Chapter fourteen — the serum & the letter
We started our journey in the hope of finding The Right Arm, and the sun was scorching which made us thirsty in each minute. We stopped in our tracks for the sight that lay in front of us. Nothing left but a ruined city and buildings that had been destroyed.
Janson didn't seem to give up searching for us with the berg. A huge plane that somehow made me experience hazy memories. We had to walk up the chunks of fallen buildings under the scorching sun and dust that slowed down my breathing as every step I took was hard.
'It's our house, dear.' Newt's words from last night's dream kept poking me. Yet, someone's touch on my arm woke me up from the haziness of my heavy breathing.
"You okay?" Thomas rubbed my arms, "Your asthma is attacking you again. Come, walk with me, slowly." He threw his arms around me for support.
"Now you remember about my illness?" I gazed at him, "And are you certain about it?"
"Certain, now." Thomas chuckled, "And not only your illness, I also remember something about you, and you might wanna know it."
I gave him the look that said; 'go on.'
"They changed your appearance before sending you to the maze. You used to have long hair, and be rude." He emphasized the word 'rude'.
I raised my brows, "Oh? Was I that pretty that I am rude?"
Thomas shook his head along with a laugh. I stared at him when a sudden pain grew in my heart. 'Thomas...who are you to me?' I thought — forgetting that Thomas was telepathic as he answered, 'We are the main subjects for W.C.K.D. You were there with us, constructing the maze together until Ava Paige revealed to us about her decision—'
Thomas's words were cut off when Winston fell to the ground. "Stay here." He instructed as he ran to Winston.
We ended up carrying Winston until we found a big chunk of fallen buildings. I leaned on the wall and tried to stabilize my breath while looking over at Winston. He indeed appeared pale and sick ever since he got scratched by the cranks. I scrounged through my backpack and found a plastic filled with medicines.
One medicine caught my eyes as it said; 'serum A0'. I put it back and gazed at the two figures who stood far from us — Thomas & Teresa. Still scrounging through my backpack, my eyes caught a letter.
'Dr, Irene. Please keep them safe, away from Ava Paige, and hide them somewhere they can't find them. I know I won't remember anything after this, or even get a chance to see them again. I put my trust in you, Dr. Irene. Just in case we meet again and I lose my memory, please help me... -Jean.'
Before I could react, Frypan's voice startled me. I shoved the letter back in my backpack and shouldered it. Beside Winston was a gun that earlier was placed on the side of his head, and his suicide attempt was prevented by Frypan.
Thomas and Teresa ran back to us. While Thomas was talking to Frypan, Teresa's voice rang in my head. 'So, you do remember everything, Jean?' I didn't reply to her voice and stood beside Newt.
"It's growing..." Winston lifted his shirt, "Inside me." The scars he got from those cranks last night had turned into something I would never imagined — black vines covering up almost his entire body. "I'm not gonna make it...please...please," he begged, "don't let me turn to one of those thing..."
We never wanted to leave, but we had to. With a heavy heart, we bid Winston a farewell before walking away. A sudden blast of a shotgun reminded me of Mark. Winston had killed himself which made us lose one company.