World Gone Mad (TMR fic 3)

Chapter 50

(please, please listen to the song~) 

I don't have time to drown in the feeling of abandonment, though, because the Crank is getting closer. Oh, great. It has a knife.

Slowly I back towards the edge of the overpass. I can't really back up further, but there's still probably about twenty feet between me and the Cra-

The Crank starts sprinting, and I yelp despite myself. Toby's single day of combat training could never have prepared me for fighting off a Crank with a huge knife. My knife is still in the car. Why hadn't I kept it in my backpack?

Thomas finally catches on, and clumsily draws his gun. It's too late, though. The Crank is upon me, trying to shove me over the edge of the overpass. I grab his knife-wrist with both hands, trying to keep it away from my face as I lean back. The Crank doesn't seem to mind giving me something to cling to.

If Thomas shoots him, or if Lawrence does, the bent position I'm in means I'll still fall. He'll drag me down with him... I'm struggling in his grip, but the small guardrail is right at the back of my knees, and I'm leaning backwards over it. I literally don't have any leverage in this situation.

He shoves the knife towards me, and I gasp with fear. I can't hold it as far away as I want, or I'll be pushing myself farther over the edge.

I'm holding onto his wrist to support myself as much as keep the knife away now. The blade starts to bite into the edge of my jaw. I'm shaking.

I only see a blur of blond as Newt crashes into the Crank's side, knocking him away from me. I stumble as the force that was pushing and supporting me is instantly removed, but I keep my balance by grabbing onto the guardrail.

"Don't ever touch my girl," Newt growls from on top of the Crank, pushing him into the pavement. I take a step away from the guardrail, my heart pounding.

He climbs jerkily to his feet and kicks the Crank's ribcage. I can hear the bones popping as he kicks him again, the hits solid.

The Crank whimpers, and Newt turns to me, his green eyes blazing into mine, his voice gentle despite it all. "You shouldn't be here."

Before I can answer, though, the Crank is on his feet. How did he move that fast with broken ribs? I try to shout, to warn Newt, but I can't. There's no time.

The Crank's knife stabs deep into Newt's back. Newt reacts instantly, even as a strangled scream rips out of him. He turns and elbows the Crank in his face, the force sending him towards the edge of the overpass.

I watch the Crank start to fall in slow motion. I can't move. His hand reaches out as he loses his balance, and he grabs Newt's hair.

The world snaps back into normal speed as the Crank drags the boy I love backwards over the edge.

I can't fight the gasping sob that wrenches out of me.

"No," I mumble, grabbing the short guardrail and leaning over it.

The sky is even darker with clouds, but there's still enough light to see the two figures on the ground. They aren't moving. Newt is lying face-down, and the bloody patch from the knife is evident, even from the height of the overpass.

Even if he was alive, even if there was a fast way to get down there, even if he didn't have the Flare, there wouldn't be time to stop the bleeding and save him.

A light breeze blows past, but they remain perfectly still. Thomas is beside me, just as shocked and panicked.

He stutters wordlessly as he stares down with me. Newt is gone.

I realize I haven't been breathing, and I inhale with a sob.

Rain starts to splatter around me, and I push myself to my feet.

I am Ash.

I won't quit.

I'm empty as I look around at the burning pile of garbage. The rain pouring in this mad world puts out the fires, blazing red and gold. Smoke and steam hiss up together, and the heat sickens me.

My world has burned. I am broken beyond repair.