Uh... Hey guys. Jeez, it's been a while. I have no idea why it took so long, and I don't have an excuse. I got sidetracked a lot. But regardless, I am happy to say that Chapter one is finally here. It's a little rough around the edges, and to be honest I'm probably gonna make some changes here and there before I move onto the next chapter, this is pretty much just a "Hey guys, don't worry I'm still alive!" kinda thing. Anyway, I'm sure you would rather actually start reading then read about me rambling on and on. So, here you guys go!
Okay, last little bit, There might be some plot holes between this and the original series, and if you spot them, it would be great if you could either pm me about them or write a review. I have waaaay too many books to read right now, and I haven't gotten around to re-reading the original series. And, of course: Constructive Criticism is both needed and appreciated.
Gregor had only just gotten back to the Overland with the rest of his family, they had started packing almost immediately. He had argued with his mother of course, but she held her ground. They left in the morning, bound for Virginia, to live with his Uncle.
At thirteen he went to doctors office after he blacked out and started screaming in the middle of school, he saw things from the Underland, the battles, the death. The doctor said that it was PTSD; The kind you only see in soldiers, but that's what he was now... a soldier. His friend, Raven, he understood. He didn't mock him for it, he didn't ask about it. He just understood. Gregor never knew why and didn't want to know.
He didn't sleep much, a few hours a week if he was lucky. At night he would climb up onto the roof. He saw things in the forest, things moving just behind the tree line. Red eyes staring at him from the shadows. On more than one occasion, he dared to venture into the forest and found nothing. He chalked it up to his overactive imagination.
He didn't want to live in this hell, he belonged with other warriors, people that understood, people that had gone through the same as him. All he wanted was to go back to the Underland, to the only place he ever belonged, to where his friends were... all he wanted was to go home.
Gregor woke up in a cold sweat, something reasonable on the rare occasion that he slept. It was early, only three in the morning. He knew that he wasn't going back to sleep, and even if he did, he didn't want to revisit that nightmare. He slowly sat up, his sore muscles screamed in protest. He had taken another beating from Shaun yesterday, Gregor bumped into him, so naturally, Shaun shoved him down and kicked him till he bled.
He didn't feel any of it though, he didn't feel anything these days. Everything was just an endless void of pain and suffering, anything else paled in comparison. So he did what he always did… he bundled up all his weakness and pain and threw it out the metaphorical window. In seconds all his pain vanished, he stood and stumbled out of his room. Upon reaching the bathroom he quickly stripped down and stepped into the shower, not even letting the water warm before beginning to scrub down his body.
A few minutes later he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist, he glanced up at the mirror and was unable to tear his eyes away from it. The crisscrossing lines of scars scissored across his body, wrapping around his arms and legs, and the long while gashes along his chest were a permanent reminder that all of it was real. As much as his mother tried to bury the memory, it always dug itself back up.
The honking of a horn tore Gregor from his reverie. He quickly went back to his room and threw on some clothes, he picked up his backpack and walked out the door. An old run down truck was parked in his driveway. The window rolled down and Raven poked his head out.
"Bout effin time!" He teased. "Been waiting for twenty minutes!"
Raven was a few years older than Gregor, at eighteen. The guy was a runner, six foot five, packed with lean muscle, with strong legs that could kick a hole in a brick wall. He was also a musician. Gregor could see the neck of his guitar poking out behind the seats.
"Are we going to skip school and hang out in your driveway all day, or are you gonna get in the car?" Raven asked. Gregor snapped back into the world and rolled his eyes.
"Like you have much to say, you think I don't notice you staring off into space every day," Gregor replied.
"Oh buzz off." Raven waved him over.
Gregor walked over to the passenger door and got in. Twenty minutes later they were pulling into the school parking lot.
"I think the guys are in the band room," Raven said as they got their stuff from the trunk. "You wanna meet them there or got hang around campus?" He asked.
"I dunno… what do you wanna do?" Gregor replied.
"Band room it is then." Raven slung his guitar over his shoulder and started walking off towards the High School building.
They walked through the band room doors a few minutes later and were greeted by several of Ravens friends. Jordie, and Al screwing around with a bunch of instruments, forgetting that they had no talent between them.
"For the love of Apollo knock it!" Raven shouted over the racket. "In all my life, I have never heard anything that made me want to put a bullet in my head more than that."
"Fine then, Mr. Musician, play for us, show us savages how music is to be played." Al teased.
"A chance to brag about my talent, how could I possibly pass that up!" Raven said and took his guitar from his back. "What do you guys want me to play?" He asked.
"Who cares?" Al said. "Just play something for god's sake."
"Alright then." Raven strummed a few cords on his guitar and started to play.
I just need some time, I'm tryna think straight
I just need a moment in my own space
Ask me how I'm doin', I'll say "okay, " yeah
But ain't that what we all say?
Sometimes I think back to the old days
In the pointless conversations with the old me
Yeah, back when my momma used to hold me
I wish somebody woulda told me
If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
If you want love, if you want love
Yeah, as a kid I used to think life
Is moving so slow, I watch it go by
Look out the window on my bus ride
I thought the world was so small, through my closed eyes
I've always tried to control things
In the end that's what controls me
Maybe that's why I'm controllin'
I wish somebody woulda told me
If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
If you want love, if you want love
The older I get, I feel like I'm always tryna save time
Talkin' to the voices in my head, they make me think twice
Tellin' me it doesn't mean it's wrong because it feels right
I'm scared that one day I wake up and wonder where the time go
Talk about the past like it's the present while I rock slow
I'll sit in the living room and laugh with kids of my own
And tell 'em
If you want love, you gon' have to go through the pain
I wish you woulda told me
If you want love, you gon' have to learn how to change
I wish somebody woulda told me
If you want trust, you gon' have to give some away
You gon' have to give
If you want love, if you want love
If you want love, if you want love
"That is how you play music you uncultured swine," Raven said, laughing at the grins on everyone's faces.
"That's our guy." Jordie started. "He might be a total dick, but when it comes to music, there isn't anyone that can do it better."
"Aye." Al agreed.
Raven glanced over to Gregor and saw the light glare off wet streaks running down his face… tears. The other guys followed suit, looking over at Gregor.
"Hey, you alright man?" Jordie asked and reached out to place a hand on Gregor's shoulder. In an instant, all he felt was anger. The song, it made him feel again. Memories broke free, floating to the surface of his mind. One name, one damn name, broke him. Emotions that he had been suppressing re-emerged.
He caught Jordie's hand, and twisted his arm, he spun around and landed on his back. "Don't fucking touch me." He snarled. Gregor let go of his arm and slipped out of the room. He walked through the halls, eventually ending up under a tree a little ways away from the school building. He was clutching his legs, his head pressed against his knees.
He heard steps coming up towards the tree, he could see Raven, a slight frown on his face, walking towards him.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asked and sat down next to Gregor.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," He grumbled.
"Tell me the parts that I would believe then," Raven said. "It helps to talk about this stuff, I know from experience."
"...There was this girl I met in New York," He said. "We hated each other at first, we could barely be in the same room without slinging insults. After a few months, we could tolerate each other, and a few months after that we were friends." Gregor took a deep breath. "Then…" He felt more tears dripping down his cheeks.
"You fell in love with her." Raven finished. "But you had to leave."
Gregor nodded and wiped the tears off his face.
"C'mon, let's take a walk." He said and stood. Gregor followed a few moments later. "I want you to know that if you tell me something, I'm not gonna go blab it all to someone else, what's between us stays between us." Raven rested his hand on Gregor's shoulder, his touch was so soft it could have been that of a ghost. And for once, Gregor didn't flinch away.
Slowly, he reached out his hand. "We're a lot alike, and to me, you're like the brother I never had..." Raven said.
A small smile curved on his lips. "Yeah… Brothers." He took Raven's hand, and for once… the world didn't seem so dark.