Tired of Running

57|| together alone

// a thousand silhouettes
dancing on my chest \\

    •

    Harper curled into herself.  She wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to draw the heat back to her.  When the sun was up it was as hot as hell itself, but once it was dark it was unbelievably cool.  Not cold- just not quite warm enough to sleep comfortably.  Minho moaned somewhere next to her, exhaling.
"We shouldn't stay still..."  Harper hummed in response, her exhaustion and fading health too heavy.  "Harper..." the boy scrambled to his feet, putting a hand on each of her shoulders.
"Tired..."  Harper's head nodded to one side,
eyes struggling to stay open.  Minho blew out his mouth, eyes growing worried, "Harper..."
He pulled her shirt back, looking at her upper arm.  The bandage was dyed a dark red, almost black- blood flowing out again.  The veins spread black up to her shoulder, the red puffy skin turning purple.  Minho closed his eyes tightly, "Harper," he gritted his teeth, "Okay..."
He let out a curse, pulling at his hair desperately.  Think, Minho, think.
"Come-" he took a deep breath, calming his panic, "Come on..."  He pulled her to her feet;
scooping her up completely.  He heaved her against him, grunting with the effort.
His stomach sent a spike to his brain, causing such a sharp pain he nearly collapsed.
"Minho," Harper wheezed, "We need to rest."

    Minho shook his head, "We don't know what's down here.  We can't just sleep."
Harper huffed, "I need to-"
Minho shushed her, putting a silent finger to his lips.  Harper held her breath- and she could feel it.  "Min-"  He held a hand over her mouth.
He turned his flashlight off; and it was pitch black.  A cough rattled, the echo traveling through the tunnel.  Harper wrapped her arms around Minho's arm.  She closed her eyes tightly- already knowing what was coming.
Minho inhaled, walking forward.
He stopped after a few steps; pulling out his gun.  "Stay...  Here."  He breathed against her ear, pulling the flashlight out again. 
Harper just tightened her hold on him- more terrified than she wanted to admit. 

    The beam from the flashlight lit up the tunnel ahead of them again.  There was nothing in the tunnel.  Shuffling sounded.
Harper caught her breath, looking around.
A rat scurried out of the dark corners; Harper jumping backwards.  "Ugh."  Minho kicked it, sending it sprawling back against the wall.
Harper let out a breath, "That's it..."
Minho looked relieved; shaking his head.
"Okay-"  Harper screamed as hands grabbed at her.  She fell backwards, being pulled to the ground. 

    "MINHO!" 
She screamed for him before he could react. 
Two men were dragging her backwards, digging into her skin, ripping it apart with their fingernails.  "MIN-"  The taller of the two covered her mouth, pressing down on her face.
Harper flailed, eyes wide, trying desperately to escape.  A rage filled scream drown out any of the other noise in the tunnel.  Minho tackled the tallest, pinning him down, punching him repeatedly, screaming profanities.  The crank screamed, lashing out to Minho, clawing at his face.  Something in Minho snapped; a crazed expression clouding his eyes.  He screamed, pulling his gun out, firing it three times.
The crank jerked, never to move again.
Harper scrambled backwards, pressing herself against the wall.  The second crank had turned,
eyes fixed on Minho, swaying gently.

    Minho read his face, tensing- he braced for it.  The crank tackled him, hands around his throat.  Harper screamed, jumping to her feet.
Minho howled as teeth sunk into his neck-
he desperately clawed, pushing the crank away, struggling for breath- eyes wide, face turning purple.  Bullets bounced off the wall; the gun shot scaring the crank off his prey.  Minho collapsed, hands holding his neck, blood running down at a rapid pace.  The crank roared, turning to Harper.  She closed her eyes tightly, firing.  It was silent.

    Harper let the gun slide across the floor,
rushing to Minho's side.  Tears ran down her cheeks as she met Minho's eyes.  Pain and terror filled his eyes.  Her brave, fearless best friend lay helpless on the ground, blood rushing out his neck.  "Holy s-" Harper frantically reached for his backpack, hands shaking, "Minho- Minho..."  She gasped, panic, shock and fear taking over.
His chest rised and fell rapidly, wild eyes meeting hers.  He coughed, sitting up.
"No!  Minho, don't- move.  Don't."

    Harper dug through his pack, looking for clean supplies.  Every cloth was already covered in blood, still wet.  She threw them to the ground, grunting, she punched the wall.  She ripped her sling, crying out from the pain.  Pulling her jacket off, she ripped her jacket down the middle, beating it against the floor to clean it off.  Harper took the first strand, wiping at his neck.  Minho hissed, slapping her hand away.
Harper smacked his hand away in return, patting the blood away.  He moaned again, turning his head to the side, clearing Harper's reach to his neck.  She wrapped a final cloth around his neck, stuffing the rest of the clean pieces in her bag. 

    Minho was catching his breath, pulling his knees up, trying to stand.  Harper's fingers brushed his neck, assuring her bandaging.
He reached and grabbed her hand, meeting her eyes, "Are you..okay?"  Harper nodded, sadness filling her eyes.  "We need to go..."
Harper shook her head, "You're staying right here."  She sat down, pressed against him.
Minho stood up, "Come on..."
"Minh-"
"We don't have time."
But they needed to make time.
They were both exhausted, soon they would have to, or they would crash and burn.

    They stumbled on, slowly, holding each other up; using each other for balance.  Minho kept his flashlight scanning back and forth, gun in his other hand.  The tunnel seemed to be getting lighter- the eeriness leaving with the darkness.  "The sun..."  Harper slurred, her eyes scanning over her friend- checking on him every so often.  The end of the tunnel shone; a bright, welcoming light.  Harper smiled, hope filling her once again.  Minho shared her look, meeting her eyes.  They entered the scorching sun, sand blowing against their faces again.

    Harper found shelter behind a mound of rocks.  Minho collapsed against him, sweat soaking him, head tilting back, struggling for every breath.  Harper slid down next to him,
legs giving out to seat her.  Her fingers found Minho's wrap, tracing it, "You okay?"
Minho nodded, "Fine..."  He pulled at her shirt,
"Bleeding stopped..."  Harper closed her eyes,
head on Minho's shoulder, arm linked around his.  Minho rested his head on her's.
"Do you think they're okay?"
Minho lifted his head, looking at her sadly.
"I miss him..."  Her breath stuttered.
Minho was quiet, pulling her close, head resting on her again, "I do too..."
He rubbed her back, "They're okay..."
Harper shook her head, "You don't know."
Minho exhaled, "It's going to be okay..."

    Minho had fallen asleep, his heaviness slumped against Harper.  She draped her arm over him, closing her eyes tighter.  She almost watched her best friend die today.  She almost died today.  But here they still were.  Exhaustion filled her entire being, but her mind wandered.  It drifted.  It dwelled on only one thing- one name.  She hoped he was okay.
She needed him to be okay.
Newt.