EPIPHANY ? newt

21 , in the moonlight

"Now, don't be a twat about it," he started, eyebrow raised as he came to a stop before us, "I'm already in. Come on." He grabbed the keys from the table, turning back to the car without a look back at us. As much as it pained me to have the boy with us, I couldn't help feel relived he hadn't tried to stop me from going with the 'you're sick' tactic like everyone else always did.

I hated it. Hated feeling so useless. Newt tried his best to make sure I didn't feel that way, and I forever appreciated him for that. I looked at Thomas, who I could tell wasn't letting this go so fast from the look in his eyes. "No, no, not this time. Even if we get Minho out of there, there is no guarantee we make it back from this."

Newt just watched him talk, the same calm expression never leaving his face even once. "Well, you're going to need all the help you can get then, won't you?" he opened the front door to the drivers seat, and Frypan stuck his head out, nodding to us in acknowledgement as Newt moved to stand against the car, arms crossed with a small shrug. "We started this together... may as well end it that way too. Besides, there is no way you're convincing Seph out of this, and there's no way I'm staying back if she's going."

I frowned, opening my mouth to ask what in the world he meant by that, but Newt, as if realising what he had said, looked away, muttering a quick "come on, then" and hoping into the car before I could say a word to him. I looked over my shoulder to where Thomas stood, scoffing at the boys who had settled in the car already. "Come on, Tommy. Let's go get him back."

We drove all night, and only a few hours into the ride the exhaustion of that day had began to sink in, only the faint chatter of Thomas's and Fry's from the front seat kept me awake as Newt and I sat in silence at the back. At least another half hour had passed when I turned to look at the blonde next to me, only to see he had fallen asleep. Eyes shot and mouth slightly open. He looked... peaceful. I hoped one day we could all fall asleep knowing the next day would bring no more grief. Or fear, or sadness, or danger, or anything like that.

I wanted to be able to wake up some day, knowing we were safe. And maybe have a cat living with me as well.

My eye's opened slowly, only to be greeted by sunlight forcing its way into my face, making me shut them again. Once the stupid things had adjusted to the morning light, I opened them fully, seeing Thomas and Fry still awake, chatting in low voices. My heart almost leaped out of my chest when I realised I was leaning on a blonde boy, his eyes also closed. I slowly removed myself from him, making sure Newt wasn't disturbed from his sleep as I leaned forward to talk to Thomas. "How long was I asleep?" I asked him softly, scared he'd say we have been out the whole drive.

"It was only about an hour, don't worry." Thomas replied, looking at me in the rearview. "How are you feeling?"

I knew what he meant, and if I was being honest with myself, I really wasn't sure. It could get really bad within seconds, or I could feel almost normal for days. There was no way to know what my body decided to put me through each day. "I'm alright." was all I could get out, going back to my spot in the backseat - watching the landscape outside rush by in blurs of beige and sandy yellow.

Another hour passed before the car started slowing down. We had driven into some sort of abandoned 'mandatory infection check', and the only way out was through a dark tunnel in the wire fencing. "Hey, Newt, c'mon we gotta go." I whispered to the boy who still slept beside me, placing a hand on his arm as he slowly blinked awake.

The four of us stepped out of the car cautiously, trying to look into the darkness of the tunnel, but remaining unsuccessful at seeing the other side. "You want us to go in there?" Newt asked incredulously, his voice still sounding tired. Thomas, who was staring at the map we had brought with us, didn't reply. "Look, I don't want to come across as too negative but I mean, if I was a Crank thats exactly where I would be." Newt went on, gesturing to the tunnel.

"I don't think we have much of a choice." Thomas muttered, taking his eyes off the map for a second to look at the tunnel again before looking back down. I hated that he was right in that moment, but he was. If we wanted to get to WICKED and Minho, we had to go through there.

I sighed, "Alright, but I get shotgun." I said before Thomas could claim the spot again, to a whine of annoyance from Newt, who I simply winked at, saying "Cry about it." Before jumping back into the car - this time taking the front seat next to Frypan, who seemed to be finding the whole situation great entertainment.

We started through the tunnel slowly, flinching every time one of the wheels went over a water filled dip in the road, making the whole car jerk each time. We all had our torches on, and the cars lights as well - yet it still felt way too dark in there. We slowed once again when we came up to a bunch of cars parked in the middle of the tunnel, they all seemed rundown and abandoned.

"Well, here we go," Newt said softly, "Just take it nice and slow, and we should be fine." he added, pointing his light to the walls as if checking for graffiti or something. Frypan started weaving the car through all the cars, driving at a slow pace that half made me want to tell him to hurry up and get the hell out of there, but I restrained myself.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, wait, hold up." Thomas suddenly said, leaning forward from his spot in the backseat to stare at something ahead of us. Following his gaze, I spotted one lone man standing in the middle of the road in front of us. His head tilted sideways as he looked our way, almost seeming lifeless. The man started making the most disgusting choking sounds that made me want to throw up.

"It's alright... it's just one of them, so, you can keep going. Take it slow and try going around him." Thomas said to Frypan who was looking back at him, waiting for the boy to tell him what to do next. Repeating his words, Fry started the car up again, taking a deep breath before starting the car to move forward again. I rolled up the window on my right, seeing the others in the car do the same on all four sides.

I suddenly heard Thomas and Newt gasp from behind me and I turned to see the most horrific sight of my life - having to stop myself from screaming. A woman had herself pressed up to Thomas's window - and if I didn't know any better I would really think she were a walking dead person. Skin almost paper white, bloodshot maroon eyes, and a chunk of her jaw missing.

She banged on the window, a maniacal smile creeping onto her face as she watched us. "Please... help me."