Sorry about the late update
The darkness around me looks more like an abyss and if I take one step I'll fall into nothingness. Of course, I know that it isn't true. The lights simply turned off. I didn't get transported into another place in a matter of seconds. That's physically impossible.
It can be kind of intimidating. It's as if I've shut my eyes. With no way of telling where I'm going, I could very well wander out into the Scorch and get eaten by Cranks. Their teeth would tear into my fle-
Cold, hard fear hits me, sending a shiver down my spine. It's a baseless fear. The odds of me wandering out of this facility are pretty low.
I remind myself of this as I take a timid step forward. My soaking wet hair causes water to seep through my shirt. It makes my back feel sticky, but I ignore it as I feel my way to the door. My hand touches the warm tiles of the wall, and then I feel metal. I reach down, feeling for the door knob. My hand catches on it, and I pull the door open.
Cool air from the hallway greets me. Hushed voices are coming from the main area ( I think ) and I follow them. I keep one of my hands on the wall, trying to calm my racing heart. Is it possible that WICKED turned the lights off, opened the doors, and set Cranks free in here? They have us trapped like mice. They could do anything to us and we wouldn't be able to escape. We are all doomed.
Wait. What happened to Brenda and Jorge? I was supposed to go into the Scorch with them. I didn't see Brenda after that one night we trained. Is she already there? Did WICKED plan for the Familiars to follow a certain path, come across Brenda and Jorge, and try to make it out of the Scorch together? But then again, why would Brenda and Jorge be there to help us?
This is all apart of a plan that I don't understand. But, if we have to go into the Scorch, that would put Newt at risk. I am going to do everything I can to keep him out. I don't care what I have to do. He is my best friend, boyfriend, and family. He's all I have left. I won't give him up to the clutches of the Flare.
I won't give up on him like I did my brother.
My hand catches nothing but air. The hushed voices are no longer whispers, but a string of steady commands. I can't see the outlines of anybody, but I know they're there—including Aris. I mean, he knows. I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough to face him. I just froze when he mentioned….Him. I can't even think of his name anymore! It's too suffocating. Everything is crushing me.
" What's going on? " My voice comes out shaky, and it reminds me of all those months ago in the Box. Darkness, and then nothing but light as they opened the door and showed me my new home.
" We don't know. " I hear Frypan say, and I make my way further into the room when I bump into something. It feels like a body, but it sways. I grab it, my hand landing on it's ankle. It's cold under my touch, making me jerk my hand back.
A blinding light comes on.
All I hear are gasps, and I squint and cover my face with my hand.
My vision clears and I fall to my knees.
My brother is hanging from the ceiling.
His body is covered in blood, whether it's his or not, I don't know. The clothes he wears are tattered and torn, showing parts of his skin that appear raw. I find myself staring at the expression on his face. His glasses are gone, and his hair matted with blood and hanging in front of his face. His mouth is slightly parted, as if he could draw in a breath at any moment. His eyes are shut, and his chest is still. He's dead, I know he is. But some part of me hopes that the noose around his neck will loosen and he'll fall to the ground in a heap of laughs claiming that it was all a prank.
But nothing happens.
I tear my clouded eyes away from Noah and at the other bodies hanging from the ceiling. A few I recognize as Janson's guards or soldiers or whatever they were. But the other two I would be able to recognize even if I were blind.
My mother's hair falls all the way to her waist, unbound and free. Her face looks peaceful, free from all the worry that plagued her while she worked for WICKED. Next to her my father is ragged. Some of his brown hair is missing in places, and his face has scratches raked down it. Some of the skin on his arm is peeling off, and my mind goes back to something my mom said.
" He wasn't immune… "
My dad was a Crank. But, but, if he's in here, then is the Flare in the air? How is the Flare even transmitted? Newt has to get away from here. I have to move, save him, do something! But my legs are frozen as paralyzing anguish presses down on me. WICKED hung my family in here. Not only did they kill them but they keep their bodies just to do this. Just to have them rot here.
My breathing becomes labored as my eyes dart between the three. Noah; you were always so calculating and smart that I never thought this would happen to you. Mom: you were Ava's sister. The thought that she could do this to you sickens me. Dad: my memories of you are few, but it doesn't take much to love someone who gave you life.
I'm sorry I couldn't save you.
" Louisa. " Minho says, grabbing my shoulder as he kneels next to me. " Are you okay? "
I don't turn and face him. I simply stare at the bodies with wide, terrified eyes. My family is dead.
I don't fight against Minho when he pulls me into his arms and hugs me to his chest. Rather, I relax into him and squeeze my eyes shut, willing the images out of my mind. But it's like they're glued to the back of my eyelids.
I feel tears running down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry. I'm so sick of crying. It's as if that's all I can do. For once, I want to be strong and prevent myself from falling apart. I don't want to have to need Newt or Minho or any of the Familiars. Despite that, I'm sitting here in Minho's arms.
" What the hell are we going to do? " Winston asks, his voice piercing my thoughts. " Louisa said she could help yet all she does is sit around and cry. "
" This isn't about her. " I hear Newt say, " This is about us surviving. "
" We should take our chances in the Scorch. " Thomas says, and I feel my heart drop into my stomach. That's impossible. We can't go. Newt will-
But it's not just about Newt, is it? No doubt staying here will cause us to starve to death or get murdered by WICKED. But I can't just sacrifice Newt like that. I don't care how many people it would save. I will not let them do that to him.
" Can we have this conversation somewhere else? " Minho's irritable voice snaps, and I can't help but agree with him. There's a Crank in here. Some of these people aren't immune.
" Go ahead and take your little girlfriend away from here. Wouldn't want the princess to throw up now would we? " Winston snickers.
" Shut up. " The words come out mumbled and broken against Minho's shirt.
" You said you were going to help us, " Winston's words are as sharp as a knife and cut just as deep. " Do something. "
The fact that I am useless is true. I have down nothing I promised for them. But I still pull away from Minho and open my eyes.
" When did you become such an ass? " I make my way up to my feet although my legs still feel like jello. His eyes widen and I take a step toward him, pushing past my brother.
" When you left us in the Maze to die. " He fires back and I ignore the guilt eating at my insides. " Since you killed my best friend. "
It's getting too hard to breathe. " I did it for-"
" For your family, right? " He hisses, " Look how well that worked out. You practically held the gun that killed them. They're dead because of you. You sacrifice nothing for anyone. "
The next thing I know the palm of my hand is stinging and he's holding his cheek. I kick him in the crotch and he falls to his knees with a groan.
" You. Arrogant. Ass. " I kick him in between the words, making sure to put as much malice into them as possible. The lights flicker, and the Familiars watch the exchange with fear in their eyes. Fear at me. Fear at what I will do to Winston.
" Do you have any idea what it's like? " I growl. " To have your family thrust back into your hands and then told you have to take care of them? Then you watch your friends who were trapped inside a giant Maze fail and suffer day after day. They finally get out and you aren't allowed to see them. And when you do manage to get away for just a second, you get shoved into a room full of Cranks and electrocuted. Then taken away by someone who you thought you could trust and shoved into a torture room? When you regain consciousness you find out that your entire family is dead. The people you were supposed to take care of, dead, gone. Because you couldn't stop trying to save your friends. "
I turn around and point to my dad's rotting body. " My dad warned me. He warned me about this and I didn't listen. Because, because I knew about phase two and didn't want you guys to go through that. I played right into WICKED's hand. "
" Now I'm standing here, staring at my family's dead bodies because I couldn't stop fighting. " My voice manages to stay strong.
I face Winston, his features slack and shock in his eyes. " So before you tell me I didn't sacrifice anything, take a good long look at those three bodies because I sacrificed everything! "
My voice catches on the last word.
" We need a plan. " I say, turning back around to face everyone. I pretend not to notice their shocked faces. " but the Scorch is out of the question. "
" Why? " Thomas asks, seeming to be the only one that can find his voice.
" Some of you— "
The words get stuck in my throat as I sway and fall, my head narrowly missing the corner of the table. The Familiars explode in worried yells. Newt drops to his knees next to me, pulling my head in his lap. He strokes my hair, comforting me as the nausea hits.
This time, falling into the memory isn't as bad.
…..
The wooden table in the middle of the room looks worn down and old. My dad is reading the newspaper, but it doesn't look recent. The pages are yellowing and they crinkle each time he turns the page. My eye catches some letters on the corner of the page: AL H E IS GO E. The rest of the letters are too faded to read.
" Dad? " The voice that leaves my mouth is small and quiet. I can't be any older than five.
The paper lowers, and his face peeks out from the top. A forced smile stretches across his face, and it causes mine to light up. Surely if my dad can smile, everything is okay.
" Yes? " He asks; his voice sounds young and pure. It reminds me of the honey that I put on the biscuits my mom makes.
" Where is Noah? " I hadn't seen my brother in days. He was always by my side, like the guards that I see patrolling the streets. Without him here, I feel lonely.
I fail to notice how my father's face dims when I bring Noah up.
" He's visiting relatives. " Dad says while bringing the newspaper back up. Pictures are scattered across the back: fires, burned houses and men covered in blood.
" Why couldn't I go? " I feel left out. If Noah was able to visit family—people that I've never met, but would love to see—then I should be able to.
" He needed to take care of a couple of things. " He turns the page, the pages make crinkling sound. One of the pages rips, and he sighs, dropping the paper and running a hand over his face. " He should be back today. "
" Really? " I ask, hope lacing into my voice. I missed my brother's constant presence at my side. The way he always found a way to talk to me, make me feel like I'm not alone when mom and dad leave for work.
A knock on the door causes me to jump out of my chair. We never get visitors, never. My dad leaves the kitchen, sending me a pointed look that lets me know I should stay. So when his body disappears around the corner, I count to five and follow him.
The hallways are dimly lit, and I fight myself on imagining monsters materializing in the darkness. A shiver crawls down my spine, but it quickly leaves as I turn the corner and walk into the brightness of the living room. Dad is at the front door, his old work clothes looking worn and faded. I walk behind him, ignoring the cold breeze that pushes through the door. I peer out from behind his legs and at our unexpected visitors.
There's a lady standing there, perfect brown hair and white winter attire. A boy peeks out from behind her legs, and she pushes him in front of her. I tug on my dad's pants and he looks down at me in surprise.
" Who are they? " I whisper, and he looks back up at the woman, and then down at the boy. His glasses reflect the snow that lay on the ground beside our porch. I offer a small smile, but his face remains a mask. His brown hair has white flecks in it, and he shakes them off.
" What are you talking about? " My father questions, " This is your brother. "
I look back at the boy. He does look like my brother. Could I really have forgotten him in the past week?
" Noah? " The name comes out quietly as I slowly approach the boy. He regards me with no recognition, but I run into his arms anyway. " Noah. "
His arms wrap around me, but he's as stiff as a board. I pull away and we go inside, but dad regards the kid with a certain coldness. I ignore it as I begin to talk to Noah, telling him about all he missed.
" I'm sorry I missed it. " He says, his green eyes locking onto mine. I smile.
" It's okay. " I say, and we go play with the toys in the living room. I'm happy, but Noah seems awkward. His eyes are darting everywhere, and his steps seem unsure. My dad doesn't seem to keen about him, and mom treats him with caution at dinner. When I close my eyes to go to sleep that night, I realize something.
My brother had blue eyes.
...
When I wake up, I'm laying on something soft. My eyes burn as if I've been crying during the memory, and I squeeze them shut. My breath is ragged and my heart is racing. If what I remember is correct, then the guy hanging in the main room isn't my biological brother. The who..? Is my real brother out there some where, wandering and wondering why his family abandoned him?
I shove the thoughts into a safe and throw the key away. I can't think about this right now. Right now it's about getting out and somewhere safe. I need to become numb to everything. A robot.
It's not until I open my eyes that I realize I'm in my room and all the Familiars are here. They're staring at me, annoyance and worry etched in their faces. I feel someone touch my hand, and I look to my right and see Newt holding it. He has a distant look on his face, as if thinking of some sour thought. He stares at my hand as he traces circles on it. The simple motion calms me and I squeeze his hand to let him know I'm awake.
" What were you saying before? " I hear Thomas asks just as Newt's eyes drift up to mine. I look over at him. He's standing in front of the window, moonlight streaming in from behind him. His arms are crossed over his chest. " Is there a way to get to Teresa? "
Of course he's worried about Teresa.
" I'm sorry about Teresa, because I don't know. " His face falls, but I continue talking. " As for why we can't go into the Scorch, well let's just say, " The words tamper off as my eyes widen. Something just moved behind Thomas. My heartbeat turns erratic as another shadow joins its brother, dancing in perfect sync.
" What are you...? " He turns and nearly stumbles back into Aris. My stomach drops in fear, and I feel my hand tighten around Newt's. They can't get in, they can't get in, I tell myself, but I don't know if it's true as their nails scratch against the glass.
And then the Cranks scream.
BOOM! Also I wrote this on my phone, so please pardon any typos and errors.
Sorry for the late update. My aunt decided to get drunk and try and kill herself, so I've been worried about that. I wasn't able to concentrate. Don't worry tho, my aunt is fine.
What was up with Minho in this one tho? Last chapter or two they were all like I HATE YOU! And now he comforts her...?
Perhaps I hate you can be their always.
There was something I wanted to say... OH! I wrote a one-shot and posted it a couple of weeks ago. Alternate universe with Lo and Newt and Minho where Newt never got sent up. You should go check it out, :)
I'm going to try to get the next update out soon. I can't make any promises. I'm preparing for my last softball tournament of the season, and then there's school that I somehow managed to get behind in.
I'm going to sleep. Have a good day, morning, night, afternoon and evening! Once again, so sorry for not updating sooner.