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“Newt…?”Alby’s hand was on the doorknob. His palm was course and rough. He could see the blue-grey sheets on the bed shuffle slightly, then rest. “Newt I…” He slowly let go of the handle and let the door shut behind him quietly. He gulped and started to edge closer to the bed in the centre of the room. Cheap, wooden chairs were placed around the divan.The floorboards croaked as he stood on them, a few loose and arching upwards. The room was dimly lit, only a candle flickering in the lantern above the two boys.Alby pulled a chair to himself, a loud creak sounding as he did so. He sat down and felt it sink beneath him. “Newt… can you tell me what happened?”An extremely exhausted face appeared out from the duvet. Alby tried the best he could to soften his expression. Newt’s chestnut brown eyes were red and puffy, dark lilac circles underneath, framing his nose. His lips, once pink and glossy from his lip Vaseline, were chapped and pale.“What… what do you bloody want, Alby?” It seemed to be a great effort to even speak, his voice was small and hoarse. “What happened, Newt?” Alby asked, his voice more stern. “Ya bloody know what happened.” Newt replied, voice a little rougher.“But why Newt?” Newt didn’t reply, he turned back to face away from Alby. Alby huffed, crossing his arms. Then, his friend spoke. “I tried to kill myself Alby. I’m so shuckin’ tired of this place.” Alby looked to Newt, eyes beginning to sting with tears, until he hurriedly wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I climbed up that buggin’ wall and they followed me.” Alby looked up. “Who followed you?” “What ’cha expect? The shuck beetle blades. One was there before I jumped. I said… I said….”“What did you say, Newt?” Alby could hear how Newt’s voice cracked, how it went weak and broken. Newt sniffed, breathing in sharply with his mouth. “I said I hope they’re happy.”“What? Newt why did you-“ “I said I hope they were happy and got a real buggin’ kick outta watchin’ us suffer. I said I hope they die and go to hell.” “Then why!?” “’Cause I shuckin’ wanted to prove something, Alby!” Newt sat up, eyes piercing into Alby’s skull, heat scorching through his words. “I said that this,” Newt nodded towards his right leg, the sheets covering it, “was their shuck fault. There’s nothin’ more to it.” “Oh come on, Newt! There is a whole lot more and I know it, so don’t go saying there ain’t!”Newt glowered at Alby through the unruly strands of his blonde fringe. At least he isn’t crying anymore Alby thought bitterly. “Look…” Alby began, breathing deeply, leaning back into his chair. “I know… it’s hard. I know it ain’t easy… but that’s what you gotta do.” Newt had turned away from Alby. “An’ this can’t be fun for you, an’ I know that. I mean, shuck, Newt. You’re the only guy here with your strange ass accent, probably the only shank here from your country… it’s just… you can’t give up.” Newt shrugged.“You’re like… now I know how much you hate this… but you’re genuinely like a mom to some of us… it sounds stupid an’ all, I know… but you’re like… the glue. You hold us together.” Newt exhaled loudly, eyes darting downwards to the floor. “I know you ain’t some perty housewife or somethin’, but if we were kidnapped or some klunk and sent here by the shuck creators for no reason, what else do ya parents have to live for? Your mom?” Newt shrugged again. “Well, what?” “Nothing.” Newt murmured. “I bloody hope my mum’s out there, somewhere. Perhaps she’s just as gutted as I.” Newt looked up to Alby and smiled for a fraction of a second. It wasn’t much but it was all Alby needed to know that Newt will get better. He couldn’t not.“Now let me sleep shuckface, I’m bloody knackered.” Alby laughed slightly. “Well I ain’t leaving you here.” “C’mon, Albs, you’re the bloody second-in-command, ya have ta.” Alby rolled his eyes and stood up, walking out. “Night, mate.” Newt uttered “It’s the afternoon.” “Late afternoon.”Newt held the corners of his duvet closer, closing his eyes and tried to ignore the nausea his stomach felt and the tenderness of his ankle. Until he heard the door click open. He looked out from his bundle of warmth and saw Alby, a determined expression plastered on his face.Newt sat up a little more and saw an assortment of blankets, quilts and a sleeping bag hugged closely to his chest. “Alby…?” Newt started, but Alby had already shut the door behind him and was walking towards Newt. Newt raised an eyebrow.Alby dropped the heap of quilts and bedspreads onto the floor and walked around Newt, picking up each chair and placing it down to the left side of the bed one by one. Newt smiled a little, confused at the sudden direct and strange attitude Alby had.Eventually, the five chairs were situated next to the bed to create an odd, uneven shape. It was a little shorter than the bed. Alby bent down and started placing comforters and covers onto the chairs until it created a thin mattress. He took the last couple blankets and rolled them up until it created a frail, multicoloured pillow of sorts. He eventually threw the sleeping bag onto the makeshift bed and cautiously clambered onto the chairs. Newt laughed and rolled over to his left side, where Alby was. Alby shrugged.“I ain’t gonna let my best friend sit here alone an’ wallow in self-pity.” Newt made a fake gasp and clutched his chest in mock hurt. “I would never wallow in self-pity!” He said in an exaggerated, breathy voice. Alby sniggered. “Sure you wouldn’t shank. Now go to sleep.” “It’s afternoon.” Alby snorted. “Late afternoon.”