UPRISE

016

In the morning, they all decide to walk Viola back to the apartments. Though she has insisted she is fine (maybe a dozen times), the reds around her won't listen. Harper believes her, but he can't stop himself from helping her.

He doesn't ask why all of the others croak when they speak, even though he really wants to know. He figures the cold is just worse than he thought. Today it is proving him right, with the snow tumbling to the ground. The white flakes are still pretty light, melting by the time it reaches the ground.

Rinn can't help but think about the colourless in the woods. She wonders if anyone else has died. There are only a couple dozen of them, which means they could be even smaller in numbers now than they had been before. The thought sends chills up her spine, chills worse than the cold.

Tears cling to her face, leaving an icy trail, when she thinks of the ginger girl, wrapped up in Wren's arms as he tries to warm her cold heart. She thinks of that girl's sister, at home, unaware of any of this. She thinks of how much fear the other colourless must have felt when they discovered her body.

"So,' Noah coughs after he first speaks as he massages his throat. Last night was worth more than anything to him. "We going to talk about where you got the drugs?"

Harper sends Noah a death glare, and Noah sheepishly shrugs. "Sorry, I just-"

"Stole them," Viola says, ignoring Harper. Even though she likes Harper, she isn't the biggest fan of his patronizing behaviour. "Don't ask me how they got in here, because I don't know."

"Probably up somebody's ass," Noah agrees, waiting for Harper to glare at him. He doesn't like the shame (while Pluto really really enjoys it), but he doesn't like the tension.

Harper smirks, "probably."

Noah trips over himself, bumping into Reagan. Reagan is too clumsy to hold them up, and both boys tumble to the pavement.

The collision rips open Reagan's already torn jacket, but he still can't help but feel relief and then panic, and then back and forth in a whirlwind. He is awake and he can feel, and it hurts, but hurting means that he hasn't gone numb to the pain yet. He's still alive.

"I'm so sorry," Noah moves quickly, wrapping his hands around Reagan and pulling him up off the ground.

Unprepared for the movement, Reagan nearly collides with Noah again. He is thankful he manages to catch himself on his feet. While he adjusts his hair, his face burns bright red. "Now really, that's one me. I'm definitely a major klutz."

"It's my bad," Noah insists.

"Girls, girls, you're both clumsy," Harper chuckles, earning a laugh from Rinn.

Noah doesn't say anything, but he isn't clumsy. He is slick, and quick, and also sometimes stumbles when he is surprised, but that's it. So far, Noah is lucky that he hasn't faceplanted in front of Edison on the two occasions that he has seen him.

While the others are occupied, Viola's eyes trail up ahead. As they approach the complex, on the gravel road freckled with trees, she catches a glimpse of the front gates. Her eyes widen, and she grabs Harper and drags him behind a tree.

"What are you doing?"

"Get over here," Harper barely had time to ask the question before Viola began barking orders. "Rinn, come here."

With the sharpness of her tongue piercing him, Reagan doesn't have to be told twice. He scurries behind them, trying to hide behind the pine tree. The three of them huddle together, Viola preventing Harper from running out and grabbing the others.