The Death Cure Rewrite

Part 4

With the windows down and the fresh mountain air billowing through the car, I wondered if this was what bliss felt like. Sure, there were fears and worries coming towards me, but in the moment, I felt so free. Just the four of us, an old truck, and the open road in front of us with nothing but possibilities. Newt and I sat in the back, spreading out over the seats to relax for a while. Thomas manned the map for Fry, who was an unexpectedly good driver.

Thomas slapped the folded map down on the dash and scratched at his chin nervously when we passed an old sign that said there was a mandatory infection check two miles up the road. I doubted it was still there, but it just reminded me that we were getting closer and closer to this last city.

I reached my arm up, squeezing his shoulder lightly, and he held my hand for a minute to kiss it tenderly. We drove slowly through the check point. It was just as broken down as the cities were. Rusted cars were everywhere, looking like a mix between a prison and a junkyard. Ahead was a tunnel that forced us to stop. Going in there was a bad idea, but there was no other way.

We got out of the car to see for ourselves what the situation might be. So far, I didn't see any cranks in there, but it was dark. Cranks liked dark places, so it was safe to say we would encounter a few. Nothing we couldn't handle.

"You want us to go in there?" Newt asked. Thomas looked at the map for a bit, hoping we'd taken a wrong turn somewhere. "I don't want to come across as too negative, but, I mean, if I was a crank, that's exactly where I'd be."

"My thoughts exactly," I murmured, my hands on my hips as I squinted into the tunnel.

Thomas frowned at the map and shook his head. "I don't think we have much of a choice." Our eyes all stared it down, wishing that for once, we'd get through a tunnel without a crank problem.

Newt licked his lips. "Alright. I get shotgun."

"Shotg-!" My words ended in a groan when Newt beat me to the punch. "Dammit, Newt."

As we drove slowly through the entrance, I sat close to Thomas in the back. The back windows were closed, but I wanted to stay as far away from them as I could. I peeked over to make sure my door was locked for the third time.

The tunnel was a little wet, but there were lights bolted to the walls to provide some light. They were a little dim, but since the headlights were on, it didn't matter much. However, I would've liked much more light then we had. Come to think of it...

I leaned forward between the seats and flipped up a switch on the dash. The extra lights that Jorge put on the car powered up, illuminating the tunnel enough for slight comfort. Newt leaned a little out of his window and turned on an industrial flashlight. Some cars blocked one side of the tunnel and from what I could see, it continued on for a while. Fry would have to be swerving through like a stunt car.

"Yeah, just take it nice and slow," Newt said. We drove through the first obstacle before Fry stomped on the break, his arm flying out in front of Newt like a soccer mom. A crank stood some feet in front of us, watching the car. Luckily, it looked alone. I could hear it gagging like it wanted to snarl but couldn't quite get the sound out.

Fry looked back at me and Thomas, and I nodded. "Just go. It's only one, so try to pass it. If it becomes a problem-." I pulled a knife from one of my holsters, spinning it on my finger before clutching it in my hand. "-I'll take care of it."

Fry sighed nervously, readjusting in his seat as he gripped the wheel. Newt turned off his light and rolled up his window. I looked at Thomas, but what I saw instead was a woman waiting at his window. I jerked back in shock. "Oh, shit!" Thomas looked over and backed up to me, both of us squeezing against my door as we stared at the woman.