The Fallen

Chapter 18

I stumble backwards. I suddenly can't breathe. I feel like I'm drowning. My head is spinning; so is the world around me. I stumble to the side, right into Newt. I guess I caught him a little off guard 'cause we both fall to the ground; I'm on top of him. I can't get off; I can't even move. I know Newt's talking to me, but everything is muffled. 'Why can't I hear anything?' I think. Newt finally pushes me off him, picking me up and carrying me to where ever the Medjacks work.
We walk into the Homestead, Minho following. I'm placed on a bed.
Then I black out.

The last thing I think is 'Not this again.'

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

I wake up in the same bed I did before. But this time, it's not only Newt who's around me. Minho, Frypan, Chuck and who I assume to me Alby, are standing around me.

"What happened?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Alby asks.

"I remember walking into the Homestead, Newt carrying me and Minho following, and being placed on the bed. Why?"

I then noticed someone else is in the room I hadn't noticed before. It's the boy with short, dark hair and brown eyes from my dream-or was it a memory? His name suddenly comes to me: Thomas. I stare at him. He doesn't meet my gaze.

Newt notices me staring at Thomas. He gets up and whispers in my ear. "That's the newbie. The alarm went off while you were out. The box came only two weeks after you were out."

I look at him. "That's not normal, is it?"

Newt shakes his head then goes sit down again. I look back at Thomas. He finally looks up at me. I instantly feel a connection of some sort to this boy. I know I knew him before this, but I don't know how or why.

Marina? I jerk up in bed. I could've sworn I just heard a boys voice in my head. Marina? Can you hear me? I try to respond 'yes' but it doesn't work. I know I know that voice from somewhere. Then it hits me- it's Thomas. Thomas is talking to me in my head. 'What the hell?' I think. I look at Thomas. He winks.

"Uh... Can you guys leave me and Thomas alone for a minute?"

"How do you know his name?" Minho asks.

"Please." I says, pouting. I look at Newt.

"Guys, come on. Let's let them have some time." Newt walks out the door, the others slowing walking behind them.

I look at Thomas. He looks at me. We don't say anything for awhile, just kinda stare at each other. I slowly sit up in bed, sitting Indian style. I pat the bed. "Sit." Thomas slowly walks over to my bed and perches on the edge. "You know I don't have Ebola, right?" I laugh. 'Wait,' I think. 'What's Ebola?' I look at Thomas. His face is stern, staring out into space. I wave my hand in front of his face. He jerks back to life and turns his head to me.

"Sorry." He mumbles.

"Why're you apologizing?"

"I remember you."

"And I remember you," I say. "Haven't we already established that since you know my name?" He smiles slightly.

"So how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Oh, I don't know," I say sarcastically.
"Maybe talk to me without moving your mouth?"

"Oh, that," he says. "I'm not really sure. I just felt a connection and said your name inside my head and I guess you heard it."

"So can I talk to you like that?"

"I don't know." He admits.

"How do you do it?"

"I just think something and hit an imaginary SEND button."

"Can you do it right now?" I ask.

"I can try." He stares off into space again. Can you hear me? I hear Thomas's voice inside my head. I think yes and think of a send button. I hit it.

Marina! I can hear you! Thomas looks at me. His eyes are gleaming with joy.
"So we're the only ones who can do this?" I ask.

"I'm not sure," Thomas admits. "I've never tried with anyone else."

"Then how'd you know you could communicate this way with me?"

"I feel a connection," Thomas says, staring off into space again. "I just felt like... I don't know, exactly. I just felt like I knew you. So I said your name in my head and then felt a buzzing. And then I guess you heard me."

"Weird."

"Yeah," Thomas looks at me again. "You think we knew each other?" I give him a questioning look. "Like... You know, before this?"

"I know we did." I say, remembering my dream-vision, whatever it was. "I know I knew you before. I saw you before I left."

"Before you came up? You remember?"

"Not exactly remember," I say. I know Thomas was my best friend before this, maybe even more because he grabbed my hand before I came up. "I had a vision after I... Well, after I fell out of a tree."

"You fell out of a tree?" He laughs.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I say, glaring at him. "And it's not funny. I had a dream about it." I leave out the part about Newt. I'm not exactly sure I want Thomas knowing about me and Newt... Not yet, anyway.

So what do we do now? I hear Thomas ask.

Follow me. I reply. I get out of the hospital bed and walk out of the Homestead.

I find Newt shouting at Minho. I run over to them. I pull Newt away from Minho. "What's going on?"

Minho looks at me. "Your little boyfriend here got mad at me 'cause I said the newbie was gonna steal you from him." I smile a little. Newt glares at me. My smile quickly fades.

"You think that's bloody funny?" Newt asks me.

I look him right in the eye and lie. "Nope."

"So why were you smiling, then?"

"Because."

Newt glares at me. I glare back at him. Then I stick out my tougne and smile. I playfully punch him in the arm. "Calm down, Romeo. Thomas isn't going to me from you, are you?" I look at Thomas.

"I'm sorry, but what's going on here? This guy"-he points at Newt- "is your boyfriend?" I nod. "And this guy"-he points at Minho- "thinks I'm gonna steal you from him?" I nod again.

"Minho," I say. "Go find Chuck and have him show Thomas here around."

"Who made you Miss Commander?"

I bat my eyelashes at him. "Pleease?" I say in a little kid voice. Minho sighs and walks away. I turn to Thomas.

"Chuck'll show you around the place and answer most questions you have. Okay?"

Thomas just nods. "I'll find you at dinner." I say. Before Thomas can answer, I have Newt by the arm and am tugging him to the Deadheads.