release // control sequel

wander.

July 27th, 2002

7:34 am

     "Guys guys guys guys," Minho repeated over and over as he slapped his two friends.

     "What?!" Kis hissed as she swatted him away. They were sat in a small diner, three plates of food piled up on the table in front of them.

     "Look at the TV!" He jabbed his finger in the direction of the small screen behind the two blondes. They both turned to look, their stomachs dropping when they did.

     The news crew was in a forest, a section of it look like a tornado had ripped through it. There were giant chunks of melting ice and twisted broken tree branches. The lady was talking about some animal attack or freak nature accident. Newt kinda felt bad for her, she didn't know how wrong she was.

     "That's El," Kis said immediately.

     "Where is that?" Newt asked as he squinted to see the screen better.

     "That's in Albany," Minho said as he pulled out the giant paper map of New York they were using. He threw it across the plates of food which probably wasn't the best idea. "They're heading up."

     "Tommy did that," Newt said softly. "She was probably fighting him off."

     "She can handle herself," Kis stated as she grabbed the red marker in her pocket and circled Albany on the map.

      "I know she can," Newt replied as he looked down at his lap, "but he can't."

8:04 am

     "So let me get this straight, we're following a hallucination of young you? Like that's what we're going off of?" El asked as she tugged on her hair.

     Thomas nodded as he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. He knew how stupid it sounded.

     "Thomas," El sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're my friend and you know I'd do anything for you, but you don't even have a plan."

     "I do have a plan!" Thomas snapped.

     "Not a real one," El added weakly.

     Thomas could tell she was trying to be nice but he was mad. He kicked at a rock on the sidewalk, it skipped and skidded into the street.

     "I didn't fucking ask for you to follow me!"

     El frowned. "You can't do this by yourself Thomas! I don't want to see you end up dead!"

     "I'm not helpless!" Thomas could feel himself getting worked up. "Why do you even care! It'd be a whole lot easier for you guys if I was dead!"

     El stopped dead in her tracks and grabbed Thomas' arm roughly. "Don't say bullshit like that."

     "I know you guys won't say it, but I'm a burden," Thomas spat as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't even control myself. I almost ruined everything last night."

     "Thomas shut up."

     "W-"

     El looked at him sternly. "Thomas I mean it, shut up."

     Thomas heard the fear in her voice then, he immediately perked up, his hands slowly uncurling so they would be ready if he had to use them.

     "What's going on?" he asked softly as El shoved her fists in her hoodie pocket.

     "I did the the physics homework last night, did you? I think it was only three questions."