Chapter 15

"Ten days left?" The stranger's voice is clearer now. My head pounds, and the bitter taste lingers in my mouth. Cracking my eyes open, I cast my gaze on the wooden ceiling and blink away the shifting shadows in my vision. Soreness grips my muscles, begging me to stay still. I squint at the flickering light overhead, but the stark glow makes me look away. Instead, I focus on the familiar chain hanging from a hook on the wall.

"That's why she needs to get up and keep moving," Mateo says, his voice wafting through the cabin entrance. There's an edge to his voice that I haven't heard before. Seconds later, the stranger ambles through the open door, and I finally recognize Jax. He draws his lips in a tight smile while making his way to me. Bending down, he checks my healing wound, careful not to touch my leg, where the blood is now dried to a dull, rusty color. All that's left are some bruises where the metal met my skin.

I reach up and give him a squeeze. "How did you know where we were camping?"

"They laced all their traps. The poison makes you answer anything truthfully, and you won't remember what you've said. I've been there myself." A haunted look ghosts his features as he remains tense beneath my hold. Then, he sighs and tugs me tighter against him, staring at the broken trap in his hand.

"So, you asked me, and I told you how to get here," I say. Taking the contraption, I examine the symbol of the diverging arrows carved onto the metal, brushing my thumb over the design. Mateo clears his throat, and I find him standing by the door. It's too easy to read the slight clench of his jaw and the twitch in his eye whenever he's afraid. The crease between his brows deepens as he examines the carving.

With the boys now standing side-by-side, I realize how different they look. Mateo is a little taller and scarred, and his body is cut into unnatural planes where work was done to save his life. Then, I shift my gaze to Jax. His dark eye circles are more pronounced now, and his ashen face makes it seem like he hasn't slept in days. Fresh stubble peppers his jaw, a cut running along his chin where he nicked himself.

"We're following Eorius while there's some daylight left. Eat up and get ready to move," Mateo says dryly.

Jax hands me some cured meat. It's chewy, like beef jerky, but I'm not complaining. Though the salty meal burns my tongue, it's easily one of the best things I've had in a while. I rip into the food and stuff my face with the berries he brought me. Mateo scrunches his nose like he can't stand the sight of a ravenous teenager. He gives his brother a meaningful look before grabbing his chain and stepping outside.

Jax bends down, his breath tickling my ear, "I caught the squirrel a while ago, so you're eating the last of my food."

My cheeks burn as I scarf down the meager piece of meat. Jax nudges me playfully, snickering at my reaction. After wiping my grease-stained hands, I turn to him, and his smile fades a little. "Did Mateo tell you everything?"

Nodding slowly, Jax shrugs like he can't believe that his brother is here, alive and back from the dead.

Who knew that this was how the universe worked?

"Whatever it is, I think we've got a bigger problem now." Jax glances at his arm where the tattooed words are different now.

10 days left.

He rubs the ink, staring at the countdown like he can't decide if it's a dream or a nightmare. This is probably one of Proxy's games, a test within a test.

The throbbing in my head intensifies as I move to stand. Jax reaches out and steadies me, a strained smile touching his lips while we gather our things. There isn't much else to pack except my skinned and gutted kills. We've rationed the water and meat, so it should last us for a few days. Mateo meets us outside and leads the way through a wall of vegetation. The air's moist breath traps us in a bundle of heat and sweat, the columns of trees closing in on us, forcing us into a single file. My shoulders brush against the bark. Fine splinters cling to my clothes and prick the bare skin of my arms.

A crooked stretch of ruins peeks through a small break in the thinning shrubs. After cutting the twisted, spindly branches that block our view, we pause at the fringes of a withered flower field.

Tall blades of grass lash against my bruised legs, and they sway in the strong gusts of wind. Another man in a black cloak lies dead on the ground. Again, this one has Proxy's knife stuck in his throat, and the same arrows are burned onto his forehead. He boasts a few cuts on his arm—crimson streaks arch up and meet in a peak.

"They're almost the same shape." Jax points to the wall up ahead, noting how it's already split down the middle, the resulting halves slanting upwards to Eorius. Artificial sun rays glisten from their pointed tips. They aren't labeled as the next section, but there's a rusty sign on one of their weathered surfaces. It reads, way of the strays. Mutated plants peek through the cracks between the concrete, their hairy stems tangling with one another in an overgrown mess.

Past the wall, towering blocks of scaffolding and destroyed homes greet us. Here, the blue sky is cloudless, dominated by only the orb that shines down on us. Through the center of the glass and metal labyrinth, a dirt path carves a road into the heart of the abandoned city.

"This is where Proxy keeps all the false immunes. Once they've reached the end of their useful life, this is their holding place until it's time for them to be shipped off. Proxy calls them strays since they're technically abandoned by the government." Mateo guides us through the concrete jungle and motions to the red markers placed every few steps on the ground. "Stick to this path. Some people planted flash bombs in the other areas, hoping to blow up the Proxy patrols rolling by."

"People like you?" I ask.

His eyes widen in faux surprise, and I can't tell if his expression is one of mockery or exaggerated admiration. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"I don't have water for brains, you know. It's not that hard to put two and two together."

Mateo breaks into a rare grin and ruffles my hair. He always did that when we were kids, and for a fleeting moment, I wished for more than a mere glimpse of the old him again.

Soon, we arrive at the wreckage. Remains of a building lay in a crumpled heap of stone and metal. The bodies of false immunes litter the ground, and the Proxy workers load them onto waiting trucks. Mateo gradually slows down. His face goes pale, and he avoids the growing crowd. I break away from him and Jax, trying to get to the nearest worker for some answers. Mateo pulls me back and shakes his head. "Once we're past this section, you'll see what else happens to the dead."

I bite my lip and survey the ground. Pieces of shredded cardboard lay strewn on the damp floor. Some still have marker writings, possibly from a peaceful demonstration gone wrong. Someone claps Mateo on the shoulder. I'm guessing she's an Outsider like him, leading her group past us, careful to stay within the red markers. I stare at an opening in the remains of a building.

Mateo ducks and adjusts his body to fit in the small space. Once he's deep enough, he signals for us to follow. I crawl through the mostly-intact tunnel until I bump into his back. He grunts and pushes a flap open, letting in a brief flash of light before we slide through the concealed hole.

We're inside a room, though it looks more like a chamber with metal walls. "Aria, I think you should see this." Jax points to some faded words on the open door.

Holding Cell A.

Shallow breathing drifts down the hallway, followed by a soft tapping noise as Mateo walks back to us. A broken bracelet hangs from his hand, but he sighs and drops it onto the ground.

"Proxy hasn't cleared out the bodies yet, so...just be prepared," he says grimly.

As we walk down the corridor, my eyes start to sting. Stale air burns my lungs with the smell of death. Each step grows heavier, stickier somehow as if the soles of my boots trampled on blood that hasn't entirely dried yet. The dim light on the ceiling barely illuminates the hollow, ghostly faces among the pile of corpses. I hold on tight to Jax's hand. He threads his fingers with mine, dragging a calloused thumb over my hand in slow, comforting motions.

Mateo taps my shoulder and points above us. "These are called execution chambers, built with a plate on the ceiling. When it's activated, it crushes everyone, so recycling them later is easier." He bites his lip, sweeping his gaze over the bodies. "Proxy takes these bodies to a facility, where the parts are salvaged to make other stuff. We don't know exactly what, though."

With a shaky breath, Mateo walks to the dustbin that holds the false immunes' identification bracelets. They are broken into small, metal pieces, a brutal reminder that these people won't need them anymore. Sighing, I walk back the same way I came from, chasing away the images of death that appear whenever I close my eyes.

"Why's everything destroyed here?" Jax asks as we crawl through the tunnel once again.

"Maybe it's all part of the Trials," Mateo says.

We wander through the city, and I try to familiarize myself with the buildings, taking note of landmarks or tall structures visible from far away. As the hour grows late, the sky takes on a rosy tint with light splotches of apricot. Wispy clouds complete the perfect vision of sunset, softening the rough shape of Eorius as its fading light covers the landscape.

Still, we don't stop moving. Mateo's shape is now reduced to a mere silhouette under the weak moonlight that barely shines tonight. "Our second camp should be nearby." Walking into an open area leaves us exposed and vulnerable. Chills tease my spine and spread over my hot skin.

Just then, Mateo points straight ahead and takes us to another cabin surrounded by a fence. A tortured cry suddenly escapes his throat, and he sits down near a bush, scratching himself all over. His hands and feet have become swollen with boils. Pulling up his sleeve, I watch as red welts pepper his arm. Pus-filled bumps appear on his neck, and he doubles over while sucking in huge gulps of air, barely stifling a cry as his desperate sounds plead for an end to the suffering.

Jax stares at a stinger forest nearby.

It's an area filled with mutated insects, but we're immune to their stings. At least, I know that's true for Jax and myself since we were tested at a hospital before enrolling in the Institution. Seth probably was too, but Mateo wasn't. Gripping his knife, Jax holds it to the boils around his brother's neck.

"Going to kill me now?" Mateo's voice is raspy as he chuckles in his delirium. I grab his chain and hand it to Jax. Opening the gate, we carry the feverish boy inside the cabin and set him down on a straw mat. His neck grows ruddy with the effort of containing his screams, a vein popping in his temple as he watches the weapon in Jax's hands.

"Keep still," I say firmly.

Jax works quickly. He makes an incision across the boils, which causes a black liquid to spill. Mateo starts to struggle and squirm. I knock him out with a punch to the face, just hard enough for him to stay down. A stream of mucus streaked with red trickles from his nostrils and trails down his cheeks. He'll wake up with a wicked headache tomorrow, but he'll live. Jax glares at me, and I pretend not to notice. I've always had trouble gauging how much strength to use.

Jax keeps squeezing out the liquid until there's nothing left, and we do the same to the rest of the welts. Mateo's breathing is short and shallow. A new rash spreads to his collarbone area, slowly traveling up his neck and face. Placing my hand on his hot forehead, I start healing him. His slightly crooked nose straightens first, then new skin grows over his bleeding sores. Once again, there are no visions.

"It's enough for now." Jax gently takes my wrist. He brushes the corner of my mouth and shows me a smidge of crimson on his thumb. Nodding, I lean against the wall, tasting the tartness on the tip of my tongue, and listening to our weary breathing. My gaze slides to Jax's brooding silhouette. We stay like this for a while, both of us wrapped in the disquieting silence.

The space between us feels charged. Traitorous tingles surge through my veins, taunting me with the familiar thrill to let myself feel again, to hold onto the moment before it slips through my fingers. Now, I brush away the rogue memory and clench my fists instead. Standing up, I head outside and settle on the steps leading to the cabin. The chilly air does little to ease the knots in my stomach. It bites my skin mercilessly as if that'll keep my mind from wandering too far.

Warm cloth tickles my shoulders, and I look up to find Jax draping his jacket over me. Catching a glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes, I cave a little just as he's about to step back inside.

"Will you stay?" I ask.

He settles next to me, and we watch the moon in the sky while it pulses against the obsidian backdrop. Jax shifts closer, the fabric of his jacket brushing against my bare elbows. Under the starlight, his tousled hair takes on a silver sheen. His lips curve into a knowing smile as he reaches up and pushes a stray strand of hair away from my sweaty forehead.

"What's with you and the masked guys? They're coming after you, and they even talked about it before you found me," I say.

He takes a long look at the ground and takes a shaky breath. "They attacked me, and they said I belong to them. That I'd eventually understand what he meant. We still don't know why they attack some and leave others alone. Mateo wouldn't say anything about it."

"Then I guess we'll find out for ourselves eventually."

"What would you do? If you were him, I mean."

Bringing my legs to my chest, I rest my chin on my knees and stare into the oblivion beyond. The swaying trees bear the weight of the lashing winds, leaning towards us like eavesdroppers. Finally, I look at Jax again. "He might be afraid of them, and knowing how he is, Mateo thinks he's protecting us. The less we understand, the better. If I were him, I'd want to keep it that way no matter what."

"Fear's a funny thing. It holds you back but also makes you act before things go wrong. You're either cautious or bold. Maybe everyone is a little bit of both." He gives me a meaningful look, and I know he isn't just talking about Mateo anymore.

"Well, would you act now or later? Should we just avoid it all and hope for the best?"

"Aria, I think you have my answer to that. Two years later, I still don't know what's yours."

My cheeks flame at the distant memory—both of us pressed together, flirting with the possibility of something more in the dim corner of the convenience store. After that, I avoided him for a while, and we never spoke of the line we crossed with that single kiss.

"Sometimes, I wish you'd show me the real you. The version with the scars and the hurt, trusting that I'd never use them against you. I miss that part of you." Jax lets out a long breath, looking briefly at the sky before casting his gaze on me. "You're afraid of showing weakness, so you close up again. If the war was still happening, I'd say you're treating me like the enemy."

"Jax, doesn't this scare you too? The chance that anything could happen, and I'd never see you again. That's what war is like. The more people we let in, the more hurt we feel when they're gone."

I know the fragility of life.

I've always told myself to put Sierra first, and I didn't have time for distractions. Just like that, I swept my feelings aside, willing myself to forget about everything. Losing a friend was one thing, but losing Jax was another, so I pushed him away. Though these fears kept me focused on my responsibilities, they also held me captive for years. I hated every waking moment of that. Sometimes, I wondered what it'd be like to be free.

"Don't you ever get tired of running from what could've been? For once, shouldn't we decide what we want and actually start living?" He lets out a shuddering breath, "Our friendship means a lot, Aria, and if that's all you want, then I'll respect that. I just need to know for sure because it's killing me."

His words are quickly carried away by the howling wind, leaving behind a void of our unbridled emotions. The first step is frightening but also frees me from the clutches of my mind. I look up to find Jax studying me, his caramel-colored eyes shining as he waits for me to speak. A long while passes. Traces of a stolen future taunt me, making my heart ache for a possibility I thought I could never have. A longing feeling tightens in my chest and cuts deep within me. "Jax...let's give us a chance."

I brush a thumb over his lips, smiling as he leans into my touch. His hand traces my jaw, moving down to my neck, slowly slipping into my hair. The force between us is magnetic. We are an inevitability, just like death. I tug him closer. His lips are soft and tantalizing, parting mine as he whispers my name.