Can't Hide Forever - The Darkest Minds

Thirteen

I press me ear against the door, my silence unmatched.

What I hear is not what I'm expecting. They're yelling. Well, not actually yelling loudly, they whisper in harsh tones. I appreciate it though, for I don't have to listen as hard.

"You aren't going Cole," Cate bellows desperately. "And why the hell not? You think I don't know what's on the line? I can't leave them there!" He retorts back.

"You would be going alone," Cate says, "You aren't taking anyone with you and risking their lives. You can't leave us like that Cole," she says and I can feel the pure desperation in her voice.

"You don't unders-." "Fuck you Cole! You think I want them to take those reds and do god know what to them? You really think I want that?" I've never heard Cate so angry before.

"Do you understand how big of an asset you are to the children's league? We need you Cole, so we can free all the kids one day, not just one camp." I hear Cole heave a big sigh at this.

"My mind is just crazy right now you know? I don't think I could live with myself if I don't help them," he says in a quiet tone. "You'll be able to free them one day, it's not a one and done. When we get a better plan, we'll free everyone alright?" Cate explains.

"Fine," Cole says, but I don't hear any closure in his voice.

I slip away.
_______________
I don't go to the gym in the morning.

That's not a surprise, I'm doing everything I can to avoid Cole. And I assume he's doing the same.

I see him here and there, we do everything to not even glance at each other.

I haven't been talking much at all really, only participating in small talk with Vida. I've been spending a lot more time with Zu, her silence is comforting. I know she understands why I don't want to speak.

The rest of the day I spend sitting with Zu, doodling mindlessly on scrap pieces of paper scattered all over headquarters.

Night draws again, the time I dread.

I don't even bother falling asleep, wanting to fill my head with more information I definitely shouldn't be hearing.

I find my way back to the door. But tonight it's different. No light shines through the bottom casting into the hallway.

Is he asleep.

As much as I want that to be the case. Something inside me tells me otherwise. I feel my stomach sink.

I weight the odds before ultimately opening the door open slowly. The room is empty.

I walk in quietly, looking around. I glance on his bed, seeing a small piece of paper with words sloppily scribbled all over it.

I pick it up, reading the words in shock.

Cate
I'm sorry to do this but I just have to. Can't live with myself if I don't.
Don't know if I'll come back.
Tell Liam I love him.
Don't hate me please.
-Cole

I immediately know what he means by this.

He's going to try to break out the camp of reds at Thurmond. And he's already gone.
____________
I know I shouldn't go after him.

Every ounce in my body tells me to just let him go.
He doesn't even like you, why risk your life to help him.

But at the same time I find my feet silently running to Alban's office. I know enough about this place to know that's where all the keys to the cars are stored.

Just go for Cole. Help him. Then escape.

This isn't how I planned my grant escape to go. I wanted to have everything mapped out to the minute, to ensure accuracy. But here I am, just running mindlessly through headquarters, desperately trying to go fast to get to him in time.

I reach one of the exits. I don't know where the key for it is, and I honestly don't have the time to figure that out.

I place my hand on the knob, will it to heat up. It turns a shade of bright red before melting onto the floor. I silently push the door open, slipping away into the night.

I walk around the building, avoiding all the security cameras, eventually finding where they store the cars.

I press the unlock button. Watching one of the cars light up at it. I run too it, hoping in the front seat.

I've seen and analyzed people driving cars a million times, so I have a general idea on how to manage it.

I type Thurmond into the map finder, and before I know it, I'm heading right to the place that traumatized me to the core, the place I did everything in my power to escape, killing people in the process.

Fuck you Cole.