In my Blood

CHAPTER 53 - Three Words

I move forward once more. A faint pain grows in my lower abdomen, but I ignore it as my feet slap against the ground, making my way  through the alley while the sounds of gunfire and explosions echo through the air behind me. I exit the alley, and finally see Thomas and Newt, standing in the middle of the vast courtyard with Newt's back turned to Thomas. I freeze. Newt slowly turns around. His eyes are hooded with the darkest black I could imagine, with dark spit stringing from his mouth. 

"Newt..." Thomas eases. 

Newt pauses. He suddenly lets out a chilling scream, tearing his vocal chords apart as he pounces towards his best friend. I scream, rushing forward. Thomas sees me, shouting my name as Newt tries to clutch at him.

"Stay back! (y/n), stay back!" he urges as he fights Newt away. I halt, my hands covering my mouth as I watch the scene unfold in front of me. Newt tackles Thomas to the floor, rolling him around and grabbing his shoulders as he screams in his face. I begin to run forward once more, until Thomas just rolls him around, scrambling to get back to his feet.

"Newt, it's me! It's me!" he yells, backing away from the boy. Newt crouches on the floor, pressing his hands against the concrete as he weakly uses his palms to get back up, breathing heavily. Slowly, the exterior of a Crank melts from his eyes as he trembles with exhaustion, his expression softening ever so slightly. His eyes narrow with the realisation of what just happened to him, of who he became, and he gasps. 

"I - I'm sorry, Tommy..." Newt breathes, his lips shaking. 

Thomas gapes back at him with his big, brown eyes lowered in sadness. "It's okay, Newt... it's okay."

Newt then grits his teeth together, fighting back coughs as his eyes begin to morph back into the eyes of a Crank. "Tommy!" he hisses, fighting back a shriek. It's as if there are two clashing personalities, as if Newt is trying to fight away the Crank inside of him, as his body thrashes and he sprays black blood. He suddenly throws his head back, his voice coming out in a choked yell as he screams,"Kill me!" 

My heart sinks as I let out a whimper, muffling my cries in my palms while Newt faces Thomas. 

"Newt..." Thomas breathes, his big brown eyes glossing over with tears as he warily approaches his friend. Suddenly, Newt's eyes go black again as he screeches, regaining a monstrous strength as he lunges for Thomas. He reaches for his arm, tugging at it while Thomas thrashes, struggling under his strong grasp, Newt roaring in his face. 

"Newt!" I cry, running forward. 

"No, (y/n), stay back!" Thomas shouts. "It's not him!"

Regardless, I pursue running forward across the courtyard just as Newt throws Thomas to the floor once more. He climbs on top of him and grabs onto his shoulders, slamming his friend's head against the concrete with such harsh, unnatural force. Thomas pus his hand on Newt's forehead as he begins to snap his black-stained teeth at Thomas, trying to overpower Thomas' strength.I finally reach them, and kick Newt away from Thomas by his shoulder, sending him rolling over onto the ground. He coughs, weakly pressing his palms against he ground to steadying himself. 

"T-Tommy..." he breathes. He fights the urge to scream. "Kill me... Thomas, kill me before - before I kill you..."

Thomas slowly shakes his head. "N-No, I won't..."

Newt breaks down into sobs, tears cascading down his white cheeks as his head twitches uncontrollably and his throat pulsates with the beginning of a scream. I hold my breath, waiting for another outburst, before his head tilts to look at Thomas. His eyes clear, and with one last trembling gasp of sanity, his voice softens. "Please, Tommy... please."