Born Again

Chapter fifty three

"Run!"

Thomas started to sprint away but stopped when he realized Brenda wasn't following him.

"Brenda!" he called, hesitating as more cranks emerged from the vines. They let out the same horrific scream of a laugh. "What are you doing? Run!"

"What are you talking about?" Brenda asked, looking away from the cranks who were grinning at them. Though it looked more like a grimace. "Why do we need to run?" She continued. "We found them. Let's get back to Vince."

"Yes, boy," the first crank said in her raspy voice. "We won't hurt you."

"Wha-but-you're-" He stuttered. "What are you doing in here?"

  "Playing a joke," another crank said, walking forward with a slight twitch. "What did it look like?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Thomas exclaimed, more frustrated then scared. "Maybe trying to kill us!?"

Everybody laughed at that, even Brenda.

"Come on, Thomas," she said, nudging his arm. "It was just a joke."

He sighed. "Whatever," he grumbled.

"If it makes you feel better, I was scared too," she offered.

"But she didn't fall or scream like a little girl," the first crank snickered before it turned into a choking fit.

Brenda covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her grin.

The cranks, on the other hand, didn't hold back their laughter in the least.

Thomas sighed, wishing the day could just be over. "Let's just get inside already. Vince is waiting for us."

~~~

"Thomas!" Minho answered the door when Thomas got home.

"What are you doing here?" Thomas asked, taking everything in his willpower to not groan.

He didn't want to talk to anyone after his humiliation with the cranks. He felt so stupid for overreacting.

"You mean what are we doing here," his friend corrected, stepping back to let Thomas in.

The brunette looked inside to see Newt standing behind Minho, a concerned expression plastered on his face.

"Okay," Thomas said, walking past them and into the kitchen. "What are you both doing here?"

"In case you forgot," Newt said, raising an eyebrow as Thomas pulled out leftover pizza from the fridge. "You were supposed to be attacked by cranks today. And cranks that were past the gone, might I add."

"I didn't forget."

Thomas put his plate in the microwave but Newt stepped in front of him before he could start it.

The older boy crossed his arms. "Tommy."

Thomas sighed. "Fine. Nothing happened." He leaned around his friend to start the microwave.

"Seriously, Thomas," Minho said. "Newt was pulling his hair out in worry."

Newt arched an eyebrow at his friend. "If I recall correctly, you were the one pulling you hair out in worry. Minho."

"We both were," Minho decided.

Newt shook his head, the small traces of a grin on his face. "Sure." He turned to Thomas. "Now are you going to tell us what happened or not? We were worried, you know. That's why we came here."

Thomas pulled his pizza out of the microwave and sat at the table. Newt and Minho sat across from him.

He looked up at them, thinking of how he wanted to respond. "I'm not going to tell you what happened," he decided, just to see their reaction.

Minho threw something at him. Thomas couldn't see what it was because he had ducked, laughing at his friend.

That's what he needed.

A good laugh.

When he looked up, Minho was glaring and Newt was smirking.

"Alright, alright," Thomas relented, even though he was planning on telling them anyway. "It's just stupid. I made a fool out of myself."

"What else is new?" Minho asked, earning a hard whack on the shoulder from Newt.

Thomas shook his head at him before recounting what had happened. Starting with the single crank in the room, the vines, the rat, the surprise crank, his (girly) scream, and everybody laughing at him afterwards. Even Vince when Brenda told him what had happened.

By the time he was done telling the story, he could tell Newt was trying hard to not laugh.

Minho, on the other hand, had his head on the table and was pounding his fist as his body shook in silent laughter.

"Come on, Minho," Thomas begged. "It wasn't that funny."

Minho responded by throwing his head back, clutching his stomach as he laughed harder than Thomas had ever seen him laugh before

Even Newt covered his mouth, in a lame attempt to suppress a laugh. He failed miserably.

"Newt," Thomas groaned. "Not you too."

That just made them laugh harder.

"Oh, never mind," he said, standing up. "I'm leaving."

He started to go put his dish in the sink but Minho got up, still laughing as he pulled Thomas into a pity hug. At least, that's what Thomas hoped it was.

Either way, he just stood there, as Minho (still laughing even though it was far from still being funny) ruffled his hair.

"You're too much for me," Minho laughed. "Just the cranks jump out and you-" He broke out into a fit of giggles again.

Thomas shoved him away but couldn't quite suppress a grin anymore.

It was kind of funny.

"Seriously though, Tommy," Newt said, still smiling. "I am glad you and Brenda are okay. Even if it was funny."

"Me too," Thomas agreed. "Now if the rest of my dreams would turn out as stupid jokes, that'd be great."