Survive, if you can // John Murphy

//40// New Earth; Hallucinogenic Hellhole

"Mari?"

I look over my shoulder and to my left to find Monty sitting on the bed. "Mon?"

"It's me," he says, smiling softly.

I smile back, quickly wrapping my arms around his neck. I distantly feel his hands on my back but I'm too relieved to pay attention to it. I pull away and sit next to him, touching the side of his face to make sure he's real. He smiles a bit, covering my hand with his.

"Feel any déjà vu?" he asks, eyebrows raising.

I pull my hands from his face and stand in front of him. "Why would you say something like that?"

He shrugs. "I was just curious if you were even a little uncomfortable around me, knowing we kissed but I guess the answer is no. I shouldn't be surprised. I doubt you even remember."

I take steps away from him until my butt is against the desk Marcus was sitting on. "Monty would never say that to me."

"I just did," he says, frowning. "Seriously, how dense are you?"

"Stop," I say, shaking my head. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Monty-"

"Don't ruin his memory!!" I scream at the person in front of me. "He would never say something like that to me!! He was kind and sweet and...and he was better than I ever have been!"

Monty stands, looking me in the eyes. "And what is he now?"

I stifle the sob with my hand over my mouth. The fake Monty dissolves as I fall to my knees. My hands plant hard on the floor as my tears come faster than before. I let my hair fall around me to create a wall from any other hallucinations. At least I have a little of my sense back. As the past hour comes back to me, I start to sob a bit harder. I stabbed John.

"Don't cry, Cam."

I turn to my left to find Echo sitting up now. "Don't. I'm done with the hallucinations."

"You don't have to believe me but I'm real," she says, nodding.

I pull myself to sit against the desk. "Is John okay?"

"Jackson patched him up. I can't be certain if he's okay though since the toxins are affecting everyone now. I heard Miller screaming while you were out. Bell seems to be experiencing it too. I can only assume that John is being affected too," she says, nodding.

"What about you? Do you feel it anymore?" I ask, running my nails underneath my other ones.

"You mean the white, hot rage?" she asks. "No. I just feel...numb."

"Me too," I say, nodding. "Do you think they'll be here soon?"

"I hope so," she says, looking over my shoulder. "Why is that liquor cabinet open?"

I follow her gaze. "I didn't have any. Marcus came to me and told me to drink but I wouldn't so then I saw Monty."

"I'm glad I didn't experience that. Seeing him would be something I couldn't handle," she says, shaking her head.

"It was," I say quietly, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

The door is opening and Raven is walking inside. I smile softly as she comes toward me. She takes a knife from her pocket and saws through the leather of my cuff. Once she releases me, she goes to Echo. I don't waste any time in rushing out of the room to find we're on the top level of a building. I climb down the metal stairs to go to the gravel square. There are more people than before. Women, children, men. The village must be back. That must be why they left. To avoid the eclipse and also avoid killing each other. The group seems to be crowded around something. I push through them to find John on the ground.