.* ﾟ
G A M E O F
S U R V I V A L
· 。ﾟ
*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*
𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞?
𝐢'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬
𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞
𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢'𝐦 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲?
*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*
chapter nineteen
bertha & renee
.·:*¨༺ ★ ༻¨*:·.
EVERYONE REMAINED still, watching splatters of blood land on Jac's face as the gun went off silencing Marcus. A little sigh of relief left Jac's lips as her shoulders relaxed as if a weight on her shoulders had been lifted. A few of the gladers gasped at the sudden gunshot. Teresa let out a small whimper before turning around to hold in her tears.
Thomas looked at the people around him in panic. He was still trying to grasp of the concept that-that person was Marcus the whole time. Plus the fact that Rosie wanted to take Jac and Celia with them. The boy already had five strangers tagging along with them and Rosie wanted to add two more to the mix. She was crazy, he thought. Purely and utterly insane.
The boy wondered many times what Newt saw in Rosie who had started to develop such a twisted mind. He saw her reaction and it was completely still. There was no fear nor satisfaction. It was a simple blank stare as if she was staring at an empty wall and not a murder. Besides Teresa, the rest of the girls looked numb.
It was as if they were used to it.
Jorge cleared his throat as guilt formed in his chest as Marcus might have been a terrible person but they were once friends. Memories of them laughing together and fighting people off ran through his mind. The action of clearing his throat pulled people out of their trance.
Jac looked up towards him as Jorge asked, "the cars?"
The young girl cleaned off the specks of blood off her face using her hand. Wiping her hand on the side of her pants, Jac replied, "right. Almost forgot."
"The cars haven't been in use for awhile so it's best if they get checked." Celia explained as she followed Jac down the stairs with the rest of the gladers.
Rosie tilted her head as she hadn't moved from the spot. She just stared at the dead man a few feet away sitting in the chair. Newt glanced behind himself to see if Rosie was following him but quickly realized she hadn't moved. Thomas was in the midst of walking down the stairs but walked back up when he saw Newt not follow him.
"You sure about this?" Thomas asked before Newt could even say anything as he reached the entrance of the room. "Taking the girls with us?"
"Thomas." Newt warned as he wanted to keep the conversation civil between Rosie and Thomas.
The girl was a ticking time bomb. Anything could set her off. The ugly truth was that no one knew how to stop it or turn it off. Not even her. The more time passed, Rosie could physically feel herself getting detached from her own emotions. It scared her because she didn't want to become a heartless person but maybe to find freedom for everyone she might have to become heartless.
"What? We don't know them, Newt." Thomas stated, "it's the same thing with the three girls. We're just going to let Rosie bring anyone she wants with us? There's a higher chance someone's gonna find us—"
The boy stopped talking as Rosie headed towards the hidden door she found a helper hidden in. "Rosie—" Newt called out following the girl towards the tiny room. "What are you doing?"
Thomas followed right after annoyed that Rosie didn't bother to pay attention to his concerns. The three stepped into the small room spotting a large tv with a keyboard. Her fingers touched the warm keyboards and one finger pressed on the space button turning the tv display on.
The two boys took a step back frightened of what they saw on the tv. There were cranks being watched. Each camera pointed in different directions causing Rosie to remember the top left surveillance camera. The group had walked through that section about an hour ago.
"Are those—" Newt stopped for a second remembering as well that they passed through that section themselves. "Wait, we passed through there!" He pointed at the top left of the tv.
"What does that mean?" Thomas asked hoping that somehow the two people around him new the answer to his question. "Rosie?"
"We have to go tell the rest!" Rosie raised her voice grabbing the gun from the unconscious guard on the ground.
Newt nodded quickly as he rushed out of the door. "We need to leave! Guys come on!"
Thomas wasn't comprehending what was happening and why were the two rushing. It was a city, it wasn't abandoned. How could they get here? "How'd they get here?" He questioned.
"Thomas, come on!" Rosie urged pulling the boy with her as the three ran down the stairs.
Screams were heard in the distance as the three ran out of the building. Nobody was outside. Two garage doors were left open. The rest of the group seemed to have left without the trio.
"Where the hell is everyone!?" Newt asked hearing peoples screams starting to get louder. The sound of a familiar growl caused the three to turn to their left spotting a crank on the loose and staring at them.
It's pitching scream scared the three teenagers once it started to run towards them. The three were frozen in place not knowing what to do. Rosie pulled the gun out of her back and shooting the crank right in the middle of its forehead.
Both boys stood in between the girl slightly behind her. Another crank came running from the side causing Rosie to shoot once again and kill it. An immense amount of cranks appeared on the side of the building and immediately ran towards the trio.
"Run!" Rosie screamed as she knew she couldn't shoot all of the cranks.
The three ran as their lives depended on it. They ran to the other side of the building as their hearts dropped realizing there was a fence. "Go! Go! Go!" Thomas yelled as the three had to climb the fence and hope it wasn't electric.
The two boys climbed up the fence quicker than Rosie who had a late start. She climbed the fence fearing for the cranks that were a few feet away from her. The two boys did their best to help her up the fence causing Rosie to wonder why the boys hadn't gone over the fence.
And on the other side were two cranks trying to get a hold of them. "Fuck!" Newt yelled, "what the bloody hell do we do now!?"
Struggling, Rosie looked for the gun she had just used and her eyes widened spotting it on the ground. Her eyes wandered trying to figure out what they could do or where could they go. In trying to find something, her eyes landed on the two boys hands intertwined together pressed on the fence. They hadn't done it intentionally but they were holding each others hands for comfort.
Rosie tore her eyes away as Newt hadn't done it with her. He'd done it with Thomas. He had searched for him during the madness. Newt found Thomas more comforting than his own girlfriend. And so she had to hold herself. Comfort herself.
Before she could let these thoughts consume her, the sound of car honking grabbed the trio's attentions. A car drove fast and immediately running the two cranks over. Another car pulled up rather fast with Celia getting out of the copilot seat and shooting the two cranks dead.
Minho and Jorge got out of the car right after calling out for the three. "You dumb shanks! Are you trying to get yourselves killed!?" Minho questioned
"Come on!" Jorge exclaimed, "it's a matter of time this city gets completely invaded!"
The two boys don't take long to climb down. Rosie stayed on the top of the fence with her contradicting thoughts running around her head. She glanced down to where the group was watching her and turned her head to the growling cranks trying to grab her. She wasn't thinking very much when she put her other leg on the side of the fence where the cranks were.
Everyone's eyes widen when they realize what she was going to do. The girls all rush out of the second car. The rest of the group also get out immediately yelling her name as she shifted her entire body with her back facing the rest of the group.
"Get back over here!"
"Don't you dare jump off, Rosie!"
"Are you insane? Get down from there!"
Tears started to spill down her face as she started to shake her head. She couldn't take it anymore. It was too much for her to handle. Rosie was just tired. Too tired to keep going. She tried. She tried to go on for the others who weren't with them anymore. But how could she when she didn't even recognize herself anymore.
Rosie didn't want to live a life where her friends kept dying one by one. How was she even alive? WICKED wanted her dead and they weren't going to stop until she's lifeless. The group didn't need her. They were well off without her. All of them were.
The girl was too into her head and her hands had let go. She was close to falling in before a familiar arm grabbed ahold of her waist pulling her up before the cranks even got the chance to touch her shoes. All Rosie felt was a harsh pull before flying down backwards on the other side where the group was and landing on a hard body.
A groan left Minho's lips as his back landed on the hard concrete and Rosie's body on top of him. Newt and Jessie rushed to the girl to get her up and off the boy. "Get off me! Don't touch me!" Rosie yelled pulling away from the two before turning to Minho who was sitting on the ground. "Why the hell did you do that?!" Rosie yelled in anger.
Minho's expression hardened as he felt a burning sensation in his chest when he got up on his feet. The boy pointed his finger at Rosie's face before raising his voice at her, "you should be thanking me not yelling at me!"
"For what!?" Rosie replied as her face flushed.
"I saved your fucking life, Rosie!" Minho argued back not understanding why she was acting this way.
Before everyone could realize what was happening, Rosie pulled out her knife trying to threaten the boy. "Rosie—" Newt stopped himself from continuing as Minho had caught on before anyone else.
The boy was able to grab a hold of Rosie's wrist before throwing the knife far away from the pair. "I don't think so, sweetheart." Minho taunted watching Rosie have no control this time as he pushed the girl against the car and pinned her wrists against the door. "Not this time."
Rosie's heart was beating faster than usual as Minho was invading her personal space. His feet had her feet also against the car so she wasn't able to hurt him with her legs. She was stunned because the only other person who had been able to stop her from her knife move was Gally. The one who had taught her the move.
Minho towered over her somewhat intimidating the girl. "I don't know what the hell is going on with you," Minho whispered using one hand to hold both of her wrists and using his free hand to grab a hold of her chin to make her look up at him. "But I need you to get it together, Rosie."
Tears formed in the corners of her eyes once again as she started to shake her head. "I can't, Minho." Rosie let out causing Minho to let go of her wrists and creating distance between them. The girl dropped down to the ground her hands landing on the concrete as she let out a heartbreaking cry. "It hurts too much."
Minho rubbed the back of his neck glancing over at Newt who hadn't taken the initiative to help his own girlfriend. The British boy stood still standing next to Thomas not saying a word. A sudden feeling of annoyance formed in Minho's chest as Newt wasn't doing anything to help her.
The boy crouched down to her level before embracing her into a tight hug. "I got you." Minho mumbled bringing her close to his chest. Rosie only clung onto Minho's arm as she continued to cry. "It's going to be okay."
"Guys," Jac's voice sounded wary grabbing the attention of the gladers who turned to see where she was looking towards. "We need to go! They're getting closer!"
Jorge's eyes widened as cranks were a few yards away from the group. "Everyone back inside the cars! Now!"
The majority of the group rushed back inside their assigned cars. Minho pulled Rosie up with him, "come on, we have to go, Rosie."
Newt had rushed to the other side of the car to sit on the passenger seat at the front. Brenda opened up the truck's bed from the back letting the gladers slide inside. Minho opened up the middle side of the car and guided Rosie inside. The girls inside Renee pulled up next to Bertha ready to speed off.
"Everybody ready—"
"Holy fuck!" Frypan screamed as a crank smashed its head on the car's window. The boy moved away from the window squishing Rosie and Minho closer together.
Minho turned his head to the left letting out a short frightened scream when a crank was also on his side. The crank was trying to get inside by banging itself against the window. "Fucking shit!" Minho cursed moving away.
Teresa let out a short scream as the cranks tried to open the truck's tailgate. They were trying to do whatever it took to get the gladers out of the car. "Jorge! Drive! What the hell are you doing man!?" Newt yelled as he watched Jorge trying to turn the engine on and not turning on.
"What's going on!?" Thomas questioned from the back of the truck.
Rosie moved away from the middle seat and reached over to the front. She could see anxiety forming in Jorge who was trying to turn the car on. "Oh my god! We're going to die!" Frypan yelled as he clutched onto Minho who tried to slap his hand away.
The girl grabbed a hold of the screwdriver on the ground inserting it inside the keyhole. Using the gun she had, she used it to hit the top of of the screwdriver's handle causing the engines pins to break. Rosie circled the screwdriver clockwise and the engine started running.
"Start driving." Rosie murmured before sitting back down in the middle as Jorge stepped on the accelerator and catch up to the girls.
"I love you!" Frypan exclaimed hugging the girl's side. "I could kiss you right now!"
Rosie squirmed away, "please do not."
The boy rolled his eyes but stayed content that the car was speeding off and leaving the cranks behind. Minho glanced down at Rosie who's eyes remained on her lap as she was forced to stop crying and focus on the task at hand. "Minho?" Rosie's voice was so low only him and Frypan were able to hear her.
"Yeah?" Minho responds
"How are you doing it? How's everyone doing it?" Rosie asked crossing her arms close to her chest as she now stared at the road in front of her. "I feel like I'm the only one that can't handle this. My mind is going crazy. It's driving me insane."
Minho let out a sigh responding to her, "I don't know, Rosie. I think it's the little bit of hope we've got left that's helping."
"I think I'm dramatic." Rosie spoke up feeling bad that she's the only to cry the past few days. None of the others had fallen to misery like she had. "It feels like I shouldn't be acting so emotional but I think when I cry it's the only time I feel real. Friends of ours have died and I don't understand how you guys can just keep going as if it never happened."
The boy tensed up as he didn't know what to say. "I've cried, Rosie." Minho admitted, "I'm pretty sure all of us have. We just don't show it to the rest. Don't think you're the only one. All of us are struggling too."
"Hey," Frypan grabbed Rosie's attention causing her to turn to him, "we're almost with the Right Arm. We're finally going to be okay."
CARMELA'S RANDOM RANTS
— sorry for the very short chapter but i wanted to give you guys something before the new year! it's more of a filler!
— how are you guys liking this book? honest opinions ONLY and constructive criticism is obvi welcomed
— ive been struggling sometimes to write so this is why the chapters are being released very inconsistently
— like for example last chapter was more than 8k words and this one was barely even 3k. my mind really out here playing tricks on me fr fr
— next chapter will definitely be a past memory of Rosie when she was still w her family so look forward to that
—question of the day: pineapple on pizza?
— the only correct answer is yes guys don't even fight me on it. pineapple rules.
— let me know who you guys want to see Rosie interact more
— im trying to please y'all and barely anyone is saying anything!!!!!!
— im out here trying to give you all the chance to input ideas 💡 and I get nothinggggggggg
— me when you guys don't respond to my questions lmaoooo
— lol anyways see y'all next chapter !!