|Raging on too long and all will stay unsolved
|Song: Do I ever, Kensington
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Dawn's P.O.V.
We had started running again. The sun was slowly rising and with it came the heat. I had taken off my jacket, binding it around my waist. It was a miracle what some food and a good night rest could do to a person. I felt much better, stronger, though there was a dull aching in the back of my head. I decided to ignore it and focus on the sound of running feet hitting the ground, panting boys and the small conversations going on here and there.
It wasn't until the sun had fully risen that Minho called us to a halt.
'What's going on?' Newt asked.
'Look forward, you dumb shank,' Minho responded.
I turned around and my eyes widened. In the distance two people were running straight towards us. By the little cloud of dust appearing after them they seemed to be running. I narrowed at the strangers and somehow I felt scared. We outnumbered them by far and yet there was something unsettling about this.
'Everyone pack in tight,' Minho said. 'And get ready to fight these shanks the first sign of trouble.'
I took a deep breath, feeling awfully naked without my bow and knives. Somehow I ended up standing next to Lisa who had her hand tightly around the gun in her belt.
'How many bullets do you have left?' I asked.
She kept on staring forward as she answered. 'Enough for those two to be dead if they try anything.'
Turning back forward I realised the figures were close enough to see them clearly now. A man and a woman, though I could only tell by their figure. Their faces were completely wrapped in clothes, except for a small cap to breath through and one around their eyes. The only thing exposed were their hands, which seemed to be red and burned. Their clothes were filthy and ragged, making their appearence even more unpleasent.
Soon they reached us and then they just stood there, panting as they caught their breath.
'Who are you?' Minho called out.
They didn't answer or move, making me even more nervous.
'Who are you?' Minho repeated.
Still no answer came and I could sense the whole group growing nervous.
Suddenly they started walking around us. I narrowed, hating the fact that I couldn't see them at the same time anymore. My palms were growing sweaty and finally they reached the spot they started in, both of them back in my view.
'There are a whole lot more of us than there are of you,' Minho said, his voice betraying his frustration. 'Start talking. Tell us who you are.'
'We're Cranks,' the stranger who I thought to be a woman spoke. The word sended a shiver down my spine.
'Cranks?' Minho asked. 'Just like the ones that tried to break into our building a few days ago?'
I frowned, not understanding why he said that. Thomas told me about it but these people had no clue.
'We're Cranks,' the man spoke. His voice held no kindness. 'Came to see if you're Cranks. Came to see if you've got the Flare.'
I saw Minho turn to Thomas and then at a few others, his eyebrows raised but nobody said anything. So he turned back towards the two strangers.
'Some dude told us we had the Flare, yeah. What can you tell us about it?'
'Don't matter,' the man responded. 'You got it, you'll know soon enough.'
'Well, what do you bloody want?' Newt asked. 'What's it matter to you if we're Cranks or not?'
The woman responded, but she acted as if she hadn't heard us. 'How'd you get in the Scorch? Where'd you come from? How'd you get here?'
Her questions were understandable. We did just appear out of nowhere into the middle of a desert. Still it made me nervous to be interrogated like this.
Minho leaned over to talk with Newt and Thomas. I kept looking towards the two strangers but heard their conversation anyway.
'What do we tell these people?' Minho asked.
'I don't know. The truth? It can't hurt,' Thomas said.
'The truth?' Minho said sarcastically. 'What an idea, Thomas. You're freaking brilliant as usual.' He turned towards the Cranks again and I stared at him, wondering what he was going to do. 'We were sent here by Wicked. Came out of a hole in the ground just a little while back, from a tunnel. We're suppose to go north, cross the Scorch. Does any of that mean a thing to you?'
Silence followed and when the man finally did answer it was as if he hadn't heard Minho at all.
'Not all Cranks are gone,' he said. 'Not all of them are past the Gone.'
Nervously I shifted on my feet, the way he was talking about the virus, as if it was some sort of place, was making me feel sick.
'Different ones at different levels. Best you learn who to make friends with and who to avoid. Or kill. Better learn quick if you're coming our way.'
'What's your way?' Minho asked. 'You came from that town, right? Is that where all the Cranks live? Is there food and water there?'
'If you don't have it yet, you'll have it soon. Same with the other Group. The ones that're suppose to kill you,' the woman said.
And as much as I hated that she didn't answer our questions she did just share a valuable detail with us.
Suddenly the two strangers turned around and took off, their feet leaving a pattern in the sand, dust coming off their heels.
We were all stunned with silence until finally Leon spoke. 'Other group?' He asked.
'Group B,' Thomas said. 'Wonder if they already made it to the town.'
'Hello,' Minho snapped. 'Who cares? You'd think the little part about them supposedly killing us would be the attention getter. Maybe this stuff about the Flare?'
I turned to Thomas who looked uneasy. 'Maybe when she said "you" she didn't mean all of us,' he said and pointed at his neck. 'Maybe she meant me specifically. Couldn't tell where she was looking.'
'How's she gonna know who you are?' Minho replied. 'Plus, doesn't matter. If someone tries to kill you, or me, or anyone else, they might as well try to get all of us. Right?'
I nodded and put my hand on Thomas his shoulder. 'Right,' I said.
'Well, what do we do now?' A Glader who I believed was called Jack, asked.
'What do you think?' Newt replied but he was looking at Minho.
Our new leader rolled his eyes. 'We keep going, that's what. Look, we don't have a choice. If we don't go to that town, we're gonna die out here of sunstroke or starvation. If we do go, we'll have shelter for a while, maybe even food. Cranks or no Cranks, that's where we're going.'
'And Group B?' Thomas asked. 'Or whoever they were talking about. What if they really do wanna kill us? All we have to fight with are our hands.'
Minho flexed his right arm, making me raise my eyebrows. 'If these people are really the girls Aris was hanging out with, I'll show 'em these guns of mine and they'll go runnin'.'
I coughed and Minho turned to me. I smiled at him and before he could say anything Lisa had already punched him in the face. The Gladers broke out in loud laughter.
'That's how afraid we are of your "guns",' Lisa said and I smiled at her.
Minho stared at her, his eyes flaring but before he could say anything Thomas broke the tension. 'What if these girls have weapons? What if it's not even them but a group of a thousand Cranks?'
That comment killed the laughter instantly. Minho let out a deep sigh and stopped rubbing the spot where Lisa had hit him. 'Thomas, no everybody,' he said. 'Would everybody just shut their holes and slim it? No more questions. Unless you have an idea that doesn't involve absolute certain death, then quit your cryin' and let's take the only chance we got. Get it?'
Somehow a smile crossed my face. I hated Wicked, but I had to give them the credit for choosing the right Leader for us.
'That's better,' Minho said with a satisfied nod. 'Anybody else wanna pee their pants and cry for Mommy?' A few laughs broke out but no one responded.
'Good. Newt, you lead up front this time, limp and all. Thomas, you in the back. Jack, get someone else to help Winston to give you a break. Let's go.'
And so we were off again. Sometimes walking, sometimes jogging. I was suddenly thankful for how hard Minho had been on Thomas and me back in the Maze. My condition was great and if it wasn't for the heat, I would've enjoyed the run.
I ran next to Lisa who seemed to have a lot more trouble with keeping up but she never complained and kept on looking forward with a resolute look on her face.
We went on the whole day, with only a few small breaks. And soon the darkness settled but Minho kept on walking. The little drop in tempature was a bliss. But what I loved most about it were the stars that had appeared in the sky. Thousands of them. I kept on watching them as we went on. Their little lights giving me hope.
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I have some exciting news to share with you all! I know I told you a few chapters ago that life wasn't so great for me, but now things are falling back into place and I'm feeling a lot better. And so I decided to give you guys a little surprise:
From now on (GREATEST SHOWMAN ANYONE?) updates will be on sunday as well as wednesday! So there will not be one but TWO chapters a week.
So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, let me know your thoughts in the comments and please leave a vote. It means a lot to see your support.
I'll see you all wednesday!
xxx
-Me