The Twilight Zone

Chapter 15

Ellie could feel the tension in the air. Every particle, every molecule that created the fibers of the world paused.

Then the Scratch moved. It ran, leaving the three children-Amelie, Noah, and Ellie-utterly alone.

Ellie groped for Noah's hand and was surprised to see that he took it willingly. The silence was so prominent that you could hear a pin drop as Amelie shook and Ellie and Noah sat there, sinking into the rock. Ellie trembled, but was stunned to find that her hand fit almost perfectly in Noah's, like two pieces of a puzzle.

Amelie got up tentatively, beginning to make small steps to the field coated in red grass. Noah followed her, his fingers slipping out of Ellie's grasp.

They trodded over to the field covered in the pointy, red stuff and saw her sprawled there, arms open on her sides. Alex.

Noah covered Ellie's eyes with his left hand, but not before she saw the mangled body.

Her heart beat in her chest, and she could hear racking sobs coming from Amelie. The worst part was, Ellie couldn't help thinking;

At least it wasn't me. At least I'm still alive.

Amelie looked at Noah out of the corner of her eye. Noah dropped his hand away from Ellie's face and lifted Alex's head tenderly off of the ground. Amelie's hands lifted Alex's legs, and Ellie was forced to follow the other two in a bit of a trance.

They stopped in front of a lake full of tongues.

"They're awake."

Amelie and Noah began to swing Alex's body back and forth rhythmically. It took Ellie moments to realize what they were doing.

"No!"

With a sound like the wind rushing through the gales back at Burrow, the body that used to be their friend flew through the air.

"Bingo," Amelie whispered under her breath. They had landed Alex where the tongues gave way to a slimy, wet, red surface. It wasn't crowded.

"What did you-"

Noah looked over at Ellie's shocked expression.

"That's what we do with our dead. Alex-She's gone."

"I didn't think it would happen that fast..."

"David died the first week I came here. That's why I told you about the Scratch. Don't make dumb mistakes." He grasped her hand briefly. "We don't need to lose you too." With a turn, Noah continued after Amelie, trudging along as if nothing had happened.