Newt's Girl the Sequel

Chapter 33

They shift him around on the ground till they get the bag slipped entirely over his body. Then they tie the open end at his feet with a rope, pinning him inside it, cinching another knot just over his head.

They were going to drag him! Thomas couldn't take it anymore as he began to squirm in the sack, "Teresa! Don't do this to me!" I could hear the sadness in his voice and it pained me to hear.

She hits him with a fist right in the stomach, making him groan, "Since you obviously don't care about yourself, talk again and we'll start shooting your friends. That sound good to you?"

Thomas doesn't respond; he heaves a silent sob of agony.  

Had I really only been thinking that things were good just a day ago? My wound healed, away from the city of Cranks, nothing but a swift and hard hike through the mountains between us and the safe haven. I should've known better after everything we've been through. Yet in this bitter moment, I still feel the same hope that I felt before, and it's just as great.

"I meant what I said!" Teresa yells at us, "There won't be a warning. Follow us and the arrows start flying."

I roll my eyes at her constant reminders, causing her to squint at me.

She kneels down next to him, her feet crunching against the dirt, and grabs him to bring his head closer to hers. Whispering something in his ear, I cock my head to the side.

"What're you saying to him?" One of the girls holding the rope attached to the bag asks.

"I'm letting him know just how much I'm enjoying this. How much I'm enjoying my revenge. Do you mind?"

I've never heard such arrogance from a person in my life before and we're dealing with wicked here. She's either going crazy, as Minho predicted, or she has a split personality disorder or two.

"Well," the other girl responds, "Glad you're having so much fun. But we need to hurry."

"I know." She whispers one last thing in his ear before standing back up, "Okay let's get out of here. Make sure you hit as many rocks as you can along the way."

I only am able to take a step forward when Newt holds me in his death grip, the one I only thought he was capable of in his sleep. I know why he doesn't want me to go. I don't blame him.

His captors start to walk, dragging him along behind them. The big bag provides no protection and I reach my hand out to him; it must hurt. Teresa walks right beside him as they pull his body along.

Then Minho starts yelling, although I'm sure his voice is barely audible to him, "We'll find you. Like Carly said when the time is right! We'll get weapons."

Teresa slams her first into Thomas's stomach again, shutting Minho up.

And across the desert they go, Thomas bouncing over the dirt like a sack of old clothes.

"We're really doing this then?" I ask in disbelief at Minho's words.

"Aye aye captain." He salutes me.

"Wait what? No no no, I don't want to be in charge."

"You don't have to be. Besides I think that's Thomas's job. But I think it's time we undergo operation Carly." He smirks.

I nod at the name as I watch my brother disappear. Just a few more hours, then we'll be together again. I hope he isn't too injured by the time we reach him.

...

We wait for an hour until they're out of sight and up the mountain. We didn't want to risk them hurting Thomas if they believed we were following them. So we wait.

Newt's arms are still wrapped protectively around me as though I'm gonna run off. Not that I'd catch up with them anytime soon if I did. Heck, he could outrun me, even with his limp.

The thought of his limp brought a depressing feeling over me. If they could reverse a bullet wound, then they could fix his leg. So why won't they?

My thoughts are interrupted by the sweat on my skin. The sun has been beating down on us all day and, with Newt's arms around me, it's getting harder and harder to breathe.

"Could you possibly let me go now? There's no danger."

He seems to realize for the first time how hot it actually is and moves so that he's only holding my hand between his, "Sorry, love." His face scrunches up as he eyes the back of me.

"What?"

"Hmm?" He doesn't look up.

"What are you looking at?"

He runs his other hand, the one not holding mine, through his hair in worry, "You're tattoo."

I freeze. The word abandoned ringing through my head. Thomas is the sacrifice! Group B has him and they're going to kill him!

"Hey hey hey!" He goes to stand in front of me, placing his hands on either side of my face, "Carly love it's alright. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I'm here alright. I'm not going to abandon you."

I shake my head, "No. No, not that. Thomas!" I gasp, barely able to get the words out. Now I really feel like I'm suffocating.

His eyebrows furrow before realization crosses onto his face.

"We need to go." He whispers, pulling me from my place in the sand.

At this the other Gladers move from their spots. We've all just been waiting silently, seemingly they were waiting for us. They follow us now but for how long? What's their limit? Would they believe Wicked's lies again if they promised them safety and good health? Cause I won't. With or without them, I'm getting away from wicked.

I'm gonna shut it down.

Even if I have to die to do it.