SONDER (IV): tmr thomas

011: I shouldn't be so sour

Michelle 11

I shine my flashlight around the bottom of the Berg. There are scrapes along the deep black paint, revealing the metal layer beneath. My hand rubs along the lines, making sure it's structurally sound. There are a few dents, from little rocks kicking up into the exposed metal, but nothing too bad.

"When Lott said he knew how to fly a plane, I didn't realize he meant he knew how to engage autopilot," Jay scoffs, trudging up behind me in the dirt. "It seems autopilot isn't as good at landing as flying."

I ignore him, looking back to Minho who hangs in the doorway. He has his arms crossed over his chest.

"Are we good?" He asks, looking out at me.

"The blades aren't even scratched," Jay calls back. It doesn't bother him that Minho was obviously talking to me. "The engine isn't smoking either, so it's probably fine."

"At least I'll be sleeping if the shucking bird explodes in the night," that is the third time I've heard Minho's stupid nickname for the Berg. He looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

I roll my eyes, stepping closer to him.

Minho prefers to be subtle when he is asking me for a favour. Maybe Dawn has told him that I haven't been sleeping properly, or maybe he's just the kind of guy who knows that kind of stuff. He seems like he has an innate ability to read a room; it's what makes him a good leader.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll watch for smoke."

A grin grows on Minho's face. He nods over to the doofus behind me. "No offence, but I'd like at least two functioning eyes."

I shove him backwards. He catches himself, grimaces, then bites it back and laughs. I watch as he cradles his elbow. He ignores the expression on my face, calling out to Jay. "You good for first watch?"

Jay nods.

"Get back on the ship," I tell Minho.

"Is somebody worried about me?" Minho asks, cocking an eyebrow. "Don't worry, I had the full Leo shakedown. I landed on a bed, so I was pretty okay."

Leo insisted on giving everyone a full physical exam after the crash. Jay was piloting with a seatbelt, and Leo knows that she can't touch me, so we got to go take a look. Honestly, calling the collision a crash isn't accurate. I've been thrown against the ground harder in fights.

"We'll keep our eyes out," Jay assures Minho, his voice low.

Minho eyes the larger boy, before looking back at me. His eyes flicker between us, and he lifts a hand casually.

"We're fine," I assure Minho.

Minho shrugs, heading back on the Berg in silence.

Minho is the only one of us that I've noticed is super suspicious of the boys we've brought along. I used to be super skeptical of them, but I've just noticed that they are a bunch of slintheads. I guess after being threatened, tortured, and escaping captivity with someone, your fear of them tense to diminish. I've seen all of them at their most fragile. Besides, nothing scares me anymore.

Also, in the toolbox on board there is a screwdriver. If I'm going to use anything as a weapon that isn't a hammer, nothing is more fitting.

Take that, shucking Baggers.

"Do you think Minho doesn't like me because I'm stronger than him or because I'm better looking?" Jay chuckles, kicking up dirt as he walks toward me.

I move away from him. You know, I can forgive being given watch alone with someone from Group B. Not Jay though.

"I mean, I would get Newt being pissy. I have like, a deep connection with Leo or whatever it is WICKED is saying now," he continues to follow me as I walk away from the Berg.