Newt's Girl-The Final

Chapter 13

It's been a week since we got here and the effects from the first day of hopefulness we had has effectively worn off. It didn't take long for the realization of it all to settle in. Not only did we leave our family behind, my brother, our best friends, and a possible future sister in law, but we basically decided our fate. This was the end for the cranks here. It was there one last step of being slightly civilized before being casted out into the horrid cities without a choice. Newt and I basically decided that for ourselves. We settled in quickly.

Newt works for the kind couple who live just three shacks down as James had promised. He sells food and in return we can have as many supplies as we want. I on the other hand, not exactly being a people person and getting in verbal fights with some testy cranks moved to a different job. It was easy for Newt. He was good at everything and just like the glade, he was offered many positions at many stands, but he took the one offered to him by James because it was only right that one of us stayed after all he offered us. I worked in what was there version of the med jacks. Everyone here worked on volunteer basis but someone had to it, especially with all the physical fights. It wasn't much, but it allowed me to gain trust with the community and trust here is more important than love.

The supplies were limited and the patients were cranky and well...Cranks. Some of them were forced here by guards after being shot and and others came by choice. That majority that were forced were never happy to be under restriction or to have sit for too long and don't even get me started on applying antiseptic because they would lunge at you at even they slightest pain they felt. It's like they were doing everything in their power to not be helped, to not be healed it was the craziest thing.

I sighed as a patched up an old man. He explained to me that his wife had been sent here thirty years ago. He didn't see the point in living in the city when the thing he cared about most was here. Besides he hated the government and the heir-achy system and here, life with somewhat Simple. The only danger was ourselves. The fear of us turning, me included as I kept up with the facade. Even jack who followed his sons in here wasn't immune, they were just one of the lucky ones who were seemingly unaffected by it catching just by being exposed to it. It always does eventually though. This man was no different as he explained that he didn't start showing symptom until this year. Thirty years he was here with her and he hasn't even had a glimpse of a symptom.

"And where is she now?" I ask with a small smile playing on my lips, loving this little love story blooming before me.

His eyes looked hopeful as he spoke even though what he says is sad, "she died after about ten years of being here. They think it was cause she was so far gone and her body couldn't take the disease, but honestly I think it was cancer. It ran deep in her family. Kind of ironic that that's the thing that would kill her in this world, especially since the government found a cure for it. It's basically a common cold to the people in the city and we were here. That kind of medicine isn't provided to us could it would be a waste when we are going to be susceptible to the Flare. Jill wasn't happy when I followed her in here but I know if it were the other way around she followed me." I couldn't help but to feel a deeper connection with this old man before me.

I momentarily stop wrapping his arm that he cut while preparing food, "why didn't you go back the city? You didn't have symptoms they would let you in right?"

He nods, "It would've been hard, but certainly not impossible. I got used to it down here. I made it a sort of home for me and Jill. There was nothing left in the city for me when I first left and there's nothing there for me now. Besides, our best memories are here. I can't say the same for everyone else but it's easier when you're not clinically insane." I almost laugh. He was probably the only sane crank around here. Even James had a shake to him as he walked and every other patient I had were on the verge of Lunacy. Maybe of them ended up being gone. Those always hurt to see and I was always glad when newt and I had different jobs but they still never differed my opinion in the slightest. They were human. They just had a little genetic damage.