From Ashes We Rise (The Darkest Minds)

The Redest Rose

We traveled for a while, listening to music. So far we listened to an artist called Lil Pump and Cardi B. I hated both of them to be honest, but Jasper had the radio and terrible taste in music. Everyone else seemed to think so too. I rolled my eyes as a song called Gucci Gang came on. They didn't tell me the name. I knew because he said gucci gang eighty million times without taking a breath. Issac scooted forward and looked at Jasper who was sitting in the passenger seat.
"Can you at least play a song by an artist who is actually talented."
"What you mean?!" Jasper yelled as he flipped around. "Lil pump is a legend!"
"Ha!" Sebastian bursted out. "Drake. . .Kendrick Lamar. . .Snoop dog. . .Eminem. . .they are legends!" Jasper rolled his eyes and turned back around.
"Y'all can go---." All of a sudden, Jasper got quiet and just stared forward. My eyes narrowed as he just sat there, frozen.
"I will play DNA by Kendrick Lamar." I tilted my head as the song DNA started to play. Issac hit Sebastian on the shoulder.
"You did the thing, didn't you?" Sebastian just smirked.
"Hey, what did I tell you?!" Charlie yelled. "No mind controlling each other!" Sebastian didn't say anything. What I wanted to know is how they knew all these artists. I've never heard of them. To be honest, I didn't know that the world was still writing music. I haven't listened to it in years. We drove for hours and hours. We had to duck down at least a dozen times to avoid being seen by truck divers, but after a while, we made our way to an abandoned hotel. Jasper worked his magic and got the electricity to work throughout the whole place. We settled down in a room on the top floor. It was pretty big. I was absolutely exhausted. I plopped right down on one of the beds and closed my eyes. It was nice to finally have some peace and quiet and not be listening to horrible rap music. I felt the bed sink as someone else crawled on it. I opened an eye to see Sheng crawling next to me. He grabbed my hand and snuggled up against me.

My black uniform tightened around my tiny chest. I quivered in the cold rain as I stared at the group of kids. All of the Reds, including me, were surrounding them. I knew that they were Oranges. They had blind folds on and gags in their mouths. The rain saturated my curly hair and blurred my vision. The PSFs surrounded us, circled us. I could just remember hearing the Oranges scream and beg but their voices were muffled. Tears were dripping down my face. I heard a PSF stop behind me. He place his cold hands on my burning hot shoulders.
"Back to your barracks! Now!" I jump at the sound of his loud and frightening voice. The other Reds left and it was just the PSF, the Oranges, and me. I stared at the Oranges, more afraid and petrified as ever.
"Do it," he whispered.
"She's just a little girl!" an Orange yelled as best as she could.
"Shut up, freak!" he screamed. My hands shook violently and my heart was pounding. "I. . .can't," I muttered. He squeezed my shoulders.
"Do it!" My eyes were gushing out tears. The Orange's knees sunk into the loose mud. I shook my head. He grabbed my throat and squeezed. I gasped as the air escaped my lungs.
"I said do it, bitch!"
"No!" I screamed. He shoved me into the mud. My back sank lower as the mud ate at my back. He wrapped his huge hand around my throat and pushed me deeper into the mud. The tears, rain, and mud mixed my vision into a blurry soup.
"Do it!"
"No!"
"Kill them!" I could feel my body warm up. I opened my mouth and raised my hands. The next thing I knew, there was just smoldering heat. Fire everywhere. When I stood and opened my eyes. I saw nothing but a burnt dead waste land in front of me. The whole camp was just gone. Everybody in it was just gone. Gone. The Oranges, the Reds, the Yellows, Blues, Greens. They were all gone. Just like that in an instant. I burned the whole place and everyone in it to ashes. I then felt someone's eyes burn into the back of my head. I popped my eyes open and turned to see who was looking at me. Sebastian stared at me from out on the balcony. He looked down, avoiding my eyes. He got into my head. He saw it. He saw what I did. My heart started to pound with anger. I've never told a soul that memory. The only reason Logan knew, is because he was there. He was the only survivor. Sebastian breeched into my head and stole my deepest darkest secret. I clenched my jaw and slipped my hand out of Sheng's grip. I leeped off the bed and started straight towards Sebastian, my fist curled in a tight ball. I swung the door open and cocked my arm back.
"You son of a---." Before I could even do anything, I felt someone wrap their hand around my wrist. I whipped my head around to see Jasper holding my wrist tight.
"Damn, girl!" he smiled and pulled me closer. "What you pissed about?" I shoved him away and turned back towards Sebastian. I shoved him.
"I am done with you! Get out of my head!" I screamed. I shoved him again.
"Hey!" Charlie yelled. "What's going on?" he asked as he walked outside. I shook my head and clenched my fists again.
"I'm leaving! I'm sorry but I just can't stay here with him trying to be all up in my head!" I stormed towards the door when Charlie grabbed me. I looked up but instead of turning to look at Charlie, I caught Sheng's dark eyes. They were squinted, the sign of being half asleep. For some reason seeing him stare at me like that almost made me want to stay. "Lets talk," Charlie whispered. "Boys, out!" he yelled. Jasper and Sebastian left and closed the door behind them. Charlie finally let go of me. I turned and saw him leaning in the railing.
"I can't stay---."
"Come here," he said in a low calm voice. I sighed and looked down. I slowly walked over to Charlie and leaned on the railing. I stared out at the woods. The cool wind hit my face. "I'm done apologizing for my son. I understand that he can be a bit intense." I scoffed.
"That's an understatement."
"The truth is. . .he just wants to protect us. He lost his mother. . .and he's afraid that he'll loose us too." I still didn't say anything. I was just so pissed at him. "I love my son more than anything, but to be honest. . .he scares the shit out of me." My eyes narrowed and I looked at him. "If he disagrees with me or gets into an argument with me, or if I so much as irritate him. . .he could do whatever he wanted. He could tell me to leave, tell me to walk in front of a car. He could tell me what to do and I would obey him without a question." I still didn't say anything, and it definitely wasn't changing my mind on how mad I was. "But that speaks to my son's character. Even though he could do all of that stuff, he doesn't. He listens to me. . .respects me. . .kind of." I chuckled. "No matter how mad I make him, he doesn't use his abilities." He looked at me. "I am sorry. But he has been our protector and even if it is another child that comes along, he doesn't want to loose anyone else. And because. . .for whatever reason. . .he can't get into your head, and that scares him." I looked down and nodded, but this one question kept buzzing around in my head.
"Why did you save me? The PSF's were there. Your family could've gotten caught. Sebastian could've been killed. You could've been arrested. Why?" He slowly looked up at me. His jaw muscle twitched as he clenched his jaw.
"What my people are doing to your people. . .is wrong." My brows drew together once again. I never thought of it as my people and his people. My people being kids and his people being adults. He patted me on the back. "C'mon. You should gets some sleep before we hit the road again. I'll make sure Sebass stays out of your head." I brought myself to smile. He opened the door for me and I walked back towards the bed. Sheng sat up. "Are you leaving?" he asked. I smiled weakly.
"No, little man. I guess you're stuck with me." He smiled and motioned for me to come over. I walked over to the bed and sat on it. Sheng laid his head on my chest. I closed my eyes and eventually fell asleep again.