The Darkest Minds: Red

Thirty-Three

"We're the League," the girl answered, but from the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was heartbroken to say it.

Liam and I jumped from the bed and took a few steps back. Liam looked around his surrounding. He still remembered what it was like being in the League, and I remembered what he told me about it.

"If you feel well enough, you can go," Cate told us.

"You're the League and you're just letting us go?" I asked confused, Liam's expression matching mine. The girl looked away. Cate, however, approached, a backpack in each hand, holding one out expectantly to Liam and me.

"Money and supplies for each of you; new IDs... here you go." She offered, carefully saying her words.

"We don't want anything from you," Liam calmly told them, much to my surprise. I let my eyes and cheeks heat up as a warning, and Cate stiffened at the sight. Seeing this, the girl stepped forward, taking the bags from Cate.

"You're what, sixteen?" Liam asked her. "You should know better than to work with the League."

"Go," she told us. "Before we change our minds."

I let out a huff before roughly snatching one of the bags from her hands. Liam took the other bag.

"Come on," I said, brushing past the ladies. Liam followed me out.

********

The younger girl followed behind us as we slipped the bags over our shoulders and made our way to the front door. She followed behind us as we opened the door and walked out.

We didn't get far when she called Liam and my names, causing us to turn and look at her.

"Just be careful."

"You too," Liam simply told her before we walked away.

"What do we do now?" I asked once the house was out of sight.

"Well, the obvious thing is to get far away from this place as possible," Liam told me. The sunlight burned in the sky, and we veered off into the forest, wanting to get as far away from the place as possible.

"Poor girl." I stated as we stopped for a quick break. I rummaged through the bag, taking out supplies that we were given.

"The girl in the League?" Liam asked. I hummed, and he shook his head. "She should know better than be messing around with the League."

"I mean, no one should. Looks like she didn't really have much of a choice." I told him, and he sighed.

"Yeah, she should know better." He said, this time a little more softly.

********

"Come on, no looking back," I told him when he stopped.

He took a deep breath. "No looking back."

We looked at each other. Then, we started to run. Through the forest, side by side.

********

She wore a black shirt and gray pants as she made her way to the podium. She stopped to see the sight in front of her.

Hundreds of kids were on the bleachers, watching. She took a deep breath, then walked out to the field. She walked up the steps and stood in front of Cate, who was holding a small palette of orange paint.

She smeared the paint on her hand, then closed it, getting it on her palm. She then smeared it on her forehead. Her eyes glowed orange as she held her hand up.

Those on the bleachers followed her actions. Splashes of green, blue, and yellow were seen.

All the world will be our enemy. Prince, with a thousand enemies. But we don't have to stay in darkness. You taught me the only ones who could help us are us. So, I have to let you go and step into the light. To protect our greatest cause. Our family. For Zu. For Chubs. For Lily. For you, Liam. I will not falter in the face of our enemies, no matter how strong. I will be brave. I will fight to create a better place for all of us. So that our family will never be destroyed.