The Cured

Chapter 39

I’mma go off..

~•~ Chapter 39 ~•~

This place has been fucking us up. I have noticed the small differences from the start but I never said anything. We have been very encouraged and determined to do our job when we first arrived, but day after day, accident after accident, attack after attack, we have changed.

I see it in everyone's eyes. Harry and Liam are the ones who try the hardest to stay calm and keep their thoughts straight, but it's obvious that the pressure and anxiety taking over them has been harming their minds. Louis loses his temper easily, while Thomas and Niall look as if they've given up mentally but still go on due to their responsibility. Zayn doesn't wanna show it, but I can see the doubts in his caramel coffee eyes whenever we enter a different zone. Cole is still a coward, but has started to open his mouth when he needs to defend himself. Ed is the same douche, but no matter his negative attidue, I know deep down he's fearing for his life.

This place really fucks us up in a way we can't explain. A few arguments always start up then and there, even for the smallest things. This mission is not easy, we are unaware of every danger this place births and losing Ashton was a stab in the chest for all of us. I can see the effect of the shield on us; its been eating our mind devilishly slowly, seeking to reach the point of madness.

I, myself, feel like I'm about to lose it any second. I try to keep a brave face on, keep my head held high and move on, but my heart secretly cries with worry the moment I wake up. As long as we're inside the shield, I fear that my friends will lose their mind before we get the chance to finish our mission. I am determined to protect them at all costs, but I'm uncertain if I will be able to protect my mind from falling sick.

I swear, the goosebumps all over my body has my skin crawling terribly when I looked at the smoke brushing over the skeletons and skulls up on the hill. Low, painful screams were heard from them, as if telling us their story. Shudders roamed all over my back as my gun shook in my hands. The fact that I have to hike all that only made me nauseous.

“This can't be real,” I mumbled, shaking my head vigorously. The disgust I felt staring at the bones ahead of me had my face frowning deeply.

“Ignore it, Claire, it's just the shield.” Zayn said casually, moving the gun in his hand dismissively.

I swallowed thickly, feeling my stomach coil as I looked at a spider walk out from a skull’s socket. I heard faint cries disappearing in the air along with the grey smoke. I couldn't tear my eyes off of the horrendous scene. I don't want to climb up, I just don't. I'd rather walk non stop for five days than climb up melt corpses between trees.

“That's sick, man, that's fucking sick.” Thomas muttered from beside me, face crossed with disgust. We had been tied up togetber with a long rope, so we could balance each other as we climbed up. Zayn and Louis were tied together, Harry was with Ed and Cole and lastly, Liam with Niall.

“Guys, get it together, it's a half hour hike.” Louis snapped at us, already impatient. I pursed my lips in frustration, fighting against the urge to be mean. He might not give a damn about the skeletons and the screams that echoed in the air, but I do. It screws my stomach up that I can hear their deaths, but arguing with Louis about it won't ease my nausea.

“Let's get started so we can contact Leo. Liam, keep scanning for signal, okay?” Harry ordered, picking up his backbag that lied on the ground. Liam nodded, pressing a few buttons on his watch. “Alright, let's go.”

Ed walked past me, shoving my shoulder slightly with his. A grunt came from my throat at his action but I didn't say anything. He pulled out his knife from his pocket and started climbing up, digging the knife into the soft spots of the hill to hold for support. I tried to ignore the warning feeling that creeped up within me, having my knees weak.