Night of the Living MADNESS

<Night of the Living MADNESS>

6: The Underground World

I spun around and found Tom leaning casually against the door, with a big smirk plastered on his face.

"You almost scared the stuffing out of me!" I exclaimed, taking a deep calming breath. When he began chuckling, I gave him a once over look then my eyes widened in realization.

We were wearing the school's gym uniform. No, we will be wearing it!

That's why we were dressed up in black.

"What now?" He asked.

"Nothing. I just remembered something from my dream." I replied, leaning against the door.

"What?"

"We were both wearing the same clothes as now." I said, looking away.

"In my dream, you were wearing a summer dress and I was wearing a shirt and jeans." He said. I eyed him dubiously, completely doubting that. Me and skirts just never got along.

I leaned my head back and sighed.

"Tom?"

"Yes?"

"This is real, isn't it?" I asked wearily.

"I guess." He replied.

"And silly and downright crazy?" I went on.

"And stupid." He replied, with a small smile. I closed my eyes, listening to the rain showers outside.

"It never rained this much here, you know?" I said, breaking the silence, opening my eyes to look at him.

He turned to face me, and then almost dropped to the floor in shock. His face went ghost pale and his jaw wide fell open.

And he was looking past me.

"Tom, what is it?" I asked in confusion. Before he could say anything, I turned around and gasped.

A pair of crimson eyes stared back.

"You are ready now." He said in his hauntingly gloomy voice. I closed my mouth and tried my best to compose myself from the shock.

"You, again?" I asked in a not-so-pleased/terrified voice.

"Zoey, dear. Why are you afraid of me?" He asked slowly.

From now on, his name is officially Mr. Eerie.

"I wonder why." Tom muttered quietly enough for just me to hear, or rather he hoped so.

"Please don't wonder, Tomas." Mr. Eerie replied.

"I hate it when people call me by that name." Tom muttered in annoyance. Wait! He didn't open his mouth.

I ignored that anyway. People can talk with closed mouths, or the detention rooms will be packed.

"It's cute though." I whispered teasingly to him.

"What is?" He asked confusedly.

"Tomas." I replied, smiling dubiously. It's really not that bad.

Tom raised an eyebrow questioningly at me, then turned to look back at Mr. Eerie. I rolled my eyes.

"What's your name?" I asked Mr. Eerie again. Maybe this time he'll identify himself.

"I fear that I cannot tell you my true name, but you may call me Lodestar." He replied.

Eerie guy, eerie name.

"Lodestar as in guide." Tom concluded with a quiet tone . I looked at him and nodded.

He creased his eyebrows at me in confusion then looked away when Lodestar's voice resounded.

Huh?

"I will show you your quest now. There's no more time to waste." Lodestar said. The moment he finished, fog began spreading around us.

Now where did that come from?

I stepped closer to Tom reflexively, and he grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently, which made me relax a bit. Tom does have a calming aura about him.

I glanced back at Lodestar just as he captured another piece of fog.

At least, Tom's here.

"He wishes we both weren't though. But what's up with the out loud thinking?" Tom whispered, with a humoring smile. My jaw dropped open.

No, this time, I’m certain I didn’t utter a syllable.

"Don't worry dear. It’s hardly that bad." I heard Lodestar say. I turned my head to eye him confusedly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked when he didn't explain himself.

"You both can read each other's minds. No matter how far apart you might be. However, you control what you'd want the other to know and not know. It would come in really handy at times, don't you think?"

Both Tom and Istood frozenwith disbelief.

That's why Tom was giving me all these weird looks. I wasn't replying to his words, I was replying to his freakin' thoughts!

We exchanged a wide eyed glance.

Could this night get any weirder?!

"Now, follow me." Lodestar said. I turned just in time to see him stepping into another Gate of Fear.

Yes, it can. I replied to myself.