"If one day speed kills me, do
not cry, because I was smiling."
—Paul Walker
CONTROL,
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HALF AN HOUR went by. No one moved, but Thomas stopped crying. Ruby had also stopped vomiting. She wasn't sure if it was because she was starting to feel better or because she was out of things to puke. It was most likely the latter. Her stomach was empty, that was all.
Ruby crawled over to Thomas and patted his hand. Then she rested her head in his lap. Thomas absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair. It was as if they had done this a million times before. "Just rest until we can leave", he said quietly. Ruby nodded. It wasn't long before she had drifted off to sleep.
"Momma, can I learn to fight?"
"What for, Ruby?"
"So I can defend myself! Jensen can teach me!"
"Just don't get hurt. You're barely thirteen and you're insanely valuable to me."
While Ruby was out she had all sorts of wild memories. She saw herself training with guards. Saw herself get her ass kicked several times over. So many other things flashed before her eyes. It was hard to make sense of if all at one time. She hated it. She wanted answers and she wanted them immediately.
It felt like she'd barely had a nap before Thomas was shaking her awake again. Aside from his smiling face, all she could see was the sky. It was fading from dark purple to pale blue, steaks or orange lining it. It would have been beautiful under other circumstances. "Glad to see you're still with us", he said as he helped her up. Ruby only groaned in response. "Can't believe we're still alive." Now that was something she could smile about. "Are there more? Did we kill all of them?" This question was directed at Minho.
Minho snorted out a laugh. "We made it to sunrise, somehow, or else ten more would have been on our asses." He shifted before standing. With the way he groaned, it must have been painful. "I still can't believe it either. Seriously. We made it through the whole night. That's never been done before. Ever."
"We lived — yay", Ruby said sarcastically. The two boys began talking about something of another that Ruby didn't care about, only making her grumble tiredly. She was getting sick of their bickering. But, then again, boys would be boys. She guessed anyway. She wasn't so sure she could say that, considering her memories of boys were pretty fuzzy. They'd clear soon enough. Hopefully. "Can y'all, like, be quiet? Please? My head hurts and the room is spinning and — Oh, this is not a fun time", Ruby croaked out, still swaying on her feet.
"I told you to stay put, dumb ass", Minho grunted.
"Hey, she's not dumb!", Thomas argued.
Minho groaned. "You two newlyweds are really starting to get on my nerves now", he sighed. "I've been stuck out here with you two for too long."
Thomas rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Says the guy that abandoned us."
"Hey, what about Alby?", Ruby mumbled tiredly.
Thomas smacked a hand to his forehead. Shit. "I forgot all about him." He sounded disappointed in himself. "We have to get back. Gotta get him off that damned wall." Minho looked confused as Thomas forced himself up, so he explained the vine situation.
"There's no way he survived the night", Minho said sadly.
"How do you know? Come on." Thomas squatted down for Ruby to get onto his back, which she did.
"Because no one's ever made it..."
"I made it", Ruby pointed out. "You said we wouldn't, but we did. Alby is strong, have some faith in him, Minho."
The boy smiled sadly. "You also were stung way after he was, Ruby, and it's doing some weird klunk to you." Ruby rolled her eyes. It wasn't doing weird shit. She just had a crazy good immune system, or at least she hoped that's all it was. She didn't wanna be some kind of weird freak of nature. "This has never happened before. Most people make it back in time to get the Serum and go through the Changing. And the ones who got stuck out here at night didn't even get found until days later, if at all", he explained.
Ruby weakly lifted her head off Thomas's shoulder. "You never know if you don't try. If we can do it, I'm sure Alby was fine. We probably distracted all the uglies, so all he had to do was hang there. Easy stuff. It's not like he could go anywhere, you know."
"She's got a point", Thomas nodded. "I doubt they would have noticed them if he didn't move. I mean, you said it yourself: they're stupid."
"I'm starting to really hate you two", Minho mumbled.
"Anyway", Thomas started as they began walking. "I've heard this a couple of times. What is the Serum? And where does it come from?"
Ruby groaned. "No questions. Be smart later, when I'm not around, please."
"You heard the lady. Be smart later", Minho snickered. He shook his head. "It's just what it sounds like, you shank: a serum. The Grief Serum."
"Sounds gross", Ruby mumbled.
"Too bad, you need it", Thomas replied. He laughed, but it was half hearted. "Just when I think I've learned everything. Why is called that? And why are Grievers called Grievers?"
Minho tried to explain the best he could as they walked. Ruby didn't pay them much mind. It didn't matter to her, not one bit. But that could be because she felt like walking death. "...from the Creators — that's what we call them anyway. It comes up in the Box with the supplies every week. It just always has. It's like some kind of antidote", Minho was saying, pretending to stick a needle in his arm. "Stick that sucker in someone who's been stung and it saves em. They go through the Changing though."
"I hate needles", Ruby whined.
Minho laughed, patting her back. "Sorry, bug. You'll have to push through."
Bug. Lighting bug. Ruby perked up at that. "Do I get to go see Gally?"
Thomas scowled. He didn't know why, but it kind of frustrated him that she wanted to go see Gally. Stupid Gally, of all people. "Yeah, sure. Soon", he muttered bitterly. Minho snickered next to him, making Thomas glower at him. "Shut up."
"Don't think you should be worryin about Gally", Minho said instead. "She doesn't look at him like she looks at you — all lovey-dovey and shit."
"I do not...", Ruby trailed off. As they walked, Thomas began to babble aimlessly. Mostly, he worried about Alby. Ruby was too tired to try and reassure him.
Eventually they made it back to the West Door. Newt and another group of Gladers had been waiting for them. When the blonde boy caught sight of them, he limped over as fast as he could. He looked surprised to see them, but relieved too. "What happened?" He sounded a little pissed. "How did you—"
Thomas interrupted him. "We'll tell you later. We gotta save Alby." He had almost forgotten about Ruby. That is, until the girl went slack around him, her arms loosening around his neck. As strong as Ruby was, as much as she tried to hold on, she couldn't do it. Her eyes had rolled back into her head. Darkness had taken over her quickly. "Ruby got Stung too. Take her, get her to Clint and Jeff."
Some boy that he hadn't recognized took Ruby from his arms. Thomas watched until they disappeared into the Glade. Only then did he move to get Alby.
After that, he and Minho were forced to get checked out themselves. Later though, Thomas's attention was all on Ruby. There was another prick on her arm, making him wonder if she'd been stung twice. The girl was crazy strong, he'd give her that.
Her skin was getting paler by the second, her lips dry and cracked. There were dark rings under her eyes. He stayed with her for days. Occasionally she would scream or cry out in pain. Thomas stayed by her side the entire way.
DECEMBER 13, 2019