that most of the townsfolk have been turned into fish version of themselves. They look at each other and theyβre still in their reality forms, but Warhead the hummingbird and Flash the lizard are no longer in their typical animal forms. Warhead has become a red turtle with a lava-like texture on their shell. Flash has become a chubby purple axolotl.
The boys swim to the very top of the town to get an overhead look of the town in its entirety. But they find that the whole town is in this dome and curiosity gets the better of Peter. He pokes his head out of the dome and he feels himself about to wake up so he quickly goes back inside the dome. They look down at the town and see that it has been split into two. The humanoid figures catch their eye and they see Benny and Earl on one side and Ariel on the other. They go see people from both sides and it is explained that the town has been split into two. Benny, Earl, the mayorβs assistant Rain, and most of the town are on the Keeper faction who are in favor of keeping the town the way it is to keep its history. Ariel, Mayor Selene, the hotel staff, and the guides are on the Trapper faction who are in favor of renovating the town to make it more appealing to tourist to earn more profit to keep the town alive. After talking to both sides, Markus and Peter come to the conclusion that neither are in the wrong and only seem to have the best intentions for the town. Peter theorizes that it is all a misunderstanding between the factions, and that the mayor might have something to do with it. They then start to question how the mayor is actually getting all this money to afford the renovations? They ask the hotel staff about this and they say that the mayor mightβve discovered some secret place in the castle. The boys then ask them if theyβve seen the mayor anywhere so that they could ask her questions, but apparently she went to the top of the dome. But before that, they go to the beach to check on their sand castle- Peter forgets to check on their sand castle so who knows what happened to it?
The boys go to the castle only to find it guarded by knights, and they announce that only Princess Selene is allowed inside. Peter recalls knowledge he gained from the guides at the Beaver Den and remembers that they mentioned a secret place at the basement of the castle. They swim to the bottom and find a secret entrance covered in seaweed. There, they recognize stuff they saw in the Beaver Den and investigates the place. Markus swims up to statues of a Kindred and someone who looks to be the king slapping hands(since the kindred have flippers for hands). Markus looks on top of the Kingβs crown and find that there used to be a lot of gold coins on his head, only to be reduced to a few. But the lack of coins reveal a map carved onto the Kingβs head somewhere beyond the seas of Beaver Boardwalk. Peter investigates the big table in the center of the cavern and see the full history of the town according to the table. After their discoveries, they head up and find that the secret entrance to the cavern can also be found through the altar in the chapel of the castle. The duo decide that theyβve seen enough and wake up from the dreamscape via dome. Peter jokes what if they stick their heads out of the dome they start falling and start to get worried. They do it anyways and Markus wakes up first. He find Peter has fallen off of his bed but is still asleep; so he shakes Peter awake and shouts at him that heβs falling. Peter immediately starts panicking and believes that heβs falling while Markus is laughing. Markus tells Peter that theyβre not actually falling and Peter expresses his shock by swearing which Peter does often do.
Will Peter find out what happens to his sand castle? Can the boys win in the Beach volleyball competition? What is the mystery behind the town of Beaver Boardwalk? Will they ever figure out how the bidet works? Find out what happens next in the day 2 of the Wanderlust Special: Is This Really Just a Beach Episode?
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Where we left offβ¦ the dream duo, Markus and Peter just woke up from a crazy dream. Getting a bit stressed out, Peter took some of his edibles. Meanwhile, Markus calls room service for some needed breakfast. The person on the phone though seemed a little off, constantly asking Markus to clarify if he wanted vegan or non-vegan pancakes and eggs. On the other side of Markusβ ear was Peter constantly asking Markus to tell room service to get him βthe goodβ brownies. This continued on for some time until Markus was finally able to place his order. But he accidentally told room service to deliver it to the wrong room, and this room just happened upon Peterβs βgoodβ brownies and knocked a person out. They get their breakfast, but before they could fully finish, Markus reminds Peter about their sandcastle. Worried about his baby, Peter grabs Markus and rushes out the door. At Beaver Beach, he finds that the worse had happened. His beloved-, his and Markusβ beloved sand child was destroyed. But their rivals (who were children) pointed out that it looked more like their sand castle had moved. From their sand castles spot, there was a trail left behind as if it started moving on its own. They try to find it but the only clue they gained was that it stayed on the beach. To get his mind off of their missing sand castle, Markus reminds Peter about the volleyball competition and Peter grabs Markus to rush off to the court!
Finding out that the competition requires teams of two, Markus starts to sweat a bit when he looks at his flabby arms. But Peter reassures him that heβs got this, until Warhead and Flash enter their bodies. Peter felt a bit more magical than before and Markus believed he could destroy his opponents. Finding out that magic might be illegal in the competition, Peter starts to swear a bit when he looks at his magical hands. But Markus reassures him that heβs got this, and off they were to defeat the champion! With Markusβ great strength, and Peter sneakily using magic, they won the match and got the prize for the nights stay at Beaver Den castle. Now time to worry about the other competition they were competing in. They talked to Tofi, the host of the sand castle building competition if the pictures they took were enough. Sadly, Tofi was in a bad mood and told them they have a few hours to build a new sandcastle before the judging began. The dream duo considered it, but decided to use the time to go looking for their beloved sand baby instead. Peter is still feeling a little off from the edibles he ate in the morning, so it was up to Markus to find their sandcastle. His brilliant idea was to do a sand castle mating call, in hopes of attracting their sand castle to them. Someway, somehow, by some incredible luck, it works. Peter instantly spots their little sand castle peek its head out from somewhere on the beach and quickly duck back down. Peter dashes to his baby and starts to dig down. Markus approaches, and at that moment they both just fall.
They find themselves in a cavern completely made out of sand, surrounded by a colony of sand castle creatures including their sand castle baby. They see the sand castle creatures look at each other, and then make a pathway that leads to somewhere deeper into the caverns. Peter is suspicious of their intentions at first, but then sees his baby go through and happily follows along. They are led to huge sandstone doors that open to reveal a throne room similar to the one in Beaver Den castle. Except this one seems to be the version of what it used to look like before the mayorβs renovations to it. A huge sand castle sits at the throne and stares at them. Thinking he has to bow to royalty, Markus bows, only to fall deeper into the cavern to what looks like a prison cell. Peter and the sand castle baby starts to dig at the spot where Markus fell in a panic as the big sand castle looks around at the other sand castles. It nods, and sand castles start to surround Peter and poke sand spears at him that crumble at his touch. He starts to giggle at the silly little sand castles trying to move him, but then they start to combine. Suddenly, Peter was surrounded by three big sand castles and he lets them escort him. On the journey, he names his sand castle baby:Boatie!Meanwhile, Markus is in prison. But with his wit, he breaks out of the cell by just walking out. Itβs made out of sand after all. Peter isnβt having as much success on his side though.
The sand castles escort Peter to a bedroom and closes the door. On the bed, there is a medium sized sand castle lying there. There is an awkward silence that lingers in the air, until it finally sits up and starts to approach him. Peter eyes go wide and he covers Boatieβs eyes. Markus finds himself out of one prison and into another one, as he gets lost trying to navigate through the many twists and turns of the sand cavern. As the sand castle approaches Peter, he starts to stutter and back away as he tries to tell the sand castle heβs not ready for that level. Markus starts to yell for Peter as he wanders aimlessly around the cavern. He swears that he has passed by that same lump of sand twice already! Peter tries to open the sand door but is stopped by its lock. If only he had Markusβ wit, he wouldβve escaped by now! He turns to the approaching sand castle and tries to reason with it. A sand castle and a human? It could never work out! But realizes he canβt communicate with a sand castle. He then tries to reject its advances. He just doesnβt swing that way, heβs not into sand castles like that! But realizes he canβt communicate with a sand castle. He starts to go a little crazy when he realizes heβs trying to communicate with a sand castle. As Peter starts to question what were in those edibles, Markus starts to wonder if heβll ever get out of this cavern. He continues to yell for Peter as he passes by the same lump of sand again. He never realizes that heβs been going around in circles the whole time. On the other hand, Peter realizes that although heβs tried to communicate with the sand castle, he has never tried to truly understand it. Thatβs when he understands that the sand castle doesnβt swing that way either. Peter was offended that the only advances heβs gotten was from a sand castle, but now he only feels awkward for reading the room wrong.
The sand castle gives Peter a blue stone with the number two in it. He quickly leaves the room feeling awkward and now wanders around to look for Markus. He yells out his name, and Markus is able to hear Peter. Sadly, the same doesnβt go for him. As Markus tries to tell Peter heβs below him, Peter continues to wonder where Markus went. Thank goodness Boatie inherited their listening skills from Markus, because Boatie notices Markusβ presence and tries to show Peter. He sadly fails to understand a sand castle once again, and thinks Boatie is just playing around. He then asks Boatie if they could lead him to where they took Markus, and Boatie sighs as they give up on trying to make Peter understand their intentions. Boatie leads him to a spot and Peter stands on it. A moment passes and he falls to a prison cell, with Markus standing in front of him, outside of the cell. Peter then starts to explain the horrifying events that occurred to him and introduces Boatie to him. At that moment though, the sand was starting to get to Markus and started to chug water down. Meanwhile, Peter is still in prison. But with his wit, he plans to pick the lock to release himself. He asks Boatie to get a pen from Markus so that he can use it to escape. Boatie complies, and with his magnificent skills, Peter successfully picks the lock of the cell. But nothing happens. Peter then gets up and walks out of the cell. Itβs made out of sand after all.
The dream duo then start to hatch a plan on how to leave and asks Boatie for help. Failing to understand a sand castle once again, Peter assures Boatie that he can return to his people after he has helped them. But Markus realizes that Boatie doesnβt want to return to his people and wants to come with them. As the only sand boat among a colony of sand castles, who would ever want Boatieβs company? But seeing how his creators went through such lengths to get to him, Boatie now seeks to live up to their expectations as the best sand castle ever! (More lore on Boatie will be revealed later).
Boatie uses the surrounding sand to grow in size to take the dream duo on a ride out of the caverns. Peter raises his hands up in the air overjoyed, only to get face full of sand. Using Peter as a human shield, Markus has a much more enjoyable experience. They finally make it out of the caverns with enough time to spare. Markus helps Peter get all the sand out of him and Boatie tries to help only to add more sand to the problem. Peter sighs, βBoatieβ¦β but just canβt get mad at him because of how cute he is. After freshening himself up, Peter then starts to work on fixing up Boatie just in time for the judging to start. After Tofi went around examining the sand castle, he announces to everyone that he will announce the winners tomorrow. After such an eventful morning, the dream duo decide to eat lunch at the hotel restaurant called Secret Island.
After explaining to the staff that they need their emotional support lizard, bird, and sand castle, they are seated with Boatie getting a toddler chair. They start to order food, but Peter is having a bit of trouble deciding on what to eat. He asks a person from another table on recommendations, but it quickly becomes awkward when he realizes that sheβs also a tourist. The waiter comes by to see if theyβre ready to order, but Peter is still unsure. Not caring about Peterβs indecisiveness, Markus tells the waiter what he wants which pressures Peter to order quicker. After 5 minutes, he finally orders food successfully. The waiter then leaves to take their orders to the kitchen, and thatβs when they realize Boatie is not on the toddler chair. Peter starts to panic a bit and asks the person from the other table if heβs seen their emotional support sand castle. She points out the trail of sand leading to the kitchen. Peter a little bit annoyed, grumbles, βBoatieβ¦β as Markus comes up with a plan with how to get into to the kitchen. Peter agrees to pretend to have allergies and asks a waiter to see the kitchen. Being on their first day of the job, the waiter agrees to just let them look into the kitchen. There they see Boatie trying to taste the food, but to avail. Markus tries to get Boatieβs attention subtlety while Peter distracted the waiter. Boatie notices them, but just waves hi as he puts on a little chef hat. Peterβs rising annoyance is quickly replaced with affection. He just canβt get mad at him because of how cute he is. After having his fun, Boatie then happily bounces to them. Peterβs and Markusβ smile of relief is quickly replaced with horror as a chef slams a bowl on top of Boatie to trap him. The chef makes eye contact with the dream duo as the waiter closes the door to the kitchen. The waiter tries to escort them back, but Peter and Markus give chase to the chef.
The chef runs out to the back of the restaurant as the dream duo races through the kitchen as various foods and kitchen utensils are being thrown towards them. They make it out of the kitchen only to see the chef on a motorcycle with Boatie in a cage. Peter and Markus arenβt too worried with their experience in the sand cavern prison. The chef maniacally laughs as he tells them heβs going to become rich selling the sand castle off and drives away. The motorcycle drives off without Boatie as the cage passes through his sand body. The dream duo are relieved and go back to the restaurant only to find that theyβve been banned. The door slowly closes on them as they see their food be brought to the stranger they interacted with. The dream duo are still determined to fill their bellies and go to a taco truck for sustenance. Peter doesnβt get much to eat as Boatie tries to taste his taco and gets sand all over it. He gives up the taco and goes to get horchata instead. Curious about it, Boatie tries to taste it and once again gets sand all over it. Peter tries to keep his smile as Boatie happily puts sand all over his food. He just canβt get mad at him because of how cute he is. They decide to spend their afternoon learning how to swim in preparation for the snorkeling trip they might get if they win the sand castle building event. They go to the hotel pool, but donβt want to bring Boatie along just in case he jumps into the pool and dies. They think about putting him in the hotel room, but realize how much of a mess he always makes with sand. They try to reason with Boatie to behave, but the sand castle is too hyperactive. They decide to put him in the play room with Warhead and Flash to keep him company and make sure he behaved.
The dream duo significantly improve their swimming skills and after a few hours they decide theyβve had enough. They go visit old man Earl and Benny, hoping to find more answers about their recent findings. Peter asks about the rock the sand castle creatures gave him. Benny tells them that the rock is made of Beaver wood, but the inside is filled with Kindred saliva. The duo are a little grossed out by the rock, until Benny realizes that it isnβt Kindred saliva thatβs in it, but Kindred blood. Markus and Peter start to go into theorizing mode as they start connecting events together. They promise Benny that theyβll help save his people and his him farewell. Benny tells them to stay safe as he heads back home. The duo arrive back at the harbor, but Peter still has some more questions to ask old man Earl. Markus steps out a bit feeling a little sea sick as Peter gets a bad feeling. He forgot to check on Boatie after their swimming lessons. The last time he forgot to check on Boatie, he disappeared. He quickly tells Earl heβll just ask tomorrow and dashes back to the hotel with Markus in tow. They arrive at the playroom only to find nothing there but a bunch of sand. They follow the trail to the nap room and relief starts to wash over them thinking they decided to take a nap. But they forget that this is Boatie theyβre talking about, and they find the room empty with the vent above having a bit of sand falling from it. Peter curls up his fist and yells, βBOATIEEEEβ
Peter boosts Markus up to the vent for him to follow the trail. As Markus navigates through the vents, a hotel staff notices Peter in the nap room and approaches him. Peter tries to lie to the staff but fails. He is escorted out of the playroom so he decides to look around in other rooms for traces of sand. Markus then finds that the trail leads back to the restaurant. He sees the stranger they met in the restaurant still there getting complimentary dishes. Peter calls Markus for an update and he reports his findings. Peter decides to go round back of the restaurant to look for more sand trails and finds one. The sand trail comes from a vent next to the staff room, but Peter realizes that there never was a room next to the staff room. He then connects the Secret Island restaurant to the secret room. He tells Markus about the trail he found and follows it. Markus finds himself out of one prison and into another one, as he gets lost trying to navigate through the many twists and turns of the hotel vents. What an awful feeling of Deja vu for Markus. Meanwhile, Peter follows the sand trail to an open area and finds that the wind is blowing the trail away. Peter decides to shift focus and tries to find a trail from warhead. Peter smiles as he sees a trail of chicken crumbs left behind. Markus is still hopelessly lost in the vents until he falls out of it and into someone elseβs room. He quietly gets out of the room and bolts out to follow Peter. The trail of chicken leads to the Beaver Den castle but it immediately goes cold as he enters the castle. There are people constantly cleaning the room. There isnβt a single piece of chicken left behind. Peter looks around for anything that might hint to where Boatie, Warhead, and Flash mightβve gone, but thereβs nothing. He tries to ask the guide if heβs seen a rufous hummingbird somewhere but thereβs nothing. Starting to panic, he calls out for Warhead but thereβs nothing.
Markus finally arrives to a distressed Peter calling out for Warhead. He calms Peter down and looks around. He doesnβt see any hints of Boatie, Warhead, or flash anywhere, but he notices a weird amount of guards coming in. They seem to be looking for something. He tells Peter about his observation hoping to distract him. Curious about the suspicious amount of police, he goes up to one of the locals to ask about it only to meet the same person they met at the restaurant. The interaction quickly becomes awkward as Peter realizes they actually go to the same school. Her name was Lucy, and for some reason she keeps seeing the dreamers around. So much so, that she just learned all their names. She tells Peter that sheβs heard rumors about a sand castle monster terrorizing the town, so maybe the police are trying to stop any panic from happening. Seeing that they arenβt able to do much until their night stay at the castle prize starts, the duo sit down somewhere to wait. Thatβs when Markus gets an eerie feeling that theyβre being watched. Time passes, and they are finally able to redeem their prize. It comes with a free dinner at the castle banquet hall, which Peter is thankful for since he is hungry. As he is eating though he canβt help but feel guilty thinking about where their little guys were at now. He then notices in one of the paintings in the banquet hall, has a kindred that sort of looks like Benny. Meanwhile, Markus confirms the eerie feeling he had before when he sees one of the paintings eyes move.
Will Markus ever find his way out of a labyrinth? Can the dream duo find their little companions? Is there something more to Bennyβs past? What exactly is going on in this town? Will Peter ever see eye to eye with a sand castle? Find out what happens next in day 3 of the Wanderlust Special: Iβm Starting to Think This Isnβt Just a Beach Episodeβ¦
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Where we left off, Markus and Peter won a nightβs stay in the Beaver Den castle from the volleyball competition. They just finished the complimentary dinner and got a tour around the castle. After the tour, the guide leaves them in a bedroom to have their rest. But the duo have different plans. They try to investigate the floor theyβre on but they just donβt know how to investigate effectively. They end up running into each other and arguing about their lefts and rights. After a few(a lot) dead ends, they decide to get into the mind of warhead. They thought to find him at the courtyard of the castle, but end up getting chased by a robed figure. Peter manages to dash away and look into courtyard. Itβs full of the robed people looking for something. Peter sees a trail of sand leading to somewhere but one of the robed figures also finds the trail and decides to follow it. Meanwhile, Markus ends up getting chased by the robed figure but manages to lose them and meet back up with Peter. He finds Peter texting the Dreamers chat, but they focus up to follow the trail. The robed figures get confused where the trail leads and end up going the wrong way. Fortunately, Markus has a sharper eye and finds that the trail is leading to the lower levels of the castle. Markus turns to Peter to tell him, but finds Peter arguing with Lilac in the chat. After finally getting over the argument, Peter locks in and leads the way to the basement. They arrive in the dungeons and see the trail of sand stop at a crystal. Peter and Markus argue over who is going to touch it since they assume itβs going to explode. Markus tells Peter that he doesnβt have long to live anyway so he might as well touch it. Peter doesnβt like hearing that from him and argues that he is much tougher than Markus.
They eventually settle on finding a stick and poking it with the countdown crystal they have. Nothing happens. Markus finally gets over it and just touches the crystal. He feels that the crystal has a faint heartbeat and realizes that the crystal was Botieβs heart. The bois quickly search for warhead and flash to get Botie help as soon as they could. They then hear Warheads faint chirping. They quickly (but sneakily) find the room Warhead and Flash are in. Markus notices the traps in the room and is tempted to let Peter go through those traps thinking about their boat race in the Logsville dreamscape, but he decides against it. They manage to not activate the traps and find warhead and flash in a cage over a pot with hot steam coming out of it. Warhead can barely breathe in the cage and Flash looks worried for their friend. Markus finds that Flash was holding something and it was a paper describing a summoning ritual for a kraken. They get the little guys out of there and decide to take the secret entrance to the chapel as a shortcut. But the bois were a little clumsy and a couple of robed figures start to give chase. Markus and Peter only start to panicking when they take out guns and start shooting at them. Peter assumes their police and his hatred for cops only grows. Lucky for the bois, they donβt know how to aim and are able to make it out of the castle, but not without a few injuries. Just before they escape, Markus got grazed by a bullet. Peter isnβt so lucky though. He trips, which gives the robed policeman to shoot at him and it pierces his leg. Peter feels that heβs about to pass out from the pain, but warhead weakly enters inside of him. Thatβs when Peter feels a rush of adrenaline and starts to bolt out of there.
The dream duo rush to the hospital and Peter gets checked in. Markus calls Mr. Todha and convinces him that it was the police who chased after them even though they did nothing wrong. Mr. Todha believes him and he goes to convince the police to not take them in for questioning after what theyβve been through. Markus then gets told that he can visit Peter now since heβs stable. Peter wakes up to find Warhead sleeping softly on his chest. He decides to not use his dream form for Warheadβs sake since he looked weakened. Peter and Markus then talk about their next step. All thereβs left to do for them was to go to the dreamscape and see if they can find more answers. They go to Benny immediately, thinking that he had some answers about Botie. They find out that Benny actually made Botie. Botie houses a piece of Bennyβs soul, so he is able to fix him up quickly. After a stern lecture from Markus, they end up going into a big group hug, relieved that Botie is safe and sound. Benny gives them a tracker for Botie, telling them to take better care of him. The bois then go to old man Earl to tell him about the Kraken ritual and Earl implore them to go convince the rest of the town to fight against the Kraken. They go around recruiting the town and find Lucy and Jerry. It is clear that Jerry has a one-sided crush on Lucy who is a confirmed Lesbian. Jerry has a private talk with Peter saying that heβs okay with just being there for Lucy and has accepted that his feelings will never be reciprocated. Also because Lucy apparently thinks Jerry is gay and has a crush on Devin. Which makes Jerry start to question his sexuality, but their conversation is cut short by Lucy dragging him out of there. Jerry does agree though to help Peter out on his quest.
The dream duo then decide to go investigate the mayor and thatβs where they meet up with Jerry and Lucy again. They decide to go the castle and surprisingly get in pretty easily. Thatβs where they overhear the mayor confirm Peterβs suspicions. He then goes to recap everything that has happened so far to Jerry and Lucy. He shows them his bullet wound which Jerry has a solution for. He takes out a mini spray can from Devin and it heals his wound but doesnβt spray the whole can to leave a sick scar for Peter to reminisce about. They then leave and agree to investigate Kingβs Cove in the morning. Peter and Markus wake up, and quickly runs out of the hospital to avoid paying the bills. Thatβs where they meet up with Iris and Philliam who they inform of whatβs going on. They all go to the sandcastle building competition to see who won the snorkeling trip and see Lucy and Jerry already there. Markus and Peter look at each other, confident that they won this with Botie. They are quickly proven wrong when the winners are Lucy and Jerry. They look at their sand castle and find a beautiful life size recreation of the Kindred crying over a human. They get over it quickly and tag along with Jerry and Lucy to the snorkeling trip. Markus decides to skip out on the trip since he is not a big fan of snorkeling. They reach Kingβs Cove with the help of Benny and enter the caverns.
They immediately get lost but meet up again at another dungeon that housed a bunch of Kindred being farmed for their blood. They try to think of a way to get them out but find that they canβt with the Kindredβs flippers and tails cut off. They ask one of the Kindred how to stop the robed figures in any way. The Kindred weakly tells them that they are only being left alive because thatβs what makes the blood keep their magic. The dreamers will have to kill all of them for their blood to be useless. This makes the dreamers hesitate, but the Kindred begs for their suffering to end. Philliam decides to take one for the team, and all 57 Kindred who were imprisoned finally find peace. Philliam is deeply disturbed by what he did and when he blinks he sees the blood on his hand, but thereβs nothing. He feels the need to constantly wash his hands from what he has done. They venture further in the cavern hoping to find more clues and stumble upon a small library. Thatβs where they find that the robed figures are the cult of the Sunken Itsasontzia, who were the pirates who had been chased out of the town. They also find a blood red crystal that seemed to work as a tracker. After some arguing, they finally convince Peter to not take the crystal with them because not every crystal is cool. They decide to leave only to be split up again. Philliam finds himself at the exit all alone. Jerry, Lucy, Iris, and Peter though are in trouble as they are about to get caught. A cultist is about to round the corner while Iris and Peter nicely argue with each other who should have the hiding spot. Jerry directs Lucy to escape while he helps Iris and Peter. Lucy agrees to go on ahead, trusting that Jerry will make it out. The cultist notices Iris and Peter, and as Iris is about to talk her way out of there, Jerry rushes the guy. He throws a rock straight onto the cultist head and ties the cultist up quickly. He finally puts a gag on the cultist as iris and Peter find nothing on the body.
after knocking the guy out, they go towards the exit. Lucy finds Philliam washing his hands. She tries to approach loudly as to not startle Philliam, but his nerves get the better of him and he is still surprised. They have a nice conversation and thatβs when the rest of the gang meet up. They quickly get out of there and meet Benny who asks them what happened. Peter doesnβt have the heart to tell Benny what he saw and Iris realizes this so she takes the lead. She tells Benny he doesnβt want to know, and seeing how Peter is he realizes what they must have gone through. Benny just hugs Peter and tells him he did his best to try and comfort him. After a moment, they get back on the boat and Peter is silent. Philliam is washing his hands, and Iris is staring off. That is until she notices Jerry looking at her with a slight paranoia. She confronts Jerry about this thinking he mustβve met her changeling dream self, but Jerry gives a few too many details away. Iris convinces Jerry to tell her the truth because theyβre all in danger if Jerry doesnβt tell them why heβs being like this. He then admits that recently, they found out that Lauren, Colleen, and Brian were replaced by some unknown creature and they donβt know when. Another problem that the dreamers have to look forward to when they go back to Logsville. It is awkward when they split off, but Jerry is still okay with helping defeat the Kraken.
What happened to Jerry and Lucy at Logsville? Will Philliam ever feel his hands clean again? What will happen when the Kraken shows up? Will Boatie ever learn to behave? Find out what happens next in the final day of the Wanderlust Special: This is definitely NOT JUST a beach episode! Finale
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The dreamers are coming back from their eventful vacation to the beach. After spending two weeks away from Logsville, a lot has changed. When Peter and Markus step off the bus, Mr. Todha, has a talk with them. He informs them that any record of their visit to the hospital has been removed so their family wouldnβt hear of it. Mr. Todha saw their condition after the trip to the hospital and deemed it unnecessary to worry their guardians. But Mr. Todha had planned to tell Peterβs grandma about it so that he can offer her his financial support. Peter convinces him to not tell his grandma, not wanting her to panic over it, and Mr. Todha agrees. Instead of Peterβs grandma, he gives Peter his number to call him for emergencies. Feeling the guilt of not being able to protect his students, Mr. Todha admits to them that he is resigning as a teacher until he has regained his honor. He then walks away solemnly. While Iris and Philliam get a sleeping Lilac out of Irisβ car trunk, Markus and Peter go back inside the bus to get their luggage. They find a shattered window with the seat next to it having some sand. It seems that Benny and Boaty have gone on their own journey. After the bus has been cleared out, it leaves, with the dreamers finally reuniting after a long vacation. They discuss what to do going forward while Peter and Markus put away their stuff in their lockers. On the way, they see posters of someone who looks like Peter. But this Peter has a pimple-less face, slicked back hair, and without his usual glasses. The posters seem to be a challenge to the real Peter. The dreamers think about how to prepare to confront Peterβs dream self and consider where to get guns. Thatβs when Peter remembers the ritual knife he acquired during their encounter with the cultist in Beaver Boardwalk. He takes it out to see if it had any uses only to find it bleeding. Having an expertise in the occult, Markus grabs the knife and unfortunately realizes what it is used for. The pommel of the knife originally had the letter βIβ, but Markus blinks and the letter shifts into the letter βUβ. Suddenly, his surroundings fade away into black. He sees the pommel blink and turn into a demonic looking eye. It blinks again and Markusβ right eye start to burn. He closes it in response and when he opens it, his vision takes the place of the knife. He sees himself draw the knife closer to his stomach. He starts to hear whispers saying, βsacrifice, sacrifice, sacrificeβ¦β but Iris snaps him out of it. She puts her hand on his shoulder and shakes him out of the terrifying act. He drops the knife and backs away from it. When Philliam picks it up with his frying pans, Markus could feel what the knife felt slightly. He sees Markusβ reaction and decides to experiment. He pokes the knife and Markusβ immediately screams out in pain. His right eye starts to bleed and Peter sees his eye turn demonic for a second before returning to normal. Philliam quickly treats Markusβ eye and Peter gently picks up the knife and covers it with his jacket. They made a plan to hide the knife away from Markus so they decide to drive over to Peterβs house.
The dreamers briefly split up for the car ride to separate Markus from the knife. He decides to ride with Iris and Lilac goes back in Irisβ trunk to nap. Peter rides ahead to lead the way with the rest of the dreamers. But his car seemed to run over something and Peter goes to investigate. To his surprise, he sees a bear trap. Iris stops and thatβs when a gun shot can be heard. A bullet flies in front of Iris, almost hitting her. Iris looks around and it looks like this has become a normal occurrence to the town. Everyone just walks around the bear traps and avoids the Rube Goldberg machines that activate the gun fire. Everyone quickly moves to Irisβ car, but Peter forgets the ritual knife in his car and goes back to get it. On the way back, his foot sinks into a trap. Lucky for him, the nails put into the hole werenβt long enough to stab through his shoes. They get into Irisβ car and she drives off. Iris tries to be careful to avoid the obstacles, but someone suddenly walks in front of her car and she swerves into a building to avoid them. Worried about Markus, Peter goes to shield him. Everyone ends up passing out with only Markus being the only one to keep conscious. Lucky for the dreamers, they crashed into the pharmacy with the hospital nearby. Markus sees Wart who seems to be working there. Assuming theyβre Wartβs parents, he sees his mom help get the dreamers out while Wartβs dad gets the fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire created from the crash. Markus thinks about getting Peter out of there since he looks the most injured, but couldnβt find the strength to do so. Although it is a struggle, he at least managed to get himself out.
We cut to the hospital, with Markus in the waiting room. He feels numb, and time seemed to fast forward as people come in and out of the room. The dreamersβ parents who arenβt on a business trip all gather. Peterβs grandma burst into the hospital crying, with Mr. Todha and Mr. Wood trying to calm her down. Devin and Jerry also come in and checks in on them. Markus finds out that they were the ones who set up the traps, trying to catch Irisβ dream self. They believe it was dream Iris who purposefully stepped in front of the car which they inferred from their chase with her. Markus doesnβt process the information fully and barely has a reaction. Devin gets a call, and leaves with Jerry in a hurry. Time passes even more with people coming in and out of the hospital. Eventually, the hospital becomes eerily quiet. Snapping out of his funk, he realizes there is no one around him. He walks around searching for someone, only to find the hospital has become quite creepy. The lights have become dim and flicker occasionally. No one responds to his calls except for his own voice echoing through the empty hospital. He decides to go up the elevator and check if the second floor has any sign of life.
The rest of the dreamers all wake up in the same hospital room. Peter finds his left arm and right leg in a cast. Being in better shape, Iris and Philliam volunteer to investigate outside. They bump into Markus and they exchange information as they head down the elevator to get their stuff. Meanwhile, Peter is trying to keep his crying quiet so that Lilac isnβt bothered by it. She throws her plushie at him to give him some comfort and thatβs when she feels a drop of water fall on her forehead. Peter feels this too, but assumes itβs just his tears. Soon, the drop of water becomes rain. Puddles start to form on the ground which makes Lilac scoot into her bed in fear. She remembers the memory of her following some cute animals on a rainy day and splashing onto a puddle. She then finds herself start to sink into the puddle and passes out. She doesnβt remember when she got out of the puddle, but when she woke up, she found herself in the hospital. She then realizes that she is in the exact room and bed that she woke up in when she fell into the puddle. Lilac and Peter scramble to exit the room as it starts to fill with water. They find the door locked though. Peter uses the syringes injected into them as lock picks, however they both broke. So he slammed his elbow down on the handle and managed to exit the room, only to find that the hallway is also flooding. Still on their hospital beds, they quickly paddle to the elevator and take one more breath of air before going in. Peter tries to go further up, thinking there wonβt be water on the upper floors, but luckily for him, the elevator wouldnβt work. It quickly falls to the ground level and Lilac and Peter try to pry open the elevator door to get out. With some help from Philliam, who just left the elevator with the rest, the dreamers are able to reunite once again.
But then it starts to sprinkle a bit on the floor their on, forming puddles on the ground. Everyone goes to find an exit and on the way, all except Lilac and Philliam, fall into a puddle. Luckily, they were able to escape before they were dragged down completely. They donβt find an exit door, but they do find a window. Philliam tries to smash it with a chair but Iris stops him and just opens the window normally. On the other side, there is a waterfall directly in front of the window with a light shining through. Although there were some hesitation from some of the dreamers, they all eventually dive in. On the other side of the waterfall, they realize they have all turned into their 6 year old selves with Warhead and Flash turning into marketable plushies. The realm also seemed to affect Philliamβs psyche, which makes him act his age. The dreamers find themselves in an art museum with Lilac cringing realizing all of the art was hers. There were cute animals walking around in fancy outfits, admiring the art. The dreamers then hear a scream and see Lauren as a child with Charlie in her arms running away from a tall black droopy figure. The figure was slow and everything it passed by turned into something disturbing. The paintings it passed by turned them into painful memories for Lilac. It was also eating any animal it reached. They see Lauren hop into a painting of a birthday cake and follow after her. They find themselves in a memory of Lilac. Specifically her 12th birthday. Everyone had turned into 12 years old with Philliam acting out his edgy phase. They find a trail leading outside and see a quivering bush.
Wanting her cat back, Lilac approaches the bush and Charlie jumps into her arms. The bush was still quivering though. They then assure the bush it was safe and Lauren comes out. She goes to hug Iris and explains how she was suppose to go on a date with Tucker but instead found herself trapped in the museum with Tucker turning into the monster chasing after her. Charlie then explains that to leave the place, they need to find Lilacβs happiest memory. Thatβs why the monster was turning all the paintings into sad memories so that it would make it more difficult to find, but now that Lilac herself was there, it should be easier to find the memory. The monster then arrives in the memory which causes the dreamers to rush out of the memory they were in. But Charlie explains they can only live by seeing this memory through the end. Lilac then leads them to where this memory ends which was in her Nannieβs room. They find the memory of Lilacβs parents yelling at her nanny for getting her a cat for her 12th birthday. After the scene, they exit the painting only to find themselves in the infected part of the museum where the monster had touched it. They find themselves as old people with Lauren and Markus turning into marketable plushies. Iris grabs Laurenβs plushie while Peter grabs Markus. While grabbing Markus, he realizes he doesnβt have his dog tags on him which worried Peter. Philliam also develops dementia as an old person. The dreamers then race to get out of the infected parts as the monster comes out of the painting and chases them. The dreamers were able to escape, all except for Iris. They see the monster stretch out a gigantic arm and a huge hand slowly wraps around Iris and she is consumed by the monster. Thinking of a way to get Iris out, Peter recalls when the ringmaster of the carnival had used the camera flash to turn the black goo into dream goo. Peter returns to being an old person and takes out his lighter, believing the light would drive the monster back. The lighter flares up into a big flame which scares the monster away. It slowly sinks into the floor leaving multiple plushies of animals and of Iris and Lauren holding hands. Peter grabs the plushies and guided by Lilac, the dreamers head to her happiest memory. But it is in a painting infected by the monster and Lilac would have to face the pain of her past first. They enter the painting and Markus returns from his plushie form, but not Iris and Lauren. Lilac is also nowhere to be found. But they do see her arguing with her parents before storming out of the house. They follow her to Nerdhalla. An abandoned comics/games store now made into a shelter for animals. The dreamers find Lilac sitting with these cute creatures and petting them. It didnβt seem like Lilac wanted to leave the comforting memory. Not after experiencing such horrible memories. Peter tries to talk to Lilac but was unsure of what to say. He looks back for help only to find Philliam and Markus had taken several steps back from the situation to let Peter handle it. Peter sighs and thinks for a few minutes to find the right words to say. After a few moments, he approaches Lilac.
"Lilacβ¦ I know what it's like to want to stay in the past. When things were... not simpler, or happier, but when we had somethingβor someoneβto get us through the times when we'd feel like we're drowning. I'd give anything to have that back too, and I don't blame you for wanting to stay.β
Lilac doesnβt meet his gaze. Her fingers trail gently through the soft fur of the bunny in her arms, as if tethered to the comfort it provides. She doesnβt say a word back to him. After all, Peter Jones Jr. isnβt supposed to be here, in this fragile moment. Only the faint rustle of critters and the soft sound of her sniffles fill the silence. Peter notices but doesnβt pull back; he canβt. He reaches out, unwilling to give up on her.
βI hate being told this, butβ¦ we go through things for a reason sometimes. There's a- type of happiness you can only feel after sadness, and a type of love you can only experience after loss. Nothing comes for free, and griefβgrief is the price we pay for caring. I get not wanting to go through that again, and that's probably why you push people away and keep to yourself. It feels easy to numb yourself from caring about other people again when you've been put down as many times as you've tried to bring people up. But I'll tell you right nowβit doesn't fix anything. It doesn't help anything. You find yourself alone and worse off because time sure as hell doesn't heal all scars.β Lilacβs arms tighten around the bunny, holding it close like itβs the last anchor to her fading world. She doesnβt dare let herself react, afraid this tender moment will fracture, leaving her adrift in a reality where she has no oneβnot even these quiet, gentle creaturesβto lean on.
βBut itβs easier with people,β Peter says softly, his voice steady, unwavering. βpeople that understand. We don't need to be friends, but you don't have to be alone either. It's hard to open up about your problems, but it's even worse when you bottle them up until you crack." Finally, Lilac looks up at Peter. Her arms loosen, and the bunny hops away. She watches it for a moment before her gaze flickers to the exit of Nerdhalla. She spots Charlie sitting there, his figure silhouetted against the doorway. She watches as he leaves. Lilac closes her eyes, drawing in a deep breath, as though sheβs trying to capture the courage to move forward. When she opens them again, she sees Peterβs hand extended toward her. And this time, she takes it. Together, the dreamers step forward, leaving the past where it belongsβbehind them.
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The detective groupβLucy, Rand, Devin, and Jerryβreturned from their vacation with a grim determination. They had formed a game plan for the day: Devin and Jerry would investigate whether anyone else had turned into nightmares, while Rand and Lucy focused on what Wart could be up to. After all, Wart had shown to know more than he let on about the dreamscape. And they couldnβt just ignore how their friends turned into monstrous creatures. So they split up, hoping to get as much information as they can to form an explanation of what could be going on in this once peaceful town. But their first mistake was letting Devin and Jerry devise their own elaborate machinations without care.
Paranoia and fraying nerves guided their efforts as they transformed the town into a minefield of bear traps and Rube Goldberg machines that led to deadly consequences when activated. The chaos of their methods yielded chilling resultsβthey discovered that nearly the entire town was infected. Some townspeople, when injured, bled black instead of red. But this was no ordinary infection. It wasnβt like what theyβd seen with Lauren, Brian, and Colleen, who had been twisted and alien in their behavior. No, this was worse. The infected townsfolk were eerily apathetic, their movements sluggish, their reactions dulled. Injuries didnβt faze them. Instead, black ooze would bubble from their wounds before the flesh knitted itself back together in seconds, as if nothing had happened. Conversations were equally unsettling. When Devin and Jerry tried to speak to people, their words seemed to vanish into a void. The infected would stare blankly, unresponsive, before turning and walking away without warning. It was as though their humanity had been hollowed out. Then they spotted Iris. She was skulking around town, glancing over her shoulder as if she had something to hide. Devin and Jerry froze. Was this her dream self? If so, confronting her could lead to more harm than good. Instead, they decided to follow her, hoping to uncover the truth. But Iris was sharpβshe noticed them almost immediately and bolted. They gave chase, weaving through the streets in a desperate pursuit. Jerry, however, began to notice something wrong. The twists and turns of their pursuit felt deliberate, like they were being led into a trap. He skidded to a stop.
βWhy are you stopping?β Devin hissed, his voice tight with urgency.
βSomethingβs off,β Jerry said, his eyes darting toward the narrowing alleys ahead.
Before Devin could argue, a deafening crash echoed in the distance, shattering the tense silence. The sound carried with it a weight of disaster. They exchanged a glance and sprinted toward the source, but Iris intercepted them, stepping into their path. Her smile was chilling. Like a razorβs edge, sharp and cruel. βIf only youβd followed me a little further,β she sneered, her voice dripping with malice. βThen there would have been two tragic accidents, and my other self wouldβve been crushed by guilt. But I suppose this will have to do as my parting gift to herβ¦β
Her words hung in the air like poison, and before they could react, she was gone. Devin and Jerry stood frozen, the weight of her revelation settling over them like a storm cloud. Then the urgency returned, snapping them out of their shock. They raced toward the hospital, dread clawing at their every step, desperate to uncover what had just unfolded.
Meanwhile, Lucy and Rand made their way to the pharmacy. Being long time friends with Wart, she knew it was where he worked with his family. Inside, they found Wartβs mom cleaning. When they inquired about Wart, she explained that he and his father were at the hospital dropping off supplies. With a friendly smile, she invited them to wait in Wartβs room upstairs if they wanted. Lucy and Rand exchanged a glanceβthis was their chance to investigate. Wartβs mom opened the door leading upstairs and asked them if she could bring them anything while they wait. To avoid raising suspicion, Lucy casually asked for her usual green tea. Wartβs mom happily obliged, disappearing into the back. Once upstairs in Wartβs room, the two quickly got to work. Lucy rifled through drawers and shelves but found nothing out of the ordinary. Rand, however, uncovered something intriguingβa thick, dusty book detailing the history of Logsvilleβs buildings. A page had been marked, showing the layout of the townβs theater. Wart had circled an underground passageway beneath the structure. βI think I found something,β Rand whispered, his voice taut with urgency. βWeβll check it out later,β Lucy replied, her ears straining at the sound of footsteps approaching. βPut it back. Now.β They hurried to restore the room to its original state and sat down casually, feigning nonchalance. The door creaked open, and Wart stepped in, holding a can of Arizona green tea. He handed it to Lucy, his expression unreadable. βSo what brings you two here?β Wart asked, his tone light but his gaze sharp. Lucy smiled, masking her nerves. βI brought the papers for the upcoming playβ The air thickened as the two engaged in a verbal battle, each probing for information while revealing as little as possible. βThatβs strangeβ¦β Wart said, almost mockingly. βIβm pretty sure the principal sent out an email announcing all activities taking place at the school would be suspended with all the students getting hospitalized.β Wartβs words were carefully chosen, and Lucy struggled to keep up. She looked through her email and found the announcement. Trying to look unfazed, Lucy maintains her smile. βAh, I didnβt see it there. Iβve been so busy lately, planning for a get together with my Alabama friends. Looks like I was worried about the play for nothing.β Wart sighs. βLucy, I wish youβd be straight with me-β Finding a way to catch him off guard, she quickly bites back, βIβd find that to be pretty difficult.β Looking concerned, Wart says, βIs there a reason why you feel that way? Weβve been friends for a long time, you can tell me.β Lucy smirks. βWart, I was making a joke. Iβm not straight so I canβt be straight with you.β The overwhelming tension in the room is broken by Randβs stifled laughter. Wart was clearly thrown off by Lucyβs comment and ends the conversation. βItβs always nice catching up with you Lucy, but if thatβs all you came for, I really need to get back to the pharmacy. Unless thereβs something else?β Wart inquired.
Although she managed to get one over on Wart, Lucy realized with growing unease that Wart had gleaned more from her than she from him. Still, Lucy wasnβt ready to give up. βWhy donβt I help out around the pharmacy like old times?β she offered, her tone casual. Wart hesitated, studying her. Finally, he shrugged. βSure. Do whatever you want.β Lucy and Rand busied themselves stocking shelves, but their real goal hadnβt changed. While organizing the pill bottles, Lucy tried to look for something that might come in handy in the future. She buys a bunch of sleeping pills saying it was for her and her dad, explaining how both of them have been experiencing difficulty in sleeping. She then βaccidentallyβ knocked over several bottles, scattering them across the floor. While Wartβs mom scolded her playfully, Lucy took the opportunity to whisper to Rand. βI slipped a USB into Wartβs computer,β Rand murmured, pretending to pick up bottles. βItβs downloading files that might tell us what heβs planning.β Lucy nodded, formulating their next move. βWe need photos of that book upstairs. Iβll distract Wartβyou get back up there.β She then hands Rand her phone as a backup excuse in case he got caught. Rand nodded, handing Lucy one of his phones to stay in contact. She also takes this chance to slip the Arizona can into Randβs bag. She hoped Wart wouldnβt find it strange she didnβt drink the can right away like what she usually does. As they cleaned up the mess, Wart wandered over, scrutinizing their work. His sharp gaze settled on Lucy. βYouβre not trying to steal anything are you?,β he said, his tone low. βSomeoneβs been stealing supplies. Weβve had to go on high alert since we havenβt found any clues to the culprit yet.β Lucy was surprised by this information. But she maintained her composure, even as her pulse quickened. βYou think Iβd steal from you? Come on, Wart.β Just then, Wartβs eyes flicked toward the stairs, where Rand could be seen slipping away. His suspicion deepened. βWhereβs he going?β βBathroom,β his mom answered smoothly. βBig breakfast, you know how it is.β Wart frowned. βIβll check on himβmake sure heβs got toilet paper.β Lucyβs heart skipped a beat, but she quickly countered. βSince youβre on high alert, Iβm sure you didnβt forget toilet paper, right? No way youβd leave a detail like that unchecked.β His mom chuckled. βSheβs right. Randβs a big boyβhe can manage.β Wart hesitated, his suspicion simmering but unspoken. After a tense pause, he returned to stocking shelves, though his gaze frequently darted toward the stairs. Lucy smiled faintly, but her grip on the shelf tightened. Time was running out for Rand upstairs, and Wartβs unease was palpable. One wrong move, and everything could unravel. The crash came without warningβa deafening roar as a car smashed through the front of the pharmacy. Shards of glass rained down, and shelves toppled like dominos. Lucy dove for cover, her heart pounding as chaos erupted around her. Smoke and flames quickly began to spread, filling the air with choking heat. Wart staggered back, momentarily stunned by the impact. His father bolted to grab the fire extinguisher while his mother rushed to the wreckage, desperately trying to free the passengers. Lucyβs breath caught as she recognized the occupants of the car: the dreamers. Their figures were unmistakable, bodies unmoving. A chill ran down her spine seeing them in the wreckage, eerily unbothered by the flames licking at the car. She spotting Peterβs body unnaturally contorted and couldnβt help but look away.
Rand burst into the scene, sweat beading on his brow. He shakes Lucy out of her stupor. βI got everything,β he hissed, clutching a small USB drive. His voice was urgent, but his eyes darted toward the chaos. βWe need to go to the theatre. Now. While Wartβs distracted.β Lucy hesitated, her gaze flickering to the dreamers and Wartβs family frantically working to save them. Rand noticed her hesitation. βThe hospital is close. Theyβll be fine,β he insisted. βI already called the ambulance.β She nodded reluctantly. They couldnβt afford to waste this opportunity. To avoid suspicion, Rand quickly told Wartβs mother, βWeβll call their families to let them know,β before the two slipped out of the pharmacy. As they fled, sirens wailed in the distance, signaling the arrival of help. The air outside was cold, but Lucy couldnβt shake the oppressive weight that had settled over her. They made their way to the theatre, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Lucy turns to Rand, taking out the phone he gave her. βKeep watch here. Iβll go find itβ He hands Lucy her phone as he took his back. βIβll look into what the usb got.β He sits in the middle of the stage and takes out his computer from his bag. Guided by the picture of the map and her familiarity of the building, Lucy found what they were looking for under a desk, backstage: a hidden underground entrance. Examining the hatch, Lucy finds a strange mechanism on it. She suspected it could alert Wart if she opened the hatch without dealing with it first. She calls Rand over and he confirms her suspicions. Lucy frowned. βCan you disarm it?β βTurn around,β Rand said flatly. She hesitated but obeyed, her pulse quickening as the seconds stretched into what felt like hours. Then, without warning, Rand spoke. βDone.β
She turned to see the mechanism neatly disassembled, its parts meticulously arranged to the side. She was actually impressed. Rand offered her a faint smirk before retreating to keep watch. Lucy descended the ladder, each rung taking her deeper into darkness. The air grew damp and foul, the stench of decay and something unidentifiably wrong choking her senses. At the bottom, she found herself in the abandoned sewer tunnels of Logsville. Ahead, a faint light leaked through a doorβs small window. On either side, the tunnels branched into shadowy paths, each lined with rivulets of a black, viscous substance. Her heart froze as she caught sight of a figure shambling through the darkness, its body grotesquely coated in the black goo. Steeling herself, Lucy crept toward the door. What she saw inside made her stomach turn. The room was filled with cages, each containing either those grotesque black figures or townsfolk half-consumed by the oozing substance. Their faces were frozen in silent agony, their eyes pleading for help. In the center of the room stood an operating table. A body lay on it, covered by the black goo that obscured its features. Lucyβs gut twisted, but she couldnβt force herself to investigate further. Another door loomed on the far side of the room, but something about it screamed danger. Suddenly, a headache surged through her skull, sharp and disorienting. She clenched her jaw and pushed it aside, focusing on her escape. Just as she turned to leave, a door creaked open behind her. She froze, heart pounding. Peeking through the window of the door, she saw himβWart. He was dressed in a lab coat, surgical gloves, and a mask. His movements were calm and deliberate as he surveyed the room, as though this horror was nothing unusual to him. Lucy stepped back, trying to stay out of sight, but her foot splashed into a puddle of black liquid, the sound unnervingly loud. Wartβs head snapped in her direction. βIs that youβ¦ Lucy?β he called, his voice sharp and commanding. Lucy dropped to the ground, barely daring to breathe. Wart stepped out of the room, his eyes scanning the tunnels. She heard his footsteps draw closer, her pulse thundering in her ears. Then his phone rang, breaking the silence. He answered it, and she caught fragments of a conversationβsomeone updating him about the car crash. Lucyβs mind raced. If Wart was here, who was on the phone? Could there be two Warts?
As the call ended, Lucy started inching toward the ladder, desperate to escape. But her heart sank as Wart turned his attention to it, his footsteps closing in. Lucyβs heart started to race as a suffocating sense of dread wrapped itself around her. She knew staying in the sewers any longer would be a mistake, but she also felt trapped. With a shaky breath, she stealthily opened the door to the room filled with cages, desperate to find another way out. The sight inside made her stomach churn. But she moved past the bodies and darted into the door she saw Wart exit from. Rows of pill bottles and needles lined the shelves, their sterile, ominous presence adding to the unease. Her eyes darted across the room, searching for anything that could lead to freedom. Behind the shelf facing the door, she noticed another doorβhidden, almost as if it wasnβt meant to be found. Driven by desperation, she shoved the shelf aside just enough to squeeze through. She felt a rush of adrenaline as she discovered a ladder behind it. Climbing it was grueling; every creak of the metal felt like a scream in the silence. Finally, Lucy emerged into the woods behind the theater. For a brief, fleeting moment, relief washed over her. The fresh air was a stark contrast to the damp, putrid stench of the sewers, and she allowed herself a breath of solace. But it didnβt last. Rand.
Her stomach knotted as she remembered he was still in the theater. Fumbling with her phone, she quickly texted him. No response. Her anxiety spiked, and she sent messages to the othersβDevin, Jerryβanyone. Nothing. The silence from her friends felt louder than any sound. Dark thoughts clawed at her mind, each more horrifying than the last. Had they been caught? Hurt? Worse?
Lucy couldnβt shake the creeping dread. She made her way toward the front of the theater, her instincts screaming at her to stay hidden. The swamp surrounding the area offered some cover, and her childhood memories of playing in Alabamaβs marshes guided her movements. But as she reached the front, her heart sank. The place was eerily stillβno sign of Rand, no sign of anyone. The emptiness pressed against her chest like a weight. Panic morphed into frustration, and Lucyβs thoughts spiraled. Her mind buzzed with the need to do something. Anything. She reached into her bag and pulled out her fire starter kit. She didnβt overthink itβjust acted. Climbing through the menβs restroom window, she worked quickly, lighting a trash fire in the corner. The smell of smoke filled the small space, and as the flames caught, she slipped out, her hands trembling. The fire alarm startled her, but it was strange. The fire just started, it wouldnβt activate the fire alarm that quickly.
Outside, she saw smoke coming out from the backstage of the building. It didnβt match up with the fire she started near the entrance of the theatre. Hearing sirens, Lucy fled the scene. She checked her phone again. Still no messages. Her growing anger bubbled over, and she sent Rand a textβjust a middle finger emoji. It was petty, but it felt like all she had left. Hoping to calm herself, Lucy headed toward the Waffle House, her thoughts swirling like a storm. She texted the group chat: βAnyone want pancakes?β
But as she walked in, her blood ran cold. Brian. He was there, at the cash register, his face too familiar and too wrong all at once. The memory of what he, Colleen, and Lauren had become hit her like a freight train. Nightmarish creatures, grotesque and unrelenting. Her instincts screamed, and she bolted out of the Waffle House, her fingers flying across her phone. βNever mind,β she texted the group chat, her hands shaking. The bakery came into view next, and Lucy clung to the hope that Jerryβs family might have some answers. She pushed open the door, only to be met with Jerryβs momβs pleading voice: βPlease donβt track mud in my storeβ¦β
Embarrassed, Lucy shuffled to the bathroom, using the few moments of quiet to try and collect herself. She scrubbed at her clothes and hands, though the mud seemed as stubborn as her growing sense of unease. After cleaning up, she returned to the counter, pleading with Jerryβs mom. βCan you tell Jerry to call me? Itβs urgent.β Jerryβs mom handed her a bag of bread with a warm smile, but it only made Lucy feel more isolated. She left the bakery, clutching the bag like it might anchor her in reality. She pulled out her phone to call an Uber, but reality hit her: there were no Ubers in Logsville. Frustration gnawed at her as she resigned herself to walking home. The empty streets felt darker, more oppressive, as Lucy trudged forward. She couldnβt stop herself from texting her friends again, her worry now almost unbearable. Each unanswered message was a silent confirmation of her worst fears. The thought crossed her mind more than once: what if theyβd met the same fate as the other Dream Detectives?
Alone in the dark, with no answers and a head full of terrifying possibilities, Lucyβs frustration gave way to something colderβsomething close to despair.
(Click "Expand" to read)>
Letβs rewind the clock and peer through Randβs perspective. Heβd left Lucy behind to confront whatever secrets lurked in that ominous hatch while he stood guard, ensuring no one disturbed her descent into the unknown. Meanwhile, Timothy had his own mystery to crack: the contents of Wartβs computer, freshly plucked and transferred onto his USB drive. Most of it? Trash. A jumble of half-baked plays and overly ambitious plans for the theatre club. Tim sifted through the digital junkyard, boredom creeping in fast, untilβ bingoβsomething interesting caught his eye. Buried within the scripts were hidden notes. Not stage directions, no. These scribbles were scientific, as if Wart fancied himself a mad scientist studying some elusive creature. In the script for Annie, Tim uncovered notes that painted an eerie picture: Annie, the beloved orphan, was becoming addicted. The notes detailed her growing drowsiness, her restless yearning for sleep. Tim squinted at the screen. He didnβt know much about musicals, but he was pretty sure addiction wasnβt part of the plot. The notes whispered of desire and dreams, blurring the lines between fantasy and something darker. Curiosity piqued, Tim dove deeper. He cracked open a PDF of The Fault in Our Stars and found more strange notes. This time, they described how βAugustusβ realmβ had vanished abruptly. Wart had been frustrated, lamenting the loss of something βvaluable.β Tim scratched his head. Augustus? Realms? This didnβt sound like the tear-jerking love story he vaguely remembered. But then a nagging suspicion crept inβwhat if βAnnieβ was code for Lucy? Lucy. Oh, shit.
Tim checked the time. Ten minutes had passed. Not long, but long enough to make him nervous. He knew Lucyβshe wasnβt the type to linger underground longer than necessary. Especially with her outfit. He debated going after her but hesitated. What if he barged in and made things worse? Plan B: he texted her. Message not delivered. Of course. Nothing could ever be easy. Randβor rather, Timβpaced the stage, his mind racing. Should he call Devin? No, thatβd make him look like a pussy. Then again, he was a pussy. He remembers his promise to Devin to screw appearances and just be himself. Dev would be disappointed seeing him let his pride trip him up again. He canβt do this. Not now. Not with Lucy possibly in trouble. He dialed Devin, swallowing his ego, and spilled the story: Lucy, the hatch, the theatreβs creepy underbelly. He admitted he was too chicken to go down there alone. βDev, I need help,β he confessed. βSomethingβs not right.β And with that, Randβor Timβtook the first step toward in doing something not for himself for once. Facing the unknown. Devin showed up, dragging a half-conscious Jerry behind him. Jerry looked like heβd gone twelve rounds with a brick wall.
βHoly shit, what kind of apocalypse did you guys survive?β Tim asked, raising an eyebrow.
Devin shot him a glare. βOh, nothing major. Just spent the last hour calling parents to explain how their darling children got caught in accidents caused by someoneβs genius plan. Turns out, parents donβt appreciate hearing that their kid narrowly avoided being skewered.β
Jerry groaned dramatically. βAnd donβt forget our little clean up tour around town. Nobody told us that setting traps everywhere would bite us in the ass. Actions having consequences? Total scam.β
Tim stared at them, lips twitching into a smirk. βWow, remind me to never ask you guys how your dayβs going again. Anyway, the hatch is this way. Try not to trip over your exhaustion.β
He led them to the hatch, yanking it open with flair. A gaping black hole stretched below them, swallowing the light. Tim peered into the abyss and then at the others. They stared at each other in silence, playing a silent game of βNot It.β Devin rolled his eyes. βFine. Iβll go first. You owe me snacks for this.β He grabbed the ladder and began climbing down.
But he froze halfway. βUhβ¦β
βWhat?β Jerry asked, leaning in, wide-eyed. βIs it ghosts? A clown? Oh god, is it a clown?β
Devin climbed back up, his face pale. βNot ghosts. Not a clown. Worse.β
Tim blinked. βWhatβs worse than a clown?β
As if on cue, Wart appeared from the depths, stepping out like a villain in a bad teen drama. He was sporting a crisp lab coat, surgical gloves, and a mask that screamed βscientist gone rogue.β It was an entirely different outfit from when Tim last saw him.
βWart?β Tim blurted. βWhat the hell? Did you stop by a costume shop on your way here, or is this your version of business casual?β
Wart smirked, brushing imaginary lint off his coat. βA pleasure, as always. Long time no see.β
Tim didnβt skip a beat. βYeah, yeah, pleasantries aside. What the actual fuck are you doing here?β
He swore that Wart would still be held up by the emergency at the pharmacy. How could his parents let him go do his theatre kid bullshit after that serious accident? Jerry crossed his arms, glaring like an overworked dad. βAnd whereβs Lucy? You better not have done something to her, or I swearββ
Wart held up a hand, circling them like a shark that majored in theatre. βRelax, gentlemen. Lucy is perfectly fine. Safe and sound.β
Devin stepped forward, cutting off Wartβs path. His tone was ice-cold. βWhere. Is. She.β
Wart tilted his head, his eerie grin widening beneath the mask. βWhy donβt you follow me? Iβll take you right to her. Oh, and once youβre reunited, you might want to remind her to stop poking her nose into places she doesnβt belong.β
Tim shot Devin a look that screamed this is a terrible idea. Devin and Jerry, however, looked like they were ready to follow Wart straight into hell.
Tim sighed. βCool, yeah, letβs just follow the creepy theatre kid in a lab coat into a secret underground bunker. What could possibly go wrong?β
Reluctantly, he trailed after the others, muttering under his breath. βIβm gonna need therapy after this. Or snacks. Definitely snacks.β They followed Wart down into the depths of the hatch, each step feeling like they were walking straight into a horror movie. The air was damp and heavy, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed around them.
Tim pulled out one of his many phones (because of course he had a backup for his backup) and turned on the flashlight. βGreat. Sewer tunnels. Classic villain hideout. Really breaking new ground here, Wart,β he muttered.
Jerry wrinkled his nose. βUgh, it smells like something died down here.β
βProbably our sanity,β Tim shot back, shining the light ahead.
The tunnel branched into shadowy paths on either side, each lined with rivulets of some black, goopy substance that gleamed menacingly. Tim poked at it with his shoe. βYup, definitely that evil goo. Love that for us.β
Ahead, a faint light spilled from a doorβs small window.
Jerry crossed his arms. βOkay, Wart. Enough stalling. Whereβs Lucy?β Wart turned and made a calming gesture, his smirk as infuriating as ever. βRelax. Sheβs just through that door. No need to panic.β
Tim raised an eyebrow. βRight, because when the guy wearing a lab coat and surgical gloves tells me not to panic, I feel super reassured.β
βYeah,β Jerry muttered to Devin. βPretty sure thatβs, like, serial killer starter gear.β
Devin leaned closer to Tim, his voice low. βWhat are the odds this is a trap?β
Tim shrugged. βOh, one hundred percent. But, you know, I like to live dangerously.β
βNot by choice,β Devin whispered back.
Tim straightened, plastering on a fake smile. βOkay, dear host. Show us your totally-not-murder-room.β
Wart beamed, pushing the door open dramatically. βWith pleasure.β
The room was worse than any of them expected. Cages lined the walls, each one filled with grotesque black figures that writhed and shuddered like they were alive but barely. Some cages held townsfolkβpeople they recognizedβhalf-consumed by the black ooze, their faces twisted in frozen, silent agony.
βHoly shit,β Devin whispered, turning away as his stomach rebelled. He doubled over and vomited, adding to the roomβs lovely ambiance.
Jerry stumbled back, his face ghostly pale. βThisβ¦ this is insane. What even is this?!β
Tim furrowed his brows, horror mixing with disbelief. He pointed at the center of the room, where an operating table stood like a grotesque centerpiece. A body lay on it, covered in the same oozing black substance. Its features were obscured, but the sight alone made Timβs stomach twist.
βOkay, Wart,β Tim said, his voice tight despite his attempt at humor. βQuick question: What the actual fuck have you been doing down here? Building an army of goo monsters? Starting a new hobby?β
Wartβs smile widened, his expression far too smug for someone who had just unveiled a literal horror show. He moved toward Jerry with alarming speed.
βWhoa, hey!β Tim shouted, but before he could react, Wart plunged a syringe into Jerryβs neck.
βWhat the fuββ Jerryβs protest slurred as his knees buckled and he sank to the floor.
Tim lunged to catch him, but Wart was faster, jamming another syringe into Timβs arm.
βOh, come on!β Tim snapped, feeling his limbs go sluggish. βCan we not do the whole mad-scientist-injection thing? Itβs so overdone.β Devin shoved Wart back, sending him stumbling, but the damage was done. The creatures in the cages began to screech, a sound so sharp and otherworldly it made Timβs skin crawl. The black substance on them started pulsing, flaring like a warning light.
βTime to go!β Devin yelled, grabbing Jerry and dragging him toward the exit.
Tim stumbled after them, his legs heavy and his mind foggy. He glanced back, noticing the monsters breaking free of their cages, their goo-covered forms lurching forward.
βOh, great,β Tim muttered, slurring as he tried to keep up. βJust what I neededβkiller blobs. Totally normal Monday night.β
They reached the main tunnel, but their path was blocked by more of the figures, the black goo dripping off them in sinister globs.
βAh, shit,β Tim said, leaning against the wall, barely able to stay upright. βThis is why I hate group projects. Nobody ever listens to me when I say, βDonβt follow the creepy theatre kid.ββ
Devin gritted his teeth, holding Jerry up with one arm. βNowβs not the time for βI told you so,β Tim!β
βItβs always the time for βI told you so,ββ Tim muttered, blinking blearily at the advancing figures. βBut yeah, youβre right. Letβs add it to the to-do list. Right after not dying.β The boys struggled through the seemingly endless tunnels, their breaths ragged as they finally lost the monsters. They collapsed in a dim corner of the sewers, the black goo still clinging to their shoes. Tim glanced over at Jerry, who was sprawled out on the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
βHah,β Tim muttered, nudging Jerry with his foot. βIβm pretty sure this isnβt the first time Jerryβs passed out from some weird substance.β He leaned back against the wall, smirking. βThough, usually itβs self-inflicted.β
Devin shot him a glare, his face damp with sweat. βI canβt deal with your colorful commentary right now, Tim. Please.β
Tim raised his hands in mock surrender. βAlright, alright, sorry. Iβll save the comedy set for the next life-or-death chase.β
Devin exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. βIs Jerryβ¦ okay?β
Tim leaned over and checked Jerryβs pulse, pretending to be a professional medic. βI mean, heβs breathing, so thatβs a win. And I donβt think Wart injected us with anything worse than a heavy sedative. Iβm feeling a little drowsy, but I can power through. You know me, always the picture of health.β
βTim, this isnβt funny,β Devin snapped. His voice cracked slightly, betraying his frustration. βNone of this is. Itβs not going to matter what Wart gave us if we donβt get the hell out of this stinky maze.β Tim frowned, studying Devin for a moment. Heβd always been the heart of their groupβrecklessly brave, always taking on burdens he didnβt need to. Seeing him this rattled made something twist in Timβs chest. βHey,β Tim said softly, βweβll get out of here. Youβve got me, remember? And Iβm, like, ninety percent sure Iβm smarter than Wart.β
βNinety percent?β Devin raised an eyebrow.
βWell, I didnβt want to brag, but yeah, itβs closer to a hundred.β Tim dug into his bag, pulling out his laptop with a dramatic flourish. βNow, if youβll excuse me, Iβm going to work some magic.β
βWhat are you doing?β Devin asked, watching as Timβs fingers flew over the keys.
Tim yawned. βEarlier, Lucy and I found this old book of maps of old buildings around Logsville in Wartβs room. Since Wart is a detailed freak, I assume he has a copy of it in his laptop which I stole files from.β
Devin blinked. βThatβsβ¦ oddly specific. And also really nerdy.β
βYeah, well,β Tim smirked as the file loaded, βnerdy is whatβs going to save our asses. Sometimes itβs hard being right all the time.β
Devin rolled his eyes. βGod forbid your ego deflates even a little.β
Before Tim could fire back, a low, guttural roar echoed through the tunnels, sending a shiver down their spines. The sound was followed by a voice that made Tim want to punch something.
βCome on, guys!β Wartβs cheery tone bounced off the walls, grating like nails on a chalkboard. βJust give up already! Itβd be so much easier. I promise Iβll return you to your cozy little homesβ¦ once I figure out why your bodies are resistant to the Fernweh.β Devin hauled Jerry to his feet, slinging him over his shoulder with a grunt. βAlright, I think we need to move.β
βGreat deduction, Detective Flynn,β Tim quipped, still skimming through the map file. βAh-ha! Found it! Sewer tunnels, circa whenever-the-hell-this-town-was-built. Okay, yeah, we better start running.β
They took off, the roar growing louder and closer. The flickering beam from Timβs flashlight bounced wildly with each step. Unfortunately, his legs felt like they were filled with lead, his movements slowing with every passing second.
βTim!β Devin barked, noticing his friend lagging behind. He stopped, running back to grab Timβs arm. βCome on, man! Youβre not quitting on me now!β
Tim stumbled, his head swimming as the sedative started to win. βSorry, Dev,β he mumbled, his voice weak. βLooks like Iβm gonna be dead weight. Again.β
Devin tightened his grip, dragging Tim along despite the weight. βStop it. Donβt do this. Donβt you dare.β
Timβs eyelids drooped, his words slurring. βIβm sorry, Flynn. I thinkβ¦ I think I have to leave you alone againβ¦β
Devinβs eyes widened, his voice breaking. βTim, no! Donβt youβTimothy! Please!β
Timβs knees buckled, and the last thing he heard was Devin shouting his name as the darkness swallowed him whole. Lucy finally reached her neighborhood, not calmed down despite the long walk back. Her fingers trembled as she tried calling Rand again, but it went straight to voicemail. Of course. Her eyes darted to his house, which stood directly across from her own. It was eerily still, with no signs of life. Not a flicker of movement, not a single light in the window. It was like the house itself was holding its breath. She wasnβt ready to give up. Crossing the street, she crept toward Randβs yard, scanning for any clueβany hint that he or Devin might be home. But there was nothing. No shadows passing through the windows, no muffled voices behind the walls. Lucyβs stomach twisted. Her worst fear clawed at her mind: what if they hadnβt made it? What if the others had gotten to them? She clenched her fists, forcing herself to push the thought aside. No. Not them. Not yet. Her gaze locked on Randβs bedroom window. It was dark, but she couldnβt shake the feeling that he could be up there, just out of reach. Maybe he was injuredβor worse. She pulled out her phone and began calling his many backup numbers, one by one. The first went to voicemail. Then the second. The third. By the fourth, her hand was shaking so badly she almost dropped the phone. The fifth phone rang. Lucy froze, her breath catching in her throat. She glanced at the window and saw a faint flash of light, like the glimmer of a screen turning on. Heβs up there. Her heart leaptβuntil the call went to voicemail. Again.
The light disappeared, and the hope that had briefly surged in her chest sank like a stone. She stared at the window, willing it to show her something, anything. Then, the sound of metal scraping against metal pierced the silence. Lucy whipped her head toward the noise, her pulse spiking. The manhole. She ducked into the shadows between Devinβs garage and his car, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. The scrape grew louder, and she peered around the corner just in time to see Devin climbing out of the manhole, dragging an unconscious Rand behind him. Both were covered in that sickening black substance. It clung to their clothes, their skin, like it was alive. Lucy shouldβve felt reliefβfinally, they were here, aliveβbut it didnβt come. Something was wrong. The unease gnawed at her like a living thing, whispering that she shouldnβt trust what she was seeing. What if itβs not them?
She stayed hidden, watching. Devin groaned as he replaced the manhole cover, then collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. He didnβt move for a moment, just lay there beside Rand, who was unnervingly still. Lucyβs fingers hovered over her phone. She hesitated for a beat, then called Devinβs number. The sudden vibration startled him, and he fumbled to answer. βH-Hello?β His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. βItβs me,β Lucy said, keeping her voice steady despite the wild pounding in her chest. βWhat happened?β
Devin let out a shaky exhale. βIβ¦ can we talk tomorrow? Please? I canβtβI justββ His voice cracked. βIβm too tired, Lucy.β
Her paranoia flared. Something was off. This wasnβt like Devin.
Lucy stepped out of the shadows. βTomorrowβs not good enough,β she said firmly.
Devin flinched, startled again, his wide eyes locking onto her. βLucy! Donβtβdonβt sneak up on me like that!β
βDonβt dodge my questions,β she snapped, stepping closer. Her eyes darted to Rand, still unconscious on the ground. βWhat the hell happened down there?β Devin hesitated, his face pale and drawn. He swallowed hard before finally beginning to recount the events. His voice was low and shaky, each word dragging like it physically hurt to say.
βRand called me,β he started. βHe was freaking out about you, Lucy. Said he thought something mightβve happened. When we met up to look for youβ¦ thatβs when we ran into Wart.β
Devin paused, running a trembling hand through his hair. The mention of Wart sent a chill down Lucyβs spine, her mind immediately racing back to the eerie phone call sheβd overheard in the sewer. The pieces of her theory clicked into place, and before she could stop herself, she interrupted.
βI thinkβ¦ there might be two Warts,β she said, her voice sharper than intended. Devin blinked at her, confused. βIn the sewer, I heard him on the phoneβhe was talking to someone else. They were updating him of what had happened. Specifically the car crash. But Wart was there during that.β
Devin stared at her for a moment, his exhaustion evident in the blankness of his expression. Finally, he let out a half-hearted grunt, too tired to process or respond. βMaybe. I donβt know, Lucy. I donβt know anything anymore.β
The bitterness in his tone stung, but Lucy let it go. She could see the weight of whatever he was carrying was more than enough already. Devin took a shaky breath and continued. βWartβhe justβ¦ he just snapped. Out of nowhere, he pulled out these needles and stabbed Jerry. Then Rand. Jerry dropped immediately. Like, passed out. Just like that. Randβ¦ he toughed it out for a while. But it got him too.β
Lucyβs heart twisted at the thought of Jerry. βAnd Jerry? Where is he?β she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Devinβs lips parted, but no sound came out. His hands shook as he tried to find the words, but his silence stretched on, unbearable. Finally, he forced out, βSomethingβ¦ happened.β
Lucyβs chest tightened. βWhat do you mean βsomethingβ? Devinββ
His voice broke as he tried to continue. βWe couldnβtββ Devin choked on his words, not having the courage to say what happened out loud.
She didnβt need to press him further. The tears streaming down his face told her everything she needed to know. Lucyβs knees felt weak, but she forced herself to stay upright. Her hands clenched into fists as frustration and grief swirled into an uncontrollable storm inside her. The black substance on Devin and Rand, the silence, the lies of omissionβit all screamed danger. Lucy knelt by Rand, her eyes scanning his unconscious form. He looked peaceful in an unnerving way, his chest rising and falling as if he were just sleeping. But Lucy couldnβt ignore the weight of what could be happening inside him. Wartβs injectionβwhatever it wasβmight be the start of something far worse. Her mind flashed back to the grotesque creatures in the sewers, their twisted forms, their silent screams. The thought made her stomach churn. She found the spot on Randβs arm where the needle had struck, the faint puncture mark like a cruel reminder of how close he was to losing himself. Lucyβs hand trembled as she reached for his wrist, feeling for a pulse that, thankfully, was still steady. But steady wasnβt enough.
βDevin,β she said, her voice flat, almost detached. βIβm just going to cut Rand a little. See if thereβs any trace of that black goo in him.β
Devin, still sitting slumped on the floor, looked up with red, tear-streaked eyes. He blinked, confused. βWhat?β
βIf Wart injected the goo into him, we might be able to catch it before it spreads,β she explained, her tone clipped, almost clinical. She couldnβt afford to show how much her hands were shaking.
Devin sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. βCanβt we just call Bradley? Heβs studying medicine, right? He might know what to do.β
Bradley. The name sent a pang of guilt through Lucy. She hadnβt thought about him, hadnβt thought about anyone outside of this nightmare. How could she, when every moment felt like it could be her last? She sighed, her exhaustion seeping into her words. βOh yeah. Thatβs a good idea. Letβs call him.β They moved inside Devinβs house, laying Rand gently on the worn-out sofa in the living room. The house was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavier than noise. Devin fumbled for his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed.
The call went straight to voicemail. Devin stared at the screen, his brow furrowed. βButβ¦ I called him yesterday. He picked up yesterday,β he murmured, more to himself than to Lucy.
Lucyβs patience was thinning, not with Devin, but with the entire situation. Every passing second felt like sand slipping through an hourglass. βAlright,β she said, her voice cutting through the silence. βDo you have a box cutter or something?β
Devin froze, his expression shifting from confusion to worry. Reluctantly, Devin nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. He returned moments later, holding a small box cutter, but he hesitated before handing it over. His voice cracked as he said, βJustβ¦ please be careful with him, Lucy. Heβs the only family I have left.β
The words hit Lucy like a punch to the gut. Family. The word felt foreign to her now, like an artifact from a life sheβd left behind. Her parents were more absent than present, and the friends sheβd grown up with were miles away, scattered like leaves in the wind. Devinβs quiet plea echoed in her chest, pulling at something sheβd tried to bury. She took the box cutter from his trembling hand, her own grip firm despite the emotions threatening to spill over. βRand will be fine,β she said, more to herself than to Devin. βIβll make sure of it.β
To distract him, she gestured toward the stairs. βGo get some bandages. Just in case.β
Devin lingered for a moment, reluctant to leave, but eventually nodded and headed upstairs. As his footsteps faded, Lucy turned back to Rand. Her hands hovered over him, the box cutter poised, her breath catching in her throat.
βIβll make sure of it,β she whispered again, as much a promise to herself as to Devin. But as she pressed the blade to Randβs skin, her resolve felt as fragile as glass. Lucy had no idea what she was doing. Her hands trembled as the box cutter sliced through Randβs skin, a thin line of blood welling up and pooling at the edge of the cut. Was it too deep? Too shallow? She had no clue what she was even looking forβwas the goo supposed to ooze out immediately? Was she supposed to see something under the surface? Her breathing quickened as her vision blurred, panic overtaking her. She dropped the box cutter with a sharp clatter, her hands trembling. Her stomach churned as she stared at the blood. She was way in over her head, and the horrifying thought crept inβwhat if sheβd done something terrible to Rand? What if this stupid decision was the one that tipped him over the edge? Devin came back downstairs, bandages in hand. He stopped in his tracks, taking in the scene: the blood, the box cutter on the floor, Lucyβs wide, panicked eyes. βWhat happened?β he asked, his voice strained, somewhere between concern and exhaustion. Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. Her voice cracked as she stammered, βIβ¦ I thought I couldβ¦ I didnβt mean toββ She trailed off, shaking her head, regretting every decision that had led to this moment. Devin sighed, his movements slow and deliberate as he crouched by Rand and started wrapping the wound. Neither of them spoke for what felt like an eternity. The silence wasnβt comfortingβit was heavy, filled with the weight of everything left unsaid. Just then, Devin's phone buzzed, breaking the heavy stillness in the room. He glanced at the screen, and his face drained of color. Lucy froze, watching as his fingers pressed over the answer button. "Hello?" Devin's voice was tight, barely above a whisper.
At first, his expression stayed rigidβfearful, almost expectant of the worst. But then it shifted, flickering through confusion, disbelief, and something elseβ¦ something harder to pin down. Relief, maybe. But it wasnβt comforting relief; it was tinged with unease, like the kind of relief that leaves your stomach in knots.
"Yeah," Devin said slowly, his eyes darting to Lucy. "Uh, thanks for letting me know." His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat. "I'll tell her."
He hung up and let the phone drop limply into his lap. For a moment, he didnβt say anything, just stared at the floor with a distant look, as though trying to piece together a puzzle that refused to make sense.
"Who was it?" Lucy asked, her voice barely concealing her own creeping dread.
Devin hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "It was Jerryβs mom," he said, his words slow and deliberate, like he was afraid of saying them out loud. "She called toβ¦ to tell me that Jerryβs at home. Asleep. In his bed."
Lucy blinked, the air suddenly feeling too heavy in her lungs. "What?" she said, her voice sharp and in disbelief.
"She didnβt have your number," Devin added quickly, his words tumbling out as if to fill the silence. "She remembered you asking her to have Jerry call you back, soβ¦ she called me instead. Just to let you know heβs okay."The room descended into an awkward, suffocating silence. Neither of them wanted to say it, that gnawing suspicion clawing at the back of their minds. Because to say it out loud would give it power. To say it might make it into reality. βIβm going to wash up,β Devin muttered finally, breaking the tension.
βIβll stay and watch over Rand,β Lucy offered quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Devin just nodded, his expression unreadable, and disappeared upstairs. Once he was out of sight, Lucy exhaled shakily and pulled herself together. She glanced at Randβs bag and remembered the Arizona Green Tea Wart had given him. Her stomach twisted as she found it tucked safely inside, the can gleaming innocently. She stared at it for a long moment, her thoughts spiraling. She knew it was drugged. She knew it was dangerous. She knew it was addicting. But right now, the temptation outweighed every ounce of logic she had left. Jerry wasnβt here to stop her. No one was. Her hands moved on their own, cracking the can open with a soft hiss. She hesitated, but only for a second, before taking a long sip. Almost immediately, she felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her, her body starting to shut down in protest. She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself, and managed to stay awake long enough for Devin to return. He came back downstairs, his arms full of pillows and blankets. Without saying a word, he carefully draped a blanket over Rand and then tossed another set to Lucy.
She caught the pillow and blanket awkwardly, glancing at her mud-streaked clothes. βAre you sure you want me to dirty your stuff?β she asked, her voice tinged with self-consciousness.
Devin just shrugged, his exhaustion evident in every movement. He flopped onto the other sofa with a heavy sigh. Lucy chuckled softly, more at his sheer indifference than anything else. She adjusted the blanket around herself, sinking into the worn cushions. The warmth and quiet finally caught up to her, and the tension that had gripped her body began to release. Sleep claimed her before she could think any further about what tomorrow might bring. Lucy groaned, the light of the sun waking her up. She gets up, head spinning as she opened her eyes. She looks around and no one seemed to be around her. She blinks. Rand was gone. She could hear voices coming from the kitchen and her mind goes to Devinβs parents. Only to feel guilt, remembering they were transferred to a better hospital due to their strange coma. Lucy stumbles into the kitchen, still groggy from sleep. The scent of frying eggs and something vaguely burnt wafted through the air. She froze in the doorway, blinking in disbelief. Devin was at the stove, clumsily flipping pancakes, while Rand sat slouched at the table, his head cradled in his hands.
"You donβt remember anything that happened yesterday?" Devin asked, shooting Rand a wary glance.
"Nope," Rand said, frustrated. "Itβs like someone hit the delete button in my brain. Yesterdayβs a black hole. Ugh, why does my head feel like I got tackled by a linebacker?"
Devin snorted but didnβt answer, his attention focused on rescuing a pancake from burning.
Lucy stepped fully into the room, her eyes narrowing. "Whatβs going on? Howβs he even up?" she demanded, her tone sharp with tension.
Devin turned to look at her, his expression neutral but his nose wrinkling slightly. "Uh, Lucy? You stink. Like, bad. Maybe shower before breakfast?"
Lucy blinked, taken aback. βSeriously?β
Devin shrugged, unapologetic. βJust saying.β
She sighed, smelling herself and pinching the bridge of her nose. βFine. Whereβs your bathroom?β
Devin looks toward Rand. βIβm busy saving the world here.β Rand groaned but got up, gesturing for her to follow him. As they trudged upstairs, Lucy glanced at him, her tension bubbling just under the surface. βDo you have any spare clothes?β
Rand disappeared into a bedroom, muttering as he rummaged through drawers and piles of clothes. "Letβs seeβ¦ uhβ¦ yeah, you probably donβt want my stuff. Oh, here!" He tossed her Devinβs Logsville track suit.
Holding it up, Lucy raised an eyebrow. βThanksβ¦ I guess.β
Rand scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. βYeah, uh, sorry about the underwear situation. Feels weird offering you his momβs, and Devinβs are... you know, sacred territory.β
Lucy let out a soft laugh despite herself. βItβs fine. Iβll figure it out.β
She headed into the bathroom and was greeted by a sad lineup of toiletries. A bottle of 3-in-1 shampoo/body wash/conditioner sat next to a lone bottle of LβOrΓ©al shampoo. She grimaced. βSeriously? Three-in-one?β She reached for the LβOrΓ©al but hesitated, her chest tightening as she remembered it probably belonged to Devinβs mom.
βOkay, fine, three-in-one it is,β she muttered, surrendering.
The warmth of the shower brought a brief sense of relief, washing away layers of grime and exhaustion. For a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to ground herself. But the peace was short-lived.
A loud knock sounded on the bathroom door. "Lucy! Emergency!" Randβs voice called through the wood, tinged with humor. βDevin got a phone call. He says we gotta go. Like, now. Also, pancakes are burning, so if we donβt hurry, the smoke alarmβs gonna rat us out.β
Lucy groaned, frustration rising as she turned off the shower. βCan I get five minutes to exist in peace?β she muttered under her breath, throwing on the track suit and rushing out the door. Lucy stepped outside, following Rand as the crisp morning air did little to dispel the heaviness in her chest. She watched as Devin silently pulled a can of spray paint and a gas mask from his bag. He worked with an uncharacteristic urgency, spraying the faint outline of a tunnel on the pavement. The image grew clearerβa path leading to a place that was all too familiar: the hospital. Lucy felt a pang in her chest. It had been so long since sheβd seen Devin use this ability, a part of him heβd sworn off for reasons he never fully explained. Now, without hesitation, he dove into the painted tunnel and disappeared. Rand glanced back at her briefly, his expression unreadable, before he followed. For a moment, Lucy stood alone, the weight of everything pressing on her shoulders. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the tunnel, emerging moments later at the side of the hospital. Devin didnβt wait. He bolted toward the hospital entrance, and Lucy and Rand hurried after him. Inside the lobby, the sterile scent of disinfectant mixed with the palpable tension in the air. They spotted Jerryβs parents immediatelyβhis mother sobbing into her husbandβs chest, his father holding her tightly, his face a mask of stoicism barely concealing the storm beneath. A nurse stood nearby, speaking softly but clearly. βWe found a strange substance running through your sonβs bloodstream, which is most likely the cause of his cardiac arrest. Weβre doing everything we can to stabilize him.β
Jerryβs father, his voice tight and bitter, said, βItβs those damned drugs. I told him theyβd kill him one day, but he never listenedββ
βNo!β Devinβs voice cut through the air like a blade, startling everyone. His fists were clenched at his sides, his face flushed with anger. βThatβs not true! He quit! He stopped taking that stuff a long time ago. He would neverβsomeone must haveββ
βDevin, donβt,β Rand said softly, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.
Devin looked at Rand, his eyes wild with anger and hurt, before tearing himself away. βI canβtββ He turned and stormed out, the echo of his footsteps fading into the sterile quiet of the lobby.
Lucy hesitated, glancing at Jerryβs parents. She wanted to say something, to defend Jerry, to share the weight of the truth she carried. But the raw grief etched on their faces stopped her. Words felt hollow here, pointless. She swallowed hard, her own emotions threatening to overwhelm her, and turned to follow Devin and Rand. Outside, she found them sitting on the ground tucked away in the shadow of the building. Devinβs head was bowed, his shoulders trembling slightly. Rand sat beside him, one arm draped over his friendβs back, his hand moving in small, comforting circles. Lucy didnβt say a word. She didnβt need to. She walked over and leaned her back against theirs, her presence the only thing she could offer. The three of them sat in silence, the weight of unspoken fears and shared pain binding them together more tightly than words ever could.
(Click "Expand" to read)>
Tim, Devin, and Lucy walked away from the hospital, the silence between them heavy and uncomfortable. Devin lagged slightly behind, his head down, his usual spark extinguished. Tim glanced over his shoulder, his mind racing for somethingβanythingβto say to lighten the mood. Devin wasnβt the type to brood; he was the optimist, the heart of the group. Seeing him this way felt wrong, like watching a sunset in grayscale.
Tim cleared his throat, forcing a grin. βHey, come on, Dev. Iβm sure Jerryβs fine. Heβs bounced back from worse, right? I mean, the guy once took shrooms in the middle of P.E class. Remember that? King of the shrooms, ruler of questionable life choices?β
Devinβs lips twitched into a faint smile, but it faded almost as quickly as it appeared. βYeah, but heβs not bouncing back from this, Tim. Not without help. And itβs not just Jerry. I want to know whatβs going on with Bradley too. He never ignores callsβever. Itβs weird. I canβt lose any more friends, man.β
Tim winced at the mention of Bradley. Their relationship had always been...complicated. When Tim had been the school bully, Bradley had been Peterβs knight in shining armor, always swooping in to protect his best friend. Tim had resented Bradley then, not just for his bravery but for the mirror he held up to Timβs worst self. And even now, as he tried to leave that version of himself behind and move forward as Timothy, the guilt lingered. βYeah,β Tim said after a moment, βBradβs probably just passed out from all that grass heβs always taking. Guyβs basically a human garden.β He shot Devin a sideways glance. βBut if it makes you feel better, weβll check on him.β
Devin sighed, still worried but slightly less tense. βWeβve got to head to Galloway anyway to see Grand Peepaw. Might as well make it a road trip.β
Tim perked up at the mention of a road trip, immediately looking back to Lucy. βShotgun! Called it. Itβs mine.β
Lucy raised an eyebrow. βI really donβt mind. I prefer having the backseat all to myself anyways.β
βDetails, details,β Tim said, waving a hand. βIβm just securing my vibe, okay?β
Devin chuckled softly despite himself, the sound easing some of the tension in the air. βYouβre a vibe, all right.β
Lucy rolled her eyes but couldnβt hide her smirk. βWell, if Randβs in charge of the vibe, weβre doomed.β
Tim grinned, leaning toward her. "Oh, donβt worry, Lucy. Iβll make sure your vibe matches your wardrobeβcomplicated and impossible to figure out."
"Alright, alright, knock it off.β Devin cuts in, raising his hands like a referee. βLetβs just focus on packing, okay? No vibe talk, no outfit wars." Ignoring Tim, Lucy responds to Devin. "We probably shouldnβt split up. We can stop by your place firstβitβs closest."
Devin shrugs, his easygoing nature showing. "Nah, itβs fine. We can hit your house first, Lucy. Ladies first, right?"
Tim snorts and starts shaking his head. "Absolutely not. If we go to Lucyβs first, weβll be here all day. You know sheβs gonna debate which parasol pairs best with her apocalypse-ready boots."
Lucy glares at Tim, flipping him off without hesitation. "At least I put thought into my outfits, unlike you, Mr. βDoes this hoodie smell clean?β"
Tim bows. "Thank you for noticing my dedication to efficiency."
Devin sighs, and tries to sound hopeful. "Can we just pack without insulting each other? Like... just this once?"
Tim starts to walk off, grinning. "No promises, big guy. But fineβletβs hit our places, quick and dirty. Lucy, keep the wardrobe changes to a minimum, yeah?"
Lucy rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath, "Iβll pack extra just for you, Tim."
Devin sighs, catching up to them, "You two are like siblings who really need time-out chairs."
Tim remarks over his shoulder, "And youβre like the dad who lets them get away with it."
Lucy smiles slightly, but still annoyed. "At least Dadβs trying to keep the family together."
As they started walking toward the car, the air between them felt lighterβnot fixed, not whole, but manageable. And for now, that was enough. At Devinβs house, while the boys disappeared into their rooms to pack, Lucy wandered. Her fingers brushed against picture frames on the mantle, each one offering glimpses of a simpler, happier time. Devin with his parents, laughing in the sunshine. Devin and Tim as kids, grinning like troublemakers on the loose.
One photo caught her attentionβa younger Tim, all wide smiles and nerdy glasses, proudly showing off his tooth gap. It was almost unrecognizable from the Tim she knew now, with his cocky smirks and ever-present sunglasses. She smiled faintly, not because the photo was endearing, but because it was useful. Oh, the blackmail material this would make.
She snapped a picture with her phone, biting her lip to suppress a giggle.
βWhat do you think youβre doing?β Timβs voice cracked like a rusty hinge as he charged down the stairs, his cheeks flaming. He practically lunged at her, trying to snatch the frame.
Lucy grinned wickedly. βOh, nothing. Just admiring your adorable glow-up.β
He chased her around the living room, arms flailing, but she was too quick. βFine! Keep your stupid blackmail!β he finally huffed, collapsing onto the couch like a deflated balloon.
Just then, Devin emerged, surveying the chaos with a look of pure exasperation.
βSeriously? I just cleaned this place!β Lucy stifled a laugh as Tim threw his hands up in mock surrender.
Devin sighed heavily. βItβsβfine. Iβm done packing. Letβs move to Lucyβs house.β
βWait, hold up,β Rand interjected, raising a finger. βI need to grab my other five phones first.β
Lucy blinked, deadpan. βOf course.β They went to Randβs house, which was just next door, and waited in the living room while he gathered his things. The room was eerily quiet, filled only with the muffled sound of Rand moving around upstairs. Lucy, unable to resist, saw this as an opportunity to dig for some dirt on himβmaybe more embarrassing childhood pictures she could tease him about later. But as she scanned the room, her excitement dimmed. There werenβt any embarrassing photos. In fact, there werenβt many photos of Rand at all. The ones she did find feltβ¦ off.
The boy in the pictures wasnβt the grinning Rand she remembered from Devinβs houseβthe one proudly showing off his tooth gap and playfully posing for the camera. Here, in his own home, the photos told a different story. They were carefully staged family portraits: everyone perfectly dressed, perfectly posed, perfectly distant. Randβs father stood stiff and formal in each photo, his smile more of a forced grimace, like someone who couldnβt quite remember how happiness was supposed to look. His motherβs expressions were softer, but her gaze seemed elsewhere, her hold on Rand in the photos more obligatory than affectionate. And then there was Rand, small and wide-eyed, his face a quiet mask. Not a single real smile, not a hint of the mischievous boy sheβd come to know. She wanted to joke about the photos, to lighten the weight suddenly settling in the room, but the words wouldnβt come. A few minutes later, he reappeared, lugging another bag of his stuff over his shoulder. Lucy raised an eyebrow. βYou have a whole bag. Of just your electronics?β
Rand shrugged. βYouβve got your thing; Iβve got mine. Donβt judge.β
Lucy opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself, shaking her head. If she made fun of him, she would also be making fun of her friends in Alabama.
Lucy sighed, fighting back a grin. βWhatever. Letβs just get to my place.β
When they reached Lucyβs house, the living room told a quiet story of someone living alone: a crumpled blanket on the couch, a coaster with a half-empty herbal tea, and dusty shelves. Devin glanced around as they climbed the stairs to find more photos.
Rand stopped in his tracks, eyes locked on a picture. A wide grin spread across his face as he pulled out his phone. βOh-ho, whatβs this? Little Lucy in traditional clothes? Is that a bug-eyed stare into the abyss? Adorable. I didnβt think you had it in you to look so... normal.β
Lucy crossed her arms and glared at him. βDonβt. Start.β
Devin stepped between them, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. βHey, guys. Can we focus on the mission here?β
Lucy rolled her eyes but turned to her room. βFine. Iβll grab my stuff.β Her room was a stark contrast to the rest of the houseβspotless and organized, with a neatly made bed and an immaculate desk. The only odd looking part of the room was the numerous patches of duct tape covering different parts of the room. The closet, was another story. One side housed her carefully arranged alternative clothing, while the other was an explosion of βnormalβ clothes stuffed haphazardly into place.
Rand peeked inside and groaned. βNope. Not doing this. This is giving me flashbacks to when you crammed us in there to hide from your parents.β
Lucy smirked. βAww, what? Didnβt like coming out of the closet?β
Rand, without missing a beat, flipped her off over his shoulder as he walked away.
Devin frowned, trailing behind Rand. βWait, I donβt get it. Whatβs so bad about being in the closet?β
Rand turned, shooting him a glare. βDevin. Donβt.β
Devin held his hands up, confused. βWhat? I didnβt say anything wrong!β
Lucy laughed softly to herself before turning back to her packing. She hesitated at her closet, her heart sinking at the thought of leaving her Lolita dresses behind. With a sigh, she started packing practical outfits instead.
As she gathered a few cans of Arizona Green Tea, a memory hit her. +βββ+βββ+βββ+
Lucy stared at a can in her hand, calling Jerry in the middle of the night. βJerry. Come over here. Now.β
βLucy, itβs 2 a.m. What now?β Jerry grumbled, clearly half-asleep.
βMy dad bought me more Arizona tea, and I donβt have the heart to tell him Iβm staying away from it. Iβll give you ten bucks to check if these are drugged.β
Jerry groaned. βLucy, you know itβs always drugged. Thatβs Wartβs whole thing.β
βBut are we sure?β she asked, stubborn.
Jerry let out a long sigh. βLucy. Itβs always from him. Stop overthinking this.β
β¦
Lucy paced back and forth outside her house, the cool night air pressing in around her like a heavy weight. Her fatherβs furious words still echoed in her ears, sharp and unforgiving as he snatched her house keys. Her pulse was racing, her breath uneven. The world around her seemed distorted, like a nightmare she couldnβt escape. She gripped her phone tightly, desperation creeping into her voice as she dialed the one number she trusted.
Every call went to voicemail. Her chest tightened, panic clawing its way up her throat. The phantom sensation of water crept up her legsβcold, suffocating, relentless. She could feel it rising, even though there wasnβt a drop in sight.
βJerry,β she whispered shakily, her fingers trembling as she dialed his number again.
The voicemail beeped.
βJerry? Itβs me, Lucy.β Her voice cracked, unsteady. The sound of shuffling came through as she stumbled, trying to ground herself. βMy dadβ¦ he found out. He found out Iβve been sneaking out andβHe took my keys, Jerry. I canβt get inβI canβtβ¦β A sob hitched in her throat. βIβm not a bird, Brian. Iβm not a bird.β
Her phone slipped from her fingers and hit the ground. Her breaths came faster, her voice barely above a whisper. βThereβs water everywhere. I canβt breatheβI can, but I canβt. Do you hear me? I canβt!β Her tone pitched higher, hysteria bleeding into every word. βI need to know Iβm awake. Please. I just needββ
The voicemail ended abruptly.
β¦
Jerryβs phone buzzed against his nightstand. He rolled over, groaning as he grabbed it. When he saw Lucyβs name, his irritation turned to dread. He played the voicemail, his heart sinking further with every word. βIβm not a birdβ¦ water everywhereβ¦ canβt breatheβ¦β
βLucy,β he muttered, shooting out of bed. The voicemail played on a loop in his mind as he threw on his jacket, grabbed the airhorn, and bolted out the door.
When he reached her house, he pounded on the door with both fists. His heart hammered in his chest, fear and frustration clawing at him. The door swung open, revealing Lucyβs father, his face a mask of irritation.
Jerry blurted out the first thing that came to mind. βIβm in love with your daughter!β
Her father froze, stunned into silence.
Jerry didnβt wait. He darted past him and up the stairs, his legs moving on instinct. βLucy! Hey, Lucy! Are you awake?β
He burst into her room, finding it dimly lit and eerily quiet. She was curled up in the corner, knees drawn to her chest, her phone discarded on the floor.
Jerryβs chest tightened at the sight of her. βLucy,β he said softly, grabbing the airhorn from his pocket. Without a second thought, he let it blare.
Lucy flinched, her head snapping up. Her wide, unfocused eyes locked onto him, and she blinked, slowly coming back to herself. βHey,β Jerry said, his voice low and steady. βYouβre awake. Youβre here. No water, no birdsβjust me, okay?β
Her breathing slowed, her hands unclenching as reality settled in. She nodded, tears silently rolling down her cheeks.
Jerry sat down across from her, relieved but exhausted. βYou scared the hell out of me,β he admitted with a dry laugh. βI mean, I always knew youβd be a handful, but this is next level, Luce.β
She let out a weak laugh, shaking her head. βYou didnβt have to come all the way here,β she mumbled, brushing the tears from her face.
Jerry hesitated, something flickering in his expression before he covered it with a grin. βYeah, well, someone has to keep you from drowning in all that dream goo.β
Lucy offered him a faint smile, but it didnβt quite reach her eyes. βThanks, Jerry. Youβreβ¦ a good friend.β
The words hit harder than they should have, but Jerry masked it with a shrug. βWhat can I say? Itβs a gift.β
He stayed by her side, cracking jokes to fill the silence, even as something in his chest ached quietly, unnoticed by her.
+βββ+βββ+βββ+ Back in the present, Lucy clenched the can tightly before putting it back. Deciding against bringing it for Jerryβs sake. She grabbed gum from her dadβs stash in his room and tucked it into her pocket. With her packing complete, she headed downstairs.
βAlright,β she said, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. βIβm ready.β
Outside, they loaded their things into Devinβs car. Rand slid into the passenger seat, his phone already out to pull up navigation. Lucy climbed into the backseat, wrapping herself in a blanket.
Rand glanced back at her, smirking. βYouβre really gonna cocoon yourself back there? Donβt start snoring, or Iβm recording it.β
Lucy glared at him. βAnd if you even think about uploading it, you wonβt live to see tomorrow.β
Devin, oblivious, started the car. βEveryone good? Alright, letβs hit the road.β
The car rumbled to life as they drove off, the weight of their situation temporarily softened by their banter.
The drive to Galloway was as chaotic as one might expect with their trio, a mix of naps, bickering, and the occasional eruption of laughter. It all started with their innocent game of punch buggy, which quickly spiraled when Lucy began kicking the back of Randβs seat. βHey! No kicking the driverβs co-pilot!β Rand exclaimed, twisting in his seat to glare at her.
βOh, Iβm sorry,β Lucy said, voice dripping with faux sweetness. βI didnβt know you were so sensitive, princess.β
βAlright, thatβs it!β Rand shouted, attempting to clamber into the backseat.
Devin didnβt even look away from the road. He reached out and shoved Rand back into his seat with one hand, muttering, βIf either of you makes me crash, Iβm throwing you both out and eating all the snacks myself.β
That shut them both up quickly.
Other petty arguments followed, like Lucy calling soda βpop.β
βItβs pop,β she insisted.
Rand snickered. βSure, and do you call a water fountain a βbubbler,β too?β
βKeep laughing, and Iβll leak your baby photos to the world.β Lucy shot back.
βDo it, and Iβll fight you right here!β Rand threatened, once again trying to climb over the seat.
Devin groaned. βIf you two donβt stop, Iβm turning this car around.β Eventually, the car needed gas, giving everyone a chance to stretch their legs. Lucy and Rand went to the bathrooms while Devin stayed by the pump.
Lucy came out of the womenβs restroom looking pleasantly surprised. βWow, itβs actually clean in there. They even have little flowers on the counter.β
A moment later, Rand emerged from the menβs restroom, looking like he had just survived a war. He exhaled deeply, as if heβd been holding his breath the entire time.
Lucy raised an eyebrow. βWhatβs wrong with you?β
Rand avoided her gaze. βI donβt want to talk about it.β
But the second he opened the door wider, a noxious smell wafted out, causing Lucy to gag. βOh my god, what is that?β
Devin starts walking towards them only to stop. He sniffs the air and immediately recoiled. βHey, Iβm doneβUgh, Tim, what did you do? Should we leave you here?β
Rand scowled. βItβs not me! It mustβve, uh, clung to my shoes or something.β
Lucy, despite her disgust, rolled her eyes and offered a solution. βFine. Take your shoes off, and Iβll help you wash the soles. But if you step back into this car without doing it, we really are leaving you here.β After some muttering and grumbling, Rand relented. To everyoneβs relief, the smell disappeared once his shoes were scrubbed clean.
βWow,β Rand said as they got back in the car. βWho knew youβd be an expert on, uh, decontamination?β
Lucy smirked. βSome of us actually use our brains, Rand.β
The drive continued late into the night, with Devin eventually pulling over and announcing, βAlright, someone else is driving. I need a nap.β
Rand turned to Lucy. βHey, you wanna tryββ He stopped himself mid-sentence, suddenly remembering the last time Lucy had tried driving. βActually, never mind. Iβll do it.β
Rand and Devin start to switch seats while Lucy crosses her arms. βIβm not that bad.β
Rand gave her a deadpan look as he settled into the driverβs seat. βLucy, you hit a parked car. In a parking lot.β
Devin, already half-asleep in the passenger seat, snorted. βHeβs not wrong.β
Lucy huffed but let it go, pulling a blanket over herself as Rand climbed into the driverβs seat. βJust donβt get us lost,β she muttered.
Rand grinned as he started the car. βDonβt worry, Iβve got this. Worst case, weβll end up in another state.β
Lucy squints her eyes at Rand. βBut we are going to another state.β
Rand smirks. βThatβs why youβre in great hands.β
Devin chuckles, and Lucy groaned from the back. It wasnβt the most peaceful road trip, but it was theirs. They arrived at Galloway just before midnight, the car rolling to a stop in front of their grand peepawβs old house. The warm yellow glow from the porch light contrasted with the cold stillness of the night, giving the home a familiar, comforting presence.
Tim turned off the engine and leaned over, nudging Devin. βHey, big guy, weβre here. Time to move.β
Devin mumbled something unintelligible, shifting slightly but otherwise unmoving.
Tim sighed, his voice soft. βAlright, one more minute then.β He climbed out of the car, stretching his stiff limbs, then opened the back door to find Lucy cocooned in her blanket, fast asleep.
Although he felt exhausted, that doesnβt mean he was too tired to annoy Lucy. Deadpan, he tugged the blanket off and rolled it into a ball, unceremoniously tossing it onto her face. βWake up. Youβre not a princess, and this isnβt a carriage.β
Lucy groans, not moving. βWha-? Whereββ
βWeβre here in Galloway,β Tim said with a smirk, already heading to the door. The house key was still hidden under the same old rock by the porch. As Tim unlocked the door, the familiar creak of the hinges brought back memories he hadnβt thought about in years. The faint smell of pinewood and dust hit him as he stepped inside. Everything was just as he rememberedβthe worn armchair by the window, the cluttered coffee table covered in old newspapers, and the walls adorned with faded family photos.
He turned back to the car, where Devin was still slumped over in the driverβs seat. With a sigh, Tim trudged back, hauling Devin out and practically dragging him into the house. He heaved his heavy ass onto the sofa, taking a moment to catch his breath.
As Tim stood there, the house seemed to wrap him in a bittersweet embrace. It was a place full of contradictionsβwarmth and tension, laughter and pain. His eyes wandered to the old photos hanging on the walls, his gaze snagging on one of himself and Devin as kids, taken during one of their summer visits. +βββ+βββ+βββ+
βDevin! How long do I have to stay up here?β Little Timβs voice wavered as he clung to a tree branch, his legs dangling precariously.
Devin stood below, arms outstretched, his grin wide and confident. βUntil I rescue you! But you have to call me Flynn. Thatβs the rule.β
Tim groaned. βWhy are you so obsessed with Tangled? Itβs a girlβs movie.β
Devin frowned. βSays who?β
βSociety.β
Devin tilted his head. βWell, I donβt know who this βSocietyβ guy is, but he sounds like a jerk!β
Tim couldnβt help but laugh. βFine, Flynn. Just hurry up and save me!β
Devinβs grin returned. βAlright, jump! Iβll catch you.β
Shocked, Tim screams back at him. βWHAT! Are you crazy? This isnβt how I remember the movie goingβ¦β
Devin poses like a cheesy action hero, hands on hip, chest out. βIβm making my own movie. So come on, get down here already!β Tim stared down at him, skeptical. βSeriously? You weigh, like, half of what I do.β
βIβll prove you wrong! And if I drop you, Iβll give you all my snacks for a week!β
With a deep breath, Tim closed his eyes and jumped. The moment of weightlessness ended abruptly as Devin caught himβbarely.
βWoah,β Tim gasped, his eyes wide. βYou actually did it! Youβre, like, a real hero, Dev!β
Devin beamed, though his knees wobbled under the strain. βYup, thatβs me!β
The triumph was short-lived as a voice rang out from the house. βTimothy! What do you think youβre doing up there?β
Both boys froze, turning to see Timβs father standing in the doorway, his expression dark.
Tim slid out of Devinβs arms, his stomach sinking. βI- I was just playingββ
βWeβve talked about this. Youβre not to go near him.β His fatherβs tone was cold, and Timβs eyes stung with unshed tears.
Devin stepped in front of him, puffing out his chest. βHey! Why are you yelling at him, Mr. Rand? He didnβt do anything wrong!β
Before his father could respond, another voice chimed in from deeper inside the house. βHuh? Someone call me?β
It was their grand peepaw, shuffling into the room. Timβs dad groaned. βNo, Dad, Iβm talking to Timothy.β
βThen youβre talking to me.β
Timβs dad pinched the bridge of his nose. βThis is why Iβm starting to regret naming my son after you. I swear, if you make that joke one more timeββ
As the argument escalated, Devin grabbed Timβs hand. βCome on. Letβs get out of here while heβs distracted!β
Tim sniffled, wiping at his eyes, and let Devin pull him away. As they slipped outside, he glanced back at his grandpa, who gave him a subtle wink before continuing to bicker with his son.
+βββ+βββ+βββ+ Tim blinked, shaking off the memory. His peepaw had always been a thorn in his fatherβs side, but to Tim, he was the closest thing to a shield heβd ever had. Sure, he was a questionable role model, but he gave Tim the love he never got from his mother. The old man had never changed, and Tim found comfort in that constancy.
Lucy entered the house, carrying boxes from the trunk. Tim directed her to stash them behind the sofa, then headed upstairs to check on his grandpa.
As expected, peepaw was asleep, snoring softly with his arms wrapped around his prized weed plant. Tim stifled a laugh and gently closed the door, deciding to spare Lucy the olfactory assault by putting her in the farthest room.
After ensuring everyone was settled, Tim returned to haul Devin upstairs. He laid him on the bed they always shared as kids and sank to the floor beside it, too tired to move any farther.
As sleep began to claim him, Tim glanced around the room, a faint smile tugging at his lips. This house, with all its flaws and memories, felt like a piece of homeβa reminder that even in the hardest times, there was still a place where they belonged.
(Click "Expand" to read)>
Lucy shuffled downstairs, rubbing her temples. The odd feeling of dread lingeredβprobably because she couldnβt remember her dreams at all.
When she reached the living room, the scene was chaotic but somehow domestic. Tim was in the kitchen, flipping pancakes with surprising finesse. Devin and Grandpa Rand were glued to the TV, the latter puffing away on an e-cigarette that looked like it had been put together from spare parts.
βLook who finally decided to join us!β Grandpa Rand called out, pointing at Lucy with his vape like it was a wand. βDidnβt think Iβd meet the girl who got my grandsons to drag their sorry butts out here. Whatβd you do, bribe βem?β
Lucy blinked, unsure how to respond. Devin quickly jumped in. βGrandpa, Lucyβs just a friend, and besidesββ
βDonβt worry, kiddo. Iβm just saying, itβs about time you brought home a gal. Been starting to think you and Tim were destined to become hermits. Now, which one of you gets the tinfoil crown, huh?β Grandpa Rand wiggled his eyebrows, clearly enjoying himself.
Tim poked his head out of the kitchen. βLucyβ doesnβt swing that way, peepaw. Donβt get your hopes up.β
Without missing a beat, Grandpa Rand leaned back and smirked. βDonβt worry, sweetheart. I wasnβt into women either for most of my life, so I get it.β
Devin groaned. βOh my God, peepaw.β
Lucy couldnβt help but laugh despite the awkwardness.
Grandpa Rand took a drag of his vape, blowing out a plume of smoke. βAnyway, Devin, Tim, youβre going to school today. I donβt care if youβre not enrolled yetβyouβre not wasting your youth rotting on my couch like I did. Besides, the CIA satellites donβt track kids on school grounds as closely.β
Devin looked up, alarmed. βWhat? Since when?β
Grandpa Rand cackled. βGotcha! But seriously, youβre going. No arguments.β
Devin frowned. βWhat about Lucy?β Grandpa Rand waved dismissively. βThe little lady can do whatever she wants. Sheβs got the look of someone who could survive in the wild. Meanwhile, you twoβ¦β He shook his head. βLetβs just say Iβm not betting on you in an apocalypse.β
Lucy grinned as Tim rolled his eyes and Devin muttered under his breath. Tim brought over a plate of pancakes, setting it down with a flourish. βAlright, eat before he starts pulling out his hand-drawn maps of UFO sightings again.β
As the boys finish up breakfast, Lucy glances at the television, where the local news flickers on the screen. At first, it seems like a mundane broadcast, but her attention locks onto the news anchorβs unsettlingly wide smile. It grows... and grows, stretching beyond human limits. It looked and felt wrong. She forces herself to look away. She glances at the others, hoping theyβve noticed it tooβbut Devin and Tim seem entirely unbothered, chatting casually as if nothing is amiss. A cold shiver runs down her spine as she silently pushes the image out of her mind.
Finally, Devin and Tim leave for school and Grandpa Rand head out, leaving Lucy all alone at the house. Before leaving, Grandpa Rand took another drag and said, βBy the way, donβt touch my notebooks while Iβm gone. The last time someone tried, I had to chase them out with a broom.β
Tim smirked. βI thought you said that was a government agent.β
Grandpa Rand leaned back, puffing his vape dramatically. βSame thing, kid. Same thing.β
When they left, a gnawing feeling stirs inside Lucy, tugging her toward the basement. She canβt explain why, but she felt compelled to check it. When she gets closer to the basement door, she finds it locked. She decides not to waste more time on the inexplicable and heads to the porch to grab the morning newspaper.
The front page greets her with a jarring mix of the mundane and the strange. Thereβs a cheerful announcement about new stores opening in the mall, a cryptic warning against venturing too deep into the nearby swamp without proper equipment, and a feature about an upcoming yearly festival celebrating the townβs triumph in solving the infamous missing children case. Lucyβs eyes linger on the last article. The details are sparse, almost suspiciously so, as if whoever wrote it was more interested in evoking celebration than providing answers. Unease prickles at the back of her neck as she wonders what theyβre not saying.
Unable to shake her curiosity, Lucy resolves to head to the library to dig deeper. On her way, she notices the community house standing nearby, its weathered exterior casting long shadows across the ground. Curious, she decides to explore the community house first. The inside of the community house was less helpful than Lucy had hoped. A learning annex displayed a schedule of various lessons, but none were offered in the morning. She glanced at the kitchen but, feeling no hunger, decided to skip it. A larger door led to several offices and a staircase to the upper floor, but it was locked. Frustration began to creep in as she tried other rooms, only to find them locked as well. With no clear way to explore further, Lucy gave up and decided to head to the library in search of answers.
Inside the library, she spotted an elderly woman engrossed in a book. Relief washed over Lucy when the woman didnβt acknowledge her presenceβshe wasnβt in the mood for small talk or awkward social interactions. Looking around, she happened to find the book she was looking for. The library felt colder as Lucy delved into the history book, her unease growing with every page. It detailed the festivalβs grim origins, starting in 1973, when the town was first plagued by a wave of disappearances. It began with Rachel Rand. That last name stopped Lucy in her tracksβRand. The connection to Devin and Timβs family sent a chill down her spine. She read on, her heart sinking as the events turned more bizarre. The year 1983 marked the height of the townβs strangeness. Dead birds littered the streets without explanation. A funeral for the Deep familyβthe parents onlyβraised questions when their bodies, seen by mourners in coffins, were later discovered melted in their basement. A car crash near the Galloway exit left a wrecked DeLorean belonging to one Kian Stone, but no bodies were ever found.
The book mentioned the incessant sound of cicadas growing louder throughout the year, described as βinescapable.β Townsfolk were seen wandering aimlessly near the swamp in unusual numbers. Some of the more fearful residents barricaded themselves in the community house, their anxiety growing with every missing person.
Lucyβs fingers tightened on the book as she read about Timothy RandβDevinβs and Timβs grandfather. He had arrived at the community house one day, claiming he knew where the missing people were. Her breath hitched. The book described how the town followed him to the deep part of the swamp, where they found the bodies. Every single one of them, dead. Timothy Rand was hailed as a hero for solving the mystery, but the ordeal left him broken. The book said he was sent to a mental institution shortly afterward, though it glossed over the details. Lucy could feel the weight of every word, the air in the library thick with an unshakable dread.
She slammed the book shut, the sound echoing louder than she intended. Her hands trembled slightly as she put it back on the shelf. Now she understood why the newspaper had been so vague about the festivalβit was a celebration shrouded in death and madness.
Unable to stay in the eerie stillness of the library any longer, Lucy decided to head to the hardware store. She told herself the walk would clear her head, but the story clung to her like a shadow. Even as she stepped into the sunlight, the strange events of 1983 lingered, whispering at the edges of her mind.
As Lucy stepped into the hardware store, the faint scent of sawdust and metal filled the air, but her attention was immediately drawn to something outside the window. Grandpa Rand was leaving the nerdy game store across the street, clutching a paper bag close to his chest as he disappeared deeper into town.
The sight made Lucy curious. What was he up to? Distracting herself, Lucy browsed the store until she spotted a lock-picking kit. A practical purchaseβand maybe a peace offering if she ever reunited with the dreamers. With the kit in hand, she paid and stepped back into the sunlight. The street felt quieter than before, almost unnaturally so. The usual sounds of small-town life seemed muted, swallowed by an oppressive stillness.
Determined, she decided to follow Grandpa Rand. She checked the pharmacy first, thinking he might be picking up medicine. No sign of him. Frowning, she unfolded the map from the newspaper, tracing the streets with her finger, trying to guess where he might have gone. Her finger hesitated as it landed on a location on the map: the cemetery.
A chill ran through her as she thought back to the history book in the library. Unease coiled in her stomach, but her legs moved on their own, carrying her toward the cemetery. As she walked, the world around her seemed to blur slightly. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, and the buzz of cicadas began to hum faintly in her ears. She told herself it was her imagination.
Before entering the cemetery itself, she stepped into the funeral home. The dimly lit interior smelled of old wood and faintly of lilies. The air was stifling. Lucyβs eyes landed on a public obituary book resting on a podium near the entrance. It seemed like a good place to start.
She flipped through the thick pages, the sound of paper rustling the only noise in the still room. And then she froze.
Her own name stared back at her. The entry listed her date of birth and place of origin. But her eyes were drawn to the final detail: her time of death. The location listed was Gallowayβthe very town she was standing in. Her throat tightened as she instinctively pulled out her phone. The time on the obituary matched the time glowing on her phone screen. A sickening realization clawed at her mind.
Blinking in disbelief, she looked back at the book. The name and details were gone, as though theyβd never been there. Her hands trembled as she shut the book.
She staggered outside, needing air. Her footsteps carried her toward the cemetery. Lucy found Grandpa Rand sitting on the damp earth before three gravestones, their worn surfaces etched with names and dates that seemed impossibly far away. Each grave bore a small, meaningful token: a miniature white Jackson Rhoads Pro Series V-shape guitar on the one marked Kian Stone, a vase brimming with delicate forget-me-nots on Rolan Deep's, and a plastic lightsaber resting gently on Rachel Randβs. The items, lovingly placed, told stories she could only guess at. Grandpa Rand sat in silence, shoulders hunched as though the weight of the years pressed down on him more than ever. Lucy hesitated before stepping forward, unsure if she should interrupt, but the pull of curiosity and a strange sense of obligation compelled her. She quietly lowered herself onto the ground beside him.
βHow did you meet them?β she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Grandpa Rand stiffened, startled by her presence, but he didnβt turn to look at her. After a long moment, he answered in a voice tinged with something bittersweet. βWe were friends in high school,β he said, his words heavy, as if each one carried the ghosts of a memory.
Lucy offered a small, hopeful smile. βWell, I hope you guys stayed good friends.β
At that, Grandpa Rand scoffedβa dry, hollow sound that made her stomach drop. His silence afterward spoke volumes, and Lucy didnβt press. The quiet that settled between them was thick with unspoken things, the kind of quiet that made you realize how loud grief could be.
She looked at him, trying to find a way to pierce through the walls heβd built. βYour grandsons,β she said gently, βtheyβre good people.β
For the first time, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was small and fleeting, gone as quickly as it had come, but it was there. He didnβt respond, just kept his gaze locked on the graves as if the past might rise from the dirt and sit beside him.
Lucy sat for a moment longer, unsure what else to say. It was clear he wouldnβt be leaving anytime soon. Slowly, she rose to her feet, brushing off her jeans. βIβll leave you to it,β she murmured. βTake care.β
He didnβt look at her, but his voice was low and steady as he finally spoke. βStay safe.β As she walked away, she glanced back once. He hadnβt moved, his figure still as a statue against the backdrop of gray tombstones and rustling trees. It was as if he belonged to another time, a man living half in the present and half in the memories of a world that no longer existed.
Lucy steps inside the mall next, expecting the usualβcrowds milling about, the distant hum of pop music, and the chaotic energy of shoppers. And yet, despite the number of people, the place feels eerily empty. The fluorescent lights hum a little too loudly, flickering in a way that makes the shadows stretch unnaturally. The chatter of voices should be comforting, but it soundsβ¦ off. Too muffled, as if the space is swallowing the sound before it can properly settle.
Something about the way people move unsettles her. Their pacing is too even, their faces too neutral, as if theyβre only pretending to shop, pretending to be normal. No one lingers. No one makes eye contact.
Lucy brushes off the unease and heads straight to the directory, scanning the list of stores until one catches her eyeβAwakening Spirit. The name alone sparks her curiosity. It stands out among the mundane chains of clothing outlets and tech stores, a small shop tucked in a quieter wing of the mall. With nothing else pressing, she decides to check it out.
The moment Lucy steps inside, the atmosphere shifts. The artificial sterility of the mall fades into the dim glow of salt lamps and flickering candlelight. Shelves are lined with crystals, incense, and books promising enlightenment, spirit connections, and hidden truths. The air is thick with the mingling scents of sage and sandalwood, almost suffocating in its intensity.
She moves through the aisles, her fingers brushing over tarot decks and bundles of dried herbs. Then she spots a small sign near the register:
"Tarot Readingsβ$2 Only."
The absurd price makes her pause. Two dollars? Even the cheapest mall kiosks would charge twenty for something like this.
Her curiosity wins out, and she approaches the counter. The person sitting there is older, with eyes that seem to see her before she even speaks despite being covered by a veil. Their silver-streaked hair is pulled back, and their expression is unreadable.
She hesitates. βWhy only two dollars?β
The owner gives a small, amused smile. βI have lived long, seen much. I no longer do this for profitβonly for the fun of it.β
Their voice is rich and slow, each word carrying weight. Lucy studies them for a moment, then nods. βAlright. Letβs do it. I want a 5 card spread reading. Is that okay?β
They gesture for her to sit. As they shuffle the deck, their movements are practiced, methodical, almost hypnotic. Then, they draw five cards, laying them in a deliberate spread before her. Their expression flickersβjust for a momentβas they examine the layout. The owner taps the first card, placed in the middle. βThis card represents the main quest. Your current situation, problem, or objective.β She flips the card over to reveal, The Hierophant. βThe Hierophant speaks of old ways, of authority, of what has been passed down to you. But sometimes, traditions become cages. You are caught between the comfort of the known and the call of something deeper.β Their gaze meets hers, unblinking. βWhat is it that you are trying to understand?β
Lucy swallows. She doesnβt answer.
βThis is what lurks beneath the surface. The unconscious.β Their fingers hover over the card placed to the left of the middle. She flips the card to show the Nine of Swords βThe Nine of Swords is the weight of what you havenβt faced. Fear, perhaps. A truth that must be unearthed. Something from your past that still grips you tightly, shaping your steps even when you donβt see it.β
Lucyβs fingers twitch slightly against her jeans.
The ownerβs lips curl slightly in approval as they tap the next card placed to the right of the middle. βThis is the conscious. It is what you need to focus on so the quest can be resolved. She flips the card over. βStrength is not brute forceβit is patience, resilience. It is the steady hand that does not flinch. To move forward, you must find your inner fortitude. There is something you will need to face, and it will not be easy.β Their voice dips lower, almost conspiratorial. βDo you believe you have the strength for it?β Lucy forces herself to hold their gaze. βI donβt know.β
They chuckle, but thereβs no mockery in it. βYou will.β
βThis is the turning point.β Their fingers rest lightly on the card. She flips the card below the middle. βThe Hanged Man is surrender, perspective. Something must be sacrificed. Whether it is your perception of things, your control, or something else entirelyβ¦ sometimes, the only way to move forward is to let go. To stop fighting and see things as they are. Hanging in place will not serve you forever.βThey lean in slightly. βTell me, Lucyβwhat is it that you are holding onto so tightly?β
Lucyβs throat feels tight. She doesnβt answer.
The owner nods as if they already knew.
The last card is placed with careful precision, above the main quest. βThis card represents the questβs endβthe resolution.β She flips it. βThe Knight of Swords does not seek blindly. He cuts through falsehoods, through fear, with logic and decisiveness. Your journey will end when you choose to face the truth head-on.β Their voice turns grave. βNo matter what it costs you.β
A silence stretches between them.
Lucy exhales slowly, barely realizing sheβd been holding her breath. The cards seem to stare back at her, their meaning sinking into her bones.
The owner leans back, watching her with something unreadable in their expression. βBe careful, little seeker,β they say finally. βNot all truths are kind. Understand?β
A lump forms in Lucyβs throat, but she nods.
The reader smiles, but it doesnβt quite reach their eyes. βThen may your path be clear, child. But tread carefullyβsome things, once seen, cannot be unseen.β
Lucy pushes back from the table, feeling a little unsteady. She slides two crumpled bills onto the counter and walks out of the store, the scent of incense clinging to her like a warning. As Lucy leaves the store, stepping back into the eerie hum of the mall, the feeling of unseen eyes watching her never quite fades. Hoping to find somethingβanythingβto take her mind off of everything, she scans the mall directory. But then she remembers an ad about a newly opened pet store and figures that a little time with some cute animals might help lighten her mood.
As she strolls through the store, the playful barking of puppies momentarily lifts her spirits. She stops by the section showcasing adoptable dogs, smiling at the sight of wagging tails and eager faces. But then, something catches her eyeβa missing dog poster on the display. One of the dogs listed is absent from the enclosure. A golden retriever and black lab mix.
Her eyes trail up to the name above it. For a split second, it reads "Barcode."
Her breath catches in her throat. That was the name on the Rand family doghouse.
She blinks. The name is gone. Just a blank space where it had been. Lucy forces out a small chuckle, shaking off the strange feeling creeping up her spine. Itβs just her mind playing tricks on herβ¦ right? With a deep breath, she turns her attention to the pet supplies and grabs a bag of dog food. Maybe a little gift for Randβs dog will help ground her back in reality.
Lucy decides sheβs had enough of the mall. The tarot reading, the pet storeβeverything feels off. She just wants something familiar, something normal. The nerdy game store seems like the perfect place to shake this unease, so she heads in that direction.
But then she hears it. The low, droning hum of cicadas, rising and falling in waves, coming from the alley between the game store and the mall. It shouldnβt be this loud, not here. Her skin prickles as an inexplicable sense of dread washes over her. She hesitates, but curiosityβor maybe something deeper, something unspokenβpushes her forward.
Stepping into the alley, she sees it.
A personβno, what was left of a personβfused to the wall. Their bodyβor what remained of itβtwitches weakly, the shape of a human barely recognizable. A strangled, wet whisper reaches her ears. "Helpβ¦ meβ¦"
Lucy forces herself closer, swallowing down the nausea rising in her throat. A name tag, half-melted but still legible, clings desperately to the ruined uniform. Rat. A worker from the nerdy game store.
Rat's breath rattles, words barely forming as he struggles to speak. "I thoughtβ¦ I saw my old buddyβ¦ Timoβ" his voice cracks, "βthyβ¦ but heβs s'posedβ¦ to beβ¦ so Iβ¦ Iβ¦"
His chest heaves, and something wet and dark spills from his mouth.
"I followed him here. And⦠asked⦠then suddenly I was⦠here."
The words come out broken, garbled, like his throat is failing him. Though his face isβwrongβLucy can tell heβs crying.
"I donβt know whatβ¦ happenedβ¦ pleaseβ¦ helpβ¦"
A distant wail of sirens cuts through the moment.
Lucy freezes. Her heart hammers against her ribs. The police.
Her mind racesβwhat would they think if they saw her here? With this?
Without another word, she turns on her heel and bolts back into the mall, forcing her legs to move faster than her thoughts. The moment she steps back into the mall, the artificial lighting and the distant hum of shoppers feel almost suffocating. She ducks into the nearest storeβHot Topicβtrying to steady her breath, pretending she didn't just see what she saw. Lucy forces herself to breathe, to push the imageβRat, melting, pleadingβout of her mind.
She pretends to browse, flipping through band tees with shaking hands. The store music is too loud, the fluorescent lights too harsh. But at least here, she can pretend that things are normal. That she didnβt just see a manβor what was left of oneβbegging for help. That she didnβt just run like a coward.
A deep breath. Another.
Slowly, the world starts to feel solid again.
She grips a random hoodie off the rack, holding onto the fabric like an anchor. She just needs a few minutes. Just a little time to push down the nausea, to convince herself that whatever she sawβwhatever happened to Ratβisnβt still clinging to her. Little does she know, from the other end of the store, behind the racks of band tees and novelty socks, something is watching her.
Not something.
Many somethings.
She is not alone.
Behind her, the store door chimes as someone else walks in.
Lost in her own head, panicking over what she had just seen, Lucy barely registered the world around her. She moved on autopilot, pushing through the mallβs exit, away from the flashing lights and wailing sirens. When she spotted Grandpa Rand walking nearby, a wave of relief washed over her.
She hurried to him, blurting out a quick mention of the police. At the word alone, his expression darkened. Without hesitation, he guided her down a side path, moving with a practiced easeβlike heβd done this a hundred times before. Lucy didnβt question it. She simply followed, letting him lead her through a winding route that kept them out of sight.They ended up at the community house, slipping inside unnoticed. Grandpa Rand headed straight for the learning annex, where a CPR class was listed on the schedule. Without a word, he made his way to the back of the room and settled into a chair, shutting his eyes as if this was just another nap spot for him.
Lucy, on the other hand, took a seat near the front. If nothing else, learning CPR could be useful. She tried to focus as the instructor walked them through the steps, demonstrating on a dummy before asking for volunteers. Eager to distract herself, Lucy raised her hand.
She followed the instructions carefully, pressing against the dummyβs chest with steady, measured force. But thenβjust for a split secondβshe swore she felt something. A heartbeat.
Her hands froze. No. That was impossible. Just her nerves playing tricks on her.
Shaking off the unease, she forced herself to continue, completing the procedure without another hitch. Before she knew it, the lesson had ended. Grandpa Rand stirred awake, stretching as if nothing had happened. Without missing a beat, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.
Lucy hurried after him as they made their way to the school to pick up the boys.
As soon as the school bell rings, the doors burst open, and students spill out in chaotic waves. It doesnβt take long for Lucy to spot the boysβpredictably bickering.
βI swear to God, Rand, just stop talking,β Bradley groans, rubbing his temples.
βOh, come on, Bradley. Run out of comebacks already?β Tim shoots back with a smirk.
Devin, whoβs sandwiched awkwardly between them, lets out a long sigh. βCan you two, like, just stop for one second? Iβm begging you.β His voice is strained, but heβs too tired to deal with it.
Lucy doesnβt even think. The moment she sees them, a wave of emotion crashes over her. The terror, the uncertainty, the sheer loneliness of the past few hoursβit all fades as she sprints toward them, wrapping her arms around all three. βWoahβhey!β Bradley stiffens immediately, trying to wriggle out of her grasp. βWhat the-, Lucy?β
Devin and Tim hesitate. Devin, still confused, awkwardly pats her back. βUhβ¦ you alright?β His tone is unsure, but heβs trying to comfort her, even though he doesnβt know whatβs going on.
βWhatβs wrong?β Tim asks, leaning down to get a better look at her. His usual sarcasm is gone, replaced by something more genuine.
Lucy tries to say something, anything, but the only thing that comes out is a choked sob. The relief of seeing them, of knowing theyβre here, alive, normal, makes it impossible to form words. She clings to them tighter.
Bradley finally pries himself free, crossing his arms. βSeriously, whatβs going on? You, uh, need a minute?β
Before she can even attempt an answer, Grandpa Rand speaks up, his voice light but knowing. βDidnβt think this town would break you that fast, kid.β He chuckles, trying to ease the mood, but his eyes soften when Lucy doesnβt let go of Devin and Tim.
She sniffles, shaking her head. βI justβ¦β The fear, the chaos of everything that just happened, she didnβt know how to explain. Instead, she just mumbles, βIβm just really glad to see you guys.β
Grandpa Rand clicks his tongue. βWell, ainβt that sweet. Hey, Tim, congratulations! Someone actually likes you.β
Tim scoffs. βOf course someone likes me.β
Bradley rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips. βOf course, huh? Yeah, βcause weβre all just dying to be around you.β
Grandpa Rand grins. βYouβre right. Must be Devinβs doing, then.β
Bradley raises an eyebrow. βRight, because Devinβs the one whoβs been teaching Rand Jr. how to be charming.β
Devin just shrugs with a grin, clearly enjoying the teasing. βHey, Iβll take credit for whatever I can get.β
Bradley gives a mock salute, dripping full of sarcasm. βWe all owe you, Devin. Without you, weβd be stuck with Tim's idea of leadershipβand that's a whole different kind of chaos.β Devin rolls his eyes, but the teasing helps shake off some of the weight pressing down on Lucyβs chest. The world feels a little more solid again. A little more real.
Grandpa Rand claps his hands together. βAlright, letβs get moving. You punks got homework to finish before you do anything else.βThe group starts walking, and for the first time in what feels like forever, Lucy feels something close to safe. But as they head home, Grandpa Rand doesnβt go inside with them. Instead, without a word, he disappears down into the basement.
And that nagging feeling in Lucyβs gutβthat creeping, wrong sensationβreturns.
They all gather and Bradley listens to Lucyβs story with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. When she finishes, thereβs a heavy silence. Then, in a low voice, he mutters, βYou shouldnβt go outside again. Not until this blows over.β
Lucy blinks. βWhat? Brad, Iββ
βIβm serious.β His voice is sharper this time, his usual sarcasm nowhere to be found. βEvery time someone steps out of line in this town, they vanishβand when they come back, theyβre different. Like nothing ever happened. Like they forgot they were ever mad in the first place.β He leans forward, his voice dropping even lower. βAnd the worst part? No one ever questions it.β
A chill runs down Lucyβs spine.
Tim tries to lighten the mood. βOkay, well, thatβs not creepy at all.β
Devin, however, looks just as uneasy as Lucy feels. βYou should get some rest,β he says gently. βYou look exhausted.β
Tim nods. βYeah, take a nap or something. Weβll still be here when you wake up.β
Lucy hesitates but ultimately relents. Maybe theyβre right. Maybe she does just need rest.
She heads to her room, flopping onto the bed, her body heavy with exhaustion. The moment her head hits the pillow, sleep takes her.
And thenβ
Darkness.
Her breath catches as the memories slam into her all at once. Sheβs back.
Wanderlust What If? Episode - Room Full of You
The prison hole mysteriously shuts down, the red lights turn off. Curious about the other rooms, Peter hops down into the one next to the fish room. Absolutely despising Lilac for not helping them, Philliam pushes Lilac down the same room. In this room, they find that it is now full of Peters and Lilacs. The Peters immediately start to party, and the Lilacs are immediately sick of the Peters and the real Lilac quickly leaves. Peter is then lost in all the Peters and believes that someone else is the real Peter. A fake Peter returns to the group, and Philliam heads into the room to find the real Peter. The room is now in chaos, as he sees a bunch of Peters in a conga line and Jerrys? Some are on a picnic, others are smoking weed in a corner, and Philliam tries to convince the real Peter that he is the real one, but Peter is having too much fun with himself and the Jerrys. Eventually Philliam manages to get the real Peter out, but then throws Iris in.
A bunch of Iris show up and Iris is lost in the sauce that is her. She shapeshifts to fit in with the rest of the Irisβ and gets one odd Iris out of the room believing sheβs the real Iris. But before that they all make a pyramid. Philliam immediately sees that this is the wrong Iris and convinces the rest of the Iris to make a pyramid outside of the room, to get the real Iris outside at least. They all make a pyramid and start heading back to the room while Philliam holds the real Iris back.
Gallery
Trivia
- Lucy had her debut as an NPC, then became a PC.
- The beach episodes were originally created to spite the players for Iris, Phil, Lilac, and Lucy for going to the beach in real life without the players for Peter and Markus, or the game master, Summre;
- The episodes were meant to be a lighthearted noncanon adventure, but eventually became a canon arc.
- The alternate title to episode 1 of season 2 is βBehind the Painted Surfaceβ
- Peter's monologue to Lilac in "Framed by Memory" was partially inspired by Cinema Therapy's "Therapist Reacts to INSIDE OUT"
- Heavily inspired by JRWI, a dnd podcast. There are a lot of references and nods to their campaigns.
- Lilac used to be referred to by her player's name in the beginning of the campaign.
- Three of Wanderlust's characters being named after flowers (Iris, Lilac, and formerly Peter's deadname) is an unintentional coincidence.
- Player cry counts:
- Harpy: 11
- B: 1
- Robin: 6