Even though he blacked out during the fall, he was wide awake for the impact. Tyler landed on his back, which cracked against the large, smooth stones when he hit.

He sucked in a strangled gasp of breath, a dull throbbing shooting through his body whenever he tried to move. None of his bones felt broken, from what he could tell, but the pain was enough to stun him in place, unable to move or speak at all.

The sound of hooves came from somewhere to his left, but Tyler was too hurt to move his head and look who was there. A face appeared in front of his, a hand making its way around his neck.

The Bishop pulled him off ground and to his feet by his throat, a shudder jolting Tyler back to life. He started screaming, scratching at the Bishop's arm and kicking his legs to be let down.

"The more you fight, the worse it'll be," the Bishop crowed. "I'm a melter, you know what melters do to people they touch, even in dreams."

Tyler made out a black and white zig zag pattern on the triangle shaped patch of his arm. "A-Andre," he choked out, still squirming. "I thought you never left the Bishop's Circle."

"I don't. I'm not here," Andre said. Even though Tyler couldn't see his face, it wouldn't surprise him if he was grinning like a madman. "Sacarver sends her kindest regards."

"Let me go!" He cried out. Tyler reached his free hand into his waistband, hoping he didn't lose it in the fall.

Andre chuckled, his stained black hand lifting him higher and tightening his grip on his throat just enough to cut his air off, making Tyler squirm even more. His feet couldn't touch the ground anymore.

"I'll be seeing you soon," he cooed, letting go Tyler completely, his limp body hitting the ground. "Just remember what's real and what's not. I'm not the only voice inside your head."

Tyler drew in a long breath and got a grip on the knife, slashing at Andre's ankles. Surprisingly? The blade sliced through him without resistance. It took him too long to realize that he truly wasn't there- it wasn't even real. He was asleep.

Just like that, the Bishop turned to smoke.

Tyler's vision went hazy, and when he opened his eyes- he didn't even remember closing them- he was back on the ground, face up in the cold rushing water of the ravine again.

He shot up in a gasp. Water rushed down his spine, making him shake intensely. "Ahhhhh..." Tyler let out a hiss of air and touched his lips to find blood.

After a moment of gathering his strength, he stumbled to his feet and looked around, finding himself in the same place as where he woke up in his dream. His back stung, and his head was pounding, but he forced himself to start walking. He followed the same path as before, down where the water turned into a trickle, where the yellow flowers he saw everywhere grew like weeds. They were even more beautiful in person, much like Josh.

The thought of Josh made his chest ache. He had to remind himself they'd meet again, hopefully soon.

"Hello!" Tyler shouted again, his body feeling weaker and weaker with each step.

He ate the rest of the now-soggy granola bar and lied down flat in the middle of the stream, the water soothing his bruised, tender back. Exhaustion was beginning to set in just as the sun started to rise, and he couldn't keep his eyes open for very long, a low buzzing in the back of his head replacing his thoughts. Tyler didn't want to fall asleep, for fear of the Bishop returning.

By the time any semblance of life appeared in the form of growing shadows from nearby caves, Tyler's legs couldn't carry him any farther down the ravine, and he hit the ground just as the sun reached above the horizon. Even if he wanted to talk or move, he probably couldn't. His limbs had gone stone stiff, and his tongue felt too big for his mouth.

Three blurry figures appeared in his line of vision, one of them grabbing at his jacket. "He's one of us," a disembodied female voice said. "Quick, help me get him up to Jason."

Someone hauled him up by his arms, half dragging half carrying him to an offset cave near the top of the cliff. He groaned, feeling warm blood spilling from his mouth onto the shoulder of whoever was carrying him. Another person shouted out for someone named Spooks, and Tyler was set on the cold rock floor of the cave.

"Buddy, can you hear me?" The woman's voice returned. "My name's Rose. We're going to help you, okay? This is going to hurt, but we're going to need you to stay awake. Can you nod for me?"

Tyler nodded just slightly, but it was enough for the woman. She pressed her palm against his forehead, her cold skin making him shudder. "Jesus, he got infected by a melter. Where the hell is Jason? This kid won't last long without an antidote."

He could vaguely see a tall, thin boy waddle in from deeper inside the cave, carrying two large knapsacks.  The woman- Rose- grabbed him and pulled him to the ground.

"Jason Alexander Statham, where in the fuck have you been? This kid could die," she scolded.

"Chill out, Rose," Jason said in a smooth, lilted voice. "I was redressing Josh's burns."

"Josh?"

Tyler could barely get out the word, but a dose of adrenaline surged through him, enough to get him to sit up with help from Rose and Jason. Rose pressed her hand on the small of his back, helping him stay up when his energy ran out just as fast as it came.

"Hey, hey, steady now," she whispered, gently taking hold of his chin. "Have we met? You look familiar."

"R... ravine," he mumbled. "Josh... Bishop?"

Despite his vague and not at all helpful description of his first dream in Trench, she seemed to understand as her eyes widened and she looked down where Jason had come from.

"Jason, call me when you get him stable. I need to have a word with Josh."

She helped Tyler sit up against one of the stone walls and stood, walking into the darkest part of the cave. Jason sent Tyler a sly, not so reassuring grin.

"Welcome to Trench, pal."