Cranks Descending

Chapter Twelve

I don't know what happened to Brenda or the rest of the guys. All I know is that my leg is killing me and I can't take it anymore. My eyes are squeezed shut and I can feel pain radiating all over my body. I'm exhausted! My hands are balled into fist and my toes are curled. All I can think about is dying. About how nice it would be. I wouldn't have to worry about being a crank, I wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone.

I didn't want Sonya to take me into the camp but I was too exhausted to fight. It felt nice to see them all, including Vince, one last time. Hopefully they leave tomorrow morning without me. Maybe they already left and I'm the only one here. Maybe I'm dead. I don't think I'm dead though, I can still feel pain.

My eyes shoot open as a cold hand touches my shoulder. I get up too fast and fall out of the bed, crawling away to the corner, looking for a way out. The only way out is past the women in front of me.

"Hey, Hey!" She says calmly, putting her hands up and walking closer.

"Don't come any further!" I spit at her, using the chair next to me to stand up. "Who are you?" I question, searching for any weapons. I find a scalpel on the bed next to the chair. I pick it up and point it at her. "Who are you?!" I ask again more aggressively.

"Calm down Astrid. My name is Mary, I'm the doctor for the Right Arm. You're safe, just take it slow. I got the bullet out but it's going to be sore." I look around the room and notice Brenda on one of the beds, sleeping peacefully.

"Where is everyone else and when was the last time I had my Bliss?" I ask, not lowering the scalpel.

"Your friends are outside. I just gave you the Bliss before you woke up. Now," she says, taking the scalpel gently from my hand, "go meet your friends. You're okay. You're safe." She says it so gently she could be a mother. I nod my head and walk past her. She pats my back and watches my leave. Just as I'm about to leave the tent, I turn around to face her. She is checking Brenda's vitals.

"I'm sorry." I said and she looks up at me, with her kind eyes.

"Don't be. You woke up in pain in a place you've never been to. I understand." She smiles softly and looks back down at Brenda. Her chest is rising softly and lowering shakely. She's been given the Bliss. Too bad it doesn't last forever.

I walk out of the tent and towards the rocks that the boys are sitting on.

"Hey." I say as I reach them. I sit myself a few feet from the group. They are practically sitting on top of each other, trying to keep warm.

"How do you feel?" Minho asks. I shrug.

"I'm fine. I guess."

"Hey, I'm sorry for pointing you out like that." He says. I look up at him confused. I raise an eyebrow to let him know that I'm confused.

"When we got to the camp. They asked if anyone was infected. I pointed you out. I didn't like you at the time. I had a bad feeling trusting a crank. I didn't know that you were helping free all these kids." I shrug again.

"It's okay. I would have done the same thing to you if I didn't know you." Minho stood up and came closer to me, sitting right across from me.

"I'm sorry." He says again, fidgeting with his hands. "I promise I'll treat you better. I owe you. You were even going to shoot those girls if they didn't lower their weapons. You care for us. Why?" Newt scoots closer to listen in and Frypan sits on the other side of me.

"Where's Thomas?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"He's with Teresa. Now, answer the question. Why do you care for us?" Minho says, staring deeply into my eyes.

"More importantly, how do you know us?" Newt asks. "You said you would tell us when we got here. Well, we're here."

I chuckled. "To be honest, I didn't think I was going to make it all the way here." No one else laughed, they just stared at me. I sighed. "My mother is," I can't do this but they kept leaning in closer. "My mother is Ava Paige." I spat out, closing my eyes, waiting for a wave of hate to come out of them.

"Oh hell no!" Frypan stands up and walks back and forth. "Man, we can't trust her!" I keep my eyes closed and hang my head low, trying to block it out. I knew they would hate me after I said this. I should've lied.

"Wait, Fry, let's hear her out. She's been helping kids escape WICKED. Shouldn't we give her a chance?" Newt asked, standing up next to Frypan.

"But her moms in charge of it all!" Minho spits in his face.

"Listen!" I yell standing up. They stop arguing and look at me. My face is cold and hard, trying not to show any emotion. "I hate my mother. I'm no longer Astrid Paige. I'm Astrid Reed. I want to forget about that part of my life but you all really wanted to know how I know you. That's how I know you, I lived in the room across from you guys. I hung out with you everyday and ate all my meals with you. We would sneak out at night to play games. I even took beating for you because that's what happens when you get caught out of your room at night. I told them that I was the only one out and took the beating. I protected you guys. Alby was the first to be taken. Before they put him to sleep, I took him and tried to get you all out. They caught us and put you all up there together so that I didn't have the chance to get any of you out. That night I changed my name and left, going to 'work' for Marcus. No one recognized me because none of those WICKED guards that came to get kids knew me. My mom thinks that I'm dead, and right now, I'd like to keep it that way. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys when I first saw you. I didn't know how to tell you." I finished with a big breath. They just stared at me in complete aw.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Frypan said. I shook my head and put a hand out to stop him.

"You have nothing to apologize for." I said before turning on my heel and walking away. I heard them call for me but I ignored it and continued walking. I needed space.

I was at the far side of the camp when I heard a berg coming. I spun around and saw it headed for the camp. Shit, shit, shit! I thought to myself at I ran back. I was just about to walk back into the camp when a bomb came down and knocked me off of my feet.

With my leg killing me, I stood up and watched the commotion from behind a truck.

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The top is a picture of Brenda because she's a badass and I love her. 😍

I hope you are all enjoying this book. I know, it's been a while since I have written anything, I've just been busy with getting ready to run a marathon and, obviously, school. I love y'all!

Love,                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Annaleigh❤️