𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐃| 𝐓.𝐌.𝐑. (𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐭)

18: The price of admission

"We can get down here. C'mon." I say as the three of us look down from a floor of a building.

"How?" Brenda asks.

"Trust me." I pant as I quickly retie my shoelaces on my sneakers.

"It's Alana. You just have to trust her." I hear Thomas mutter to Brenda.

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"Hey, you hear that?" I say as I hear the sound of people, almost like they're human.

I then take off Newt's hoodie and tie it around my waist, leaving myself in a thick tank top. I look up to see Thomas already staring at me.

"What?" I say to him.

"Nothing." He quickly says, shaking his head and I scoff at him.

I then turn around to see Brenda sitting on the floor,
opening up her bag.

"You alright?" I ask as Thomas and I walk over to her.

"Shit." Brenda says as she rolls up the sleeve on her pants, revealing a Crank bite.

"Brenda..." I trail off in shock as she wraps a bandage around her ankle.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Let's just go find Marcus." She says, now standing up.

"Why did you give me a gun? You seem to trust me. Why?" I ask as we keep walking.

"Please, from the second you spoke, I knew you knew what you were doing. And I know you know it, too. Besides, you're a good shot." She says as she starts limping.

"Thanks." I sigh at her.

"So, you two a thing?" Brenda asks, nodding her head at Thomas.

"No, no. We're not. I have a boyfriend. We got separated. Besides, he's got a girl. Teresa. She's also with the rest of our group." I tell her.

"Is it the blonde kid with the accent?" She asks me.

"Yeah. His name's Newt." I nod at her.

"Good looking kid." Brenda nods. "Do you love him?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I think I might." I say and she scoffs at me with a tiny grin.

"Okay. Try to blend in." Brenda says, her face now serious as we stand in the middle of the sidewalk.

We walk by men, women and even some children. I then turn my head to see a black haired lady holding a child's hand, then walking off.

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"Are you sure this is the place?" I ask Brenda as Thomas and I follow her through crowds of people in costumes.

"You here for the party?" A voice says and I turn my head to meet a blonde women, dressed in jewelry.

"No. We're looking for Marcus. This is his place, isn't it?" Brenda says to her as she walks closer to us.

"This is my place." Another voice says and we turn our heads to see a man dressed in purple clothes.

"Are you Marcus?" I ask as the lady pushes us toward him.

"Marcus doesn't live here anymore." The man tells me.

"Do you know where we can find him?" Brenda asks him

"Sure, sure. He's over in Zone B." He tells her.

"Okay. What's Zone B?" Thomas asks.

"It's where they burn the bodies." The blonde lady says into his ear as she traces her fingers off his shoulders.