ADRONITIS (II) : tmr minho

33: I could be Luckier

Leo 33

I sit next to Newt, finishing drawing. It is me, him, Fry, Dawn and Ella all working away in here. And Teresa. She keeps glancing awkwardly up at Ella. I wonder how the youngest girl got roped into this group. She isn't particularly trustworthy, as far as I can tell. A bit off the rails.

"It's just PUSH again," Dawn drops the markers, looking over at Newt. "It just keeps repeating."

FLOAT. CATCH. BLEED. DEATH. STIFF. PUSH.

We've gone back more than halfway through the records. Done them all, over and over and over again.

"There's more to do," Teresa begins. "We could go back months and months. WICKED wouldn't just leave this nonsense. It has to mean something."

I've been hearing about WICKED more and more these last few days. Before now, I hadn't thought much about the Creators, or the crates they send us labelled with their insignia. I don't know enough about them to know what nonsense they would and wouldn't leave. All I know is that I've seen enough people die at their hands to expect nothing better of them.

Dawn gives her a look that I barely catch. Obviously, Teresa is a Greenie. She doesn't get how it works. I honestly don't know how she's handling it. Waking up in the elevator was hard enough but waking up when this came crashing down must be impossible.

"We can keep working tomorrow," I suggest, trying to ease the tension between the two. "That way we can take a break tonight. I need to check on Michelle anyway."

Teresa continues her sour look, and at this Dawn flinches away. Of course, more drama. Do I want to know what happened last night between Michelle, Dawn, and Teresa? Or do I want to forget it?

"We'll call it a day," Newt sighs. He drops his marker, shoving it forward. Leaning his head in his hands, he holds himself up.

Ella silently moves out of the room, brushing past him. I wait for Teresa to get up, but she doesn't. I wanted to talk to Newt, but I didn't know what to say. Nor even where to begin. At least now we have hope, but he seems more destroyed than ever.

Dawn grabs me and practically pulls me out of the room. "So, Michelle." It's a secret that she has been holding in her. Her breath rising and rising.

When the door is shut, and we walk up the crowded stairs, I whisper to her. "What did she do?"

"Tried to beat up Thomas in front of Teresa," she whispers back, eyeing the boys around us for lingering eyes.

I groan in frustration, before approaching Michelle's room. That would be why Teresa is more than a little pissed. I can't gage Thomas's reaction because he isn't here. It is getting late, and there are no signs of those Runners. I doubt they're coming back tonight. Not that there is any use to them being here.

"I fixed her mess," she tries to reassure me. "I convinced Minho to let Teresa out this morning. So I don't get why she is so angry."

That's hardly the point, but I drop it. Michelle can't just keep going around attacking people. Not only is it bad politics, but she could also get hurt. I don't know any people who honestly like her, including myself.

Or maybe I like her, I don't know. She's just relentlessly frustrating.

I don't have anything to say back. Here is where normally Dawn continues her talking. She could gossip to me all day and night for a year. Now, she is silent.

"Worried about Minho?" I open the door to Michelle's room and shut it behind Dawn.

Thankfully, Michelle is still asleep on the bed. She drifted off a few hours ago so I left, even though I'm supposed to be keeping her under observation. I didn't have any choice but leaving, they needed my help to double check the maps.