In my Blood

CHAPTER 52 - The Scream of a Crank

"We need to - get out," Thomas coughs. I feebly lift my head up, trying to find the energy to keep going. Pressing down on the floor with my hands, I grit my teeth together as the glass slices my skin lightly, drawing blood. I push myself up onto my knees before Gally grabs my arm to help me up, Thomas and Minho picking Newt up with grunts. 

We all stumble out of the building, coughing the smoke out of our blackened lungs. Each heaving breath I take seems to grow more painful than the last, but we need to keep going. I look across to Newt, being dragged limply out of the doorway with his arms slung messily across the boys' shoulders, his head swaying slightly and eyelids drooping closed.

"Let's go," Minho grunts. We make our way slowly down the road, the hot, black concrete shaking beneath our feet. The sound of agonised screams smothers my ear drums, the smell of burned ash and tar thick in the air. My senses are completely engulfed by the war happening around us, with bodies littering the sides of streets, their crimson blood staining the ground. 

"It's not much longer, just a little bit longer, Newt," Gally shouts. 

Newt coughs. "Just... leave...me," I hear him mumble, his head hanging downwards. My mouth hangs open in shock upon hearing those words leave his mouth, my eyes widening. An explosion across the street sends us all cowering down once more, falling to the ground. I wince as pain shoots from my elbow, but sit up anyway. We steady our breaths, looking around in alarm as a surge of people come rushing past us, shooting guns and sending canister bombs flying.

The loud rumble of a Berg causes us to look up to the night sky, and we see it flying above us, heading towards where the tunnels are.

"Okay... that's them," Thomas exclaims quickly. "That's them, we've gotta go." He tugs on Newt's arm, trying to help him stand, however Newt shakes his head. His lips have turned a blue-black colour, and the veins in his face have turned grey, bulging out on his cheeks. 

"N-No," he mumbles, his voice thick with saliva. "Go without me, p-please–" 

He suddenly lurches forward and splutters up thick, black phlegm, dribbling down his chin, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. I look away, feeling as though my heart has sunk to the pit of my stomach as I watch the boy I love in such pain. 

When I look back, Thomas and Minho are by his side with broken expressions. Newt takes deep, heaving breaths, his teeth gritted together and hair hanging across his forehead drenched in sweat. He coughs again, black spit spraying across his lap. My hand flies to my mouth, trying to stifle a cry. 

"Minho. You gotta run ahead," Thomas commands lowly, his voice shaking. "Grab the Serum. Get back to us as soon as you can." 

Minho stares back at him, his eyes falling. 

"Minho," Thomas urges. He doesn't take his eyes off Newt.

"He's right," Gally adds. "I can cover."

Newt slowly lifts his head up, his black eyes staring right at mine. "(y/n)... you go... too," he coughs. 

I shake my head rapidly. "No, no I'm not leaving you," I say quickly, my voice cracking. 

"(y/n)... please..." Newt chokes. 

My eyes fill with tears as I shake my head. "Please... don't make me leave you," I whisper. "I don't want to leave you."

"You have to," he grumbles, his voice rising in anger, taking in deliberately deep breaths. "Just... go!"

Gally suddenly grabs a hold of my arms and pulls me to my feet, my breath catching in my throat. He shakes his head at me, and in that moment, I know. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get the Serum to Newt. But he definitely won't let me stay. I have to go.