To Learn To Fall (Sequel to the Other Side)

Chapter Nineteen

"You guys know you don't have to come," Thomas said, almost absentmindedly, as we searched for the cliff.

"Well, we are already with you, right?" said Lafayette, looking around at the empty forest that was surrounding us. Perhaps he was searching for an enemy that wasn't there yet everywhere at once, a nameless evil that he could defeat but couldn't be conquered. "Plus, I want to see Earth. Who knows? It could be really nice!"

Thomas scoffed to himself, and I elbowed him in the arm. He sighed and continued, "It's not going to be exciting. I'm going to go somewhere, find what I'm looking for, and leave."

"And we're coming too," Washington added. "I would like to see one of the worlds we're fighting to protect."

Thomas rolled his eyes. The ten of us trailing after him, Thomas led us to the cliff and turned. "Okay, before we go in, we need to lay down some rules. One, do not talk to humans. Two, do not stop, stare, or touch anything if you don't know what it is. Three, you're going to have to change what you're wearing, but I can handle that. And four, I'm in charge."

Nobody seemed too happy with that last rule, but no arguments were set forwards. I took a deep breath and looked around the clearing. Memories swirled up inside of me like dust being disturbed, and even if they weren't the most pleasant, it still made me stop and think.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to be going home, even if it wasn't my home.

I glanced up at Thomas, wondering if he felt the same, and my mouth fell open. I had gotten so used to the magenta overcoat that it felt wrong to see him in the leather jacket and jeans that he was now wearing.

"What?" he asked me, noticing my surprise.

In spite of myself, I grinned. "Sorry. It just... it brings back memories. That's all."

"You do look very strange," James said, staring at his jacket with contempt.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Why can't we talk to the humans?" asked Eliza, straightening the flannel shirt she was now wearing. "What if we have questions to ask them?"

"That right there is why you can't talk to the humans. You'll say something stupid or suspicious, and I don't need to deal with that. If you have a question, you ask me or Alexander."

"But what if I want t—"

"Are you all ready to go?" Thomas asked, clearly losing his patience. He sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "I'm sorry. Frustration. It's the... Tenebrie thing. I'm not mad at any of you. Any more questions?"

No matter how much of it he showed, how many times it was brought up, I saw how the others went silent and still at the mention of the word Tenebrie, and I couldn't believe that Thomas didn't see it too. But if he noticed, he didn't say anything, do anything, or give anything away.

When the silence that had met Thomas's question persisted, Thomas nodded to himself. "Alright. Well, come on." He turned and walked straight into the cliff, disappearing into the stone. Flushed with excitement to see my old home, I went through immediately after him.

It didn't take any longer than a second. I pitched forwards, only to land in Thomas's arms. "Hey," I said, grinning up at him.

"Welcome back."

I steadied myself as the freezing air pierced my lungs, and looked around. It was exactly like I left it, except the oranges and yellows of the leaves had fallen away, leaving nothing but empty branches. The ground was blanketed in a pure white snow.