Surviving the Scorch // Twins Series {Book Two}

seven

Clara's POV

Once we escaped the Wicked complex we stepped out into the pitch black night and tried to get as far from Wicked as possible. There were helicopters and large search parties coming after us that were in hearing distance but thankfully it seemed as though we were losing them. Thomas and Newt each held one of my arms to help me through the deep sand that we trudged through and it was only because of them that I was able to stay with the group. Thomas' jacket on my shoulder covered my wound and every time it touched my blistered skin a shockwave of pain radiated through my body, making it harder to walk.

We walked for about half an hour or more until we found a dark, abandoned building. Chase led us inside and we all immediately slid down a steep hill that led inside the building. When we started sliding Newt released my hand and Thomas took the opportunity to pull me closer to him to help me stay on my feet. We crashed at the bottom and my feet got swept out from under me causing me to fall back onto Thomas. He pulled me back to my feet with an arm around my waist before leading me deeper into the building. His arm left my waist and I found myself walking after Teresa as the group separated to search our new surroundings.

The building appeared to be crumbling with large blocks of concrete missing from the walls and the sand was up past our ankles as we walked through it. Minho and Thomas found some bags against one of the walls that had flashlights and water bottles in them. After Teresa and I got a flashlight we continued on our search of the building.

Teresa stopped when she reached a few bags full of clothes.

"Clara, look." She held up some shirts and arched a brow at me. "We should probably change clothes so we're not in these dreadful Wicked outfits anymore."

"We need to get anything we can while we're here. Anything you guys think you might need." Thomas called out as him, Minho and Chase started walking further down a hall of sorts, away from Teresa and I.

I glanced behind us and noticed Newt and Fry Pan standing together sifting through a few boxes of their own.

Newt looked up and met my gaze, a soft smile gracing his features. I smiled back at him and smirked when he turned Fry Pan's face towards his own so Fry Pan wouldn't watch us change. I returned my attention to Teresa and grabbed one of the shirts from the bag.

"This is an awkward question but can you help me? My shoulder hurts too much to lift my left arm too high." I spoke quietly and took a step closer to Teresa. She smiled and nodded, not at all embarrassed by what I was asking her. I had managed to pull Thomas' jacket off but I couldn't lift my shirt over my head, not on my own.

"Clara, it's really no problem. We've been through so much more together than me helping you change." She grinned as she started pulling off my shirt and I found another smile on my face. It does seem like we'd been through a lifetime of things especially in the past couple of weeks. From escaping the maze to eventually escaping Wicked it didn't seem possible for me to be a bit shy in asking for help. Not from these guys and Teresa.

She paused when I cringed away in pain. "Are you alright?"

I could feel Newt's eyes boring holes in my back as I nodded to her to continue. I whimpered as the shirt finally came off and the throbbing in my shoulder increased. She smiled apologetically as she slid the other shirt on me and my head dropped to her shoulder when the shirt touched my wound. Maybe I should have kept the shirt with the giant hole in it so no fabric would be on my wound and causing me this ridiculous amount of pain.

"Clara, can I ask you a question?"

I nodded to her still feeling Newt's gaze on my back.

"What happened at Wicked after they separated us? I mean, how did you escape?" Her voice waivered when she said the word separated and I understood why. They only knocked me out and took me out of the room while she was forced to watch it happen. After I woke up in the room Chase told me everything.