I wasn't sure about this chapter.

My own look of fear is mirrored on Minho's face. Footsteps are echoing throughout the room in front of us and a cold sweat breaks out on my forehead. A shiver racks my spine and I put a finger to my lips, motioning for him to be quiet. His eyebrows raise and for a second I think he doesn't understand, but then he smiles. I roll my eyes. I guess it was kind of obvious that he needed to be quiet.

I step into the room, my leg quivering with exhaustion. Minho follows and we scan the room, searching for the source of the steps. I swallow my fear and creep around the edges of the room and I motion for Minho to go the other way. It looks like he'll protest, but he starts walking the other direction. It's a huge room, with one large shelf loaded with cardboard boxes dividing the right and left. He won't be able to see me, and I won't be able to see him. It makes me anxious, but we'll scan the room quicker this way.

I keep one hand on the warm, gray wall just in case I loose my balance. It's not like I can grab onto it or anything, but it might provide some sort of stabilization. The smell of sewage still remains with us and I crinkle my nose, hating the stench. Something more foul is starting to mix with it, making the smell ten times more potent. It's like a skunk died in a trash can full of rotten pizza.

My hand itches for a weapon. A knife, gun, machete—something I can use to protect myself. The bag that Brenda had made for me was forgotten in the hallway. Now any food or water or weapons that we had packed are gone. I'm back to where I was before.

Just with a friend.

Or a little more than friend but not a boyfriend because I'm hoping someone else be my boyfriend. Yea. That's Minho.

Why am I thinking about this while we are looking for Cranks?

" Louisa! " Minho yells, and I'm spurred into action. " Run! Go! There are too many! "

I'd rather take my chances with them to be honest. I sprint to the end shelf and around it, my breathing hard and the room spinning. He's pinned by a Crank and surrounded by three others. I don't slow as I sprint right towards them. Minho catches my eye.

" Go! " He yells, his face red.

I tackle the Crank that's got him pinned and don't waste time getting my hands around it's thin neck. I squeeze as hard as I can, crushing his vocal cords. I hear some grunts behind me but I lock eyes with this Crank. He wants to live. I can see the will in his eyes. But he hurt Minho. He doesn't deserve to live.

After what seems like forever the light drains from his eyes. I release him and turn around. Minho's fighting back but he's been cornered by the other three. They taunt him with promises of sinking their teeth into his flesh. It gives me energy and I drag one of them away by the back of his ratty shirt. He struggles until he turns to face me, a malicious grin set on his face.

" You. " He says, recognition twisting his face, " Last time I saw you, you promised to save me. Look at what I've become. "

What? He's crazy because I've never seen him.

" This is all your fault! " He screams the last two words and charges me, tackling me to the ground. His hands go to my throat and mine go to his face, gripping the sides. His skin is rough but I feel like I could peel it off. My fingernails dig into the back of his head, drawing warm, sticky blood. His press on to my vocal cords and I choke, a strangled cough escaping me. I twist and snap his neck with a sickening pop and he falls right on top of me, lifeless. I grunt as I push him off and clamber up to my feet and see that Minho has killed one and is punching the other. I stride towards them, a calm feeling entering me.

" Stop punching, Minho. " I stop and Minho does too. He looks up at me curiously, but all I do is lift my uninjured leg and smash it down into the guys head. I feel his skull give away and repeat the same thing until my foot breaks through and crushes his brain, killing him on the spot. His bones must've been weakened from the Flare.

I extend my hand down to Minho and he grabs it. " Are you okay? " I ask. He narrows his eyes at me.

" I told you to run. "

" Did you really think I would? " I pull him to his feet.

" You're too careless with your life, Louisa. " Minho says, then his gaze softens. " Haven't you thought about your future? "

I cross my arms over my chest and start to walk away. " My future is bleak. Might as well go all out now while I still can. "

" You matter. Your future matters. " Minho says, jogging up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder.

" My future doesn't matter. " I don't stop walking, making for the doorway that's at the end of this room.

" Yes it does. "

" No. It doesn't. "

He squeezes my shoulder so hard, I'm forced to stop walking just feet from the doorway. The dim light that was on flickers and then sputters out, leaving us in darkness.

" Treat yourself with more respect. " He says and I turn to face him, feeling my eyes start to sting.

" You don't understand Minho, " I say, glad that he can't see the redness in my eyes, " You don't understand what it's like to think you don't have a family and then be shoved into one. A brother who would protect you at any costs and a beautiful mother. " I look up at him, feeling my eyes tear up, " I had a mom, Minho. A mother that I was told to protect and I failed. I don't deserve respect from anyone. Least of all myself. "

My voice had faded into a whisper. A tear slides down my face and Minho wipes it away. He rests his hand on my cheek then puts his forehead to mine. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to control my breathing. I'm trying so hard not to cry.

" You're right. " He says and I bite my lip to keep it from wobbling, " I don't understand. But I know that Noah wouldn't want you to be so careless. He would want you to live and be happy. So please, live. For everyone. For yourself. For him. "

His words echo inside my head. I remove my forehead from his and put it on his shoulder, an ocean of tears spilling from my eyes. His arms wrap around me, comforting me as I let everything out with the same thought playing in my head like a broken record.

I want my brother back.

It's all I want. I don't care if the Gladers hate me or if the whole world falls. I just want to see my brother again. I want to see him smile as he jokes around with his friends. He needs to be here to help us save the world and he isn't. He's gone. No matter how much I wish for him to be alive, his heart will never beat again. He was the good person—the good sibling. I'm useless and he was ambitious and kind and he didn't deserve what happened.

Why do all the good people meet the worst ends?

" I know nothing is okay right now, " Minho mumbles into my hair, " But I'm here for you, Louisa. "

" Thank you, " The words are muffled against his shirt but he understands well enough. " Thank you so much. "

I don't think he grasps the concept that his silent presence is worth more than a thousand words of empty promises and consolation. Him simply being there to listen would be more than enough.

" Philip? " A creaky voice says from behind Minho, " Philip, where are you? "

The lady's voice is pained.

" We were going to eat the intruders, remember? " She says and then it sounds like she stumbles over something. I hear her hand slap the concrete as she prevents herself from face planting. " Ph-philip…? "

I grab Minho's hand and pull him through the doorway, away from the Crank. I wish the lights hadn't gone off because I'm tripping over any and everything and Minho nearly walks right into me. I trip over a step and scrape my knee but I stand and keep going, ignoring the dizziness that causes me to sway.

" Where are you?" The lady screams, her voice too close for comfort, " I'll kill you! "

I take off into a sprint.

….

I hadn't realized how much I'd missed having someone around that I knew I could count on. Blake is that person. I've distanced myself a lot, trying to make sure I don't think he'll be staying for long. We'll probably find my brother and then he'll leave once he finds out who I am. What I am.

I keep trying to tell myself I don't care.

It's not working.

" Are you sure you want to head in the direction of the explosion? Isn't that running towards danger? " Blake asks, looking over at me as we make our way towards where we thought the loud sounds came from. The Scorch is quiet most of the time. Explosions never happen. If those idiots are anywhere it would be near there.

" That's what I do. " I shrug and casually rest my hand on my knife handle.

" Where have you been all these years? " His gaze trails down to my hand and back up to my eyes.

" Here. " I look up at the stars that dot the sky, silvery yellow and shining. I've seen them so many times-with family, friends. Just not recently. Not since WICKED.

" And you're still alive? " He shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants.

Not really. " Yea. Anybody gets in my way I cut a bitch. "

He laughs. " That's a good way to survive. " Blake says but his faint smile fades into a frown, " But a lonely one too. Pushing away everyone around you? "

" The only person that matters is Newt. " I say, my mouth setting in a thin line, " The rest could go die for all I care. "

We cross the street and enter a building that looks run-down. The wood on the inside is splintering and the glass is shattered. Sand blows everywhere and I shield my face with my hand.

" Surely you don't mean that. " He says as we enter the back room and head towards the stairs.

" They're all Cranks. Infected and dying. Why should I care what happens to them? "

He puts a hand on my arm, causing me to stop walking. " They're people, Nandini. "

" That eat other people. They just seem so nice, don't they? " I push past him and go down the dark, metal stairs, cringing when my feet make loud clanking noises. If there was anyone here, they certainly know about us now.

" I suppose that if you've been raised here you learn to fend for yourself. " Blake unquestioningly follows me into the dark and I roll my eyes. How could he think like that after the heartless things I just said? I don't feel like the Cranks are just mindless animals. They were once people. Did he see through my lie?

" How was Denver? " I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest and wishing I'd brought some sort of light. It's so dark. Pitch black just about.

" Kind of cold. " Is all he replies with. I loose a sigh, wanting to know more but not wanting to pry. Honestly, I know so little about Blake. He could have grown up to become a murderer or something and I wouldn't know. That's unlikely though. We're both still kids.

But how many people have I killed just to survive?

That doesn't matter. Normal rules and laws don't apply out here in the Scorch. Anybody can be as twisted and cruel as they want and they won't be punished for it. Unless, of course, you upset the ' leader ' here. He calls himself King Crank just because he has an unlimited supply of the Bliss. So many people have tried to steal it but he just slaughters them all. It's made people scared of him. It's made him a tyrant.

" How long has it been since you've seen your brother? "

" Too long. " I keep my reply simple. It hurts to think about how long it's been.

" That's not an answer. " He says and I nearly groan. He obviously doesn't have any issues about prying.

" Six years. " I say, clenching my fists. " I was seven when they took him. "

" You were seven? " I stop hearing his footsteps behind me and I have to stop walking. There's pity in his voice. It disgusts me.

" Seven was a rough age for me. " I let out a shaky laugh and hope he doesn't ask anything else. Sweat drips down my face because of the stuffiness in the hallway and I reach up to wipe it away.

" You didn't just lose your brother, did you? " I can hear his slow footsteps approaching me from behind. How does he know that? It's probably just a guess, but how?

" I lost my family. " And my humanity.

He's silent.

That's a first.

I keep walking but I don't hear his footsteps behind me. Fine then. He can get left behind if he wants to. No one said he had to come with me—he just decided to by himself. He could change his mind at any point and I wouldn't care. He's just someone I'm using as a body guard. Not a friend.

Definitely not a friend.

I feel something grab my wrist. I try to pull myself free but their grip tightens to the point of pain. A moment of panic overwhelms me and I open my mouth, but close it. I won't scream out for Blake's help. I can do this myself. I use my other hand to hit where I think would be the bend in the person's elbow, but they use their other hand and catch my wrist before I can. I kick, connecting with what feels like a shin and I hear a grunt, but then two more hands grab my ankles.

Dammit.

" Blake! " I scream and the peoples' grip tightens on me even more. " Help! "

" Nandini? " I can hear him running towards where I am, but I'm being pulled into the shadows. He won't make it.

A rope is tied around my hands and feet and they clamp a hand over my mouth. I try to scream but it comes out muffled.

I'm being kidnapped.

Again.

" Nandini, where are you? " He yells, his voice so close but so far. The hand on my mouth leaves and I take a breath to scream his name but a cloth is shoved in my mouth like a gag. I struggle against the ropes but one of them picks me up and throws me over their shoulder. I hit his back as hard as I can, but what damage can a weak thirteen year old girl do?

" Knock her out. " He says when he gets annoyed. The other person laughs as he raises his fist. How could I not have seen these two? It was pitch black but I should have known.

" Nandini! " Blake screams from somewhere further in the building. He should really stop that. He'll get himself caught.

It's the last thing I hear as I feel a sharp pain in my head and the world fades to an even darker shade of black.

I hope Blake is okay.

...

" We have to go back! " I yell, grabbing Jorge by the shoulder. He turns and growls at me, his eyes aflame.

" Brenda knows the way out. They're perfectly safe. " We continue on our path through the Scorch. The sun still hasn't come up, and I haven't had any sleep in ages. Even if I tried I wouldn't be able to. Louisa is down there with Minho and Thomas. Those two shanks I can trust.

Brenda...not so much.

There's something off about Brenda and Jorge. It could be because they're Cranks but I just don't trust them. Now, Louisa is stuck in those tunnels with her. Not only that but Louisa had just finished puking her guts out. How well is she? Is she able to run?

I look up at the hundreds of stars that dot the sky. Minho and Thomas are stuck down there too. Three people I care about most are in danger. If I had been there to comfort Louisa when she lost her dinner then I would be stuck down there with them. I could make sure they are safe.

Instead, my best friend helped her and got stuck with her.

" What's down there? " I ask.

" Cranks. " Jorge replies as he ducks under a steel light pole that's leaning against a building.

I clench my fists.

Those shanks had better come back to us alive.

I really wasn't sure about this chapter. It just seemed off-wasn't what I wanted. Eh. Oh well.

I feel like this story is stretching on further than Fighting Against You did. Do you think I'll get more than 100,000 words on this story? I think so.

Does it bother you all when I switch POV's?

{ Review Responses }

Swagmaster5000 ~ Hehehe

fiercetiger333 ~ I'm trying to make sure I do his character right. I've had to write down all his traits and figure out how he would respond in certain situations. Also, thank you.

SabinaSsica19 ~ Thank you! And me too, but I don't know how I'm going to do that yet. I try not to think about it too much because it makes me cry.

Chipmunk1123 ~ I don't think it's dead quite yet, but it is teetering on the edge of a cliff. Then you've got Nandini that's supposed to go in and break that, so maybe. I don't know quite yet. I figure the details out as I write. I let the characters guide the story. Minhlo is flowing really well right now though. Also shall I try to create a ship name for Nandini and Blake just in case...? And I reached my goal. I've surpassed it actually. 108 read for the year.

mazerunner26 ~ Thank you.

{ End of Review Responses }

I have physical therapy now so I really have to go. I'll see you all next year. Happy New Years!