Demolished Love | Death Cure

Wound

  It all happens so fast. The rattling sound of the bullet ringing through the air. My head snapping to the side to see the target. The blood flooding the ground.

  Brenda lays on the ground, clutching her leg where a huge bullet is lodged into. She doesn't even scream, biting her tongue against the pain. Jorge and Minho race to her side, grabbing an extra shirt and quickly tying it around her calf.

  I turn around and see a couple men running towards another man holding a rifle pointed at us.

  "They're gonna kill us! Don't trust them! They're with Wicked!" He screams, crying hysterically and pushing away the others attempting to take the gun away from him. He aims the weapon in the air and fires a couple more shots, signaling us to go.

  "We need to get out of here!" Jorge shouts. He points to Minho and Aris. "Help carry her!"

  Minho takes her arms and Aris her legs. Brenda winces against the movement, throwing her head back in agony.

  I hear more gunshots and scream filling the air. Glancing over, I see more bodies falling to the ground. The Crank is on a shooting rampage now. My heartbeat quickens and sweat beads my forehead.

  "Let's go!" Jorge says and begins running towards an alley, the others following behind.

  "Come on, Newt," I tug at his shirt. He looks over at his mother and sister, who are terrified and seeking shelter inside a tent. He doesn't budge. "Newt?" I ask. He is distant, seeming to have thoughts filling his head. I gently shake him and he snaps his head over at me. "I can't leave them!" He yells at me, shaking me up a bit. I bite my lip and take a step back as his eyes become wild, something I've never seen before.

  "Duck!" I scream suddenly, pushing him down to the ground as a bullet whizzes through the air where his head used to be. That seems to snap him out of his angry state as he grabs my hand. We both run after the others, pushing through fleeing bodies and sprinting down alley ways. Before we leave completely, I hear Newt shout to them, I love you.

  I can hear Brenda's groans as her body shifts up and down with the running bodies holding her. I feel Newt hold my hand tighter and I see is making our way to a small truck. Scraps of metal are falling off the sides and the paint is chipping but the keys are sitting on the front seat and all I can do is pray that the engine works as Jorge slides them into the ignition. It's starts up with a groan and a shudder, shaking as it warms up. We don't hesitate to climb in, laying Brenda down in the open trunk. Aris and Minho climb in next to her and Bonnie takes the front seat. I slide in with Newt in the back seat, slamming my  door shut just as Jorge speeds away.

  Newt takes my scarred hand in his, squeezing it tightly. I look backwards as Aris and Minho hopelessly press their hands against Brenda's wound as blood spills from the bullet hole. I quickly dig through my bag and pull out some gauze, along with a clean t-shirt. I toss them back into the trunk, praying they do her injury justice.

  "How long will it take to get over the mountains?!" I ask Jorge as he zips through twists and turns of the streets.

  "About an hour or two to get to the base now that we have a motor with us. A big chunk of the mountains were taken out during the sun flares, so it will only take about a day to get to the other side." He replies and focuses back on driving.

  I hear the groans and yelps from the trunk, Brenda whimpering as the pain subdues and turns numb and she rests her head down, breathing steadying. The two boys wipe their bloody hands off and lean against the sides of the cars. Bonnie rests her head against the window and closes her eyes, just as mysterious and distant as ever and Jorge remains quiet, often checking the rearview mirror to take a look at the girl you might as well call his daughter.

  My fingers go to my head, gently rubbing the dent in my skull as a single tear rolls down my face. Newt takes my chin and turns me to face him, giving me a worried and puzzled look.

  "We could have been normal teenagers." I murmur, searching his deep brown eyes that stare into mine.

  "We could have, couldn't we," He agrees, gently nodding his head. "But there is one thing good that has come out of this."

  "What?" I ask.

  He gives a small smile. "You. Us. If it weren't for this, I never would have met the love of my life."

  I return the smile. Newt looks down, blushing as he mindlessly plays with my fingers and traces lines on my hand, just as he always does. I search his face, the face of the boy I fell so deeply in love with. I notice he has a small freckle on the side of his chin, and that he has little dimples when he smiles. I remember his face staring down at me when I first entered the Glade. He wasn't like the other boys. He didn't see me as some sort of specimen, a rare organism or disgusting creature. He looked at me with wonder and kindness. Tenderness, love. I remember falling in love with his laugh, his smile, his kind words. He always protected me, kept me safe and had my back. He is my entire world, and as long as he's here, I know everything will turn out okay.

  I sit closer to him and lay my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around me and rubs my arm. Millions of thoughts drift from my mind as I feel him peck my forehead and I drift into a needed, deep and dark sleep.