The New Distance [The Scorch Trials Book]

s i x

dear boy // avicii

I only slept for about five hours. It would have been nice if I slept longer but the sun made a rising, intensifying appearance and severe heat raged down on the land, it was impossible to ignore. No longer than a minute after I woke up, I was already bathed in sweat. I sighed as I remembered the showers back at the dorms where they kept us.

We remained sullen and quiet as we ate our breakfast and prepared ourselves for another day of walking. I felt myself begin to get sick at the thought of almost reaching the city. Though others might see it as a relief, I was scared out of my mind. I was still unsure of what awaited us there.

"Let's go," Minho said when everybody was ready. Then we were off.

Across the dry and dusty land we walked. No one needed to say it, but I knew everyone was thinking the same thing—we no longer had the energy to run while the sun was up. And even if we did, we didn't have enough water to keep us alive at a faster pace. So we walked, sheets held over their heads. As food and water dwindled, more of the packs became available to use for protection from the sun, and fewer Gladers had to walk in pairs but Newt still walked close to me. I was glad for that.

A few hours later, it became apparent that the city was a lot farther than I had estimated. Tomorrow. We'd reach it tomorrow. Before the day had even ended, I"d already emptied my water pack and I felt like a limp marshmallow. Good thing Minho had us rest early today.

"You alright?" Newt lost the game of silence we had played since the day started when he spoke.

"No." I sighed, tucking my hair behind my ear. I saw metal bracelet again and frowned at it. "I'm getting sick of this."

"Hey, quit complaining." He sat beside me on my sheet. "I've been at this far longer than you have."

"You're right but that doesn't make it any easier." I smiled. "I'm just not handling this very well. Getting out of the Maze is one thing, but crossing the Scorch is an entirely a different thing."

"I agree," he sipped at his water. "Do you want some?" He handed it to me.

"Thanks," I accepted it gratefully, drinking a little. "I hope there's water there." I looked beyond and saw the city, growing still.

"There must be."

-

I woke up coughing. Dust seemingly filled my lungs as I gripped the sandy ground and inhaled. Getting up on my elbows, I looked around, hardly able to see the shapes sleeping near me, their sheets pulled tightly against their bodies. They looked comfortable enough, huddled under their sheets as the wind tried to pull them with its invisible hands. I looked up and saw the most unusual thing you would find in this desert: clouds. It only meant one thing. A storm. I stood up immediately, the wind almost knocking me off my feet.

I walked to the nearest group of people and shoved them awake. "Wake up!" The howl of the wind took the words before I could hear them.

Minho emerged from under the sheet. "What?"

I pointed at the clouds and helped him to his feet. "We need to get moving!" I shouted as loud as it took to make him hear me. "Storms in the Scorch are brutal and unpredictable. We better head for cover!"

By now people started waking up and standing, taking note of the drastic change in weather. Minho nodded. "To the town!"

"What if we get there and a bunch of Cranks try to kill us?" Thomas asked as he steadied himself.