𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓼𝓽 - ᴀ ᴍᴀᴢᴇ ʀᴜɴɴᴇʀ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄ

Chapter Thirteen - Newt

My legs ache, especially the one I'd- no, I don't want to think about that. The only thing the memory does for me is tear me further into the pit, so deep that I fear I'll never be able to get out of. My friends have helped lift me out a bit, but I always fall back. The only thing that's kept me out for good was Addy, and that's why I've got to find her.

"They should be just beyond this ridge!" Mary calls over the noisy wind.

I'm grateful that we've caught up so quickly, but a big part of me wishes we hadn't ditched the trucks. Vince demanded that the group split up so that we'd be less likely to be spotted by WICKED. I suppose it is my fault for going with the group walking, but I refused to go sit in a car and wait for my friends to be picked up and brought to safety. No, I was going to be the one that got them to safety.

"Tommy, please!" My ears perk up. That's Addy. It's Addy! I break out in a lilting run, Mary by my side and overcoming me immediately. "They made me do it!"

"I- I don't know what to say," Tommy's voice is devastatingly close. Gosh, I wish my legs worked properly. "How could you?"

I don't give Addy a chance to respond, even though I have no clue what they're talking about, before screaming her name.

Just overcoming the sandy ridge, I hobble down as gracefully as possible given the circumstances. Mary is already at their side, embracing both children and then testing Addy's blood with device that pricked her arm quickly.

"Addy!" I exclaim, elated to see her again.

Her green eyes land on me, but a thin layer of confusion glazes over them. "Ne-" My name lingers on her tongue in question, but she leaves it there and turns back to her mother. That was not the reaction I was expecting.

"Newt!" Thomas runs to meet me, wrapping me in an embrace. I hesitantly pat his back, he's a good friend of course, but secretly I long for his sister instead.

Shaking off my discontent, I ask, "Where are the rest of them?"

Thomas' face darkens, but his mother interrupts before he can answer. "She's infected!"

The rest of our rescue posse launches into action, a few of them slapping masks on their faces, as well as mine, and backing away. I tear it off, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Addy," Mary demands. "Where are the others? C'mon, focus, darling." Addy stays silent, looking bewildered and confused while staring at me like I'm a ghost.

What is happening?

"Thomas." The boy hurries to his mothers side and answers her questions where Addy, for some reason, could not.

I make my way towards her, but she shows no intent to shorten the trip for me. What is wrong with her? She can't be one of them. She can't be a Crank. My mouth dries at the thought. She can't. I don't think I could make it without her.

"Th- they said that you were recaptured. I thought they were torturing you." Addy's eyes brim with tears as she finally accepts that I'm really here. "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Are you ok?"

My eyes wet, blurring my vision. This is my Addy. My Addy. I nod, grinning, and she stretches her arms out to pull me into an embrace.

"No!" Mary jumps in between us. "I'm sorry, but you can't be near each other. She's infected and you're not immune Newt. You have to stay at least six feet apart."

The lump in my throat rises, bringing an uninvited wave of nausea along with it. Addy's fingers brush my forearms, sending shivers up my spine, but the warmth disappears as we're torn apart.

Addy shakes her head frantically. "No, no it's not fair!" She cries, her arms tremble and soon she's shaking and sobbing in a crumpled heap. My mouth dries as I'm forced to watch her tremble as if tormented by her own personal earthquake. Mary falls to her knees and hushes her daughter.

"What's going on?" I demand. Tears leak down my face, but I don't care. So what if I'm wimpy or scared? That's my girlfriend and I'm just a kid. I never asked for any of this. I wouldn't give it up though. Not with the chance of losing Addy and my friends. "Is she alright?"

When Mary looks up at me, it's with Addy's eyes. I can't keep looking at them. If I do, I'll be lost in Addy's spell and, as before, be unable to stop from kissing the girl. "It's the Flare. She's losing control of her emotions. We must get her the Cure."

"Isn't that what we'll get at the end of the Trials?" Thomas adds, startling me into remember his presence. "We've just got to get her to the Safe Haven."

The woman contemplates the statement and my hand wipes over my jaw anxiously. "We can't be sure WICKED will hold true to their promise. I need to speak with Vince. Thomas, help her calm down. You're immune by the way."

"Are you?" I ask Mary as she fumbles with her walkie talkie. "Immune, I mean."

"No," she answers, "but I was given the Cure when I worked with them."

I itch to ask more, I need to know what's going on to ease the monster of panic that builds up inside me, but Mary has already turned back to her talkie so I sit in the sand, longing to be the one hugging Addy rather than Thomas, and eavesdrop on Mary's conversation.

"You found them?"

Mary nods, listening to the man on the other side of the device, but I'm left to strain over the muffled static.

"Uh huh. We'll find the girls, but Vince-" Mary's voice cracks. "Addy is infected. We need to get the Cure. And quickly. I'm afraid-" Her voice drops. "I'm afraid there's no much time. She's visibly ill already. Who knows how long she's had it?"

The creature feeding on the unknown builds up more nausea in my throat. She can't really be that sick. She can't. My mind spirals into all the horrible possibilities, flicking over the domino that ends with a pounding headache, and my jaw clenches over my lip, drawing blood.

I glance over to Addy. She looks... as well as anyone would be in the situation. Her dark brown hair hangs limply, framing her ghostly pale face. The whites of her emerald eyes are bloodshot and her veins are visible, but blood isn't that dark- no, must be a trick of the light, I reason. She's fine.

"Vince, they're children. We're here to save them, not send them into more danger." Mary's voice awakens me from my fantasy. "I'll go."

My ears perk up. What danger is she talking about? Of course, I don't want to go running in to danger, that's more Tommy's forte, but if this could help Addy...

"We could go undercover, yes I know it's risky. Sending a handful rather than the hundred or so they started with is just as suspicious! If they don't make it out... Vince, I could never forgive myself."

"Mary," I interject. "Please, if there's something I can do to help Addy... I'll do it in a heartbeat. You know me, you can trust me to get us out unharmed, just tell me what to do. Let me help her, please."

I hadn't realized I was crying until Mary moved to wipe the hot tears of my cheeks. Embarrassment aside. There's no time for that now.

She sighs, her mouth contorted in a maternal frown. "I," -she shakes her head- "I just don't know. Let's get the girls and get to safety. The last thing we need is to have stayed out in the open for long enough for them to notice."

A weary smile crosses my face like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds on a rainy day at the thought of seeing my sister again. But, what about my brothers? "Minho and the others are alright?"

Mary nods in confirmation, already moving away, and I allow a gentle breath of relief. It'll be ok. We'll all be ok. If only I could believe it.