A Beautiful Distraction(Aris Jones x Reader)

14) The Look-Alikes

From behind us lightning crashed into the ground threatening to hit us at any moment. It was the only split second of light though the dark. I tried to ignore my racing heart as my footsteps echoed through the open air or maybe it was just the panic ringing in my ears.

A loud crack of lightning hit someone next to me. They let out a short yet horrific scream as the smell of burning flesh filled my nose. I didn't stop to see who, and I didn't stop to help. They were dead.

Rain started furiously beating down on us. My eyes were clouded as it dripped in my hair, now sticking to my face. I stopped for a mere second to move it so I could see.

That one second was all it took to miss the hole in the ground. My foot slammed into it. I hit the hard ground chin first. Pain travelled up my entire face making me scream. A different kind of pain went through my ankle. It felt like something had popped. I struggled to even move it, but I had to get up. I needed to run.

I pulled my foot out of the hole only to collapse on the ground. I did something, most likely sprained it. I panted before pulling myself up again trying to sprint despite the now evident limp.

"Here. I've got you,"Aris shouted, putting my arm over his shoulder.

"Just go. I'll slow you down,"I desperately urged.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving you again."

I felt hopeless as I tried to keep myself going as quickly as possible. More bolts kept slamming into the earth. Another scream rang out around us. Out of nowhere the metallic scent of blood and burning flesh wafted through the air.

I strained my eyes to properly see through the harsh rain. Ahead of us was an actual building. It was our only choice. If we wanted to live we had to get there.

I couldn't tell exactly when we were a few feet from the building since time was switching between going forward and backwards. It was like a ticking clock reminding us we had to keep going before reversing again. Tick, tick, tick, tock. With one last struggle Aris closed the door behind us. I leaned against the wall as it slammed shut.

"Where were you two?"Teresa asked.

"I fell behind. How many people made it back?"I asked. Teresa looked at the group and bit her lip, clearly uncomfortable.

"Everyone made it back,"She mumbled. I knew there was something more by her standoffish tone, and the way she avoided looking at me.

"And?"I asked.

"Minho got struck. He's alive though, and he seems okay though,"She added quickly.

"Are you sure he's alright? I mean he got hit by lightning."

"He is. He's already up and being sarcastic,"She assured me.

"Hey. Does anyone else feel something off about this place?"Aris asked. I stopped and listened for something that would reveal what he meant.

There were muffled groans, and they weren't coming from Minho. He had already regained his ego and humor. These noises were coming from something else.

"Hush for a second,"I instructed. The group looked back confused when a flash of lightning showed more of the room. Louder noises were coming from a disheveled door.

"We should go in,"Thomas suggested. I thought it was a terrible idea, but there weren't any good options for us. I pushed myself up wincing at the pain.

"Here,"Aris offered.

"I've got it,"I shrugged, leaning on my good leg. I could already feel that it had swollen.

"Maybe you should check your ankle really quick in case it's broken,"He suggested.

"If it was broken I wouldn't be able to move it at all. There's only restricted movement. It's probably twisted,"I shrugged, hiding the pain in my voice. He didn't buy it.

"Eventually, we're going to look at it. Better safe than sorry."

"Okay. Let's just go,"I said.

"Shouldn't we wrap it first?"

"No because I don't want to be left behind. I already said later."

Did I feel like an idiot every time I walked? Absolutely. Would I feel like an even bigger one if I let him help me? Absolutely, and I'd be embarrassed as well. The choice was crystal clear.

Another flash of lightning crossed the room illuminating people. I turned on my flashlight and shined it. What I saw almost made me drop it.

Chained to the ground like dogs were those same things we had seen. They were all deformed and different ages. Blood was everywhere. The floor, their clothes, the walls by them. Any place close to them was a crimson mess.

"That's creepy,"Minho said.

"Tell me about it,"Newt agreed.

"No. Those three in the corner. They kind of look like Y/N."

"Not now Minho,"I sighed.

"Bloody hell. He's serious. Give me the flashlight,"Newt requested. I rolled my eyes but threw it to him. He effortlessly caught it.

"Them,"He said, shining it in the corner.

I felt sick to my stomach. These people were different. A man and women were clutching a girl my age, sobbing. The girl had no eyes, but I felt like she was staring right at me. The man also had none while the women had one hanging out of its socket. That's not the disturbing part though.

They kind of looked like me, especially the girl. The girl and women had my face and nose. The man seemed to have my exact skin, down to the red birthmark on my arm.

I looked back down at the girl. She was holding onto a teddy bear. They didn't look violent. They looked like a broken family. They almost looked like they could be just like us, but they couldn't. They were still bruised and covered in claw marks. These people weren't who they'd once been. I looked at them again. The girl was still a disturbing version of me. Her ears, her height, and even her scraggly long hair looked like it could have been mine.

I could handle the other things, but seeing those things so similar to me was to much. I leaned over and threw up on the ground. The little bit of food and water I had was gone. My mouth was filled with the sick taste of bile as the scent filled my noise. It burned my throat, and I didn't stop until I was completely empty.

"You'll be okay,"Teresa tried to reassure me.

"I know. Come on. We're supposed to be looking for something. We don't even know what yet,"I mumbled, wiping my mouth.

"Maybe we should stop,"Aris suggested.

"And get stuck with these things?"I pointed out, slightly gagging at the leftover taste in my mouth.

"She's right, you know? These things aren't much fun to be around,"A girl said, leaning across a doorframe. We all stopped to stare at the stranger. Her hair was buzzed, and she carried herself with confidence.

"Unless, you'd like to stay with them?"She asked. Everyone looked at each other and silently but simultaneously agreed we should leave. I leaned on my good leg and followed them out, ignoring the earie and unsettling feelings those three strangers gave me.