In my Blood

CHAPTER 7 - Alby

Everyone moves quickly to the edge of the room, bodies pressing against bodies. I hear someone fall to the ground, grunting in pain as people trample over them in a hurry. My contact with the boy earlier is broken – I scan the faces around me, but see no-one I recognise.

A gaping hole in the roof reveals where a creature broke through the wood and took one of their victims, before retreating. But it'll be back. I have a feeling these monsters don't give up for anything.

Sooner than I thought, I see another Griever leaping over the roof, screeching loudly. Everyone runs madly around the room, screams ringing through the air, as the boys grab sticks off the ground from where the previous Griever had caused the destruction. I spot Minho in the crowd, and make my way towards him, being jostled around by different people before reaching him. He's holding a spear, and yells at me to get behind him. I do as he says.

Suddenly, the long, clawed Griever arm reaches through the hole. Everyone screams, yells, cries out, pushes others in front of them. It makes me feel sick to my stomach. Then, that's when I see a tall, black-haired boy shove Chuck out in front of him.

"NO!" I yell, my voice breaking between screams. Minho darts forward just as the Griever grabs hold of Chuck, stabbing at the arm with all of his might. I break through the crowd and see Thomas and Newt doing the same. The arm has a hold of Chuck, and hangs him high in the air. Chuck screams in petrified horror, kicking his legs and flailing his arms out. I grab hold of his hand, as does Thomas, while Newt grabs the boy's shoulders, and we all begin to pull Chuck out of the Griever's clasp. But it's strong. Minho continues to stab at the arm, with no luck.

That's when I hear a deep, rumbling scream, and turn to see Alby hacking away at the arm with some sort of axe. The arm snaps in two, and Chuck rolls to the ground with a loud thud. He coughs as he lies on the floor for a minute, disorientated and terrified. The sound of the Grievers distantly scampering away causes everyone to breathe out a sigh of relief. 

"Chuck, you okay?" Thomas yells, helping the young boy up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replies bravely. I immediately wrap the boy up into a tight hug, feeling his arms shake.

"Don't... ever do that to us again!" I sigh as I pull away, my eyebrows stitched together in worry. "I thought you were going to..." my voice trails off. I can't bring myself to finish that sentence.

"But, I'm fine now," Chuck smiles breathlessly. I frown back worriedly. Newt puts a hand on my shoulder and looks at me with a concerned expression, rubbing my upper arm comfortingly. In the midst of all the chaos and death, something as simple as this has completely calmed me down. Not a moment later, a scream breaks through the air. Newt and I break apart hastily, turning around to see Alby being dragged through the hole in the roof, his mouth wider than I've ever seen it. 

"Alby!" I scream, hands flying to my mouth in horror.

We all rush over, try to grab his arms, but the Griever is too strong. We all yell, shout, but it's too late.

"Get them out!" I hear Alby cry to Thomas. Then, with one last shriek, the creature rips Alby away from our grasps as we're left with a crumbling hole in the roof and the sound of fire crackling in the distance.

"No..." I whisper, shoulders collapsing in defeat. Minho and Newt wear expressions of hollowed disbelief, both staring at the roof where they last saw their friend. I see Minho 's eyes glisten slightly in the light of the moon. 

He blinks it away.

***

We solemnly trudge out of the Homestead, looking at the devastation around us. Huts are alight with fire, fallen trees have crushed fences, bodies lie in the mud. I see blood splattered on the outer wall of the Homestead.

Then, emerging out of the smoke, Gally marches purposefully towards us. His eyebrows are drawn together and teeth are gritted; I don't think I've ever seen him look this angry before.  With one forceful, rapid movement, he punches Thomas right in the middle of his face. I scream at Gally, rushing over to help Thomas. Frypan and Winston pull Gally away from where Thomas lies, struggling to keep a hold of his muscular arms as he fights their hold.

"This is all you, Thomas!" Gally screams. "Look around! You heard what Alby said!" Gally continues to yell as he tries to fight past Frypan and Winston, "he's one of them!"

"Who?!" Newt yells back.

"He's one of them! And they sent him here, to destroy everything! And now he has! Him, and that slinthead bitch who followed after him!"

I grit my teeth together and begin to go for Gally, yet Newt and Mingo grab both of my arms, holding me back as I flail and try to fight their grips - to no avail. 

"Call me a bitch again, I dare you!" I snarl towards Gally. "And see where you end up, you lowlife shank!"

Gally spits at the ground in front of my feet.

"Enough, Gally!" Newt yells angrily as he strides towards the tall boy. His eyes are widened in fury, teeth gritted and fists clenched. Only when I lightly pull him away does he break his glare, looking at my face with a worried relief. He shakes his head, blatantly displaying his disappointment and anger with Gally.

Thomas stares back at Gally, defeated. His arms hang limply by his side and he doesn't appear to be breathing. Gally elbows Winston in the ribs, causing him to wheeze in pain yet he remains firm with his grip on his arm.

"Look around, Thomas! Look around! This is your fault, all of it! Your fault!"

"Haven't you said enough?" Newt urges in a low, threatening tone. I see Thomas thinking to himself, looking to the floor. He bends down to pick up the end of an amputated Griever arm, the claw. He stares at the claw in his hand while Gally continues to shriek at him, trying to fight past the boys stopping him from throwing in another punch.

"Maybe he's right," Thomas admits to me in a low voice.

"Thomas?" I ask worriedly, eyes growing wide. Minho and Newt release their hold of my arms as we all turn to face Thomas. He's up to something. 

"I need to remember, (y/n). I need to remember."

"Thomas?" I press, raising my voice.

Thomas plunges the claw deep into his stomach and collapses to the ground.