Ticking Time Bomb [THE SCORCH TRIALS]

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT
❞I've seen the light, in the darkest of nights. I've held my tongue for as long as I can bite.❞

          ALL INGRID COULD hear was the padding of feet, her own plodding against the stone floor as she sprinted away from the plague of darkness that continued to follow her no matter where she turned. Her ears could hardly pick up the sound of the constant yells that rang in her mind like a siren, her eyes only focused on what was ahead of her. All the shouts that were directed at her felt as if they were zooming past her, and into the ears of somebody that could comprehend what was happening. The Clearwater girl could not even begin to understand what was occurring, let alone let it sink into her thoughts. The monsters she had seen had invaded her mind, poisoning every inch of hope and light that she had left inside of her. It was a blur of seconds passing her by, until the landscape changed, and she was suddenly being pulled down under a stygian cave beneath a gryke. The whispers that were being exchange jolted her into reality, away from the paradise that she would like to imagine herself in.

          "Thomas. What the hell was that?" Minho whispered, his breath ragged as he spoke. His voice shook slightly, adding to the remote amount of fear he was already feeling.

          The boy had no response as he shook his head, and Ingrid turned her head so that she could look into his eyes. She was curled up against him in the packed space, everyone touching the other. Her heartbeat was racing, her knees tucked into her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. The girl couldn't seem to find any kind of relief, so she continued to swivel her head and continue to look into his eyes. They were providing her with a fire, a little hope, a tiny spark. Whatever they were feeling, and were going through, they were made up of the same thing: determination.

            The constant sound of roars from the creatures up ahead caused everyone to flinch subtly, hoping that the others wouldn't notice how equally frightened they were. But, the truth was, they were still teenagers, and teenagers shouldn't be this sad. With that notion in mind, the group settled for sleep, and without noticing, Ingrid lied beside Thomas. Not on top of him, but near him. His warmth was providing her a home.

            As her mind struggled to drift into sleep, she finally closed her eyes, her arms wrapped over her body as she finally found herself beginning to float into a past universe that had haunted her.

-

           Ingrid sat near a small wooden-made fire, the fire burning a bright orange as it sizzled into the cold night sky. The temperature was dropping more and more that each second passed by, and the young girl rubbed her hands together for warmth. She leaned back against the rock beside her, inhaling a deep breath as she continued to wait for her mother to bring back the last can of food they had left. The sack was empty, except for two bottles of water and one last pack of crackers. The two were unsure of how long they'd survive without food, but Ingrid's mother had promised to continue scavenging.

            The brunette girl shut her eyes slowly, until the sound of feet padding against sand awakened her abruptly. She stretched her arms groggily as she caught sight of her mother, baring a cooked can of brown beans. The middle-aged woman sat beside Ingrid, dropping the can beside the fire for a little extra warmth. In silence, they both watched the flames lick at each other vicariously, silent words being exchanged. Finally, Emberly Clearwater spoke up, directing her words mostly towards the world, and not her daughter, "I have envisioned worse."

             "What's worse like?" Ingrid asked innocently, her eyes wandering towards her mother, who had a grin expression plastered onto her face. The words meant no harm, but the mere remembrance of it were daggers to the heart for Emberly.