In my Blood

CHAPTER 40 - Crank Tunnel

"No," I breathe, face falling. Getting out of my hammock and standing up, my face falls when Newt's grey bandanna falls to the floor. I crouch down to pick it up carefully, clutching it in my palms. My eyes close, my lips pursed together as I shake my head. This can't be happening.

I start running out of the room to the hallway, looking through the different doors. I turn to Brenda, grasping her shoulders. "When did they leave?"

Brenda shakes her head rapidly, her big brown eyes fearful. "I - I heard a car engine running about an hour ago, but I just thought it was Vince - I didn't know, (y/n), I didn't know they ran away! I've looked everywhere, in the different warehouses, on the beach... I don't know what to do!"

I let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, running my fingers through my hair. I pull it out of its bun and let it fall loosely past my shoulders, anxiously twisting a strand of hair between my fingers with the bandanna still in my palm. "It's... it's not your fault, Brenda... we just need to find them before they get themselves into trouble."

"(y/n), they could have been going anywhere. How would we find them?" 

"We'll head towards that city, that's where they'll be going. Even if we can't find them on the way, they'll end up there. We'll find them."

Brenda's eyes fall to the floor. "What if...  they don't get there?" she asks quietly. I swallow, my hands shaking. 

"We'll find them," I repeat louder, clenching my jaw. 

Brenda and I jump as we hear a door creak open to our left. Jorge steps out from the other side, shooting us a concerned, weary expression.

"What's going on?" he grumbles. 

"The boys are gone, all three of them," I explain quickly, striding over to him. "Jorge, we need to go after them. They could be in serious trouble."  

He ponders for a moment, a thoughtful gleam in his eye. "We need to find Vince, get his input."

"There's no time!" I argue, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. "Besides; there's no way that Vince'll let us go after them. We're meant to go to the Safehaven tomorrow, I'm not leaving without them!" 

Jorge nods, Brenda tugging on his arm. She looks up at him with a pleading expression, her eyebrows drawn together in worry. "Jorge," she says softly, "we have to go after them. Please."

Jorge grits his teeth together, nodding ever so slightly. "Alright..." he mutters. "Alright. Well, it's not like we haven't thrown ourselves into danger for those boys before... just another Monday, right?" 

Jorge chuckles as he strides down the hallway, gesturing for us to follow him. Me and Brenda exchange a worried glance before trailing after him, making our way outside.  

***

The sun breaks over the mountains ahead of us, the dusk light filling the sky with a dim lavender colour. I bite my lip impatiently as the truck begins to slow up the steep incline, spluttering forward at an agonisingly slow pace. Brenda checks the map again, holding it at different angles to establish where exactly we are, and where we're going. 

"It looks like there's only one main route, so we should just stick to this road," she explains, putting the map back down. Jorge grips onto the steering wheel tighter as he slams his foot down on the accelerator, jolting the truck forward forcefully as it struggles up the slope. I take in a deep, stuttered breath, clenching my jaw as I look out of my window. With the bandanna wrapped tightly around my wrist, I slowly run my fingers along the frayed edges, closing my eyes as I sigh deeply.