Evermore ღ Newt TMR³

15. No Way

Loud noises are coming from outside the van, which suggests to Lori that it was most likely not a trash can.

"Here's an idea," Lori whispers. "Why not try turning the damned headlights back on? It's not like anybody in a thirty mile radius didn't hear all that noise."

Lawrence grunts in frustration as he does what Lori says.

Lori now wishes they hadn't turned the lights back on as she looks at the sight before her. At least thirty Cranks block their path, their dead-looking eyes staring at the van. They clothes are barely clinging to their bodies, and their bodies themselves are filthy. How long have these poor people lived as Cranks for?

Suddenly, they're moving. At first, Lori fears that they're going to charge the van, but they basically do the opposite.

The group of Cranks separate into two groups, slitting down the middle to make room for the van to pass by.

"These are some awfully polite Cranks," Lawrence says.

Lori just nods, too shocked to say anything immediately.

They watch the Cranks carefully, worried that one could pounce at any minute.

"They don't look completely insane yet," Lori says quietly.

Thomas looks at her. "Maybe they're not past the Gone yet? Or not in the mood to get run over by a big van."

"We'll gun it," Brenda states. "Before they change their mind."

Lawrence does exactly what she says, zooming past all of the Cranks.

Just as they're reaching the end of the tunnel of Cranks, a loud popping sound sounds from beneath them. The van immediately sways and swerves to the right, smashing into a wall in the alleyway, two Cranks crushed between the hood of the car and the wall.

The two Cranks don't die however, they're just injured. The Cranks begin to slam their fists angrily on the hood of the van, leaving scarlet smudges across it's white surface.

"What the hell?" Lawrence shouts as he puts the vehicle into reverse.

The van reverses at Lawrence's request, the whole thing rocking violently. The Cranks are released from between the hood and wall, and as soon as they're free, the Cranks around them begin to attack them.

Everything's going to hell.

Cranks begin to push and attack the van from every which way, trying to get in so that can get their hands on the four Munies.

Lori starts to hyperventilate slightly, "Lawrence, we need to get out of here. Please, try harder!"

"What's wrong?"

Brenda yells to the man in the driver's seat.

"What do you think I'm doing? They did something to the tires! Or the axels. Something!"

Lori its up straighter, gripping onto the door handle as a form of support, squeezing it tightly to try and relieve some of the stress she is feeling.

While she's doing that, Lawrence is constantly changing the van from reverse to drive, and then back again, only able to move the van a couple of feet each time.

"We really need to get out of here!" Thomas yells from beside her. Lori looks over to see what has him in a panic.

How could I not notice?

In the window right beside her, a woman with ferociously curly hair is holding a metal shovel, preparing to smack it against the glass.

Lawrence continues to do what he was doing, but to no avail. Nothing was working, and Lori can't take her eyes off of the window. The woman has hit it with the shovel multiple times already, but nothing yet.