howdyousleepatnight

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 6)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader

Warning : Swearing, dystopia, violence, blood, depression

Word count : 6,128 words (how on earth did I manage to write this many words???)

Summary : You discover the beauty of the outside world and learn more about your new friends... But can you really call them your ‘friends’ ?

/!\ Just to warn you, take some time to enjoy this cute chapter since the upcoming ones will shift towards a darker and more brutal tone… you are warned : read the following chapters at your own risk!

(Remember, English’s not my first langage :) Enjoy!!!

The walk proceeded in a state of silence, with the exception of our footsteps and occasional bird chirping. I kept up with them, making myself the smallest and quietest possible. C kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, but he would occasionally glance over his shoulder to keep an eye on me. He appeared to be pleased by the fact that I was walking along without complaint. Every now and then, I glanced at him to make sure he wasn't going to snap at me.

The transition from the barren desert we had been traversing to the forest was a welcome change, as the trees offered some degree of cover and shelter. Merely a few steps into the woodland, I found myself elevated, observing the surrounding trees with admiration for the stark contrast they presented compared to the previous landscape. Trench proved to be full of unexpected surprises. The Torchbearer smiled beneath his mask upon witnessing my childlike gaze upward, all while continuing to follow C.

We proceeded through the forest, with the trees casting shadows above us as we walked beneath their branches. The sounds of chirping animals and singing birds surrounded us, enhancing the ambiance. The boys remained vigilant, attentively observing their surroundings for any indications of danger or unusual occurrences. 

In contrast, I was less cautious, appreciating the natural environment around me. After approximately thirty minutes, I nearly stumbled when my foot became caught between two tree roots while I was preoccupied with observing a fox in the distance. Upon looking up, I noticed that the two boys had not paused and continued onward without acknowledging my situation. Repeating to myself, "Do not be a burden," I endeavored to free my foot from the roots independently.

C heard someone stumbling behind him, but didn’t turn around at first. However, when he heard the person muttering to itself, he slowed down and looked over his shoulder, knowing it was me that had fallen (of course it would be me…).

Contrarily, the Torchbearer halted abruptly and turned toward me. He smiled subtly to himself before approaching and crouching beside me, his eyes reflecting a playful demeanor : “Need any help?”, he inquired.

I observed him from the corner of my eye, doubtful that he would genuinely offer help. “N-no, I’m fine, I can manage on my own”, I stammered, attempting to lift my foot, which was firmly stuck. Repeating silently to myself : ‘Don’t be a burden’, I was about to concede defeat.

C rolled his eyes slightly in apparent frustration as he noticed my struggle and my efforts to minimize the situation. He shook his head quietly.

The Torchbearer extended his hand calmly : “Let me help you, okay?”.

Embarrassed that they had paused their progress for me, I nodded reluctantly. I saw C resume walking out of boredom, leaving only the Torchbearer and me.

He crouched next to me again and gently lifted my leg to free my foot. Observing my flushed face betraying embarrassment, he nodded thoughtfully, perhaps contemplating my thoughts.

A sigh of relief escaped as my foot was finally freed : “Thank you...”, I whispered softly, shame evident in my voice as I avoided eye contact.

As we both stood up, he remarked with a light tone : “No worries—just try not to trip over every root you see”, his eyes crinkled warmly behind his mask, conveying an invisible smile.

I nodded in response and offered an awkward laugh., knowing dawn well he was only teasing me : “Yeah…”, I walked again, trying to catch up with C, who was well ahead by now.

The Torchbearer observed as I walked away, a subtle smile playing on his lips, likely due to the embarrassment I was experiencing at that moment. He then turned to follow us again, ensuring he maintained visual contact with both of us.

From my position, I could see C’s back and made a conscious effort to follow him without stumbling once more. He noticed me navigating through the forest cautiously, determined not to trip again. The Torchbearer stayed close behind, making sure I did not fall too far behind. 

After some time, I encountered difficulty crossing a mud puddle, my shoes kept sinking into it. “Damn”, I muttered quietly to myself, reluctant to request assistance once again. 

Both men heard my exclamation and couldn’t suppress slight smirks. They recognized that I was clearly trying not to be a burden but was struggling nonetheless. 

I glanced at the two young men ahead of me as they crossed the puddle without acknowledging me once more. I did my best to keep up with them. 

They watched as I struggled through the mud puddle, each step causing my feet to become stuck. Amusement was evident in their eyes as they observed me—they seemed to be anticipating that I might speak up or ask for help. 

I attempted larger steps but ended up falling onto my knees, mud covering my legs completely : “Ugh-”, I sighed in frustration before rising and proceeding as best as possible toward the edge of the puddle. 

They couldn’t help but chuckle softly at my misfortune. I could hear them, those bastards. But I was resolute in my determination to extricate myself from the mud puddle independently; my stubbornness likely complicated matters more than necessary. C shook his head slightly, clearly amused by my efforts. 

The Torchbearer also shook his head and finally spoke : “You know you can ask for help, right...?”.

I managed to catch up with them, mud reaching up to my knees : “I said I didn’t want to be a burden... and C mentioned he wouldn’t be much help... so here I am”, I replied, placing my hands on my hips, sighing. 

C responded by rolling his eyes at me : “You're being more of a burden by not asking for help and tripping over yourself repeatedly...”.

I swallowed nervously at his observation : “Is that so... ?”.

“Yes, it is. You are slowing us down by forcing us to stop and help you, while also wasting unnecessary energy trying not to be a burden. It’s ridiculous”.

His words left me silent as I looked down at my feet. Then I heard him chuckle softly, prompting me to look up at him : “What’s so funny ?”.

He shook his head again with a slight smirk : “You’re just too easy to tease, you know that ?”.

“W-what ?”.

At that moment, the Torchbearer lowered the bandana covering his mouth, revealing his face for the first time : “He’s only teasing you—there’s nothing to worry about”. He smiled gently and nudged C with his elbow. C chuckled quietly, unsurprised by his friend’s defense of me.

“Yeah, just teasing. Lighten a bit, would you ?”.

“B-but-”.

The Torchbearer smiled and said : “Come on… Do you really think he’s that cold all the time ?”.

C raised an eyebrow, mildly amused, and replied : “And what if I am ?”.

The Torchbearer shook his head with a smile : “You’re not, man.” 

I was momentarily speechless, observing their exchange without knowing whether it was a joke or genuine friendliness. I simply stood there awkwardly. 

Noticing my discomfort and confusion, C spoke again in a lighthearted tone : “What’s wrong ? Too stunned to speak ?”.

“I just—”, I shook my head : “Why are you suddenly so friendly?”, I was also taken aback by the Torchbearer’s revealed face—it was strikingly handsome. 

C raised an eyebrow with amusement : “Who said I’ve suddenly changed? I’m exactly the same as before”.

Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow : “Maybe you look the same but sound different… less wary and cautious”, I pointed to my own face : “And maybe because of the mask, I can’t tell if you’re joking or not…”.

He shrugged, the mask concealing any expression : “Maybe I’ve decided to cut you some slack since all you’ve done is stumble through the woods after us. You made me feel bad…”. 

“Or perhaps you’re just starting to trust me… ?”, I suggested quietly and playfully. 

The Torchbearer smirked at my comment and glanced at his friend, who remained silent for a moment with his gaze fixed on me before letting out a soft scoff : “Maybe you haven’t given me a real reason to be suspicious of you… yet”.

“Yeah, you have a point…”, I laughed through my nose a bit, before looking at my mod-full knees.

He looked at me, his gaze shifting to my dirty knees : “You’re a bit of a mess, aren’t you ?”.

“I- I’m trying not to be, okay ?”, I said miserably.

Torchbearer chuckled a bit : “He’s just messing with you…”.

He nodded, a sly smirk on his face : “Yeah, I am. You’re just so easy to tease”.

I shook my head as he began to walk again, letting the Torchbearer and I together at the back again. I sighed to myself.

“Why did you choose to remove your mask... ?”, I inquired softly of the Torchbearer, still observing him intently. 

He smiled and replied, “Is there a problem? Did you not expect me to have a face beneath the mask or something... ?”. 

I gave him a nervous chuckle and looked away briefly : “No, it’s just that I assumed you wouldn’t trust me enough to do that...”.

He laughed again, clearly amused by my unease : “Well, for now at least, I believe we can trust you a bit...”. 

I returned his smile : “Thank you for that—it makes me feel... less behind, you know ?”. 

He nodded in understanding : “That’s understandable. Being left alone can indeed be lonely”.

I simply nodded back, and he smiled once more, acknowledging the unspoken exchange between us. 

After a moment of silence, I chose to speak again : “But why doesn’t he... ?”.

He immediately understood who I referring to and what I was asking : “Oh… You’ll need to ask him directly about that”.

I nodded thoughtfully : “Does he ever remove his mask ?”.

He responded quietly : “Yes, he takes it off when we're at the camp, or sometimes when he really needs to breathe... Otherwise, he wears it as much as possible, even if it means wearing it all day”.

This piqued my curiosity : “And what is the reason for that ?”.

Anticipating my question, he answered promptly : “It a kind of barrier—the outside world can be dangerous. If you reveal too much of your feelings to others, they may use it against you”.

“I see... Is that also why you prefer not to share your real names with me ?”. 

“Exactly. It's not only with you, it's with everybody we entounter. It is a measure to safeguard our identities”.

“And do you know his real name ? And he yours ?”.

He nodded gently : “Yes, I know his, and he knows mine as well. However, we rarely uses them”. 

“That make sense, don't want everybody to know who you are, huh ?”, I remarked with a slight smile. 

He chuckled softly : “Yeah, something like that. Perhaps if you earn his trust, he might eventually tell his name to you”.

I smiled at his comment, reflecting on my progress : “It would be good if he at least shared his code name- ‘C’ doesn’t seem quite right”.

He chuckled again : “Maybe he’ll tell you once he feels comfortable with you. He's quite the person in Dema so he's taking safety measures...”.

I returned the chuckle, not even noticing hi slast words : “Well, am I on the right track ?”.

“Yes, I believe he’s beginning to warm up to you. You don’t appear to be a threat, so things should proceed smoothly”, he said with a smile : “But take your time”.

I nodded in agreement : “Understood. I won’t rush him, he seems very cautious”.

“He is indeed careful about whom he trusts”, he confirmed. 

“In this world, one can never be too careful”, I added quietly as we resumed walking in silence. He nodded in agreement as we followed C.

After three hours, we paused briefly for some food and rest—it was good to relieve the strain on our legs. We then continued for another hour before finally emerging from the forest. Before us stretched plains adorned with vibrant green grass and blooming flowers. Positioned on elevated terrain, we could see a river flowed between two cliffs, marking the boundary of the hill upon which we stood.

I was captivated by the scene, my eyes sparkling as I observed the vivid colors of the plants and sky—colors I had never witnessed before. 

C observed my reaction with quiet amusement, accustomed to such natural beauty alongside the Torchbearer, he nonetheless enjoyed witnessing the awe of those who had recently escaped Dema. At that moment, I appeared genuinely childlike in my wonder, prompting a soft chuckle from him. 

I knelt down to gently touch the grass, impressed by its rich hue : “How come the grass is so green... ?”. 

C responded with a slight smirk and a shrug : “Because that’s how nature is supposed to be... ?”. 

“No, I know that but—”, I replied, “but why is this one so vibrant while Dema’s looked so dull and greyish ?”. 

He nodded knowingly, anticipating my question : “Dema's not in a natural state, they killed it, sucked everything out of the ground... That’s why everything is so... grey and depressing. It's part of their plan”.

“So real life looks like this... ?”, I inquired, gesturing toward the landscape before us with curiosity. 

He confirmed with another nod : “Yes. The trees, grass, sky, animals—it 's all supposed to look like this, not like a graveyard like Dema's”.

A mixture of emotions arose within me. How could anyone live in a city so bleak when such vibrancy exists elsewhere ?

Sensing my inner conflict, C offered understanding : “Dema is not real life, it is artificial and dead.”It’s been dying for years…”.

The Torchbearer joined our conversation, stating : “That is precisely why we created the Banditos...to help people in escaping Dema and for them live the lives they deserve”.

I glanced at him, offering a bittersweet smile.

“We have succeeded in rescuing many souls”, C said, his expression darkening slightly : “but we are aware that there are still many more trapped in Dema”.

After hearing this, I stood up with determination in my eyes : “I want to help, too”.

Both of them appeared surprised by my sudden determination. C studied me for a moment, attempting to assess my intentions : “You want to help ?”, he asked skeptically.

“When I escaped Dema, I didn’t know what to expect”, I replied : “but now I am committed to ensuring that everyone has the chance to experience the outside world at least once—it’s far too beautiful for only a few people to witness it”.

He raised an eyebrow, his expression cautious : “So you want to join the Banditos ?”.

I shrugged lightly : “I mean... W-why not ? I don’t have anywhere else to go, and I’ve been following you all already”.

He let out a soft scoff but maintained a serious demeanor : “Becoming part of the Banditos is not simpl, you will need to prove your trustworthiness”.

“I'll—I’ve already managed to get you to open up somewhat—so perhaps that is a good start”, I said, glancing at the Torchbearer who smiled encouragingly at me, which bolstered my confidence.

C chuckled softly : “Don’t rely on him, he’s much easier to persuade than I am”.

“I know… but it’s still a step toward building trust, huh ?”, I responded with a hint of humor. He simply shook his head but couldn’t suppress a small smirk : “Yes, yeah… If you want. A tiny step”.

Due to the mask, I was unable to see his face, but his eyes conveyed a subtle smirk, which brought a faint smile to my lips. 

“Let's continue our way, huh ?”, the Torchbearer suggested : “There is still much for you to discover”.

C remained vigilant : “Indeed, and we still have some ground to cover before reaching our destination”.

They resumed walking, with C and the Torchbearer leading while I followed closely behind. I picked a flower along the way, examining it as if it were of great value.

C observed me quietly, appreciating my fascination with this simple bloom. He understood the sensation of encountering nature anew; he had experienced similar feelings upon escaping from Dema. 

I placed the flower in my pocket and continued after them. 

As I caught up, C glanced at me and remarked playfully : “Taking a little souvenir, are you?”. 

“Um, yeah…”, I replied with a nervous chuckle, feeling somewhat self-conscious under his gaze. 

He smiled softly, likely entertained by my reaction : “Don’t worry, there’s no judgment here”.

“True enough… though it's abit hard to know when you have…”, I gestured toward my face : “…the mask, you know”.

He chuckled gently, his eyes crinkling slightly : “I hear that often. It makes reading facial expressions more difficult. That’s the whole point”.

I nodded silently and looked away as he paused briefly before attempting to engage again : “So… how do you find life outside of Dema so far ?”.

I looked up at him, laughing through my nose : “You mean, ‘how do you feel after meeting two strangers, nearly being caught in an explosion, and spending some time in a coma’ ? Well, I’m gradually adapting”. The Torchbearer chuckled at my words.

C responded with a gentle laugh : “Yeah, when you say it like that, you make it sound much worse than it actually is…”.

“I know… but honestly, I already like it here. Despite all the unusual experiences, I feel much more... free”.

He nodded in understanding : “Yes, it’s definitely better out here than in Dema, isn’t it ?”.

I agreed : “There’s really no comparison”.

He chuckled lightly : “You’re right”, he paused, his expression growing thoughtful : “May I ask you something ?”, he inquired again.

“Sure”, I replied, stopping in my tracks and turning to face him. He also halted and faced me directly. “What was your life like in Dema before you attempted to cross the walls ?”.

“Well”, I answered, “probably similar to yours before you escaped”.

He chuckled softly, amused by my response : “Fair enough… but what exactly was your life like? We each had different roles”.

“Oh yes, sorry—”, I explained : “They assigned me to the garment factory when I was 15, so I spent half my days there since then. Otherwise, I’d ‘enjoy’ stealing books with a friend to learn more about our city and the outside world—but we were always caught”, I smiled slightly but that smile turned sad, reminding me how Lyla died.

He observed my expression shift to sadness, recognizing the deeper significance behind my words: "Did… your friend pass away… ?".

I didn't expect him to understand the eaning bewteen my words immediately, as I had never mentioned her before. I met his gaze with wide eyes and then nodded. He remained silent, allowing me the time to explain. Noticing my hesitation, he gave a single nod, encouraging me to continue. I looked down, gathering my thoughts.

"She died recently... or rather, she was executed on orders from the bishops after attempting to escape... from the mission assigned to me shortly after her death", I glanced back at him and offered a faint smile, though it was merely a facade.

He nodded solemnly as he listened attentively. Although he recognized my attempt at composure, his eyes conveyed sympathy for the pain beneath my smile.

"I see... I'm sorry for your loss".

"Thank you... I appreciate that", I replied with a small smile before resuming our walk alongside the Torchbearer.

C followed quietly, his demeanor reflecting empathy and understanding; he could scarcely imagine experiencing such a profound loss.

Suddenly wishing to change the topic, I addressed C : "May I ask you something about your notebook ?".

He raised an eyebrow in mild surprise : "Of course. What would you like to know ?".

"Firstly, I apologie for having taken a peek… Secondly, what are those poems ?".

He chuckled softly, shrugging it off : "No need to worry about that. And they’re simply poems, nothing too important".

The Torchbearer glanced at C and gave him a look that clearly said ‘You're not telling the whole story’.

I smiled softly at the Torchbearer's expression before turning back to C : "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to".

C slightly rolled his eyes in response to the Torchbearer's gaze before replying, "It's fine,I don't mind explaining. They're just a bunch of poems I composed some time ago. They're just words that reflect my thoughts, feelings, and memories… they are more like songs, actually".

"Songs? Do you mean chants ?", I inquired, as I was unfamiliar with the concept of a song.

He chuckled gently, evidently amused by my lack of understanding regarding music : "Something like that, I guess… A song is a musical composition that combines words, singing, and occasionally musical instruments… have you never heard of music before ?".

I shook my head, offering a somewhat awkward smile.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked : “Really? You’ve never listened to music before... ?”.

I shook my head again.

“That’s normal dude”, the Torchbearer explained to C. : “Music is prohibited in Dema, remember ?”.

“Right. I've forgotten bout that”, C responded : “Well, you’re truly missing out. Music is one of the greatest experiences ever”.

I smiled faintly : “You’ll have to introduce me to some someday”.

He chuckled softly with amusement : “Alright, I will show you sometime. For now, feel free to ask any questions about my little book if you want to learn more about it”.

I chuckled as well and continued inquiring about his letters, notebook, and other details. Within less than an hour, I learned that Trench was so expansive it could take over a week on foot to reach the camp. Additionally, I discovered that ‘Sahlo Folina’ is a cry for help amid suffering—an expression I had heard inside Dema but only now understood its significance.

We had just stopped for the night when the Torchbearer reached into his bag and offered us some food. “This is all we have left, eat slowly so you feel full”, then he lowered the bandana covering the lower part of his face, revealing his entire face for the second time today. I grabbed whatever he was handing me, nodding.

I looked over at C, wondering if he would reveal his face too, knowing that he didn’t trust me enough yet. C observed as the Torchbearer revealed his face and nodded in acknowledgment. C watched as the Torchbearer reveal his face, nodding in acknowledgement. He was still cautious, but he could see that the other man was slowly warming up to me.

He accepted the food offered to him, then glanced at me again, sensing my gaze on him as if waiting for something : “Don’t expect too much—I’m not taking off the mask yet”.

“Oh, I didn’t—”, I hesitated : “I was just wondering how you were gonna eat with it on, that’s all”, I explained, biting into my piece of food.

He slightly rolled his eyes, clearly amused by my reaction. He lifted his mask just enough to reveal his mouth before taking a bite. 

I observed him intently, much like a Victorian man catching sight of a woman’s ankle for the first time, then quickly looked away : “Right… That was a foolish question…”, I muttered to myself, feeling embarrassed. 

The Torchbearer chuckled softly at my response, evidently entertained. 

C also chuckled quietly, finding my nervousness endearing : “No, it’s just that your curiosity gets the better of you…”.

“Well, you have a point there”, I admitted with an embarrassed smile. 

He smirked and resumed eating : “Be careful—curiosity killed the cat”.

I laughed nervously while continuing to eat and avoided meeting his eyes. I could sense him studying my expression closely; perhaps he was teasing me for trying to figure him out or maybe he just wanted to impose himself to ensure I behaved appropriately. 

We all ate in silence until the Torchbearer extinguished the small fire he had made : “I think it’s time to rest a bit. Who wants the first turn ?”.

C nodded and addressed the Torchbearer : “I’ll take the first watch”. 

“Alright… Just make sure you don’t fall asleep this time, mate”, the Torchbearer remarked with a lighthearted tone before giving me a gentle wave, turning onto his side and closing his eyes.

C rolled his eyes : “Won’t happen”. He then leaned back against a tree, maintaining a vigilant watch for any potential threats. 

I wrapped myself in my jacket but wasn’t quite ready to sleep yet, since I’d been out until late this morning.

After a moment, C noticed my restless movements and asked : “Can’t sleep ?”.

Startled slightly, I whispered back : “I’m not tired yet”.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise : “Really? You’ve been walking all day and you’re still awake?”. 

“Yeah… Do I need to remind you that I was in a coma until around noon ?”. 

He chuckled softly : “You’re right… I almost forgot. But you do need to rest”. 

“I know”. 

Amused, he rolled his eyes : “Then try to get some sleep, alright? You’ll need your energy tomorrow. We're not quite there yet”. 

I simply nodded and turned away from him. He chuckled quietly to himself, shaking his head slightly while continuing to monitor the surrounding area for any danger. 

After a brief pause, I turned back toward him with a question on my mind. Noticing my movement and gaze, he raised an eyebrow, silently encouraging me to speak. 

“I don’t want to pressure you, knowing you don’t trust me that much yet,” I began cautiously, “but it’s been on my mind all day… What does ‘C’ stand for ?”, I tried to ask, knowing he didn’t want me to know his entire code name yet. 

He raised an eyebrow once more, a mixture of amusement and surprise evident in his expression. With a slight shake of his head, he sighed and remarked : "Still too curious for your own good, aren’t you ? What do you think it stands for ?".

"I can’t help it...", I responded nervously : "And honestly, I have no idea—that’s precisely why I’m asking".

He chuckled softly behind his mask, his eyes crinkling with mirth. After a moment of contemplation, he asked : "You really want to know ?".

I nodded eagerly : "If you don’t mind".

He met my gaze directly, hesitating briefly before speaking quietly :"It stands for Clancy".

Hearing the name for the first time left me momentarily speechless : I simply stared at him in astonishment and whispered to myself : "Clancy...".

He gave a single nod, his expression unreadable beneath the mask : "Yes. Now you know. Just go to sleep no-".

"Wait-", I cut him off mid-sentence : "So that’s your code name… Just as the ‘Torchbearer’ ?", I observed.

He confirmed with another nod : "Yeah, just like the Torchbearer’s. Why do you ask ?"

"Because it sounds so... natural", I replied uncertainly : "Isn’t Clancy an actual name ?".

He shrugged slightly : "Perhaps—I’m not certain. Why does it matter ?".

"I expecting something more abstract or symbolic—perhaps ‘Deadly Samurai,’ or something along those lines—I don't know", I chuckled at how absurd that sounded.

Rolling his eyes in mockery : "Do I look like someone who would have a name like ‘Deadly Samurais’ ?".

I shook my head in response : "Nope... But I just thought it would be a little more like the Torchbearer’s, you know… ".

He acknowledged with a nod : "Well, sorry to disappoint you. I guess my code name isn’t as creative as you expected…". 

"It’s okay... It’s actually more common, which at least makes you seem a bit more normal", I replied with a slight smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. 

He raised an eyebrow : "More normal, huh? I’ll take that as a compliment...". 

"Sorry if it sounded rude—that wasn’t my intention", I said, then lightly facepalmed myself : "Just wanted to say... that it makes you seem more human in this chaotic world. Sometimes I express myself a little badly, sorry about that".

He chuckled softly and reassured me : "Don’t worry, it’s fine—I get what you meant". 

I sighed : "Alright… I suppose I should just…", I gestured behind me : "get some rest or something ?". 

He nodded with a subtle smirk hidden beneath his mask : "Yes, probably best. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow". 

I simply nodded in response before hearing my name being called. Turning back toward him, I asked : "Hmm ?". 

"One last thing before you go to sleep…".

"Yes ?", I tilted my head slightly, apprehensive about what he might say next. 

With a hint of seriousness in his eyes, he said : "You should choose a code name for yourself as well—it’s safer when you’re outside of Dema". 

"Oh ? Alright then, I’ll think about it", I responded. 

He nodded approvingly : "You do that". 

"But for now, just call me by my name—Don’t have any idea yet", I added with a light laugh. 

He agreed : "Alright, fine… now sleep. I don’t need you passing out on us tomorrow". 

"Right—" I said quietly as I turned away once again. He observed as I turned my back to him once more, a slight smirk visible beneath his mask. He fell silent, maintaining vigilant watch for any potential threats in the vicinity.

The following morning, I felt a gentle nudge on my shoulder. I furrowed my brow slightly before slowly opening my eyes, taking a moment to orient myself. 

"Good morning, sleepyhead", the Torchbearer chuckled because of my sleepy face. 

"Hi...", I replied, rubbing my eyes in an effort to wake quickly. Although it was still early, I understood the necessity of continuing our journey and tried to rise promptly. 

"How are you feeling today ?", the asked.

I raised an eyebrow at his question : "Are you seriously asking that after we had just spent the night sleeping on the bare ground iin the middle of nowhere... ?".

Clancy shrugged with a faint smirk and said : "Hey, it’s not that bad. Believe it or not, we’ve slept in worse conditions before".

"Yeah, you maybe, but not me", I stood up immediately and put on my jacket. 

“Well, get used to it”, Clancy added : “You won’t always find a bed to sleep in”.

I merely grumbled in response and began packing swiftly so we could depart without delay. 

He chuckled again as he watched me gather my belongings quickly.

“Wait”, the Torchbearer said before we left, handing me a bandana similar to his own : “You need to wear this—in case we encounter the Bishop’s squad again—so they won’t recognize your face”.

“Ah, thanks”, I said, taking the bandana and examining it briefly before putting it on. Then I turned toward the Torchbearer, letting him take a look : “Does it look okay? I don't know if I tightened it enough…”.

“Let me see...”, he said as he approached from behind, observing how I had tied the bandana. He shook his head slightly before loosening the knot and retying it : “Isn’t this a bit too tight ?”. 

“No, it’s fine”, I replied. 

“Alright, there you go”, he finished the knot and released the bandana : “This way is better, at least you won’t lose it if you need to run”.

“I see. Thank you”, I responded with a smile, though only my eyes were visible now. 

Clancy observed us with interest, a subtle amusement evident on his face. 

“We’re ready to go now”, the Torchbearer announced, putting his own bandana on to cover the lower part of his face. 

Clancy simply nodded and took a moment to ensure we had all necessary items before moving out. His demeanor remained vigilant, his eyes constantly scanning for potential threats with every step he took. 

I followed the Torchbearer who led our group, with Clancy bringing up the rear. 

After half an hour of walking in silence, I turned toward Clancy : “You know, I've been thinking about our discussion last night...”, I continued walking but slowed my pace to match his. 

He raised an eyebrow in surprise : “Yeah? What about it ?”.

“The code name thing… It’s more difficult than it seems to find one”, I admitted with a light chuckle. 

He chuckled softly as well : “Indeed, it’s not an easy decision. It has to feel right—you know? Many people don’t find their code name right away”.

I nodded thoughtfully : “I know we don’t know each other well from now on, but what do you think would suit me ?”, I looked at him, only my eyes showing because of my masked face.

He looked at me for a second, contemplating my question for a moment : "That's a tough one. I don’t have much to go on... You don’t really strike me as the type to have a code name like 'Fiery' or anything intense sounding. You’re more of a softie...".

"Hey ! What does that mean ?".

He smirked slightly under his own mask, amused : "It means you’re not some badass who would run in the battlefield yelling her code name and swinging a sword around like a maniac...".

"Well, you have a point here… but still !", I frowned playfully.

He chuckled again at my reaction, clearly amused by the situation : "Alright, alright, I give up… maybe you’ll prove me wrong, huh ?".

"Who knows what I’m capable of ?", I tilted my head : "For the code name, I’ll just ask the Torchbearer instead, maybe he’ll have better ideas", I teased him back, playing his own game.

He rolled his eyes at my words : "Yeah, yeah, go ahead and do that. I’m sure he’ll come up with something totally ridiculous like ‘Sunshine’".

"I like ‘Sunshine’! It’s cute", I laughed before sprinting towards the Torchbearer : "Hey T, do you have any idea of a code name for me ?".

The Torchbearer turned to look down at me : "Huh? You want a code name ?".

"Clancy suggested it might be better to have one... just in case", I replied. It was the first time I had used Clancy’s full code name, which felt somewhat unfamiliar to say aloud. 

He heard this with a slight smile before going back to thinking : "Do you have any particular ideas in mind ?".

I shook my head : "Not really. But I don’t want something weird", I chuckled lightly, adding : "Nothing like ‘Deadly Tigress’". 

He laughed along with me : "Fair enough. What about ‘Sunshine’ ?". 

I glanced at Clancy, laughing : "How did you know he would suggest that name ?". 

Clancy shrugged with a playful glint in his eyes : "I know him well enough to predict he’d come up with something sappy like that".

The Torchbearer rolled his eyes but smiled beneath his mask. 

"You two must know each other very well to predict things accurately like that…", I remarked, turning back to the Torchbearer : "It sounds really cute but I think it’s a bit too childish". 

He chuckled and nodded in agreement : "Yeah, I guess you're right...".

"How about something simpler ? Perhaps something more abstract that still sounds like a genuine name ?".

He nodded thoughtfully as if grasping my point : "Yeah, I get what you mean... how about something like ‘Phoenix’, then ?".

I considered the suggestion carefully. I needed a name that was both meaningful and appealing, which wasn't the case of 'Phoenix'... Suddenly, inspiration struck; my eyes widened as I stopped walking : "Of course! That hadn’t even crossed my mind…".

Seeing my sudden realization, Clancy raised an eyebrow, noticing my sudden realization : "What is it? You thought of something ?".

"Yes, and I think I found the perfect name", I said softly, a bit of excitement in my voice. At my words, the two boys stared at me with interest. 

"Well, don't keep us waiting. What's the name ?", the Torchbearer inquired.

"Don’t judge okay… ?", I glanced at them both.

Clancy said nonchalantly : "That depends on what you’ll say, but we'll try not to". Shaking my head, I chuckled at his statements : "Okay… so…", with excitement in my voice, I replied : "It's Caelia".

"Caelia ?", with a raised eyebrow, Clancy said : "Where did you get that from ?".

"It's the Latin form of « Sky » or something like that... I remember that my mother used to call me that when I was little… But it was just between us, no one has ever heard that name except from me and her…".

He nodded, realizing the meaning behind the name : "It's a fitting name.

The Torchbearer, who enjoyed the name's sound, also nodded in agreement.

"Do you both approve ? For it to be official, I need both of your approvals… ", I joked.

Clancy couldn’t help but smile a bit : "Yeah, it sounds good. I approve. "

"Me too," said the torchbearer : "Sounds perfect. How on earth did you come up with it so quickly ?".

"I don't know, I thought about my past after you mentioned finding something personal, and tada!", I laughed heartily.

Clancy let out a quiet laugh, still finding it funny : " Well… lucky for you that you’re smart. So you’re Caelia from now on".

I nodded : "Yep, that’s me".

He shook his head with a masked grin on his face : "All right then, Caelia… let's keep going, shall we ?".

"Alright alright…", I chuckled, back on the road once again.

(Hello everyone! I'm trying to write the new chapters as quickly as possible, and I think I'm on the right track! I'm working on improving my writing to make it more engaging for readers.

Finding different phrases or synonyms can be somewhat challenging for me since English isn't my first language. However, I’m making an effort, and I hope you enjoy it :)).

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 5)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader

Warning : Swearing, dystopia, violence, blood, depression

Word count : 4,014

Summary : Now that you're on the road with two people who seem to know the outside world by heart, nothing can happen to you… right ?

(Remember, English’s not my first langage :) Enjoy!!!)

-Outside POV-

The journey was mostly silent, save for the sound of their footsteps and the distant noise of the birds singing. They kept a quick and steady pace, constantly vigilant. Every now and then, the Torchbearer looked behind him to watch the girl, his expression stoic and his eyes on guard. On the other side, she followed them quietly. She was grateful to them for agreeing to let her come with them, so the least she could do was no to disturb them.

The sun starting to set. C checked his surroundings every now and then, trying to spot any signs of danger, his guard always up. The footsteps of the girl could be heard behind them, mentioning that she was following. His mind was focused on both making sure they weren't being spotted by any potential threat and keeping an eye on her. They were surrounded by a desert type of landscape, and the high walls of stone made them feel tiny, their steps heavy, so endless was the walk.

Finding shelter would be more difficult with the absence of vegetation, and the tall stone wall only added to the feeling of isolation and desolation. The masked man kept his gaze fixed on the stranger right behind them, his eyes following her every move.

“How are we gonna find a spot with all those stony walls.. ?”, she asked, ending the moment of silence.

The masked one turned to look at her with a bit of surprise, not expecting her to talk all of a sudden. But he answered her question without missing a beat : “There’s a few caves in the wall. We’ll camp there for the night”, he said shortly, his gaze still ahead of him.

She nodded, getting closer to the high stones, looking above her, noticing the grandeur of the stone mountains. That’s when unusual noises started to pick her attention as she stopped in her tracks, her gaze still up. C watched her walk towards the stone wall and noticed her head turning, which put him on his guard. He frowned to himself, staying behind her as a shadow, his senses on maximum alert. As she made her way towards a cave in the rock, something coming from the sky made a big, strident sound just like fireworks. The Torchbearer shouted something but she was too busy looking up in confusion to hear him.

C came to a screeching halt, a feeling in his guts telling him something was wrong. When the sound started, he immediately looked up, and he knew exactly what it was.

“GET DOWN NOW!”, he yelled at her, his eyes big with fear.

But she kept looking at the kind of bomb that was falling on them, like frozen in place. Her eyes reflecting the horror she felt, her eyes widen at the exploding object.

He was looking at her with a mix of anger and anxiety. She was just standing there, looking at the bomb like she was hypnotized. This was no time to freeze : “I SAID GET DOWN! DAMN”, he yelled again, approaching her at full speed.

She was only brought back to consciousness when she felt Clancy’s arm pull her down. His grip on her was rough, pulling her with him harshly before crouching down just in time for the bomb to explode next to them. He covered her body with his own as the blast happened, trying to shield her from the impact, his instincts kicking in.

She was half out of it, her head spinning like a gas meter. What she didn't know yet was that a debit had sunk into her brow bone. She could vaguely hear the Torchbearer's voice, her ears ringing, telling them to take shelter in the crack in the stony wall. It was close to the ground, horizontal and narrow.

C was dazed from the blast, his head ringing loudly and his vision a bit blurred. He could hear the Torchbearer’s voice, but it was distant and faint. He shook his head to try to regain his senses and looked down at the girl, noticing the blood slowly trickling down her forehead : She blinked a few times before her head fell back, falling into unconsciousness.

The Torchbearer grabbing C’ upper arm to lift him from the ground : “Get up ! We need to hide !”.

He winced a bit as his friend pulled him up, still disoriented from the explosion. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, trying to focus : “Right... ”, his voice hoarse.

The Torchbearer noticed the girl’s condition, and took her in his arms before running to the cleft in the rock, crouching down to place her in it before slipping in himself.

-C’s POV-

I followed closely behind them, crawling into the crack in the rock. My gaze went on the girl, who was lying unconscious on the ground. The cut on her forehead was still bleeding, but it didn’t seem deep. I crouched down, putting a finger under her nose to make sure she was still breathing.

“How come they found us?! ”, asked the Torchbearer as he looked at the sky from the cave. There was a squad send by the bishops flying over the area.

I looked in the same direction as him, seeing the Bishops’ squad searching for us : “They must have tracked us…”, I said, my tone full of annoyance.

“But how !? ”, the older one looked at the girl, then back at me : “She said she got rid of every tracker she had, right..?”.

“She did say so... But we can’t know for sure”.

“Help me get her bag out of her back”, ordered the Torchbearer, manoeuvring her unconscious body.

I helped him take the bag off her back, being careful not to disturb her. The last thing we need was her to wake up and start panicking.

“Now empty it, right now.”, he ordered once again.

I did as I was told, emptying the bag’s content on the floor.

“Do you see anything suspicious ?”.

I looked over the content of the bag : two white bottles, bandages,…then something caught my attention, holding up a small rectangular device : “Shit…”.

“What ? What’s that ?”, asked the Torchbearer…

I inspected the device in my hands, a frown forming on my face : “Looks like a tracking device…”.

“Damn… That’s why they found us”, his anxiety only grew at the sight of the tracker, cursing to himself : “Just tear it down !”.

I didn’t wait a second before ripping out the wires and smashing the device to pieces.

“What do we do now…?”, asked the Torchbearer, sighing in annoyance. He pulled his yellow mask down, revealing his entire face.

I looked at him, my expression grim : “We wait it out. We���re well hidden here, the best they could do is have a look around…”.

He nodded, sighing : “Right… let’s just hope she won’t wake up until they leave”, he looked at her, her unconscious form still lying on the floor.

“She’s probably gonna get a nasty headache once she wakes up”.

My words caught his attention once again : “Wait, is she injured ?”.

I nodded, pointing at her forehead : “A shrapnel from the explosions cut her brow bone. But it’s not that deep…”.

The Torchbearer took a step closer to her, carefully. He looked down at her face, more precisely at the cut on her brow : “Yeah maybe, but it’s bleeding though…?”.

I looked at the cut as well, lowering my voice : “Yeah, but don’t worry. It should stop bleeding soon enough”.

My friend grabbed his bag silently, searching for a compress and a large bandage. I watched him do so, the only sound in the cave being his quiet rummaging through the bag. Once he had everything, he returned next to us. He gently wipes away the blood with the compress before putting the bandage on the wound: “That should do it for now... ”.

I nodded to him, the bandage lookings well-done : “Good”.

The Torchbearer lay down on the ground, making no more noise, hoping that the squad will pass by without seeing us. He used his bag as a pillow, looking up at the rock ceiling over his head.

All we could do now was wait.

I followed his example, laying down on the ground as well, careful not to make any noise. I kept my guard up, keeping my eyes and ears open for any sign of danger.

Keeping my eyes closed, I listened for any sign of movement from outside the cave. The silence was thick and tense, as we waited for the Bishops’s squad to give up and leave. I tried to relax, but I couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that was creeping up.

After half an hour, the Torchbearer finally spoke again : “I think they left…”

“Yeah… I think so too”, I answered.

“It’s already dark outside, is it ?”

I looked outside, the sky barely lit by the moon and the stars. It was almost night already : “Yep. Night is falling”.

The Torchbearer nodded : “Right… We should stay here for the night. It’s not the best, but at least we’re well hidden…”.

“Agreed”, my gaze still fixed on the outside of the cave. It's true that we were well hidden, but the possibility of the Bishops' squad coming back or other threats lurking in the dark wasn't reassuring.

“If you’re afraid of someone finding us, we can take turns sleeping... ”, proposed the Torchbearer.

“Okay…I’ll take the first shift. You rest”.

He nodded back to me, laying on the ground, making himself as comfortable as possible : “´kay, wake me up when you need to rest…”, he said, before closing his eyes.

“Will do”, I replied curtly, going back to scanning the outside of the cave. It was a long night ahead. After a moment, the only sounds that could be heard were the Torchbearer snoring softly and the girl’s breathing, which was slower and more regular than before.

The next morning, the Torchbearer woke up with a startle. He seemed to have overslept, and he was right : Clancy had fallen asleep, exhausted, before waking him up for his shift.

I felt a sudden nudge on my shoulder, and I opened my eyes abruptly. Confused for a few seconds, I then remembered where I was and what had happened. Right.

I rubbed my eyes, sighing : “How long was I out?”.

“Seems like you were out for the entire night… You should have given me the first shift, man… fortunately nothing happened to us and she didn't wake up”, he pointed to the girl’s still unconscious body : “It's strange, by the way... ”.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes again. I knew I should have woken him up for his shift, but the exhaustion had got the best of me : “I know... Sorry. ”, I answered, my voice still hoarse from sleep. I looked over at the girl : “Yeah... She hasn't woken up yet”.

The Torchbearer approached her and lightly taped her face, trying to wake her up. He got no reaction from her, but noticed her face was cold : “Shit man…”, he started to take his jacket off in a hurry.

Immediately noticed the change in his tone, I stood up : “What’s the matter?”.

“She’s as pale as a corpse… and she's as cold as an ice cube, we didn't think to put anything warm on her... I think her body is in survival mode”, he said, putting his jacket on her and began to try and create a fire to warm her up.

I walked over to her, looking down at her prone form. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and she was shivering slightly. I could see the cut on her brow wasn't bleeding anymore, but the wound was still quite visible. I turned my head to look at my friend : “How long does this ‘survival mode’ thing last?”, I asked, worry in my voice.

“I don’t know, but we need to warm her up as soon as possible…”.

I got up to fetch the camping stove from my bag and set it up. Perhaps the heat escaping from the device would help a little... The Torchbearer managed to create a little flame from the twigs he has gathered.

Finishing setting up the camping stove, I switched it on. It started to give off a faint glow and heat. I held it to my friend, my tone urgent : “Place it close to her”.

He took the camping stove without any comment and placed it on her other side : “Let’s hope it will work…”.

I sat back down next to her, watching her closely and looking for any changes in her condition. The heat from the camping stove began to spread, and I hoped it had some effect on her shivering.

The Torchbearer took 2 cereal bars out of his bag and hands one to me. I took it and opened it, taking a bite : “Thanks…”, my voice gruff. We were studying the girl closely, to see if there were any signs of her coming to her senses.

After some time, the Torchbearer broke the silence between us : “You know…”.

I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow : “What?”.

“I don't think she lied to us about the tracker... I just think she didn't know this one was still there...”, he admitted.

I considered this, taking another bite of my cereal bar : “But how could she not know?”, I asked quietly.

“Maybe she thought the one in her arm was enough... but they're not stupid, of course they would have put another one just in case...”.

I nodded, understanding what he meant. The Bishops were not stupid, they knew exactly what they were doing : “Yeah, but I mean…It’s basic survival”.

My friend laughed through his nose : “Look at her, Clancy… do you really think she knows anything about survival?”.

I looked at her again, her unconscious form looking so fragile and vulnerable. I had to admit, she didn't look like the type to know anything about survival. I didn’t answer, the Torchbearer being obviously right.

“…I don’t think she’s a threat for us, and I know I sound stupid right now, but I kind of believe her story… I don’t want to leave her here on her own”, he bit into the cereal bar, not looking at me.

I too took another bite of my own cereal bar, mulling over what the Torchbearer had said. I had to admit that the girl had seemed honest in her explanations. I sighed : “Fine, let’s trust her for now. But the first second she does anything suspicious, she’s not our problem anymore”, I said firmly.

He nodded, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth : “I agree…”.

I took a final bite of his cereal bar and threw the wrapper into the fire. I still didn’t trust her completely, but as long as she didn’t do anything stupid, I was willing to keep an open mind about her. I watched her closely, waiting for any signs of her waking up. The stove's heat was slowly starting to warm her body, but she still looked weak and vulnerable.

Torchbearer looked outside from where we were, thinking a moment before speaking again : “It’s already real bright outside, we’d better get going soon…”.

I nodded in agreement, getting up from the ground : “True. The faster we get out of here, the better”, I then looked down at the girl, contemplating whether we should wake her up or just carry during our Trench journey.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll just carry her… she doesn’t look like she’s gonna wake up soon…”, said the Torchbearer, looking at her sleeping form.

He picked her up right after and went out of the cave, the girl on his shoulder like a potato bag. I followed close behind, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings, just in case the Bishops' squad came back. The Torchbearer put back his yellow bandana on the lower part of his face and I adjusted my mask, before we started to make our way through the rocky area, our pace quick and careful.

-Back to the original POV-

I started to gain consciousness back, disoriented. I began to stir, not understanding where I was. C, probably sensing my movements, turned his head to look at me. I grumble a bit as I start to wake up, the sore on my eyebrow suddenly aching. With a wince in my face, I raised my hand to touch the wound band that was aided.

The Torchbearer, as he felt me move on his back, smiled a bit: “Welcome back on earth”, he said jokingly. He continued his walk, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to observe my awakening.

I frowned at the brightness before me. I gazed around, attempting to comprehend where I was, with who I was and what the fuck happened for me to be carried.

“You okay.. ?”, asked the Torchbearer, stopping in his tracks as he felt me shifting a bit too much.

“Hum…mhhh… can you put me down a second...?”.

C raised an eyebrow, but didn’t interfere as the Torchbearer gently placed me on the ground. He watched me carefully, observing my every movement and expression.

I kept a hand on the Torchbearer’s arm to steady myself. I was trying to come back to earth and understand what the fuck was going on, confusion evident on my face.

“You okay ..? ”, repeated the Torchbearer.

“I don’t know… I feel like I’m having the biggest headache of all time… Where are we ?”, I asked, looking around, my mind buzzing.

C crossed his arms on his chest, observing me closely : “You don't remember anything ?”.

I looked up at C, tilting my head a bit : “I don’t remember much… just hearing a loud noise and being chased… How long has it been since then ?”.

He looked back at me through his mask, his face impassive : “You’ve been out for at least 12 hours”.

“Wait what-”, I stuttered, not sure to understand.

The Torchbearer nodded, confirming his words : “Yeah, you’ve been unconscious for a while”.

“B-but how did that happen ?”, I was starting to panic and it could be heard in my voice.

C kept his face neutral : “You got a pretty nasty cut on your brow bone. I guess it was a combo of shock and exhaustion that knocked you out”.

I raised my hand up to my brow, wincing as I touched the bandage. My gaze went to Torchbearer : “What happened since ? I don’t remember nothing…”.

“We just hid in the cave, waiting for the Bishop’s squad to leave… We spend the night here and we just left like what , 4 hours ago. You didn’t miss much…”, he answered.

C nodded, confirming his friends’ words : “Yeah, that’s pretty much it. We spent the night there and left early this morning”.

I sighed, trying to calm down : “Okay… And why were you carrying me just before ?”.

The Torchbearer raised an eyebrow at my question : “Because you were unconscious and we couldn’t leave you there, just lying on the ground in the middle of nowhere ?”, his words being sarcastic.

“Yeah, that’s logical…”, answers C before mocking me.

“Well, yeah… you’re right… but Thanks for not letting me alone in the middle of nowhere”, I said softly, chuckling nervously.

C nodded in response, but his expression remained neutral. "No need to thank us," he said. We wouldn’t have let you to die in the middle of nowhere”.

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, unsure if he was joking and teasing or if he was genuine : “Yeah, I guess...”.

The Torchbearer turned his head towards me: “Can you walk by yourself ...? Or do you need me to carry you again?”, his voice was kind and soft. I blushed a bit at his question, being already embarrassed enough by the situation for him to carry me again: “Oh no-no I think it’s okay, thanks… You already did too much”, I smiled a bit and followed after them.

C was already far ahead of us, not caring about the distance growing between us.

While walking, the Torchbearer spoke again. “Can I inquire about your bag container ? I know it’s weird, but I want to be sure of something…”.

I raised my eyebrow, unsure of the purpose of his question : “Huh? Yes, sure… If I remember well, I have a two empty water bottles, my cardigan, bandaids, a book and a pen… and I guess that’s it. Why are you asking ?”.

He nodded, keeping his gaze on the horizon ahead: “Okay... just wanted to confirm that you don't have any other tracking device...”.

My eyes widen and I stopped walking : “A-a tracker ?! Why would I have a tracker, I destroyed the only two I had !”.

C turned his head towards us, raising an eyebrow, his expression hardening even more at my words. He stopped walking abruptly and turned around to face us.

Worry filled my eyes : “What..”, I asked him, becoming nervous at the way he was looking suspiciously at me.

He crossed his arms on his chest, looking at me with a hard look. His gaze was intense and his voice was low and firm : “You said you destroyed every tracker you had ?”.

“Of course I did, why ?”.

The Torchbearer talked again : “Because we found another one in your bag yesterday…”.

“W-hat..?”, I became pale at his words. I was sure I had destroyed every single one they placed on me…

C nodded in confirmation, his gaze hardening even further. He was studying my expression closely, looking for any signs of deception or dishonesty : “Yes, we did. We found another one in your bag. Care to explain that ?”.

“I-I don’t know ! It thought I had only two ! How could I know that ? The one in my arm and the other one in the walkie-talkie seemed enough !”.

He scoffed, his expression growing even more suspicious. His body was tense, his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest : “You’re telling me you didn’t know about that third one ?”.

“Of course I didn’t ! Or I would have destroyed it immediately !”.

He took one step towards me, keeping a close eye on my every move. I was getting nervous, and he knew it. But he didn’t seem to care : “How can we know if you’re telling the truth…?”.

I whispered, my voice shaking and strained : “I-I don’t know… But I’m telling you the truth, I didn’t have time to think about a plan for my escape, so I just went for it without thinking…”.

He stayed silent for a moment, studying my expression : “You just went for it without thinking and without preparing, you said ?”.

I nodded, my eyes full of sincerity : “I decided to run last minute and get away because the connection between Dema and my walkie-talkie wasn't good! You really think I would be a 100% sure about my escape when 12 people already died because of this mission..?”, I asked quietly, starting to become anxious. I wanted them to trust me, but I didn’t how to convince them.

He raised an eyebrow, finally realizing that I was uncomfortable, which could indicate honesty : “You’re nervous… Why is that ?”.

“Because I don’t want you to think I’m a foe for you… and I don’t know what to tell you to prove you I’m not lying ! I just don’t want to be alone...”, I let my head fall down, beginning to question my choice of having escaped Dema.

He looked at me for a long moment. I was being completely honest, he was sure of it now. But he still remained cautious : “Fine… I’ll believe you for now. But don’t even think about doing anything suspicious, or you won’t like the consequences”.

I lift my head up, looking directly into C’s eyes, my eyes shining with a little hope : “Thank you… », I whisper, “I promise to prove you I’m not lying…”.

He nodded softly, his gaze still fixed on mine : “You better”, he turned back around to restart walking, the Torchbearer following not long after, nodding to me just before he did. C wasn’t going to let his guard down that easily…

(Thanks for reading, I'm trying to write my drafts cleanly as quickly as possible to avoid keeping you waiting! Sorry if the parts come out randomly…)

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 4)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader

Warning : Swearing, dystopia, violence

Word count : 2,542 words

Summary : You meet two wary strangers who are more at ease with the outside world than you are and get to know about them more, despite the tension between you. Maybe you'll also find some common ground that will allow you to start your free life...

(Remember, English’s not my first langage :) Enjoy!!!)

(And just so you know, I may use elements of the lore but I'm going to revisit most of it. I like to build on what I thought the lore would be before it became official :) hope it won't be too weird to read tho!)

“And why exactly were YOU sent on that mission?”, he questioned again, his gaze never leaving mine. He saw how I started to panic, which seemed to make him even more suspicious.

“I-… I was chosen because I was a well-behaving citizen… and also because they killed the precedent person that was chosen for this mission… she also tried to escape…”, I said, looking down a bit.

Both boys were getting more intrigued. The masked-one stayed silent for a few seconds, processing what he heard. “How many people have tried to escape from Dema like this? How many have been caught?”, he asked, his eyes still on me.

“I think they have been 12… they all have either been killed for trying to escape or just because they were dead by the time they reached back Dema… I’m the 13th one…”, I responded.

He let out a small sigh, listening to her explanation. 12 before her, all of them killed. That didn’t sound like good odds : “And you’re sure you didn’t bring any tracking devices, cameras, anything like that?”, he inquired, crossing his arms in a firm stance, his eyes hardening in my direction.

I shake my head quickly : “No! Of course not! I destroyed everything after finding the bag, I even removed the chip they'd implanted in my arm…”, I lifted my sleeve after talking, and on my upper arm there's a small gash still fresh from yesterday.

He looked at the fresh cut on my arm with calculating eyes. It was proof I was saying the truth about removing the device. He relaxed a bit, his gaze growing a bit less cold : “Good…”. His voice still holding a hint of caution. He still wasn’t sure, he didn’t trust seemed to trust me yet.

I put my sleeve back on, feeling some discomfort as the fabric touched the cut on my arm.

“How old are you, exactly?”. He was looking at me from head to toe. He probably thought I was young, around 18, given my appearance.

“I’m… I’m 21”, I said, getting up again, one hand grabbing my other one nervously.

He raised an eyebrow at my answer, surprised. ‘She doesn’t look like she’s in her early 20s’, he thought to himself. Though he wasn’t one to talk.

“You’re 21… And you’re from Dema?”, he asked, just to be sure he heard it right.

I only nodded.

He nodded too, processing the information in his mind. ‘If she’s from Dema, and 21 years old. That would mean she’s been in the city all her life’, he thought once again.

“So you were born there.”, he confirmed, keeping his gaze on me. The questions were now more like affirmations, to get as much details and information as he could about me.

“Yes… Dema’s all I’ve ever known…”.

He observed the twilight of sorrow in my voice, and something inside him stirred, but he didn't show it on his face.

“So that means you’ve never been outside the city walls”. It wasn’t a question, but he still waited for a response, just to confirm his words. He wanted to know more.

I nodded again : “It’s my first time out of the city… I don’t know if I made the right decision, but I don’t regret it for now on...”, I smiled a bit, but it didn’t reach my eyes, meaning that I was still uncomfortable.

He noticed that my smile was forced. Once again, he nodded, taking note of everything I said.

The other one talked again, after C became suddenly silent : “You made the right choice… Life outside Dema isn’t easy, but it’s not as hard as it is in this damn prison…. At least you’re free”, he said more seriously.

C looked at the his friend, silently agreeing with his words, before his friend looked up at me for the second time in a row and smiled a bit before talking again : “What’s your name ?”. C’s gaze then landed back on me, both men waiting for me to answer.

“It’s… Y/N”, I said softly, hesitantly. “I-I still don’t know who you guys are…?”, I asked, hoping they would tell me more about them.

They paused for a few seconds, their expression hardening again. C still was wary of me, and he didn’t want to give too much information, while the other one seemed to open much more easily : “We’re part of the banditos”. His reply was simple, not seeing any need to tell me more than necessary.

My eyes widen suddenly : “You’re…? So this bag is yours ?”, I stuttered.

C glanced at my widening eyes and probably knew that I had come to realize who they were. He nodded slowly, confirming my question : “Yes, it’s ours”, he stated firmly. He could practically see the gears moving inside my head, putting the pieces together.

I hold the bag to him almost immediately : “Sorry… I didn’t know-”, I suddenly remembered about the notebook : “There’s a notebook inside it, but it took on water, so I tried to dry it-”, I was cut out by C.

He didn’t expect me to hand the bag over so quickly, and he grabbed it with a firm grip. His eyes widened a bit at my mention of the notebook and cut my talking : “A notebook? ”. His voice was more urgent this time. That notebook held information that was very important, and it being wet could ruin it all.

My cheeks redden at the move, embarrassed and nervous at the same time : “Y-Yes.. It’s written ‘C’s letters’ on the front page, I don’t know what it is but-…”.

My statement caused his expression to harden even more. The notebook was his, and the fact that I knew that it was important made him even more cautious : “That notebook is mine”, he replied firmly, clutching the bag tighter to his chest.

My face went pale for a second as another piece added to the puzzle. : “Oh- sorry I didn’t-”.

“Don’t touch anything without my permission next time”, he said coldly, starting to open the bag. He needed to check on the notebook as soon as possible, to see if it was still salvageable.

I swallow nervously, looking at his every move just as his friend did.

C kept his eyes on me while he pulled the notebook out of the bag. It felt wet and dirty, but it seemed to be mostly intact. He carefully inspected it for any signs of damage, his expression stern : “You said it took on water? How did this happen?”.

I went silent for a moment, hating myself at the moment. He noticed my hesitance, and waited for an answer. His gaze was intense, and he wasn’t going to drop the subject.

“Well?”, I noticed the hint of impatience in his voice.

“I dropped it while reading it... I didn’t mean to do it- something startled me and I dropped it-”.

He raised an eyebrow at my explanation, annoyed : “And you thought it was a good idea to read my notebook as it was yours or what?”, his tone was sharp and cold.

“I-I just wanted to know why they wanted me to take this bag and its content back to Dema…”.

He listened to my reply, his expression still stern : “That still doesn’t give you the right to go through my personal possessions”. He was holding the dripping wet notebook in his hands, and the sight gave me goosebumps.

The other one interfered again: “Calm down, man. How was she supposed to ask you if it was okay…”.

C shot a glare at his friend, not appreciating the interruption. Although he knew the man was right, he was still annoyed that she had touched his belongings.

“That’s not the point. She still didn’t have the right to read my personal thoughts”.

“Yeah right, now move on. So, Y/N you said ?”, the taller one turned towards me.

I nodded nervously, not trusting my tongue anymore.

“Right, I’m the Torchbearer. I think you already heard about me, I’m the leader of the banditos”.

My eyes widen at the revelation. The Torchbearer chuckled a bit : “Yeah, I know…”.

“So you’re really real ? I thought it was like, some urban legend…”.

C couldn’t help but let out a small scoff at my question. The Torchbearer was a well-known figure in Dema, but he never imagined that the citizens would think of him as an urban legend : “You thought he was just a myth?”.

“Well, kind of, no one has ever seen him before…”.

He shook his head. Of course, the citizens of Dema were fed lies and propaganda by the Bishops. It wasn’t surprising that they thought the Torchbearer didn’t exist and was only an image : “Well, he’s very much real…”, he said as he looked over at the Torchbearer, who seemed amused by the conversation.

“And you'd be even more surprised to find out who he is... ”, replied the Torchbearer.

I tilt my head, curious.

C rolled his eyes once again at the Torchbearer’s words. He had a feeling he knew where this was going, and he didn’t like it. He knew how the Torshbearer could be, and he didn’t want him to expose his identity to the girl : “Shut up”.

“What ? You don’t want to give her your name ?”, the Torchbearer chuckled again.

C clenched his jaw, annoyed by the Torchbearer’s insistence. He knew the man was just trying to mess with him, and he didn’t want to give in to his games : “That’s not the point. You know why I don’t want to share my name”, hesaid through gritted teeth.

“Come on dude, do you really think the poor girl will tell the bishops where you’re at?”.

The masked one shot a glare at the Torchbearer, his irritation growing. He knew the man had a point, but he still didn’t seem to trust me. He didn’t know me, so he didn’t know what I would do if the Bishops captured me and tortured me.

“It’s not that simple…You know it”.

“Yeah, nevermind, don’t mind him. Just all him C, alright ?”.

I just nodded at his words.

The Torchbearer talked again, but this time to change the subject : “Seemed like you were starving, do you want any more food ?”

-Outside POV-

C watched as the Torchbearer turned his attention back to her, offering her more food. He let out a small sigh, knowing that the man was not going to let this go. He silently cursed himself for letting the Torchbearer lead the conversation.

She blushed a bit, ashamed of her answer, but nodded softly.

He could see the slight hesitation in her demeanour, and he felt something strange in his chest. He tried to ignore it and told himself that it was just irritation.

The Torchbearer went to grab something for her to eat : “Then eat up. You look like you really need it, girl”.

“Thank you…”, she said, grabbing the piece of food hesitantly.

He observed her as she accepted the food, her expression still nervous. He realized that she was still wary of him and the Torchbearer, just as they were. And he couldn’t blame her. Her whole life she’s been surrounded by the Bishops and fed with lies, it’s not difficult to guess why she was uncomfortable around them.

She was eating, slowly but surely, enjoying every bite.

He continued to watch her eat the food silently, noticing how she slowly began to relax. It was clear that she had been starving for a while, and the food was doing her some good. He couldn’t help but feel a small hint of sympathy for her, despite his suspicions.

After finishing the cereal bar, she smiled nervously to them* : “Sorry I jumped on your food earlier... ”.

The Torchbearer just shrugged, not really bothered by her eating the food : “Don’t worry about it, you looked starved. Glad it helped you a bit”.

C noticed her shifting awkwardly, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. She seemed so uncomfortable : She was in a new place, surrounded by strangers, and clearly out of her comfort zone.

“Do you, hum… Do you know a place I could hide..? I don’t really know where we are right now, I don't know my way around since it’s all new to me…”, she said calmly.

C crossed his arms on his chest, studying her from head to toe, the vulnerability in her eyes and the desperation in her voice clear. But he didn’t answer, letting the Torchbearer so do, because he didn’t trust his tongue.

She looked up at the Torchbearer, waiting for him to answer.

The Torchbearer looked up in thought for a moment before speaking : “Well, we have a safe place, a few hours from here, further in Trench. It’s hidden enough that not even the Bishops know about it”.

“Sounds.. good. Can I come with you, then ?”, she asked hesitantly.

C watched as she asked the question, his expression still hard and his mind tore. Should he let her come with them? Or was it too risky?

“Sorry, I know we don’t even know each other, but I really don’t know if I’m gonna make it alone and the banditos are known for being a close-knit community-”, she started to panic, not wanting to be alone again.

The masked one’s expression softened a bit as she began to panic. But it was so hard to trust her… He let out a small sigh, his grip on the notebook tightening slightly.

“I guess you could come with us. It’s dangerous to wander alone anyway”, said the Torchbearer after a few seconds.

“Thank you…”, she seemed relieved.

C kept a close eye on her. He was still unsure about letting her come with them, but he couldn’t deny that he felt guilty for her. She looked completely lost.

“I won’t be a burden, I promise-”, She was cut by C : “You’ll be responsible for yourself. We’re not going to watch over you”, he said firmly, his gaze fixed on her. He didn’t want her to think that he was going to protect her or make everything easier for her.

She nodded, her face suddenly serious, matching his : “Yes, okay… I understand…”.

He nodded back, still wary of her : “Good. Just follow us and do as we say, got it ?”.

“Okay… but we’re leaving already…?”.

“Yes. We better go quickly”, he said gruffly while picking his belongings up.

“Is it because the bishops could be after me ?”, she asked, her voice a bit shaky, reflecting her fear.

The torchbearer looked at her and nodded slightly : “That’s one of the reasons, yeah”, he said, before following C, heading for the exit of the building they were in.

“wait-”, she grabbed her tings quickly before running after them. The Torchbearer was waiting for me, while C was already out of the warehouse, leading the way.

He was looking around, trying to make sure there was no one around. He saw the Torchbearer coming out next with the girl behind him. He kept his gaze locked on her, studying her every move.

She kept a determined face, following them without a word. The road will be long, but at least she won’t be alone from now.

(Hey everyone ! I haven't posted for a while, and I'm sorry for it... I'm doing an internship for my studies and it's taking up all my time!

I've managed to write a good part of the sequel and I can tell you that the story won't be ending so soon… I'll try to make the parts longer, otherwise I'll end up with fifteen thousand parts for this story lmao….

If you have any advice or feedback of any kind, or even if you'd like to say hi in the comments section, don't hesitate :))

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 3)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader

Warning : Swearing, dystopia, violence

Word count : 3,189

Summary : You find yourself all alone in the unknwown land of Trench. What's gonna happen now ? Will you be able to survive on your own ? Maybe you'll meet new people...

(Remember, English’s not my first langage :) Enjoy!!!)

The rain was beginning to fall. Hard, very hard. The sound of the storm was getting closer and closer. Sand continued to fly and whip across my face like swifts. Still, I pushed forward, my arms hiding part of my face, although this didn't stop the wind from slowing me down. I made my way towards a sort of cave, created by the rock between the stone walls.

Once inside, I let my back hit the cold stone wall and fell to the ground, allowing my body to take a breath. I remove my bag from my back, as well as the rebel's bag. Light was scarce in the cave, but the part where I had just sat allowed it to shine through a little.

“What could possibly be in this bag ?”, I wondered inwardly. It must have been something important if the bishops wanted me to bring it back... I'd been told it contained information about the banditos, but was it true or was it just an excuse to test the loyalty of Dema's citizens ?

I made the decision to carefully open the bag, just like it was an ancient relic that should not be broken. After opening the strap that closed it, I lifted the top part and looked inside. Not seeing properly, I plunged my arm into the bag.

“A hammer?”, I said aloud, confused, feeling the cold, metallic object. I pulled it out, and indeed, it was a hammer. I put my arm back in, looking for something else, something more interesting, desperately to convince myself that Nico hadn't sent us for just a poor bag of junk. I pulled out more accessories, each as mundane as the next: yellow tape, matches and lighters, a first-aid kit.

I felt a pang in my heart, and my doubts started to emerge. That was until I felt paper on my fingertips. My heart stopped for a brief moment, my breath caught in my throat, and my body froze at the touch of the familiar yet unknown object.

“So they weren't just sending us out to test us...”, I felt reassured in a way, but another part of me wondered what could possibly be in that notebook for the bishops to be willing to send us out of Dema in handfuls.

I was curious about its contents. So, slowly but surely, I took it out of the bag. The red color on the outside of the notebook caused my eyes to widen. I held it in both hands, turning it in all directions, and feeling it with my fingertips. It appeared both real and unreal simultaneously.

My thumb passed over the title written in large letters on the notebook, probably in marker given the thickness of it. The grain of the notebook, due to dirt and time, sent shivers down my spine.

I repeatedly uttered the title “C's letters...”, as if I were spellbound.

Finally, I made the decision to slowly open the notebook, the unknown frightening me. Opening the first page made me tremble, it was empty with only stains and a yellowish tinge, probably caused by time. I turned the page to the next one. My heart rate increased. In the middle of the page, in the same marker as on the outside, was written "Sahlo Folina".

As I continued to examine the notebook, I discovered numerous texts and diagrams written in the same handwriting as before. The stories spoke of Dema, bishops and plans to escape and defeat them, of hope and rebellion. How can someone have so much knowledge about the prison we inhabit ? The knowledge about the outside world we had learned from the book we stole seemed ridiculous in comparison to it. My attention was piqued by the poems and Trench drawing. Trench. I had heard that this name was used to refer to the outside world, but I wasn't sure if it was official. I attempted to rotate the diagram to pinpoint my location, unsure of where I was given my long run.

A suspicious noise startled me and I dropped the notebook. I let out a silent scream when I saw it fall into a puddle. I tried to catch it, but it was too late. I placed my hands over my mouth to suppress all breathing, unaware of the source of the initial noise. After a few moments, the noise reappeared and I took my hands off my mouth, understanding that it was solely the sound of the wind slapping against the rock. My face was filled with horror as I turned my gaze back to the notebook, which was still in the water.

“Oh no no no!”, I repeated several times, panicking. I hurriedly retrieved the notebook, removing it from the water. It was already well soaked, and the drops falling from the pages made me sigh.

“What a bummer... I didn't even have time to read the whole thing! Damn it!”, I said, shaking the notebook, hoping it will help.

I took my grey cardigan out and wrapped the book in it, trying to dry it so that I could keep the precious information that were written inside.

After that, I let myself fall back against the stone wall, looking at the outside of the cave : it was getting dark and I didn't know how soon I'd be found, or if I'd be found at all... My thoughts, troubled and too numerous as usual, tired me even more and made me close my eyes, exhausted... Perhaps I'll be more reactive tomorrow in any case...

And that's how I ended up crying myself to sleep, my back still against the cool rock.

The next morning, I woke up with a start.

Not knowing where I was, and having dreamt of being found and dragged back to Dema, my eyes opened on their own. My breathing was ragged and I felt chills all over my body. I ran my hands over my face to regain my composure, seeing quite clearly that I hadn't moved from my spot and was still all alone.

“Fucking shit…”, I mumble under my breath. It was already broad daylight outside, so I got up quickly and set off again.

After packing up, I found myself back on the road to the unknown. The unknown scared me, but not as much as returning to Dema. The wind of freedom hit my face and I smiled at the sensation.

I walked and walked for hours. I ate what few resources I had left, these being a cereal bar and a bottle of water, which I had to split in half to eat last night as well.

I could see something in the distance. I squinted my eyes to get a better look.

“What the hell is that... ?”, I asked myself.

I looked around before approaching the thing, to make sure no one was following me and that I was in fact alone. So I approached the ruin, keeping my guard up. It looked like one of the vehicles Lyla had shown me in a book... I put my hand on the hood, then peered in through the broken window. It was completely empty and dilapidated.

I sighed. A few yards beyond the stone wall, I found myself facing ruins. But these weren't just abandoned vehicles or objects. This looked much bigger, and there was bound to have been human activity around here.

Large containers, trucks and the remains of houses and buildings lay before me. Was it a good idea for me to venture into this, or should I continue on my way and avoid it all ?

Obviously, my curiosity prevented me from getting past this intriguing landscape, and so I ended up moving towards it. I advanced while staying on my guard, my knees slightly bent. My mouth was partly open, revealing my surprise at the unusual structures in front of me.

I wandered between the buildings and decided to enter one of them.I found myself in a large building filled with containers. As I turned around, I ran into a metal box while continuing onward. The noise brought me back to reality, and I stopped all my movements. The piercing noise reverberated among the four walls. Suddenly, I realized how dangerous my reduced guard was. What if I was overheard by someone? I don't even know how to defend myself, how would I manage ? My mind was suddenly filled with too many questions. I shook my head and continued slowly, my steps shorter and lighter, on the defensive.

Without even thinking twice, I practically jumped on the food and started to eat like a starved animal. The possibilities of it being someone’s food didn’t even travelled my mind. I thought I was alone, until…

-Someone else POV- (hehe)

I was in an abandoned warehouse, searching for anything of use. I had been there since the evening the previous night, accompagned by my best mate. I suddenly heard a noise coming from behind the containers, so I decided to cautiously approch them, and hid behind on of the many crates.

Peeking through the cracks between the wooden crates, that’s when I saw someone eating our food without any restrictions. I have always been cautious around others because of my past, and I didn’t know where she was coming from. For all I knew, she could be with the Bishops, so I quietly grabbed a broom from a corner and approached again, silently.

-Back to the original POV-

I heard noises behind me and that made me stop all my movements, trying to listen to the source of the noise. I could hear someone enter the warehouse, apparently not aware of my presence.

-Someone else POV-

I rolled my eyes when I heard the loud footsteps of my partner. The noise probably revealed his approch, so I just hoped the woman wouldn’t start to run or defend herself.

“C, where are you, mate ?”, he asked.

-Back to the original POV-

As I hear a voice echo in the building, I let go of everything I had in hands, jumping on a container to hide myself, or at least trying to.

The sudden noise of a can falling on the ground made the intruder jump a bit, but it also made him notice my presence. The older man looked around and I think he saw me hiding.

“Hey ! Who’s here ?”, he asks in a more serious tone.

I was hiding behind another container, trying to calm my loud breathing. I suddenly panic inside as I fumbled in my bag in seach of something to defend myself, but the small Swiss army knife I had fell on the ground. I swore and facepalm myself « Fuck, you idiot- ».

I decided to climb on another container, trying to go towards the entrance of the warehouse to escape.

-Someone else’s POV-

I can see her move, so I silently following her. I didn’t want to lose sight of her, and I certainly wasn’t going to let her go. My mate noticed her too and we started to go around the warehouse to corner her.

She was walking as quietly as possible, as if we couldn’t see her, but stopped when she didn’t see anyone. Oh, you really think you’re smarter than us… ?

T, coming out of nowhere, finally says « found you ! » just behind her. His voice was loud, not even trying to hide his presence anymore. He was behind a few meters of her, approching with big stides. She looked behind her at the sound of his voice, scared. She then started to run, trying to sow him.

I laughed quietly at her naivety. I sure was close to her position too, but I decided to silently follow them from the shadows.

“Come back here !”, He started to run too, gaining on her fast. He was far faster tha her, so he was gonna catch her in seconds.

That’s when she decided to jump from where she was and found herself on the ground, looking up to see him still on the pill of containers. She started to run again, not knowing that there was another person following her, aka me.

I saw her and knew it was about time to stop her. As she was running, I came out of the shadows and appeared in front of her, the broom in front of my chest to block her from getting away.

As she was running, she turned her head towards me. I smiled behind my mask, seeing the fear in her eyes as she didn’t had the time to slow down fast enough and collided with me, falling on the ground just afterwards. She was already half knocked out.

I took a few steps back right after, and bent down, looking at her with my head tilted. I carefully checked if there was any big damage, not that I really cared anyway : Her eyes were half-closed as she winced in hurt after her brutal fall.

I looked down at her, standing up again, silently wondering if she was faking it.I was suspicious, since we didn’t know anything about her.

“Get up.”, I said coldly, my gaze not leaving her for a second as I wait for T to join us.

-Back to the original POV-

“W-what..?”, I became suddenly aware of the stranger talking to me, trying to take a few steps back but still on the ground. My voice was shaky, trying not to sound so scared but I failed.

He observed me move away, and he put the broom away, before stepping closer to me.

“I said get up.”, he said again more loudly. He seemed wary and careful and it scared me even more.

“I- I-”, I was cut down by the other stranger.

“Come on, don’t be so mean, you can see she’s shaking like a leaf.”, he says to the other one before looking at me : “Get up, so we can ask you questions”.

The other looked at the more kind one, before rolling his eyes. He then crossed his arms on his chest, his expression still cold : “Maybe she’s just pretending to be scared, you never know…”.

Of course he didn’t trust me one bit. He didn’t know where I came from, who I was, or even why I was there. I got up quickly, looking around me trying to find a way to escape.

I noticed how he was looking at me, knowing I was calculating my chances to run away. He took a step forward, cutting me in my attempts : “Don’t even try.”, he said with a harsh voice.

“O-okay.. I won’t”, I say, raising my hands up.

“So… we’ll ask you some questions just to make sure you're no threat for us. Don’t try to lie, we’ll notice it immediatly. Right?”, the nicer one said.

The other one then looked at me, before shifting his gaze to the his friend, silently signaling him to ask the questions instead. He knew he was the colder one between the two of them, and he was way more intimidating. I just swallow nervously, standing between the two, a few feets away from them.

He remained silent for a few seconds, studying my expressions and body language from afar. I started to wonder, do I look a Bishop’s spy or something ? Or are the escapees really that persecuted by the bishops to be this cautious with strangers ?

I was brought back in the present time when he spoke again : “How did you get here?”, he asked suddenly, taking a step forward. His cold eyes were fixed on me, not moving from my face for a second and it made me nervous.

“I-… I just walked for hours until I found this place, and I saw food so I just-”. I didn’t finish my sentence as I see him tilted his head a bit, and raising an eyebrow. He didn’t seem to believe me.

“Hours… So that means you’re not from around here then.”, he said, his voice still having a bit of sharpness.

I just shake my head at his words : “I come from Dema…”.

I saw his jaw clenched upon hearing my reply, and he shared a look with the other man. The other raised an eyebrow at him, but remained silent otherwise. The one asking the questions then took a few bold steps closer, his expression still stern.

“How did you get out of Dema?”, he asked, looking right into my eyes. It was unsettling to only see his eyes, the rest of his face being hidden by a red and black ski type of mask.

“I-… I was chosen for a mission, they took me out of the city to search for an item and I managed to escape...”.

The masked man was getting more and more suspicious. I could clearly hear his mind ‘Chosen for a mission? Escaped? She could be a spy, it was possible, blablabla’.

“And what was this mission that you apparently escaped from?”, he stayed close to me, not letting me out of his sight. The other one remained quiet, silently listening to the exchange between the two of us.

“C-Can I move to show you ?”, I asked, my voice still shaking.

He seemed to weight the pros and cons at an incredibly fast pace. He then nods : “But no sudden moves.”, he said firmly, keeping a close eye on me. I could tell he would be ready to grab me and thow me on the ground if I move a little too fast for him.

So I just nod, grabbing the straps of the two bags I had on my shoulders and put them down. I grabbed the one that was the banditos’ bag, which I was supposed to take back to Dema as a mission. Once the bag dropped on the ground, his eyes fell on it. The symbol of the banditos was stitched on it, which made him narrow his eyes even more. He crossed his arms on his chest, his suspicion growing bigger : “And this was the ‘mission’ you escaped from?”.

I just nod : “Yes… They asked me to search for this bag, and bring it back to Dema. Apparently it contains some kind of notebook that has important information about the banditos’s plans…”. The other one frowns at my words, knowing that this bag was from his group of rebels and that the notebook was his friends’.

“And do you know who these ‘banditos’ are?”, inquired the masked-one, staring at me with calculating eyes.

“I just-”, I started to panic : “I just know that they are rebels that escaped and plan to create a community in the outside world- that’s all I know !”.

His jaw clenched once again. That was index intention… To get into to Dema and help others escape.

“And why exactly were YOU sent on that mission?”, he questioned again, his gaze never leaving mine. He saw how I started to panic, which seemed to make him even more suspicious.

I don't know who they were, but what I did know was that they weren't going to trust me right away…

more in the next part! :)

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 2)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader

Warning : Swearing, dystopia, violence

Word count : 1,449  

Summary : My mission is over : I've found the bag. What will my decision be ? Do I try to escape or return to Dema ?

(Remember, English’s not my first langage :) Enjoy!!!)

I started running again. It had already been 6 hours since I had been taken out of Dema in search of the famous bag.

When I left Dema, there were still a few trees and animals around, but I was now alone and exhausted, in a place resembling the deserts of the forbidden library.

I thought back to that friend, Lyla. She was someone I grew up with within the walls of Dema. They sent her before me on the same mission, but she disobeyed by trying to escape, so they had to find someone else. It's thanks to her that I know what the outside of Dema looks like, since she was the one who stole the book from the library and showed it to me. She was strong and hopeful and had already managed to escape once : she wanted to take me with her, but I refused. I was too scared. Worried about the consequences, how others would view me, and how I would be treated if they found out. But after seeing how they slaughtered and suppressed her as if she were common flesh - and that's probably how they (the bishops) see us all - I want to escape too. For her, for me, and for the others. Or at least, try to.

I can't stand this oppression anymore, its stupid rules and our rights blowing of dust.

I refocus for a moment, leaving these thoughts in the back of my mind : I've got to find the bag first, and then we'll see.

I look at my GPS, my tracks determined and quick given the time I had for the mission. I notice that the little cross indicating the location of the bag is not far off. I smile slightly, sighing out of relief. But my smile began to falter : this means I'll have to make up my mind soon, as the mission comes to an end... Will I return to the hell that is Dema like the good citizen that I am, or try to escape and potentially get caught and punished ? The dilemma was still hazy in my mind...

Sand flew around me, slowing me down. I spotted the bag in the distance, recognizing it by its yellow strips, the symbol of rebellion, and banditos. I raised my arm to hide my face and eyes, continuing forward : once in front of the bag, I took out my walkie-talkie, checking if the connection was still on. 2 bars out of 4... I still try to reach Dema.

“Hey, it's Y/N. I think I've found the bag, can you hear me ? Over”.

No answer. I try again :

“Y/N, can you hear me ? Over”.

The voices were muffled due to the poor connection. My heart began to race. Should I try to run away ? No, it's too risky. What happens if they find me ? What punishment will I get if I come back ? God... I'm hitting my temples with the walkie-talkie. Stop thinking and go, damn it! There won’t be no better time to run !

With that, I pick up the bag and sling it onto my back roughly, throwing the walkie-talkie to the ground in the process. I roll up my sleeve, revealing the tracer implanted in my skin. I hesitated for a moment.

“Come on, damn it!”, I say to myself. I pulled out the Swiss Army knife I had in my pocket and slashed my upper arm, digging my nails into the raw flesh to extract the little chip before crushing it with the sole of my shoe. A sigh came from my mouth out of both fear and satisfaction. I was finally able to breath the air of freedom for the first time ever. Did I make the right choice ? I don’t know. But could I go back in time ? No. And that was okay - for the moment at least.

I came to my mind after a moment, pulling my sleeve down again, and starting to run in a direction completely opposite to the one I'd been running in, hoping they'll find me more difficult.

The stress was beginning to build. Had I made the right choice ? What would happen to me now ? How could I find resources ? Keep a low profile ?

“Stop thinking and run!”, I said to my mind. I shook my head and concentrated on my escape. Run, run, right, left, right, left, don't fall, right, left, right, left. My brain is in a panic, and it's affecting my running. My heart's pounding, I'm slower, I look behind me way too often, I swallow sand- Everything was going wrong and it was making what little hope I had left disappear like a drop in the ocean. But I won't give up.

I keep running, tears beginning to gather in the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

After a long time, I was still running. I could barely stand on my legs and my vision was starting to blur. I had to keep going, no matter what.

Suddenly, my knees gave out. My legs let me fall forward, pulling the rest of my body with them, sending me tumbling to the ground, my knees taking the full brunt of the impact. My hands instinctively reached out in front of me, holding back what little weight there was to save me from the bad. Once on the ground, I began to scream. Screaming in pain, in fatigue, in regret - in everything, but mostly, in frustration.

I fell silent after a few seconds, looking behind me as if I were about to find someone ready to grab me and take me home. If you could call it “home”... But it wasn't. I was alone, facing a vast, unknown world. I decided to take advantage of this “break” to breathe a little, my body letting me know that it was now too weak to continue anyway…

For the moment, I was still in the deserted part of the outside world, even after running for hours. The wind was harshly blowing sand in my face, and again, the scenery was so far away that I couldn't see the end of it. I was feeling exhausted. Dehydrated. Hungry. Proud. Afraid. But above all, I felt alone. Never, ever in my life I’ve felt this loneliness. All sorts of emotions and thoughts raced through my mind, trying to fill the void inside my heart as my legs were hurting. 

I'd succeed to come out of that murderous city, but I was suddenly aware that I'd never known anything else in my life. The few people I knew were still trapped in there. I was beginning to miss them and I sure was going to miss them. My family, whom I haven't even thought of as I detached myself from any symbol of Dema, and which I haven't even told about my potential escape. How could I have forgotten this?

My selfishness had got the better of me.

"I could have taken them with me," I began to reproach myself. Standing up and gazing behind me, I took a few steps backwards, swept up in my doubts. I stopped after barely 10 meters, questioning what I was doing. I'd already talked to my mom about a possible life outside Dema, but I promised her I’d never try to escape because I was afraid of the world I could meet outside. In the end, I may have done the right thing. Besides, it's not as if relationships there were very developed, as the rules didn't allow them to show too much affection towards each other… And was she even my real mom ?-

I close my eyes and lift my head to the sky, trying to regain control of myself, thoughs too strong that they echoed in my head. All those lies and years in a prison felt heavy on my heart and mind. I breath loudly, panic rising inside me. And then a single tear began to flow. It began its journey from the corner of my eye, wetting my long black eyelashes, passing delicately down my cheek, keeping its roundness in, then slipped rapidly until it fell off my face and crashed to the ground. 

Counting to 10, taking deep breaths, and opening my eyes, I heard thunder rumble in the background. I realized that the step I had just passed was only the first in a long series, and that the adventure would not be the easiest. I feel empty inside, but I would regain confidence and find my true self again later.

But for now, I need to find shelter from the oncoming storm if I want to survive.

(sorry for not posting earlier, I’ll try to write more often so you guys can have the next part soon!)

[howdyousleepatnight]

I’m proud of this drawing 🥹 maybe I'll make some stickers out of them to hand out at their concert in Paris on May 2 🫶🏻

Who Will be going ?

[howdyousleepatnight]

Out of hell (part 1)

Pairing : Josh Dun x Fem!Reader - Tyler Joseph x Fem!Reader Warning : Swearing, dystopia and oppressive government

Word count : 462

Summary : As a result of your helpfulnes within the city, you’ve been asked to go and retrieve something that had been left by Banditos outside of Dema following their escape. You were supposed to return after one day. You were supposed to…

(Be kind please, I’m new to Tumblr writing + English’s not my first langage :,) Enjoy!!)

I run. I run as fast as I can. Why do I run, you might ask? I'm running because I've only got one day to complete the task I've been given: find a bag left outside of Dema by some Banditos when they escaped. Of course, it's no ordinary bag, otherwise it'd be silly to let a banal Dema resident as me go out like that. No. The bag contains potential information about a camp where rebels may have taken refuge, and given the intentions of Dema's top leaders, it could be the occasion to find them and take them back to the prison they thought they could leave so easily…

So I run, hoping in the back of my mind that I can save time to find a way to escape, without anyone suspecting a thing. I'm very efficient and serviable in the Dema community, so how could they suspect anything? 

Anyway, let's focus on finding this bag first : I'm sure it could be helpful once I’ll be facing the unknown, all by myself. 

The sound of my walkie-talkie seeking connection startled me. As I answer the call a few seconds later, an unfamiliar voice spoke to me.

"Hello Y/N. Hope you're not too tired already, because you still seem to be far away from your goal : anyway, here's the exact location of the bag. » The person didn’t seem to be friendly just by the way they talked.

I wrote down the information on my notebook. “Okay, you got it all?”, asks me the voice in a firm tone as if the person was asking me this just out of politeness.

"Yes, thank you, it should be alright. If anything happens, I will contact you." 

"No, don’t call back. If anything happens, please activate the alarm signal on your tracker. No one will be able to come and help you in case of an incident, but we will send a replacement and finish the mission for you." The voice tells me in a cold tone. Ah. Thank you for reassuring me, I absolutely do not shit myself right now. « Oh okay… » I said, becoming aware of the situation they put me in. « Bye then. Good luck. » and right after that, she hung up. Bitch. Nevermind, why would I shit myself thinking about something that won’t happen ? Why would even something happen to me? There isn’t much outside of Dema, the majority of the land out there is lost and lifeless. 

I sigh to myself and began to walk. From now on, I’ll focus on my surroundings and find the bag as soon as possible. I don’t want to go back to this shitty place. ever.