Like Ashes We Fall

Chapter Eighteen

I was drifting in and out of consciousness.

My vision was hazy as my body desperately tried to keep up with the amount of blood that was being drawn from my veins. In one arm, the tube connected to my skin ran red. In the other arm, the liquid was clear as an IV gave me fluids in an effort to help my body function.

I didn't think it was working.

"Just one more, Ari. Almost done." Teresa's voice sounded so far away like it was across an entire dimension of time and space.

"Newt-" I tried the words like clumpy mud in my throat.

"They delivered the serum to Vince. He took it back to Newt," Teresa said. "Don't worry. He's safe now. Thanks to you. The first person to ever be Cured."

A tiny bit of relief filled me at that. Something loosened in my chest. The edges of my vision grew hazy again, threatening to pull me under. Teresa capped the last vial, the red blood gleaming in the light. "There. Done. For today at least." She removed the needle from my arm but left the IV in. "You can sleep now, Ari." She turned her back, collecting the vials. They still needed to be assembled into a Cure.

I blinked at the ceiling. This was what it was now. My life. This is how I would live the rest of my days until my body eventually gave out. A hazy world of half-consciousness. I forced myself to swallow. It was worth it. Knowing Newt and Minho and Thomas and the others would survive. They would live free from WCKD.

The sound of shouting filled my brain. So faint at first I assumed I was imagining it. Then glass shattered. Gunshots followed. Teresa spun around, panic evident on her face. She stared at the door, distracted.

It was now or never.

Summoning every ounce of willpower that I had, I rose into a sitting position. I braced my bare feet on the floor and gripped the IV cord in both my hands. With an animalistic yell, I surged forward and looped the IV tube around Teresa's throat. I yanked back hard, and sat down, bracing my feet against the floor.

The cord tightened around her neck and her fingers floundered at it as she choked and spluttered. But I held tight, using every bit of strength I had. Rage filled me, overpowering everything else that I felt. Teresa flopped around on the floor, managing to wedge her fingers beneath the tube. She yanked on it and it slipped from my grasp. I collapsed backward, my body finally giving out. The ceiling swam above me.

There was shouting again, this time much closer and louder. Glass rained down on me and I stared at the shards in a daze. I lifted my hand to my face. Blood came away on my hand.

"Ari!"

I knew that voice. It was familiar. Teresa let out a shriek, followed by a sharp crack. Glass crunched under heavy boots. Minho's face swam into my vision, his features blurred. "Guys, she's here! She's alive!"

I couldn't see who he was with, who he was yelling to. I tried to stand but collapsed again. Minho slipped an arm beneath my legs and the other under my back. "Ari, I swear to God, you ever try something like this again-" He shook his head.

I opened my mouth to retort but speaking was too much effort. Despite it, Minho chuckled, the sound heavy. "You don't even have to answer, I can see the expression on your face." My head fell against his chest. I still couldn't see who else was in the room. He carried me to the door, glancing both ways before stepping out. "Guys, come on, we've got to hurry."

There was a wet cough behind me and more pairs of feet. Then Minho was moving down the hall, heading for the elevators. He drew back, swearing softly. "Alright, not that way. Too many. We've got to find another way out. Teresa, maybe do something useful for once."

"I-" her words were stuttered. "There's another exit but it's on the other side of this floor."

"It's the only choice we have. Let's go." We were moving again, my head against Minho's chest. I could feel his heartbeat and I tried to will strength into my arms and legs. Tried and failed. The coughing came again, followed by a dull thud.

"Shit-" that was Thomas. "Minho- wait."

Minho paused. There was raspy breathing, and fumbling of feet. Another cough, this one sounding wet and heavy.

"No- this isn't right," Teresa said. Her voice was tinged with something. "When did you give it to him?"

"What?" Thomas asked, confusion rippling through his voice.

I struggled against Minho, desperate to see what was happening. He looked down at me. "Can you walk?"

I nodded and then voiced the word. "Yes."

He kept an arm braced on my back and gently lowered my legs to the floor. I winced but they held me. The metal floor was icy against my bare feet. I blinked a few times and saw both Teresa and Thomas huddled on the floor over a crumpled figure.

Teresa was staring at Thomas. "The Cure! When did you give it to him?"

Thomas stared back. "What the hell are you talking about? What Cure?"

Minho took a step forward. "What's going on?"

Teresa spun to face us. "Newt is sick! He's infected. That's the whole reason Ari came to us. The first dose of the Cure we made, went to Vince at the meeting point. He was supposed to take it back to Newt." She looked at me.

"He's going to die if he doesn't get it."