The silhouette of a water droplet splashed into the docile body of water. The ripple distorting the shadows around the chasm. Newt stood from his position on the side of the shadow lake. The path had led him here, but the lake stood in the way of the path. Unlike his usual self, Newt took a step forward into the unknown liquid substance. Taking him by surprise as his foot stepped on something solid. Glancing down, he noticed a wooden plank that had not been there a moment ago. As he continued to tread across the lake, plank by plank formed under his feet. Stable, yet broken. They brought the only color, a dark tainted brown, into the abyss and faded away after Newt moved across them. The path remained, surrounded by writhing shadows of trees, and a silver gilded path to walk upon. Aimlessly, Newt clambered through the path stumbling across another end leading into a field of darkness. In the midst of the field stood a tree with vibrant leaves, the bark breathing air and color into the hollow plane. Newt steadied his pace, making straight for the tree. A figure caught his eye however, stopping he watched. The figure crouched to the ground, hand to its heart. Something changed though. The figure did not make an effort to look up. Instead, it lifted up its hand to Newt as three other figures approached, two figures, a man, and a women, walked in front of the crouching figure. A third figure, another man. Stood in front of the two figures and lifted up its finger, pointing directly at the couple.
"No..." Newt whimpered, though, his words would not carry through the plane. The man figure facing the couple then turned, looked at Newt and pointed towards his leg then collapsed into the abyss followed by an agonizing screech. Then they all were gone and the big tree that once stood slowly lost its vibrance, twisted and writhed until all the color and beauty it bestowed disappeared and all that remained was the horror of what little was alive within it.
"Newt." a voice came through the world. "Newt honey?" whispering followed, "Newt?"
"Huh..." Newt finally managed to get out.
"Come on honey, you're gonna be late for school if you don't get up now. You should be glad I didn't have to go into work today." His mom moved to the curtains and opened them, choosing a random pair of clothing for her darling son and throwing them onto the bed. "Get up. You bum..." Then she walked out the of the room. With a grunt, Newt shook his head. Combing his fingers through his bed hair, catching a knot.
"Ow..." he mumbled, sleepily. Standing up and stripping his pajama bottoms for the skinny jeans his mom picked out. Glaring at the green shirt that read 'Legend of Zelda' with a Triforce symbol beneath it. Stumbling to his dresser he grabbed a plain white shirt. Placing it over his head and leaving the zelda shirt on the bed. "Not trying to be that nerdy today..." Rushing to the bathroom, Newt combed his hair, speed brushed his teeth then threw on his backpack rushing out the door with a "Bye Mom!" Before letting it close.
Thomas and Newt both decided again to meet after school and go back to Newts house again to hangout for a bit and get some more of their project done. Sitting on the bench again Newt waited for Thomas. Watching closely for the the limp, although smaller, that remained from Gally earlier yesterday.
"If you're trying to find me, you're a bit too late." Thomas said, standing behind Newt. Startled, the blonde turned his head to see a smiling Thomas. Newt simply smiled back and put his backpack back over his shoulder.
"We going in your car again?"
"Actually... I got dropped off today, cars in the shop for oil..." Thomas replied, with a fake cry. "It's okay, she isn't hurt too bad."
Sighing, Newt just slapped Thomas' arm, chuckling when he got a satisfying 'Ow.' back from it.
"Well then, follow me and I'll lead you to my house." Newt picked up his pace a tad bit, heading left on the road that connected to the school. "Hows your ribs?"
"Ah, better then yesterday I suppose."
"You suppose?"
"I suppose." Nodding they walked in silence, until Newt stopped for a moment. Wonder evident on his face. "What's up?" Thomas asked, his curiosity building up.
"I've been having these weird dreams lately..." Newt admitted. "I'm always like, in this land of shadows, and there's always this guy reaching out for me. But today... it wasn't just one guy there were others..." he paused. Thomas looked at him, beginning to get a little bit worried. "it's nothing." Newt concluded then, waving his hand to drop the subject.
"No, please continue. I'm actually really interested in hearing this." Thomas protested. The two once again, walked without speaking for a moment until Newt bowed his head.
"Fine. But... you need to really tell me how your ribs feel."
"They hurt." Thomas looked away shamefully. "Worse then yesterday, my limp isn't as bad no, but they hurt. They should get better as time progresses though." He concluded.
"You should go see a Doctor Thomas..."
"I'll be fine, for now. If it gets worse though, I promise I'll go."
"Okay... well, on the shadows. One figure stood against three others and pointed his finger at them. Then at me... I don't know what it means... but it's the third time I've had a dream like it."
Thomas stared at Newt for a moment. Reaching Newts driveway.
"Who were the figures?"
"I don't know." Newt opened the door and they headed to the kitchen for some snacks before heading upstairs. Newt laid out the supplies once more on the desk. With the prewriting for their character done. "We need a plot..." he pondered, scratching his chin. Pulling out another piece of paper and laying it side by side with the character outline for 'Jojen' he wrote in big letters at the top 'Plot Development.'
"He's a traveler, from a small town in search for somewhere bigger to create a better life for himself, or to find someone to help through their own journey." Thomas added.
"I mean, that could kind of relate to me." Newt pondered. "But... I came here cause my dad found a better job here."
"I'm the part that helps." Thomas laughed. As Newt smirked and jotted down the idea besides a few non circular points on the page. "Maybe you could include your dreams into it..."
"I'm not sure I want to do that."
"Newt... maybe it will put an end to them?" After hesitation, Thomas took the paper from Newt's hand and wrote down in one of the dots 'Is chased by mysterious shadow figures.' An idea then popped into Newt's head and he grabbed another piece of paper and handed it to Thomas.
"Jot down any ideas you have and I will write down my own ideas then we will mix them." Newt reached for an extra pen, handing it to Thomas who immediately began outlining his paper. Jotting down three new ideas after receiving the paper while Newt still pondered what described him well enough to be put into a character and a story.
The boys wrote for hours, jotting ideas down. Putting them together on a single sheet of paper until they had enough attributes to make up the characters, scratch outs littered the paper. Newt let his eyes drop, heaving out a sigh and leaning far back into his chair as he placed the finished brainstorm on his desk. Thomas stood from beside Newt and placed his hands on his shoulders. Achieving a grin from the blonde.
"Wanna do something?" Newt asked, relishing in the shoulder rub that Thomas had decided to perform. Massaging the weariness from the constant writing away.
"Like?"
"Watch a movie?"
"Sure." Thomas grinned, removing his hands as Newt stood up and led the way downstairs. Stomping down the stairs Newt took a sharp right to another door that led to another set of stairs. Downstairs, Thomas readily followed him down both sets into a room with a large TV and surround sound speakers placed in perfect organization.
"Woah..." Thomas gasped, admiring the home theater. A PS4 laid to the right of the Blu-Ray player. "Why do you need a PS4 and a Bluray player?" Newt just shrugged. Turning on the PS4 and the TV.
"Take a seat" He demanded. Pushing Thomas down onto the couch. With a chuckle Thomas situated himself comfortably in the soft cushion. Newt followed suite, sitting down right next to Thomas and reclining the chair using his controller to navigate to Netflix. "What'dya wanna watch?"
"I'm kind of in the mood for something scary. What bout you greenie?"
"Scary's good." Newt flipped through the sections reaching the horror titles. "All of these are so lame..." He sighed. Avoiding all of the two star rated movies which littered the screen. "I haven't seen this one yet..." He clicked the title, waiting for it to play. The movie started off with a blood curling scream and two kids running into the woods, as generic as any other. The sunlight enveloped the scene as the two guys ran through the trees, dodging hanging branches, jumping over logs, and crawling through small spaces. As they clambered out of a log a figure waited in front of them and cut the throat of the first, the other screamed. So did Newt, his arms immediately clutched onto Thomas and he hid his head under Thomas' shoulder, occasionally popping it out to see what was going on. Thomas laughed, while the other kid running trapped himself into a cave and fell into a hole with a loud crack and the sound of his scream fading into a choking gurgle.
"It's over, for now." Thomas mocked as Newt removed his head from behind him, still clutched onto his chest as the movie continued. Thomas grabbed Newt's arm and removed it from his chest. Newt's face transformed from contempt to betrayal as the brunette let it slide back to Newts side. Then with another jump from the blonde boy Thomas grabbed his sides, bringing him closer and pushing him into a laying down position so that Newt's head sat comfortably in Thomas's lap.
"Why?" Newt chuckled, making himself comfortable in the new position.
"It'll be easier for you hide I guess" Thomas smirked. "And it's more comfortable I'm sure."
"Yeah..." Newt murmured back. Fading into sleep soon after Thomas put his hands over the teen.