Newt's Girl the Sequel

Chapter 28

Newt's P.O.V-

I squint against the light blinding me from the window. For a second it's as though I'm back in the glade in my room on the second floor. The cool breeze sifting through the cracks. A days work ahead of me. Carly sleeping beautifully in my arms. Content for the first time in years. But it's not the same. The light is too orange. Almost fake. In the glade the sun was bright and gold. Beautiful, but ironically it was actually fake.

Minho has slipped from the room along with Tommy. Food is left on the ground in front of me. How long was I out for? We have time to get moving if we want to make it in time. I don't know how we're gonna travel with Carly, especially if we have to carry her.

I stretch myself up off the floor and sit next to Carly's sleeping form on the bed.

Her skin is pale, almost the same color as the pillow she's laying on.

I rest the back of my hand against her forehead. I don't know what I expected but she's burning. Her skin itself is ice cold but her forehead has to be at least 110 degrees. Worry takes over as I prod her neck to feel for her pulse. Her breaths are heavy and coming in longer gaps. Her pulse is slow against my nimble fingers.

"Carly?" I brush the hair out of her face, "Love?" I shake her slightly, "Can you hear me?"

When she doesn't react I pull the blankets back, instantly gasping in horror. Blood is everywhere, oozing from the edges of the makeshift bandaid and saturating the sheets, dark and black. Lots of it. She must of have moved in her sheets and tore the stitches apart.

"Shuck shuck shuck! No!" I grasp her shoulder in my hands, pushing down on the wound. She only tenses. She should be screaming in agony right now! We have to hurry!

"Tommy! Minho! Bloody hell! Help me hurry!" I scream over my shoulder, applying more pressure.

The Gladers bust through the door, one by one.

"She could have been bleeding all night. I can't tell how much blood she lost! We need to get to the safe haven now!" I panic, my heart racing.

Tommy wraps her wound with a new sheet, picking her up in the end. His eyes are wide as he takes in Carly's still, fragile form. She looks so weak in his arms. Her small body is pale white and ice cold. Sweat breaking out on her forehead. She better not have gotten a fever! We can't control it in this weather.

"Jorge!" He charges down the stairs, Carly still in his hands, "We're leaving!"

I run after him, stumbling in the process.

"Aren't they any working cars? Anything we can use to move faster."

"I'm afraid not."

"There has to be something!"

The gladers are all trying to find a way to help Carly but there doesn't seem to be a solution.

"This isn't helping!" I growl, we're already losing too much time as it is, "We'll have to carry her the entire way."

We huddle outside in groups, Thomas keeping her away from me. Not intentionally obviously, but his sister is injured in his arms. He's going crazy. I understand because I feel crazy.

"What's the fastest way?" Brenda comes from the kitchen, her forehead scrunched in concern.

Wait. Does she actually care for Carly? I thought that was just a stunt in the tunnel. Maybe she isn't all that bad after all. But it doesn't matter because she's a Crank. And until we get to the safe haven, that's all she'll be.

"There's no time to go around the mountains. We'll have to go over them. We will take turns carrying her, but we gotta move." Jorge eyes her wound. The sheet already turning a vibrant red from the blood.

We move outside in a circular formation around Carly. Jogging to our destination.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Thomas's breaths are heavy but he doesn't seem to be struggling. I'm not surprised though because of how light she naturally is.

"I got her." He pants, still running.

"Okay when you're tired let me know."

"No offense Newt but I'm gonna give her to Minho. I don't want you hurt okay? You carried her yesterday and don't think I don't notice how your injury is more apparent than usual. We need you."

I mentally curse my ankle inside my head. It prevents me from doing all the things I love; more importantly helping the people I love.

We're about an hour into the run when Tommy slows to a jog.

"Minho!" He gasps, passing her off to him instantly. I hate being so helpless. I want to do something for her. I need to. I'm going crazy with my thoughts running wild beside her. I've never not felt the touch of her, it's making me angry and the worry in me is about to push me over the edge with all of these emotions.

The outline of the mountains shows us that we are only a few hours away. We should reach them by night fall.

Minho pants beside me.

"Give her to me." I hold my arms out.

"No Tommy's right."

"I carry her all the time Minho now give her to me." The more they resist the angrier I get.

"I can help." Aria says confidently from beside me.

This arrogant ass hole! He doesn't have the bloody right!

"No way! Keep your hands off her."

"I'm just trying to help..."

"Don't!" I laugh angrily, "Come within ten feet of her and I'll hurt you!"

He stops running, "You know I'm trying to be a nice person for once. I care about her too you know?"

My eyes pop out of my head, "You care about her?" I cock my head to the side, "No, you know what you care about? What you care about is getting into her shucking pants! You don't give two shits about what happens to her!"

By this point everyone has stopped running. Looks of confusion plastered on their faces. But they aren't looking at us. They're looking up.

A low thrumming sound echoes throughout the sky.

Sand picks up in tiny clouds.

"This can't be good." Jorge screams, shielding his eyes in the painful wind.