Virus | The Darkest Minds Ψ

Too West For East River

Chapter XII

The rain was still pouring as I stared out the window at the bleak landscape. It was nowhere near dark as we drove along the gravelled road. Chubs eventually turned on the radio, filling the quiet space with a report about America's gas crisis and the drilling that was happening in Alaska as a result.

"Hey, Green," Liam called back after a few hours of silence. "You have a last name?"

"No," Ruby responded after a beat.

Liam turned back to the road, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "Got it."

It was quiet once again, and I turned to glance at Liam. He looked over and smiled, casually taking my hand in his. I blushed, but didn't let go. His hands were rough and callused, but at the same time they were soft. A quiet song floated from the car speakers and Liam's deep voice filled the space with a warm feeling.

***

A couple hours later, we stopped by an abandoned trailer park with a dilapidated wooden sign that said "East River Camping Grounds". I looked uncertainly at Liam.

"Are you sure this is the right place? I don't know if you noticed, but we're in West Virginia, not Virginia."

Liam had a slight frown on his face as he looked around the very empty grounds. "We should still check it out," he said. "Zu and I will go ahead, and uh, maybe you guys wake up Green back there," Liam continued, nodding his head towards the back seat where Ruby was still conked out.

Chubs and I climbed into the middle row, and he gave her a quick slap to the shoulder, like he couldn't bring himself to touch it long enough to put the effort into shaking her.

Green had been curled up in one of the seats, but at his touch she bolted out of it, knocking her head against the window. Chubs arched an eyebrow at her tangled limbs.

"Don't you think you've slept enough?" he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Where are we?" Ruby pulled herself up. "Where are the others?"

"Somewhere near the lovely city of Kingswood, West Virginia. Lee and Suzume are checking something out." I said, and Green jumped, as if only just now realizing I was there.

"How long did I sleep?"

"A day," Chubs snapped his book 'Watership Down' shut and gave Green, who'd been looking over his shoulder, a stink eye. "The general wants you up and ready to report to duty. He's in one of his go-go-go moods. You may only be a Green, but he's expecting you to help."

Ruby seemed to ignore the smug look on Chubs' face and instead asked, "Liam's a Blue, right? Are you, Zu, and Aspen all Blue too?"

"No," Chubs frowned. It took him several moments to reveal his next information. "Suzume and Aspen are Yellow."

Ruby sat up a little straighter. "You had Yellow's at your camp?"

Chubs grunted. "No, Green, I just lied to you—yes, we had Yellows."

My mind started going into overdrive. I'd said I was Yellow, but Ruby said there were no more Yellows at Thurmond. If she found out I was in Thurmond too, she'd start asking questions....

It's fine, I told myself. I'll just make up some lie. I'm good at that.

"Did..." Ruby began. "Did they... do something to the Yellows? To her?"

Chubs and I whirled around and stared at her. Well, at least I did. Chubs gave her such a glare, it could have turned someone to stone.

"That," he said slowly. "Is absolutely none of your business."