The Twilight Zone

Chapter 21

 Amelie walked over to them after a bit of time.

"Noah! Ellie!" Her voice was shaking with cold as she called out. "Where are you guys?" Ellie pulled her head off of Noah's shoulder, keeping her hand intertwined in his.

"Over here!"

Amelie squinted at the two of them, her glasses magnifying her eyes tremendously. Both Noah and Ellie's glasses lay askew on the floor below them, not needed.

"What are you two-"

"What do you mean?" Noah got up and walked over to his sister.

"I mean-never mind." Amelie looked increasingly confused. Ellie stood and groped around in the dark for their glasses, wondering how in the world Noah could have walked over to Amelie without them. She threw hers on and went to tap Noah on the shoulder.

"Here."

"Thanks." He threw them on and looked between the two girls. "I should probably do something-I just don't know what. I feel like we should start walking again. Maybe we-"

"No, we should start to walk again."

"We need to be really careful." Amelie whispered the name as if saying it could bring him about. "The Scratch is still out there."

"Oh." Ellie was scared by the notion. Noah simply looked as if he wanted to club himself over the head every single time him or anyone else said the name. He got much more fidgety than normal, and somehow he seemed almost like a different person.

"Let's walk and hope we'll be fine."

"Yes." Ellie whispered her consent to Noah's idea.

When they began to walk again, Noah stayed far ahead. It troubled Ellie a bit, that he was keeping his distance after they had just been so close. Amelie looked almost eager that he was up ahead, for she seemed like she had a burning question to ask.

"Ellie, what were you and Noah doing?"

"I felt a little... overwhelmed, and he helped me. It wasn't a big deal, not really." Ellie knew it was, at least to her, but she was hoping it didn't look like she cared. Nonchalant.

"How did he help you, Ellie?"

"He-I don't know." She didn't like Amelie pressing on her, and was sure she would break anytime. She had never been good at this.

"What were you and my little brother doing in the cave? I'm asking one last time. What. Were. You. And. Noah. Doing?"

"We talked, but that was it."

Amelie raised one eyebrow.

"Really?"