𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋//𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐗𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

ʙʀᴇɴᴅᴀ'ꜱ ᴀᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ʟɪʟ ᴄʀᴀɴᴋʏ

"Back it up, Joe!" Sonya called out, her silver belled voice straining to be loud. She had a naturally soft voice, contrasting to Harriet's rich velvety pitch. The girls led us through the tunneled caverns of the mountains, pavement slapping against our shoes.

Light funneled through, allowing me to see trucks and jeeps scattered around the mouth of the tunnel. People, mostly men met us at the end as we spouted out of the mountain. They worked and grumbled, all wearing the same gun slung on their shoulder as an accessory.

"Y/n," Newt shouldered me, checking in with a tight-lipped smile. "Are you alright? It's just that the guns from earlier had you so..."

Weird? Scared? Acting like a pussy?

"Freaked out? Yeah, but I um- I think I'm doing better. It's just that I don't like really like them. Uh, the guns I mean."

"They aren't going to hurt you." Attempting to comfort me, he laid a hand in my hair, scrunching up the back. "I don't think you can be that unlucky to be shot twice."

"Hey, don't jinx me," I spoke with firmness, although he knew I was teasing.

"Eh, even if you were shot Jeff could patch you right up again. Besides, I'll keep you safe alright. I swear." Newt promised, casting a brotherly gaze down at me. "Just don't do anythin' stupid."

"No promises." Chuckling my reply, we emerged further into the mountainous clearing. As we entered Right Arm members gave us once overs, murmuring to each other.

"We're taking them to base," Harriet explained to them shortly, putting a stop to the questions scribbled across their faces. These people respected her, listened to her. If not their leader then she must have some kind of power or status in the Right Arm.

"Wait, so, how did you guys get here?" Aris clung close to her, his legs moving double-time to keep up with Harriet's direct and speedy pace.

"The Right Arm got us out."

"Wait wait." Thomas leaned forward while he ambled towards the front of our group. "The Right Arm? Do you know where they are?"

Harriet fastened her hand on a Jeep's door handle, swinging the vehicle open for us. Her eye twinkled, shining with mystery. It paired nicely with her smirk.

"Hop in."

_______________________________________

The Jeep didn't seat all fourteen of us so we had split up into two different cars. Sonya, Frypan, Newt, Minho, Chuck, Aris, and Jeff were in one car. I was put in the other car, along with Harriet, Teresa, Thomas, Brenda, Jorge, and Victor. I sat between Brenda and Victor.

As we bumped down winding dirt roads and I was sandwiched between the two, I began to see that something was off. Very, very off.

Sweat dripped down Brenda's forehead despite the quickly declining temperature. She shivered, grimacing with her chin tilted toward the car's roof.

Dread washed over me when I remembered her leg. How far along could she be? Doesn't becoming a crank vary in time for different people? She can't be turning this quickly, or could she?

"Brenda, how you doing over there?"

She jerked her head toward me, clenching her jaw.

"I feel fucking amazing, what do you think?" Her fiery eyes smoldered at me, extinguishing when she realized what she had said. "I- I'm sorry." Brenda went on rambling, wiping at her perspiration. "I didn't mean to snap at you. My head, it's just- Well it really hurts and I..."

"It's okay." I patted the girl's hand gingerly, still wary of her sickness. "I can stay quiet if that helps."

"Thank you...thank you y/n." Then she crumpled back into herself, hugging her knees with an iron grip.