Bruises | The Scorch Trials

Chapter 7

I turn to Winston to find him screaming out from a bunch of cranks. They claw at his skin like crabs desperate for food. Mercilessly.

Snapping into action, I grab Winston's hand and pull on him with all my strength. His screams increase until all I want to do is cover my ears with my hand. But I know I can't let go now. Abruptly, he is cut off. My grip releases on him as he tumbled to the ground besides me. I waste no time in getting him up and away from the bloodthirsty cranks lunging at us from behind the door. I hold Winston up with my arm and drag him to Aris and the gladers who are all searching for refuge.

Hollering for our attention, Minho points to a space underground that just about fits all of us. We squeeze under the thick ledge and I can't help but tense every time a cranks wails carries across the nights atmosphere.

Taking the solitude to relay the last 24hours in my head, I think of everything. Of the memories gained frozen the WCKD facility. From what I gather, I have an older brother and a twin brother called Theo. And it hurts that I never knew that. That I didn't remember them. Sniffing, I promise myself something.

WCKD will pay.

Morning comes far too quickly for all of us. I am positioned next to Winston. So I am first to notice his diminishing strength and fatigued stance.

Grimacing at his likely future, my mind can't help but wonder to the WCKD lab- where I have left most of my friends. The thought of Sonya -my first and most trusted friend- tied up and being harvested sends a strike of something I recognise as pain and guilt through me. I glance at Aris. He is good at covering up his emotions, but not to me. I see right through him as he sees right through me.

Walking takes up most of our day. Endless steps deprives us of water and will. Eventually, we stop to try against a sheltered sand cave. I flop down gratefully. Closing my eyes and folding my hands in front of my stomach, fatigue courses through me. Enough to make my rest- never enough to make me stop. BANG! Almost as an instinct, my eyes shoot open and I leap up. My vision clears to see Winston groaning on the ground, reaching out to a pistol in Frypans hands.

"What happened?" Thomas queried.

"He just got the gun and tried t-to..." Frypan trailed off.

I covered my hand with my hand. I may not have known Winston long, but I knew enough that the gladers respected him and that he would be missed. I felt Aris gently squeeze my bicep and pull me away. I let him.

BANG!

Another gone.

How many more will there be?