The Memoriam Files: Minds [EDITING] ✔

| Chapter 17, Jorge and his Cranks

|You're slowly disappearing from my view

|Song: I ran, Hidden Citizens

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Lisa's P.O.V

I just stared at the guy, frozen. This was not some terrible monster Thomas had told us about. This man seemed to be just as normal as us,  except for the fact he just literally dropped in.
'You people forget how to talk?' Jorge asked, a smile on his face that looked completely out of place in the shattered building. 'Or you just scared of the Cranks? Scared we'll pull you to the ground and eat your eyeballs out? Mmm, tasty. I love a good eyeball when the grub's runnin' short. Tastes like undercooked eggs.'
I raised my eyebrows and shared a confused glare with Dawn.
Minho decided to answer, hiding his pain very well. 'You admit you're a Crank? That you're freaking crazy?'
Great answer, very thoughtful.
'He just said he likes the taste of eyeballs,' Frypan said. 'I think that qualifies as crazy.'
Jorge laughed, and there was some crazy tone in it. I just really wished I had my gun in my hand.
'I'd only eat your eyes if you were already dead. Course, I might help you get that way if I needed to. Understand what I'm saying?'
Suddenly all the joy vanished from his face, making place for a stern warning look. Almost as if he dared us to confront him. No one spoke a word for a long moment and I tried to walk into Minho's and Dawn's direction. I had to get my gun.
'How many of you are here?' Newt suddenly asked.
Jorge's gaze snapped to Newt. Giving me space to take a few more steps.
'How many? How many Cranks? We're all Cranks around here, hermano.'
'That's not what I meant and you know it,' Newt replied flatly.
Jorge started pacing around the room, taking any chance of me getting my gun away.
'Lots of things you people need to understand about how things work in this city. About the Cranks and Wicked, about the government, about why they left us here to rot in our disease, kill each other, go completely and utterly insane. About how there's different levels of the Flare. About how it's too late for you- the ill is gonna catch you if you don't already have it.'
I groaned and thought of Rat Man's words. We had the Flare and were making our way to a safe haven where they had the cure. But it wouldn't be smart to tell that to this guy.
Jorge had stopped near Thomas, Dawn and Minho. His feet almost touching Minho.
'But that's not the way it's gonna work, comprende?' He continued. 'Those who are at a disadvantage are those who speak first. I want to know everything about you. Where you came from, why you're here, what your purpose could be. Now.'
Minho let out a low, dangerous-sounding chuckle. And that was all I needed to know this wasn't going to end well.
'We're the ones at a disadvantage?' Minho looked around mockingly. 'Unless that lightning storm fried my retinas, I'd say there are eleven of us and one of you. Maybe you should start talking.'
I heard Dawn sigh, Newt rolled his eyes and Thomas shook his head. I groaned. That wasn't only arrogant to say but also stupid. Who knew how many other cranks there might be up there? Whose idea was it to safe his life again? Oh wait...that was me.

Jorge looked at Minho for a long time, his face blank. 'You didn't just say that to me, did you? Please tell me you didn't just speak to me like a dog. You have ten seconds to apologize.'
Minho looked over at Thomas with smirk. Making me bit my lip anxiously.
'One,' Jorge said. 'Two. Three. Four.'
A sudden sound took my attention. I looked up towards the ceiling and noticed some movement. There were more of them up there. Shuck.
'Five. Six.'
'Do it,' Thomas said.
'Seven. Eight.' Jorge's voice was rising with each number.
Dawn hit Minho on his arm, looking sternly at him.
'Apologize klunk-head!' I yelled.
'Nine.'
'I'm sorry,' Minho blurted out, with little feeling.
'I don't think you meant that,' Jorge said.
Then he kicked Minho in the leg, right on a burned spot. Minho cried out in pain and I felt my anger rise. He did not just kick him.
'Say it with meaning, hermano,' Jorge said.
My blood was on fire, my veins burning with anger. I couldn't attack this Crank, not while there were more up there.
Jorge pulled his leg and kicked Minho again in the same spot. 'Say it with meaning,' he screamed the last word with a harsness that sounded crazed.
I gasped and felt how slowly the anger was about to take over. My head started aching.
I clenched and unclenched my hands, trying to keep my breath steady. I couldn't become angry. That would only make it easier for Wicked to take over my mind.
Then I looked at Minho groaning, grabbing his wound with both hands. And suddenly the anger left my body, leaving a heavy pain in my head. I groaned and tried to ignore it.
What just happened?