What...? Back so soon? Yes. Enjoy. :)
" I-impossible! " I stutter out, my mind racing. He could be lying, but he could not be lying. I don't know. " What color were my mom's eyes? Who's my real brother? "
This isn't happening. I'm pretty sure I just saw his dead body hanging from the ceiling a few days ago. It was too grotesque to be fake. But there's no denying that he looks exactly like that person. Did WICKED fake that to get a reaction from me? To measure my brainwaves?
" You're mother's eyes were blue, just like yours. And you had two brothers, one we sent away to protect, and one that took his place. One with blue eyes, one with green. "
I don't know who else would know that. But, why would he leave my mom? She was so heartbroken! He looks fine. Wait, is he even my father? If so he could help me find the first Noah—the one before. Wait, no. He is a crank. No matter how much I want to trust him, I can't. He's too unpredictable.
" How is everyone? What happened to your leg? Is your mother okay? " He asks, and I can't help but feel mad at him. He left us.
" Noah and my mother are dead. And I'm lucky to be alive. " I snap. His eyes widen slightly , but it's as if he expected it. As if he knew the probability of us living was slim. " What are you doing here? How did you become King Crank? "
" There's so much I want to tell you. So much I want to know. "
" So answer me! " I raise my voice, my previous fear dissipating. My ' father ' is King Crank, and he's been alive all this time. What about those dreams I had? They felt so real, like they were memories or something appearing to me. Were they procured by me, or WICKED?
" I left your mother because of the Flare. Then WICKED found me camping out in this building, and gave me stockpiles of the Bliss and told me not to leave. To wait for the arrival of the Subjects. "
" They aren't subjects. " I hiss, wishing I could stand and approach them, " They're people. My friends. "
" So they actually put you in the Maze? " He clenches his fists on his dark-colored pants.
" You mean hell? " I say, " Yea. A few things happened. "
He looks angry. Not at me, but at himself. Good. He should feel angry at himself. He abandoned his family. Left us to the hands of WICKED. Now they're all dead. Did he have anything to do with WICKED before the Flare hit? He has to have known Ava since she is my aunt.
" Here's the deal, " I say, my voice strong, "You get me a prosthetic, and a few dosages of the Bliss. Maybe, in return, I'll forgive you for abandoning your family. "
He sits there for a moment, his brows furrowed together. He looks pained, so so pained. For a second I feel a sliver of pity for him. He left his family because he was going crazy, and then WICKED found him and forced him to become a part of the trials. Because of me.
One day, I'll take WICKED down for doing that.
" I can get you a prosthetic, but I can't spare any Bliss. I'm already running low myself. " He shakes his head and I grit my teeth.
" My friends have the Flare, and— "
" How do you know WICKED wasn't lying? " He says, interrupting me, " You can't trust a word they say. You can't trust anyone. "
" Then why should I trust you? " I question, once again wishing I could stand. Sitting down makes me feel to weak and vulnerable.
" Because, I have two of your friends. "
" That's bullshit. " I say, but I doubt my own statement. I know Thomas could be stupid enough to get kidnapped, but Brenda… She's too strong.
" Language, Louisa. " He scolds and I roll my eyes. It's a little too late to act like my father.
People outside start to scream and yell, and footsteps thunder around. Some bang on the door they saw their ' ruler ' go in, begging for him to come out and help them, but he stays seated, staring at me. The daughter he hasn't seen since she was four or five. So, he'll abandon the people who follow him too? I've been here for an hour, and all hell has already broken loose.
" They're in the basement. " He grabs his left leg, pulling on it. He pushes at his ankle and I look at him curiously, brows furrowed. He's crazy. He's actually crazy.
And then his leg comes off.
I suppress a scream. What the—how, what? Then I look at the gleaming metal as he holds it up, towards me.
" You can go get them. " He nods towards his prosthetic.
" What? That's your leg I'm not taking that. " I say in a rush, but isn't that what I came here for? A prosthetic so I could save my friends lives?
The screams outside go silent but my dad doesn't seem to notice. He's still holding his leg out towards me, his face sincere.
" Please, take it. " He says, " I don't deserve it. Now your mother is gone, and you don't know who your brother is. Just… please. "
His voice cracks and I hesitantly take the prosthetic. It's medium in weight, and it seems sturdy enough. But it was probably custom made for him. Who knows if it'll fit me? He seems taller, but not much. Either way, if this will even remotely fit me, I'll use it.
But how do I put a prosthetic on?
" Slide your leg into it, and you'll hear clicks as it locks into place. Hopefully, it'll work for you. "
I slide my bandaged into the prosthetic, wincing when I feel it catch on the side and pain shoot up through my leg. It's still throbbing from the man that kicked it. Freaking asshole made my life ten times harder. Still, it's a miracle I even found something I could use.
It's loose around my leg, but not much. My dad stands on one leg, brushing off his pants and extending a hand towards me. There's blood caked under his fingernails but I pretend not to notice as I take it, letting him pull me up. I'm surprised he doesn't fall, but I suppose he has more practice standing on one leg. He sways, but stands strong.
Then, for the first time in two days, I stand on two legs.
I swallow back the lump in my throat as it begins to click, and I move to take a step. My dad doesn't let go of my hand, something I'm grateful for. Because when I take a step, and it works, and I don't fall, I nearly collapse with relief. It's uneven, a little long for me, but it's a leg. I can walk. I'm walking.
When I get out of his reach, dad lets go of my hand. I look over my shoulder at him, seeing tears stream down his face. Pity rises up inside me again, stirring with a sorrow. He doesn't have a leg anymore because of me, but he gave it to me. It was his choice. I won't feel bad for taking something he offered.
But, of course, I still do.
" Will you be okay? " I ask, knowing the answer. He'll die in this room unless his ' friends ' save him, or unless WICKED decides he could still be of use.
" I'll be fine. " He says, even though he knows I know he's lying, " Go avenge your mother. And Noah. Make their deaths mean something. "
Before I know it, I'm crying.
My dad is standing in front of me, sacrificing his leg for me. Telling me to go destroy the people that prolonged his suffering for some stupid trials. The people that killed his family and hurt his daughter.
He still cares.
I rush forward and nearly collapse into his arms. " Dad, " I sob, trying to regain balance since he was losing his, " I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't protect them. I'm so sorry. "
He wraps his arms around me, and for the first time I can remember, he embraces me. He just holds me, and I feel his teardrops land on my shirt, and mine on his. This wasn't the reunion I wanted. I wasn't even expecting a reunion, but I don't want it do be like this. I don't want our first hug to mean goodbye.
" It's okay, Louisa. " He pats my head, smoothing my hair down, " Everything will be okay. "
Meant to be reassuring, but it just makes me cry harder.
" You have to go. Get the cure, save your friends, avenge our family. " He grabs my shoulders and reluctantly pushes me away, and I wipe my hands on my eyes.
Our family.
" I promise, I promise to kill the bastards that took them from us. " I say in a shaky voice, and I hope he knows I mean it. But he just smiles through his own tears.
" Language, Louisa. "
I manage a small smile, but it falls as I turn away. I won't say goodbye, because I don't want this to be goodbye. Thirty minutes ago he was a stranger, King Crank, an enemy. Now he's my dad, someone I failed, someone who just gave their life for me.
My hand pauses on the doorknob, and I look over my shoulder at him.
" Ill come back for you. I'll get the cure and come back. " A senseless promise, considering the odds of me being able to keep it are slim. But I'll try.
And then I open the door and walk away.
And then I freeze in my steps as the door shuts behind me.
Newt and Aris with knives, circling a group of Cranks. The other Familiars standing there, arms crossed over their chest yet tense and ready to attack. Jorge looking alert but bored as ever, and Nandini and Blake talking amongst themselves. Minho is talking with Thomas and Brenda, until he sees me. His words get stuck in his throat and he starts to make his way towards me.
" What the hell… ? " I trail off as I take another step. They finally notice me, their faces lit with surprise. Newt catches my eyes, then he stares at the bruise on the side of my face. I force myself to turn away and face Minho, who's running forward and practically leaping over unconscious cranks.
His hands land on my shoulders and he turns me this way and that, searching for any bruises or injuries. They go to the side of my face and I wince at the contact with my swollen cheek. He eases his touch up, then pulls me into a bone crushing hug.
" You look like shit. " He says.
" You don't look too much better. " I say as I wrap my arms around him. My eyes are itching from the dried tears, and hopefully they won't pick up on how red my eyes are. I bury my face in the crook of his neck. It may have been brief, but my little adventure was terrifying.
Someone clears their throat and Minho pulls away, and then his eyes narrow when he sees mine. But he doesn't say anything.
" Well, I've got what I need, and we have those two. " I nod towards Thomas and Brenda. " We should go. "
The air between Thomas and Brenda is weird, different, and awkward. She seems pissed at him, and he looks hurt. I don't know what happened between these two, but they had better not let it affect the rest of us.
" I agree. " Minho says before addressing the cranks, " We're leaving now. Don't follow us, you'll be fine. Follow us, you'll be dead. Pretty easy choice, don't ya think? "
Somehow, Minho took the leader role from Jorge. Well, Minho's always been one to take charge, but Jorge seems stubborn. Eh, whatever. I don't really care right now. All that matters is getting out of this city and onward to our destination. Oh, and living. Living matters.
But my dad is still on my mind. In that room, probably crying to himself. I ignore the pinch in my heart as I walk down the dark hall. The door at the end is open, and sunlight was pouring in, making the blood on the walls visible. I can feel it, dried and cracked on my hand. I want to wash it off, but there's no where I can do that, so I settle for scraping it off the ripped shirt that's wrapped around my hand and the skin surrounding it.
Frypan claps me on the back, " Welcome back, she-bean. Glad you aren't dead. "
By some miracle, I manage a small smile. " Thanks. "
I step into the bright sun, immediately feeling the blistering heat. How long was I gone? Last time I checked, the sun was going down. Now it's risen, and heating everything up to its content. Maybe that ride in the car trunk was longer than I had originally assumed.
I slow to a stop, waiting for the rest of them. We're in an alley, and the car I was taken here in is still resting there, sunlight gleaming off of it. I squint at the glare, as Minho walks out talking about making a run for it, and how we're almost out of the city. I trust he knows where he's going, so I'll follow him.
" Hey! " A familiar crazed voice screeches, and everybody turn towards the person yelling. It's one of the two that kidnapped me, and he's holding a gun. Pointed at us.
No, not all of us, that'd be impossible. But instead it's pointed at...
" Thomas move! " I yell, but I'm too late. The gun goes off, a bullet pierces Thomas's left shoulder.
He stumbles back and falls onto the cement, blood oozing from his wound. The gun goes off again and I look away from Thomas just in time to see Minho tackle the crank, causing the gun to skitter across the cement.
I rush to pick the small pistol up, kind of like a limping sprint. I expect its weight to feel foreign in my bandaged hand, but surprisingly, also scarily, it feels comfortable. So I aim it at the bastard that shot my friend.
" Minho, move! I'm gonna blast him! " I steady my hand, but I can't get a clear shot with Minho throwing punches.
All of a sudden he moves away, and I pull the trigger without hesitation.
The bullet hits the crank right in the middle of his forehead and he stills, a pool of blood beginning to form around his dead body. I stare at him and the blood that's starting to run down the side of his head, breathing hard. I just murdered someone else, and didn't think twice about it.
Again.
I'm numbly aware of Minho grabbing my arm and pulling me away, towards the Familiars that were now carrying Thomas away. Cranks were spilling out of the door behind us, cackling and screaming at us. I waste no time sprinting, even if I'm about half as fast as I used to be. Minho matches his pace with mine, unwilling to leave me behind. I can see the end of the city in the distance, mountains behind it. That's where we have to go, I just know it.
" We have to slow them down. " I say to Minho as I take my finger off the trigger of the gun. He nods.
We stop, and the familiars turn to look at us but we wave them on. They go, a bit hesitantly. I smile at them, hopefully reassuringly as we turned to face the cranks. My stomach is doing flips, but I take one look at Minho and all of my doubts disappear. The determination he has spreads to me and I grin at his smile.
I raise my gun. Minho unsheathes his knives.
And we listen to the cranks scream as their world goes to hell.
Their screeches pierce the air, echoing off buildings as I shoot at them, watching them fall with a fire raging in my eyes. One. Shot in the leg. Two. Headshot. Three. Stomach. Four. Chest. Minho is using his knives, slicing wherever he can. I try to aim my shots away from him, so I don't accidentally hit him. I don't know what I would do if that happens.
Minho is fast, and the cranks barely have time to react before they fall to the ground. I do the same, covering Minho and keeping them away from me. They get close a couple of times but they always end up with a bullet embedded in their brain.
Just as I get to my thirteenth shot, the gun jams.
I growl as I hit the chamber of the gun with the palm of my hand, aiming it at the ground. A crank runs towards me, laughing at my struggles. I hear Minho shout my name but it seems quiet, far away and distant. I check the mag, pulling it out and looking for the jammed bullet. I see that it isn't loaded properly, sitting crooked, but there isn't any time to fix it.
I plant my prosthetic leg on the ground as a stabilizer, kicking out with my other just as the maniacal crank gets within reach. It makes contact with his ribs, causing him to fall to the ground as the breath is released from his lungs. He sputters and gasps, but I don't waste my time. I slam the heel of my foot on his head, making him lose consciousness and quite possibly causing brain damage.
" Louisa! " Minho slides one of his knives across the concrete as another crank attacks me. I bend down and catch it in my hand as I swing my leg out, tripping the crank. He tries to stand but I drive the knife in his leg, effectively keeping him down. I remove it, causing blood to flow out of his wound, but he doesn't have any time left. I plunge the knife into his chest, ignore the spray of blood on my arms and face.
" Thanks. " I breathe out once I stand and realize that all of the cranks are dead. Minho and I killed them.
" What happened to the gun? " He asks, jogging over towards me and nodding at the silver weapon on the ground. I didn't realize I dropped it.
" Stupid thing jammed. " I bend down and pick it up, pulling the mag out again. There it is, that stupid, rusted bullet that nearly stopped me from saving my own life.
" How do you even know how to shoot it? " He asks as I dig the bullet out with my two forefingers. It hurts my fingers, but somehow I manage to pull it out.
" Just kind of felt like I knew what I was doing. " I shrugged. He shook his head. " What? " I ask as I shove the mag back into the gun, and test how it feels in my hands.
" You're just amazing. " He slips an arm around my waist and I smile at him.
" I know. " I start to walk away, heading towards the group of Familiars in the distance, that have become nothing more than a medium sized dot on the horizon. They must've been running like their lives depended on it. And Thomas's kind of does. Or maybe it just took us longer than we thought it was. Either way, it looks like they've slowed to a stop.
" Wait. " Minho says, and in two quick strides he was next to me. " What happened? "
I thought I had done a good job hiding it. But this is Minho, and he sees everything.
" King Crank is my father. " I drop my head and quieten my voice, kind of ashamed about it. My dad is a womanizing, concubine keeping man-whore.
But he is my dad.
" Wait, what? " Minho questions, his confusion drawing his eyebrows together. I feel my eyes start to sting again, and I shake my head not in the mood to cry.
" I don't wanna talk about it. "
" That's okay. I'm here for you when you do. " He puts a hand on my arm reassuringly, and plants a kiss on my bruised and swollen cheek, so lightly it's more of a brush.
" Thanks, Minho. " I say as we start to walk again. We set out at a slow pace, tired from fighting the cranks. I hold the gun loosely in my left hand. Knowing that I have three shots left is a small comfort considering I don't know what other enemies we could face in the Scorch.
Hopefully none.
Minho's staring at the ground, lost in his thoughts. I bump my shoulder into his as we walk, causing him to glance up at me.
" What's wrong? " I ask, kind of scared as to what he might say.
" It's just something Aris said. "
" You can't believe anything that shuck face says. " I say, adopting the Glader slang. Minho softly smiles, but it disappears with his next thought.
" He mentioned something about Re— "
The sound of an engine drowns out his words, and we look up to see a giant flying metal machine of death soaring towards the other Familiars.
" Oh shit. " I mumble before I take off in a sprint. Minho follows, easily catching up. If I had a better prosthetic this would be easier, and I would be faster, but instead I stumble along. A shadow of what I used to be. But enough to get me going where I'm supposed to be.
" Keep up! " Minho yells as he speeds up. I try, nearly tripping in the process. He doesn't look over his shoulder, but races on to save his friends from whoever the hell is in that thing. I already have an idea of who it is, but I don't know what they'd be doing here.
I just run.
A little badassery in there for you guys. A little Minhlo, some feels. Overall, I really liked this chapter. And the story is advancing and Louisa can walk and just... YAYY!
Now I have to get emotional because MARCH 16TH WILL MAKE A YEAR SINCE I STARTED WRITING ABOUT LOUISA AND HER LIFE AND THE MAZE AND STUFF. I've decided to make that her birthday, so cupcakes for everyone.
Also, we hit the 100,000 word mark! I was so excited about all of these things that I started writing a lot. I nearly pulled an all-nighter last night I was so excited.
{ review responses }
Darkwolf105521 ~ Oh my God thank you so much. I'm actually currently writing a book that I'm going to try to self publish. Even though you're only on chapter 5, you'll read this eventually.
Guest ~ I updated as soon as I could.
FiveBestFriends, AKA DigiArtisit ~ I won't hate someone because they ship something. I actually completely agree with you.
{ end of review responses }
I'm so excited about this story guys. I have my other one to update, but I'll update this one after. I promise. Two updates before March 16.
I'm currently watching the anime Black Butler with my mom, so I'll wrap this long author's note up.
Have a good day, evening, morning, afternoon, night!
