The Huntress Descent

The Labyrinth: Chapter Five

Alby stated that it was too late in the day to have the Gathering that night. He ordered everyone to bed as the excitement of the day would not last longer than it already had. I was grateful for the command, the long day in the Gardens had zapped all the energy from me. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. The darkness taking me over.

Next thing I knew, I was gently being awoken by something nudging my shoulders. The creature. My stomach sunk and a bolted upright, nearly headbutting whoever had woken me up.

"Whoa!" came the startled voice. "Be careful."

I scrambled from the bed, my eyes still half closed and swung with my arm. No one was allowed in here. No one without permission. They knew this. Why were they here?

Kill them.

"Clarke!" the voice hissed. They grabbed hold of my swinging arms and pulled me into their chest. I tried to scream for help, but my voice only came out a muffled squeal. I wriggled and wriggled to free myself. Their arms only held on tighter. "It's me, Newt. Stop fighting."

I immediately stopped. I lifted my hands and pushed away from him. He instantly let me go and backed up. I rubbed the sleep away from my eyes and just about made out the tall figure of Newt standing a few steps back from me with his hands up in the air. "I didn't know you'd react like that," Newt said. "I'm sorry."

I glanced at the window. Darkness still covered the Glade.

"Why you waking me so early?" my voice was halfway between a whisper and a shout. Not loud enough to wake everyone, but enough that he knew that he shouldn't have awoken me like that.

Newt eyes darted to the ground. He half-turned his back and stared out the window, avoiding my eye contact. "I ... I have to show you something."

I titled my head in confusion, taken back from the comment. "You want to show me something in this hour." I pointed to the dark sky. "Are you out of your mind?"

"It's the perfect opportunity for it," Newt informed me.

My jaw clenched together. Where had this anger come from? "Whatever you are trying to show me I don't want to see it. Leave me be to sleep." I flicked my hand in his direction and got back into to bed, tucking the sheet over me firmly. I shut my eyes and forced myself to sleep.

"Wait." Newt turned back to me and firmly placed his hands on his hips. "I don't take direction from you. I have a job to do and you are gonna follow orders."

Newt crossed the room, grasped the end of the sheet and attempted to wrench it from me. I snapped my eyes open and held on to the other end for dear life. "Go away!" I demanded. "The sun is not up, so I shan't be either."

Newt laughed. "That you don't have a choice in." Newt pulled harder. The sheet was almost from me, the remaining parts just about in my grip. "Get up, shank."

"No!" I growled. The anger of being woken up so early sat deep in my bones. I was not going to give up so easily. I partially released my own tension from the sheet, throwing Newt off his balance. He stumbled backward. I took the opportunity and yanked the sheet free from his grip and wrapped myself once again in a cocoon.

Newt swore from the floor. "Can you go back to when you didn't talk?" he grumbled. "You were easier then."

I bolted upright, scowled at him and launched my pillow directly at him. It hit him square in the chest and flopped to the floor. "Get lost," I raged. "Shank."

I laid back on the bed, the sheet in a death grip within me. I was not going to lose this.

"Lord helps us."