In my Blood

CHAPTER 41 - The Masked Man

The truck continues towards the crumbling outskirts of the city until we stop at the edge of a bustling street. Washing lines hang in the air and filthy, ill-looking people walk hurriedly between different shacks lining the edge of the street, each with their own purpose. We all hesitantly get out of the car, scanning the area ahead of us. 

"Everyone," Thomas announces, "stick together. And try not to talk to anyone." 

"Believe me, man," Frypan mutters in reply, "I wouldn't want to." He look across the street to a small crowd of people, rushing to the side of a wheezing woman. She keels to the floor, spluttering up blood. I look away, swallowing a lump in my throat and moving closer to my friends. No matter how much suffering I watch or endure, I can never get used to seeing people's lives torn apart by the Flare.

We give each other slight nods before moving past the crowd, weaving in between people as we make our way further down the street. The massive wall stands up ahead of us, blocking our view from the city it conceals. 

It's then that I hear a loud, grainy voice coming from behind me, and turn to see a van making its way towards us, men standing on the roof with masks covering their faces, asides from one man with a megaphone held to his face. "We are the voice... of the voiceless! They hide behind their walls, keeping the Cure for themselves, while they watch the rest of us wither and rot!" 

The van passes us. The man holding the microphone looks young, though his eyes are aged with a sense of raw brutality and passionate anger as he yells into the microphone. My eyes linger on his face for a few seconds before they drift to the person next to him. And he's looking right back at me. 

I sharply turn away, feeling my palms grow clammy. Newt gently touches my elbow, leaning closer to me. 

"You alright?" he murmurs. I nod slowly, though I gesture to the van, which is moving away now. The masked man is still staring in our direction, not faltering for even a second. 

"Do you see him? The one sitting near the back," I explain. "He gave me a really weird look."

"The man... with a mask covering his face... gave you a weird look?" Newt asks, raising his eyebrows teasingly. I playfully shove him, smiling for a brief second before continuing to look at the man. 

"I can't describe it. It was just... weird." 

I hear a faint buzzing noise fill the air. Looking up, my expression shifts to confusion as I see some sort of drone hovering in the air above us. I lick my lips, anxiously eyeing the drone as it disappears behind a building. Something doesn't feel right.

While we make our way down the street, crowds of people begin to grow as they stand by barriers in front of the wall, many holding signs and shouting angry slur. The noises begin to grow louder as people scream at the wall, some drenched in sweat from the blinding sun.

"Thomas!" Jorge shouts. "This isn't what you're looking for, all these people trying to find their way in and you think you're gonna find something they can't?" 

"We came this far, we're not turning back now!" Thomas responds. I jog towards Thomas, trying to keep up with his fast strides. I tug on his arm, making him face me. 

"Thomas, I agree with Jorge, let's turn back!" I yell above the noise. "Something feels wrong, I think we're being watched!" 

"It's just a little bit further!" he replies nonchalantly, already pacing ahead. I bite my lip worriedly, pausing for a bit before continuing to walk forward sheepishly. I jump when I feel someone touch my lower back, but sigh in relief when I see that it's Newt. He's wearing a concerned expression, his face lowered to the floor and eyes dark.