If We Wake Tomorrow: A Newtmas Fanfic

Part 16

(So I'm switching to first person for an experiment and it's also just easier for me. Tell me what you think in the comments!) Please go check out my friend flitwcks new Dramione fanfic! It's really good and you won't regret it!!! Thanks xx

We prepared for the rest of the day; turning sheets into packs, shoving for into them and filling bottles upon bottles of water. Tommy and I stuck close together when we could, but bloody Alby kept sending me off to do all sorts of odd jobs. Alby had been leading with a particularly firm hand lately - I think that the tattoo on Minho's shoulder was really getting to him.

All of us remaining gladers - and Aris - set our alarms for 5:00 am, just to make sure we wouldn't be late for the flat trans. I spent the night in the bed below Alby at his request.

In the morning we went through the flat trans: Alby first, then Thomas and the other gladers, then Aris and me and Minho. It was a strange sensation to go through the flat trans. Like walking through a sheet of icy water and appearing dry on the other side. I'd wanted to be near Thomas when we went through but - at Alby's request once again - I'd gone at the back with Minho.

I stepped through the flat trans and into totally darkness. I stumbled into someone's back - Aris.

Minho fell through onto me, yelping in surprise.

Alby shouted something through gladers loud, chattering voices that I couldn't make out.

Everyone was scrambling around, shouting in panic and crying out as they were hit in the face by a flailing arm.

"Oi!" Alby screamed, and everyone shut up immediately. "You through, Minho?"

"Yeah! But I can't see anything!"

"No one can. Count off, shuck-faces! One!"

Silence. Is that supposed to be Tommy?

Silence. Tommy?

Silence. THOMAS?

"Two!" shouted Tommy hurriedly, and I breathed out a sigh of relief, smiling slightly. I heard Alby hit him - not hard - over the head.

"Stay focused," Alby said.

"Sorry," Thomas muttered.

"Three!"

"Four!"

The counting off continued until Minho had shouted the final, "21!" after my "20!".

"Ok shanks, - calmly - line up," said Alby. I moved back carefully, hands touching the walls on either side of me, so that Aris had room to stand up in front of me. I stopped when I bumped into Minho's chest. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm bloody alright. You?"

"I'm fine," he said.

We walked blindly in silence for what seemed like hours, the only noise shuffling feet and labouring breaths.

"Go back now," a voice whispered, so deep and soft and quiet I ignored it because I thought it was in my head.

"Go back now," it hissed again, but this time I heard hesitating feet in front of me. Throat-constricting fear started to rise in me.

"Did anyone else hear that?" asked Tommy.

"GO BACK NOW!" shout-whispered the voice, and scared chatter rose from the gladers.

"Everyone stop!" said Alby. "Should we go back?" he asked, sounding unsure for the first time in... forever.