*Hey guys! This is published on December 28, 2019. The next and final part will come out today while the next episode will come out next week. I hope you all have a blessed day and thank you for taking the time to read this. If you like this part, please give it a vote or/and comment. That would be much appreciated. 

In the middle of the night, Guy and Michellee were sleeping in one room next to Sam and E.B. Michellee laid on Guy's chest comfortably, sleeping soundly. While a smile was stuck on Michellee's face, Guy began to moan in his sleep uncomfortably.

Guy's Dream:

Guy lifted his eyelids to noticed Michellee not sleeping with him. He raised his brow as he sat up from his bed. The room was hollow and dark. Guy scooched off of his bed and looked out the window. The outside seemed normal...colorful normal. He heard rattling in the dining room nearby. He turned slowly while hearing the noises more. He peeked out of his bedroom, limping from his injured leg.

"Hello?" Guy called, his breath shaky. His heart began to race as he warily strolled through the dining area. He clenched his hands together, looking around the dark room frantically. There's no one in the room with him and the empty train was moving throughout the dark night.

"Guy...Guy," a whisper slithered into Guy's ears, making him shiver in the dark.

Guy whipped his head while examing the dark dining room frantically. "Who's there? Who said that?"

"Over here, Guy--over here," the whisper continued to call Guy but it came from the kitchen.

Guy's breathing trembled while he slowly and carefully strolled towards the kitchen. He entered the kitchen, noticing that the kitchen was darker than the dining room. He noticed a mirror that reflected his appearance. He stared at himself in the mirror, noticing that his eyes looked weary as if he hadn't got any sleep. 

His eyes bulged out suddenly to notice the hooded figure creeping up behind him. He immediately turned around to find no one was behind him. Guy sighed slightly in relief and faced back to the mirror to see his reflection again but this time, it's not his reflection. It's a reflection of the shadowy hooded creep just staring back at him, causing him to gasp in fear. Before Guy could make a run for it, the shadow grabbed Guy by the scruff of fur on his chest and thrusted him through the mirror. Guy shrieked as he fell through the dark and endless void. He collided into the harsh ground with a thud.

"Ugh...what's happening?" Guy groaned in pain while looking around the dark place. He's on the train again but...it's mangled with thick branches stabbing through the train, letting it appear as a dark hollow forest. He stood up slowly, his breathing became rapid. His heartbeat thumped harder in his chest while he warily wandered through the disorientated dimension.

"Alright...where am I?" Guy questioned himself, not understanding what's happening. He heard a screeching sound from behind. He jumped and turned quickly to the noise. Something lurked in the shadows, causing him to be frozen still. Someone unexpectedly grabbed his arm and shoved him behind the log.

"What the--?"

"Shh," Someone, who turned out to be Sam, shushed Guy while hiding near the log beside Guy. The shadow past them without noticing them hiding.

Guy scooched next to Sam. "Sam, what's going on? Where are we?"

Sam shook his head. "I can't tell you. Come on!"

Sam grabbed Guy by the hand and led him through the dark forest, raising some more questions for Guy.

"Sam, where are you taking me?"

"I can't tell you that."

Guy growled in frustration. "Well, can you tell me something? Preferably anything?"

"No. We're almost there."

"Where?"

Sam and Guy reached the exit to the train, where he witnessed Michellee struggling to open the door while E.B rubbed her hands together anxiously while eagerly waiting.

"Michellee? E.B?" Guy gasped quietly, but it's loud enough for both E.B. and Michellee to hear him.

Michellee quickly turned around to face both Guy and Sam. "Guy! Sam! Help us get out of here!!"

"Of course!" Guy implied while helping Michellee without hesitation to open the door.

They heard a gun cocking behind them, causing the group to face the hooded man. Sam was immediately apprehended and separated from the group by the chains that came out of nowhere while the shadows took both Michellee and E.B. hostage. Guy glanced up at the handgun pointed at his forehead with his heart racing and his gaze trembling. He shifted his focus on the hooded figure, with darkness covering the face of the killer.

"Make your choice, Guy," The figure spoke in a deep hollow voice.

"W-What?" Guy stuttered, his lips quivering.

The figure lowered his weapon and shifted the aim at Sam's chest. "Choose...his life. Or."--the figure moved his gun over at Michellee and E.B, causing the girls to whimper with fear--"Theirs."

Guy shook his head, refusing to make his choice with the tears edging out of his eyes. "No! I'm not playing this game--!"

"This is not a game, Guy. This is your choice."

"This is not my choice! I love them all the same!" Guy cried angrily, his fist clenched. "Let them all go! Now!"

"It's okay...Guy," Sam uttered with a soft smile, catching Guy's attention. "This is what he wanted."

"Who, Sam?! Who?!" Guy yelled, glaring back at the hooded man. "Him?!"

There's a brief silence while the figure exhaled deeply. "You have five seconds to choose."

Guy gasped while shaking his head. "What?! No!!"

"Five."

Guy was about to charge towards the hooded man until chains came out of nowhere to hold him back. "Stop this!!"

"Four!"

"No, No!"

"Three."

"Take me, please! Take me!"

"Two!"

"Did you not hear me?! I said take me!"

"One!" the figure finished his countdown while aiming the gun at Sam.

"No, take me---!"

The figure pulled the trigger and the bullet crashed into Sam's chest. Sam collapsed on the floor, dead.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!" Guy cried out, struggling to get out of his bonds. "Stop this! Stop!"

The figure didn't listen to Guy while he pointed his gun at both Michellee and E.B. Michellee hugged her daughter tightly to protect her.

"Stop! No!"

The figure shot Michellee in the head, causing Michellee to fall away from her daughter. E.B. had her tears streaming down on her cheeks.

"Mom!!!" E.B cried out, her voice strained from screaming. She tried to wake her mom back up. "Mom! Mom, wake up!" She felt something cold on top of her forehead.

Guy narrowed his brows while shaking his head. "Don't you dare touch that child! Don't you--!"

The figure shot E.B in the forehead, pushing her against the wall lifelessly.

Guy's heart shattered into a million pieces, his mouth dropped open agape. "NOOOO! YOU HEARTLESS MONSTER!!!"

Guy's throat began to dry, letting out his tears. Tears were streaming down on his cheeks endlessly while he gave up struggling out of his bonds. His wrists and ankles rested on the chains, his body leaning against the wall.

"You...heartless...monster," Guy uttered tearfully, hearing the gun cocking again. He looked up at the figure aiming the handgun at him this time. He glared at the figure through the tears in his eyes.

Without hesitation, the figure pulled the trigger.

Reality:

Guy gasped awake, waking back to reality in the middle of the night. He immediately noticed Michellee resting her head on his chest while sleeping deeply and still alive. Guy sighed in relief while rubbing her head. But the thought about that horrifying nightmare brought him back to tension.

Guy became deep in thought about that certain dream. What if that had been real? What if it will become a reality? What if he had to make a choice between his best friend or the love of his life and her daughter? Was there any way he can prevent his family from dying by that assassin? Well, the assassin was dead...he won't be coming back to life. Unless I spoke too soon.

Guy shook his head, needing to clear his head. He carefully scooched off of the bed to not wake Michellee. He gently tucked her in and quietly strolled out of the room. He gently closed the door behind him and strolled down the hallway where he noticed the room next to his was left open. He peeked in there to notice Sam snoring silently in his bed but E.B wasn't there. Guy raised his brow and entered the dining area, where there's only one candlelight lit up on the table in the center of the room where E.B. was sitting at. In front of her was a plate of green eggs and ham, but she hasn't touched it.

Guy softened his gaze at her and approached her at the center table. "Hey."

E.B. noticed Guy sitting across from her. "Hey, Guy."

"Whatcha doing up in the middle of the night?"

E.B. sighed deeply while she rubbed her arm nervously. "It's childish."

"Childish? What do you mean?"

E.B. gazed up at Guy, her eyes trembling. "It's childish to have nightmares."

Guy raised his brow. "Having nightmares is childish?"

E.B. nodded her head. "Yeah, I-I thought I was old enough to not have nightmares. Yet, I just have one."

Guy tilted his head in confusion. "Who told you that nightmares are childish?"

"Jenny Taylor...from my school."

"Is she your teacher or...?"

"She's the same age as me...she said that if anyone had nightmares, they are just childish."

"What does she know about having nightmares?"

"She...seemed to know a lot."

Guy placed his hand on E.B's arm gently. "Know a lot about what?"

E.B. frowned while staring at her plate. "I-I've been wanting to ask Mom this but I'm afraid she wouldn't want to talk about it."

Guy scooched his chair next to E.B. with a soft smile. "I'm here if you ever need someone to talk to."

"Yeah, but you barely know a thing about my dad."

Guy lost his smile while gazing down on the ground, remembering what Michellee told him about her husband.

"You probably wouldn't understand," E.B uttered sorrowfully.

Guy regained his smile while moving his hand up on E.B's shoulder. "Try me."

"Try you?"

Guy nodded his head gently. "I'll decide whether I understand or not."

E.B. rubbed her arm bashfully again. "Jenny said that...the reason why my dad died of a horrible car accident because he's trying to run away from my mom and me."

Guy growled a bit but not intentionally at the child. "If that were the case, then he would be an idiot for running away from a beautiful family he had."

She raised her brow. "How-How would you know?"

He cornered a smile at her. "Because I sure wouldn't if I was in your father's shoes."

She smiled at the response but there's something troubling her still. "Then...do you know why my father would be in a car accident?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "There could be a million reasons why he got into a car accident. Some random guy might have rear-ended him--or flipped his car over...I don't know really much about what happened to your father. Based on what I heard from your mother is that he's a great man. And a great man wouldn't do something idiotic like that--including leaving his wonderful family behind."

There's a cute twinkle in E.B's eyes when she looked up to Guy with awe.

Guy raised his brow. "What?"

"Where have you been all my life?"

"What do you mean?"

She chuckled nervously. "Well...I tried ignoring her as some teachers asked me to...but she kept pursuing me and telling me that...well, I'm stupid and childish and she knows better than me. I never told anyone what she told me and if I asked my mom about my real dad...she wouldn't want to talk about it. And my teachers just sat there and watch me put up with her...I didn't know if what Jenny said about my dad is true and I-I would've believed it if it weren't for you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you actually brought me some hope that Jenny is wrong."

"Jenny is wrong. What does she know about your life? All she knew is her life and her life alone...do you consider the fact that maybe the reason why she bullied you like because her own father might abandon her as a young child?"

E.B. pondered for a moment. "I-I never thought of that."

"It's one of those possibilities." Guy shrugged his shoulders again. "And about those nightmares...I'll tell you a secret."

E.B. leaned closer to hear the secret.

"Everyone has nightmares," Guy whispered with a smirk.

"Really?"

"Of course, it's mostly the reason why I came here."

"You had a nightmare?"

"Yes."

"Ooh, what is it about?"

Guy hesitated while trying to shake the scary dream out of his brain. "It's too scary."

"Scary? How scary?"

"To the point where I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Hmph...yeah...I don't want to go back to sleep."

"Are you afraid to have those nightmares again?"

E.B. looked down at her feet gloomily. "Yeah."

Guy sighed deeply while about ready to get up from his seat. "Well, I got to go back to bed...otherwise I'll get cranky in the morning. You should do the same if you don't want to be grouchy."

E.B. yawned a bit. "Aw, okay."

Guy nodded his head in farewell and stood up from his seat. "Well, goodnight--"

Guy was interrupted by E.B grasping his hand.

"Is it okay...if I sleep with you and Mom? Just for one night."

Guy softly smiled at the young child, "Sure."

Guy picked her up and carried her through the dining area, leaving the plate of green eggs and ham behind.

Terrance saw the whole thing with a gentle smile on his face. He picked up the mess and blew out the light to darken the room.

~.~

The morning sun beamed through the window into the room. Guy opened his eyes slightly to notice Sam snoring quietly on top of him.

Wait for a moment, how did he--? Oh wait, I think I know. I recalled last night that Sam wanted to join Guy, Michellee, and E.B in the 'Family Snuggle' and Guy let him.

Guy sighed while he shifted his glance at E.B, who's holding loosely onto Sam's arm while Michellee had her arm over her daughter. He smiled at them and sighed to relax. Sam rolled on top of him like a cat and curled himself up into a ball. Guy groaned irritably.

"Sam, you're squeezing my gut," Guy growled a bit but Sam ignored Guy's words.

Sam moaned quietly while frowning. "M-Mom...Mom."

Guy raised his brows with a gasp. "Sam?"

Sam moaned again while snuggling against Guy's chest and sniffling. "Mom...please don't leave me...Please don't leave me again."

Guy picked up Sam and immediately left the room. He carried Sam into the room next to the room they slept in and placed him on the bed.

"Mom...please, don't leave me."

"Sam!" Guy called, shaking Sam's shoulders to wake him up. "Sam! You're dreaming! Wake up!"

"Mom...Guy...What's going on...? Guy, don't...don't do this."

"Sam! Sam, wake up!" Guy shouted while shaking Sam harder.

Sam moaned again but this time he's blinking his eyes open. "W-What?"

"Sam, come on, you're dreaming!"

"Huh?!" Sam suddenly snapped his eyes open to find Guy waking him up. Sam widened his eyes in shock. "Guy?! You're alive!"

Sam leaped up to Guy and hugged him tightly, knocking both of them over on the floor.

"Whoa, Sam, calm down--!"

"I'm so glad you're alive!"

"Sam...I've been alive this whole time."

Sam sighed deeply to relax and backed away from Guy. "Sorry...I-well, it's nothing."

Guy sat up to make level eye-contact with Sam. "Sam."

Sam frowned while rubbing his arm bashfully. "I saw my mom...and you. And...Mom was so happy to see me...and you were just watching...but that's until...The Ghost shot her in the chest...right in front of me--"

Guy noticed tears coming out of Sam's eyes and pulled the short boy into his embrace. "It's okay, Sam...it's okay."

Sam nuzzled up against Guy's chest. "You fought him after my mom was shot...and...and...you've been slaughtered."

"Oh, Sam...you know that the dream wasn't real--"

"I know...but it felt so real."

Guy hugged Sam tighter, rubbing the back of his head gently. Sam didn't want to let go and Guy wouldn't blame him at all. He heard footsteps coming towards the next room. Guy glanced up to noticed Michellee and E.B. staring at both of them.

E.B. bulged her eyes out while rushing by Sam. "Are you okay, Sam?"

Both Sam and Guy dispersed from one another as Sam smiled weakly at E.B.

"Everything is fine...let's get some breakfast," Sam responded while trying to evade the subject about that nightmare he had by guiding E.B. out of the room. Michellee softly gazed at Guy, who nodded his head to her to assure her that everything was okay. Guy stood up and strolled out of the room with Michellee trailing behind him.

~.~

The dining area got crowded with busy people buzzing their conversations about anything. Guy, Michellee, Sam, and E.B sat on the table near the window with Guy sitting next to Michellee and Sam sitting next to E.B. E.B stared out of the window, noticing that the train was passing through the canyon.

"So...how much longer will it take to get to East Flurbia?" E.B. inquired in the group, igniting the conversation.

Guy pondered for a moment. "Well, according to Terrance, he said that it will only take a few days to get to East Flurbia."

"Just getting closer to my mother." Sam sighed while staring up at the blue sky. "I wonder if...she's...if she's going to be happy to see me."

Michellee had the puzzled look on her face while softly gazing at Sam. "Of course, she'll be more than happy to see you."

"But...what if she didn't want me at all...?" Sam uttered his question, his lips trembling a bit.

Guy shook his head. "Nonsense."

E.B. put her hand on Sam's shoulder with a soft smile. "She would be an idiot for not wanting her son back."

Sam bulged his eyes in shock while Michellee and Guy gasped.

"Elanbeth! Where did you hear that word?!" Michellee scolded her daughter.

E.B. went silent immediately, causing the silence to emerge in the group. Guy just remembered that he said that word in front of her last night while resting his head on his hands in discouragement. He threw his head back to look at Sam.

"What E.B was trying to say is, Sam," Guy interpreted, skipping the subject. "Seeing that her son came all this way just to find her, she would be---"

"An idiot." E.B. filled in the dots.

"Insane," Guy continued, flicking a withering glare at E.B. "If she was mad at you for coming after her. Basically out of her mind."

"Oh, it's fine. I...I, um, yeah." Sam couldn't utter the words while rubbing his arm nervously.

Michellee plastered a grin to skip the subject. "Anyhow...what shall we be eating today?"

"Good question." Sam immediately hopped into the bandwagon with Michellee.

Guy nodded while clearing his throat. "Yep...hmm."

After a brief pause, E.B continued, "I mean for her to--"

Guy interrupted her by giving her a withering glare. E.B silenced herself, understanding that there's no need to stay in that one subject. She browsed through her menu.

Terrance walked over to their table with a small booklet and pen. "So, how's my favorite group doing?"

Michellee giggled at Terrance's question. "Favorite group? Why are we your favorite group?"

"Well, let's just say I like talking to you guys more than I would like to most other people," Terrance explained with a smirk. "So, may I take your order?"

E.B raised her small hand slightly and nervously. "Can I have green eggs and ham? I know I barely ate mine last night--"

"Consider it free," Terrance interrupted with a wink at E.B.

Sam tilted his head with an ecstatic smile. "Can we get ours for free too?!"

"No! You all will have pay except for E.B," Terrance answered seriously.

There's a brief awkward silence, while Terrance cornered a teasing smirk at them.

"Just kidding, you guys can get free food," Terrance joked, causing the group to chuckle.

"Woohoo! Free green eggs and ham!!" Sam hooted with a cheerful smile.

"Shh, not so loud," Terrance whispered while containing his contagious smile. "This is only for today."

"Okay!" Sam chirped while browsing through the menu.

"I...assume you all want green eggs and ham," Terrance came up with the assumption.

"Actually, can I have a salad?" Michellee ordered politely with a smile.

Terrance nodded his head. "Of course."

Terrance strode off to get their meals. Out of the corner of Guy's eye, he noticed his old worn-out brown hat perching on top of the counter in the opened kitchen. Terrance subconsciously shut it behind him when he entered the kitchen, letting Guy raising his brow. But, his suspicion immediately subsided when Sam cleared his throat.

"So...what are we going to do while we're on the train?" Sam ignited the conversation.

E.B. gasped as if she had a light bulb lit inside of her brain. "I've never been in the bar cart!"

"Bar cart?" Guy asked, raising his brow.

"Yeah! They have these super long ladders and slides!"

"Slides and Long Ladders!" Sam dramatically awed with his agape grin stretching from ear to ear.

"Yeah! We should try it!" E.B. smiled giddily at Sam.

Michellee shook her head. "E.B, you know that those kinds of things could be dangerous. You could fall, break your bone--"

Guy scooched closer to Michellee with a gentle sigh. "Honey, honey, let the kids have fun."

"I'm not a kid," Sam uttered a bit, raising his brow. Guy silenced himself while losing his smile

E.B relaxed her eyelids. "In all fairness, you do act like a kid."

"Touche." Sam pondered for a moment. "I guess--well, nevermind."

"Well, they could fall and get hurt or--"

"They have pillows on the floor...I'm sure we'll land on the soft and comfy floor," Sam assured Michellee.

"And they have slides!!!!" E.B. chirped excitedly, causing the group to chuckle.

"But--"

"It's going to be okay, Michellee," Guy insured Michellee with a gentle smile still on his face. "Sam is a 'responsible' adult. He'll make sure that E.B. won't get hurt."

"Yeah, of course!" Sam assured with confidence.

There's a pause for a while until Michellee sighed and smiled. "Alright, but we'll be watching you both."

E.B. widened her ecstatic grin. "YES!!!"

"Woot! Woot!" Sam cheered along with E.B.

"Alright, you two, don't get too excited. We still have to eat first."

Guy noticed Terrance approaching them with the tray of their food. "Speak of the devil."

Terrance stopped at their table and handed them their food. "Alright, three green eggs and ham and a salad."

"Thank you, Terrance," Guy replied with a smile.

"No problem. Enjoy your food."

"We sure will!" Sam squeaked with a hungry gaze at his food.

To Be Continued...