In my Blood

CHAPTER 51 - Losing Hope

Gally turns to walk away, and we follow in shock – especially Minho. Thomas pats his shoulder, saying, "We'll explain later," despite the fact that Gally has yet to tell us how he actually survived a shucking spear through the chest. 

We run away from WICKED's building, turning into a side alley that leads us into an open square. We find a wall and we hide behind it, collecting our breaths as we slump down onto the floor. I slouch beside Newt, putting my head against his shoulder while we shudder from the cold. He rests his hand on my thigh, attempting a weak smile while my heart lightly flutters.

"Well," Gally scoffs, "they're definitely pissed."

"How far are the tunnels from here?" Thomas asks, taking his soaked gloves off. 

"Maybe twelve blocks away."

I shake my damp hair back from my face, and turn to look at Newt's face. His hair is plastered to his waxy forehead, and even in the past few minutes his eyes are a lot more bloodshot. Dark circles lie under his eyes, his lips cracked and pale. 

"I'll just be one minute," I say to him, planting a careful kiss on his cheek. He nods, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. I get up and crouch down to face Gally. 

"Did you bring the serum with you?" I ask in a whisper, urgency laced into my tone as I try to be quiet. 

"No, I left it on the bus with Brenda," he responds, his eyebrows furrowing together. I feel my chest compress tightly. "I thought you had some?"

I close my eyes, my heart sinking. "I did... Janson took it."

"We can make it," Gally assures me. I open my eyes, and he looks back at me with a promising glint in his eye. "If we leave now, we can make it before he gets too bad."

I bite my lip, looking back to Newt. Minho is hunched beside him, his face painted in worry. 

"How you feeling?" he asks carefully in a low tone. 

Newt coughs, his eyes closing. "Terrible," he croaks. He opens his eyes again, smiling up to Minho. "It's good to see you, though. I missed you, mate." The two share sad smiles, Newt's arm stretched out on Minho's shoulder. I find my eyes trailing towards his hand, where his veins bulge against his pale skin, strikingly dark. Minho slowly makes his way towards us, Newt's eyes closing once more. I feel my heart drum against my chest before he opens them again, breathing in relief. 

"How long's he been like this?" Minho whispers to me and Thomas. We share an anxious glance. 

"He'll be okay, we just gotta get to Brenda," Thomas murmurs, taking off his WICKED jacket. "She's got the Bliss." He gets us and walks towards Newt just as the sound of distant sirens begins to whine in the distance. I follow Thomas gingerly as he grabs Newt's hand. 

"Come on, bud, let's get you up," Thomas says. Newt begins to stand before he staggers forward, his legs shaking weakly under his body. I take in a sharp intake of breath, my lips quivering, heading to Newt's other side to hold his arm. 

"You okay?" Thomas asks.

"Y-Yeah..." Newt whispers. He turns to face me with an exhausted expression. I look into his eyes, but I am not comforted when I don't see his irises flooded with his beautiful, chocolate brown – but rather an unimaginable black, darker than the night sky above our heads. He seems to notice my alarm, but he seems too physically weak to smile. It feels like a stab to the chest. 

"Let's head," Gally says lowly. "Minho, Thomas - you guys grab Newt's arms, (y/n) and I will go ahead a bit and look out for any guards."

"I can... do this myself," Newt grumbles, flinching as he limps forward with his legs buckling beneath him.