Someone Worth Lying For

17) Weird

Thomas is acting weird still, which I’m not at all surprised by. Everyone's so weird now, all the time. Him, Teresa, Aris, everyone. Even I randomly feel weird, like I’m not actually authentic. Like I’m a fraud in my own body and mind.

There’s no time for an identity crisis now. We’ve got to keep running as if there aren't storm clouds we haven't seen before above us.

“You guys see that too, right?”Minho asked.

“The clouds?”

“No. The people up there.”

Stopping for a moment, I stared where he was pointing to see there were indeed two figures just a short distance.

“Yeah. I see them too,”I promised.

“So I’m not hallucinating. That's good.”

“Don't worry. The Flare just turns you into a bloodthirsty killer. It doesn't make you hallucinate,”I deadpanned.

“Oh right. That's so much better,”He played along.

“You blokes gonna stand around all buggin’ day or get back to runnin’?”Newt asked.

“I don't know. The first one seems pretty appealing,”I shrugged.

“Real funny. Just get back to movin’.”

I met Minho’s gaze as I rolled my eyes, slightly shaking my head. He gave me a half smile in response before starting to run again, me following right behind him.

Aris's P.O.V

I have to keep moving. I’m very aware of that. I have to keep running so that I don't end up dead.

Everything's so bright though. Everything just feels wrong. I feel wrong. The figures in the distance feel wrong. Everything is wrong. It's been wrong for a while to be honest, and I don't know how to fix it. I don't think I can or that I should even try to figure out what this feeling of nothing being right is. Paranoia maybe? Fear?

Even as we had run all the way up to the figures, I couldn't quite figure it out. Not really. So I just listened.

“Do you know where civilization is?”

Y/N’s voice was clear and calm despite the hagged appearance of the two. They were missing chunks of their own hair, and their skin seemed to be graying with veins. If I remember correctly they're still in the late early stages of being a Crank which is far from promising.

The lady, I think it's a lady, looked at us with a confused expression, while the man just stared blankly, not a thought behind his eyes.

“Civilization? Do you know where it is?”She repeated.

“If it does exist, it doesn't on this planet.”

The man’s voice was raspy and harsh. It was both weak and seemed to be telling us to quit while we're ahead.

“Let's just go. They don't know anything.”

I internally cringed at Minho's insult but didn't remark on it, already having decided it wasn't worth the battle. Besides, there's already enough problems without another useless snide comment.

We’ll just keep running then, hoping we all make it to tomorrow.