Won't Give Up

Chapter 5 Alby's P.O.V

I held the sheet to cover both Ashton and I as we walked across the sand towards the mountains. She kept trying to take the corner of the sheet are her side but I wouldn't let her.

Since I won't let her hold it she now just stares at me with her cute pouty face. Her beautiful brown eyes are wide and her bottom lip is pushed out. She looks so cute.

"You look really cute with your pouty face." I said and smiled at her.

"Can I please help you hold the cover?"

"Nope." She sighed and looked away. I kissed her cheek and she playfully pushed me away.

We've been walking for hours in the scorching sun. Thomas keeps looking back at Ashton every once in a while. He seems like he wants ask her something but can't.

"What does your tattoo say?" Ashton asked.

"It just says Group A, Subject A12. No title like yours."

I have wondered why some of the Gladers have titles and why some don't. Most them are easy to understand. Like Minho's is the leader and Thomas' to be killed by that group. But I don't understand Ashton's. The Destroyer. Hunted. The destroyer of what and who is hunting her?

"What are you going to do about Thomas and your other group?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll just talk to them, reason with them. I will protect him."

"You have friends in your other group?"

"I had many friends. Brook, Makenna, Mai, Emmy, Emma. Lots of friends. I also had enemies to. Abi,Harriet, Soyna, Beth. Lots of enemies. I just want to know why they want to hurt Thomas."

I was about to ask another question when the group stopped walking. Coming down the trail from the mountains where two people running. They were dressed in white sheets just like us except the sheets cover their whole bodies and had slits for the eyes.

They stopped in front of the Group and looked at us. I was wrong they did not have the same sheets as us. They had dirty miss matched clothing that covered their whole body besides their hands. One was a man and the other a woman.

"Who are you?" Minho asked.

"We're cranks." The women said and pointed at the town behind her.

Then the two split up and walked around the group. As they walked ten just stared at us. When they met back up behind us they talked again. This time it was the man.

"We're cranks. Came to to see if you got the Flare." Then he to pointed at the town.

"We where told we had the Flare. Can you tell us anything about it?" Minho asked pushing his way to the front.

The two just stood and stared at us. They looked at everyone in the group then he talked again.

"Don't matter. You got it, you'll know soon enough."

"Well, what do you bloody want? What's it matter to you if were cranks or not?"

They didn't answer just asking how we got here and Minho told them the truth. Then they started talking about cranks and different levels. They then split and walked around the group to their original spot.

"If you don't have it yet, you'll have it soon. Same with the group. The ones that are supposed to kill you. They are also looking for a Ashton." They said and looked right at her.

They then turned and ran back to their town. I looked over at Ashton but she was watching them run away.

"Come on let's go." Minho said and started walked in the direction the two ran.

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We've been walking for hours and the sun had started to go down. We had put the blankets away because the sun didn't hurt that much.

As we neared the town a screaming started. It was a woman and sound like she was in pain. The voice got louder as the sun went down.

In the dying light we saw the shed that the screaming was coming from. Standing outside the shed was Teresa. She stood with her back to the shed and her arms folded across her chest.

We stopped her because it was getting dark and Minho told us to make camp. We were about a hundred feet from the shed.

"Should someone go talk to her?" Newt asked.

"I'll do it." Thomas said and walked towards the shed.

Ashton tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen. As he neared the shed the screaming stopped. We stood watching till they went inside.

Ashton started talking to Minho and Newt as I ate an apple. After about ten minutes Thomas came running out of the shed and ran straight to Ashton. He wrapped his arms around her and started pulling her away from the group.