The Fallen

Chapter 13

I go into Newt's room and sit on his bed. I think things over. 'Why was he being so mean to me?' I think to myself. I crawl under the covers, shivering. I curl into a ball, trying to keep myself warm. It's only four in the evening, but last night was tiring.

Newt told me last night that John had been put in the Slammer. "One of the rules is that you don't harm another Glader." He explained. "He broke one of the rules, so he gets put in the Slammer." I had felt relief flood through me.

Now, laying in Newt's bed, I realize that Gally should be in the Slammer, too. He hurt Newt and me. 'But why isn't he?' I thought to myself. 'Why isn't he?'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I dream of Newt. We are on our tree branch. We are talking, but I can't hear anything. I'm not seeing things through my own eyes. It's like I'm another person, looking at myself and Newt. Then the tree branch snaps. I scream; or try to. Nothing comes out of my mouth. I try to scream Newt's name, but I can't hear myself. I see us falling. I try to move, to catch us, but I can't move. I'm glued to the spot.

Then we hit the ground.

I see us, our hands intertwined. His eyes are open, staring into space. Same with mine. I can't breathe.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

My eyes snap open and I snap up into a sitting position. I gasp for air. I look over and see Newt sleeping. 'Thank God.' I think. He must've come in late since I don't remember him coming in.

I think of my dream. Does it mean something? Was that going to happen to us? I start crying, picturing Newt's eyes. They were super bright. I try to quiet my sobs. It doesn't work. My sobs fill the room. They wake up Newt. He just looks at me. Then he pulls me into a big hug. I cry against his bare shoulder.

"What's wrong, love?" He asks.

"I... had... a... bad... dream."

"What?" He says.

"You heard me."

"What was it about?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"What about me?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Come on, Marina." Newt pleads.

"I told you I don't wanna talk about it!"

"Okay, okay," Newt says. "I don't wanna have another argument."

"Argument? What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Fine. You're right. I do know what you're talking about."

"So why were you questioning me?"

"I dunno."

"So what was your dream?"

"We were sitting on the branch that we sat on the first day I was here, and it snapped and we fell and died."

"Why'd that get you upset?"

"We died!" I yell.

"Okay, calm down." I feel him sigh. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault I had a horrible dream." I say. I get up and walk over to the shirt Newt laid out for me. It's green. I slip off my blue one and slide on the green. I hear Newt get up. He opens his dresser, probably getting out a clean shirt. He walks over to me. He wraps his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Wanna work with me today?" He asks. I nod. He lets me go and heads for the door. Right when his hand is on the handle, I run over and hug him from behind, resting my head in the small of his back. I then walk in front of him and open the door, heading downstairs for breakfast.

I go down to the kitchen to find a dark skinned boy cooking bacon. Mmm. It smells so good. I walk up to him.

"Hi." I say.

He turns around. "Hey. You must be Marina."

"And you must be Frypan, the cook who made me a delicious bacon and cheese sandwich for me yesterday."

"Right you are." He turns back around and gets a couple pieces of bacon and puts them on a plate. He hands the plate to me. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." I say. I try to find a place to sit, but every table is full. I find a table with a young boy, probably twelve or thirteen, and sit down across from him. He's on the chunkier side, with curly brown hair.

"Hi." I say. The boy looks up. "I'm Marina." I say.

"Chuck." He replies. We eat in silence.

Just before I'm about to get up, Newt sits down next to me, five pieces of bacon on his plate. He must see me looking at his bacon because he says, "You can have a piece if you want." I look up.

"What? Oh, no. I'm just zoning out." I say.

"No. Seriously. Have a piece. I must look hungrier than I really am. Frypan normally only gives me three pieces."

I take a piece of of his plate and devour it in two bites.

"You're a pig." Newt says, laughing. "Want some water?" I nod. He gets up and goes over to Frypan.

Chuck mumbles something. I look at him. "Huh?"

He mumbles it again. "What?"

"I said: Newt totally has a crush on you." He says, looking up at me.

"No he doesn't."

"Yes he does. He stares at you all the time. And he offered you some of his bacon. He never offers anyone any of his food off his plate."

"That doesn't mean he likes me. Maybe he's just not that hungry." I say. I pick up another piece of bacon off Newt's plate.

I think about what Chuck just said. 'Does Newt really like me?' I think to myself.

Newt sits back down next to me, a glass of water in his hand. He hands it to me. "Drink up." I tilt the glass up to my mouth, swallowing it in big gulps. Newt finishes his bacon; the three pieces that were remaining.

Then he stands up. "Ready to start working?"

"Yup." I say. I turn to Chuck. "See ya!"

"Bye!" He waves.

I follow Newt out of the Homestead. "Where are we going?" I ask Newt.

"I usually work in the Gardens."

"Cool." I say. I walk behind him. I notice that he has a limp. 'How come I never noticed it before?' I think to myself. "Why do you have a limp?" I ask him.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." He says.