The Trigger (A Newt fanfiction)

Chapter 20

Newt stands up as well, and he gently grabs my elbow. His face hardens with seriousness. "Maya, I know that look you have in your eyes."

I glance over at him. "Exactly. They need help. And I'm going to help them."

I begin to walk away, when voices stop me.

"What're you doing?" Harriet asks.

"I'm helping the others. If anyone wants to aid me, feel free to come along. Just be aware that we may not make it back out."

Newt takes a step towards me and then nods firmly. His eyes hold a deep sense of determination. "I'll go with you."

"Me too," Sonya volunteers, then walks over.

Minho walks up to us and nods. He's in.

"I'll go," Harriet says, then takes a shaky step forward. She almost loses her balance when Frypan helps keep her steady.

"No," I tell her. "You're weak, you need to stay. So will Frypan and the others. Me, Sonya, Newt, and Minho will go."

Harriet stares at me grimly. "You have to let me go," she insists. "I want to help."

"You heard her," Newt says, stepping forward. "You're not prepared."

Harriet's face turns red, and she directs her anger towards Newt. "Who made you leader anyway, huh?"

I recoil from the sudden outburst. Newt's eyes widen. Harriet scoffs and then sits down. "Whatever," she mumbles.

I try my best to brush off her outburst and then glance at Minho, Sonya, and Newt. I nod to them. Time to save our friends.

We scout the sewer openings that run along the edge of the rocky hillside. There is only one that isn't covered by rocks, and that's the one we take. I pull my shirt collar up over my nose and step in.

My feet hit the sloshy waste, and I immediately notice the horrible sense of nostalgia returning.  Minho groans and Sonya makes repelling noises.

Newt stays silent beside me as we make our way through the sewage, although I can catch glimpses of his nauseated expression. My shoes are sopping with feces and who knows what else. I wiggle my toes in the cold sewage that has pooled in my shoes.

"Be careful," I mutter, taking my shirt down from my mouth. Each breath I take that isn't behind the safety of my shirt is stinging my throat 100 times more.

Minho nods, his fingers pinched over his nose. "This shucking sewer smells like dead bodies combined with skunk spray and Frypan's armpit sweat."

I grimace. Minho is right. I'm no sewage expert, but this sewer smells ten times worse than the sewer we took earlier. Sure, the smell before was bad, but I hadn't thought about ripping my nose off then.

"Hello!" Sonya shouts, her voice echoing off the sewage pipes.

I hear a low growl, and my heart beat quickens.

"Way to go genius," Minho mutters.

"I was hoping for a decipherable word, not a growl," Sonya mumbles.