black veil ◦ scorch trials || thomas

13.

THIRTEEN ; NOBODY'S HOME 

     Evan was almost positive she had never felt so uncomfortable before.

     The only distraction from feeling like all eyes were on her was the familiar and comforting hand that brushed hers. And sometimes it was placed on the small of her back to guide her, as if he knew the building like the back of his hand.

     Evanna wanted it to annoy her. She wanted to shrug his hand off her or pull away when they gently touched. But she couldn't bring herself to do it, simply because she couldn't lie to herself any longer. Especially after being almost toasted, the girl realized that life was definitely too short to beat about the bush.

     Though, in spite of the epiphany, Evan still couldn't fully admit it to herself. Even in her thoughts. Because it all sounded absolutely ridiculous and just wrong. The timing wasn't right, the place wasn't right – what she felt wasn't right.

     She supposed the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind were a pretty good distraction from all the stares, too. But then his hand on her back would pull her back into reality and she would become aware of it all again.

     The group followed the unknown girl as she trudged up the stairs and threw a metal door open that led through a giant space where all kinds of people were. Some sat around fires, others were huddled together on little and dirty mattresses with the smallest of blankets draped over them.

     Evan wanted to cry. She wanted to cry because she saw two little kids with no adult figure near, their faces and hair dirty and their lips chapped. She wanted to cry because she watched an old man in a raggedy sweater binding a skinny dog's broken leg. The despair was all too much for her, like she could taste it in the air around her.

     "Come on, keep up," the girl said, waving her hand as if to signal for them to quicken their paces. Evan's gaze remained on the misery before her as his hand found its place on her back again and steered her in the right direction. It was like Thomas knew how much it all affected her. "Jorge wants to meet you."

     Through the hopelessness Evan was witnessing, she also saw distrust on every face that looked their way. There was a glare in their eyes, a harsh and unforgiving one. Evanna's own gaze fell to the dusty ground; she couldn't help but feel responsible most of it.

     "Who's Jorge?" She heard Thomas ask as they ascended winding metal stairs. Some others behind him hummed in agreement, wondering the exact same thing.

     The girl glanced at them over her shoulder, her answer directed towards Thomas but her eyes on Evan. A small smile spread across her lips. "You'll see."

     Evan's shoulders tensed when she noticed bulky guys trailing their small group. Some had smug faces while others had sneers. It made her feel out of place and unwanted. It made her feel uneasy, as if they all knew something she didn't.

     She stared at one man whose eyes caught a glint and made him look ten times scarier than Evan would make him out to be. His head was shaven and his beard was unkempt. He grinned wolfishly at her, subtly licking his teeth. A shiver ran down Evan's spine.

     The sudden tight grip on her good wrist told Evanna that she wasn't the only one who was watching the man. She looked at Thomas from the corner of her eye and saw that his jaw was clenched and that his hard stare was focused on the grinning man.

     Evan would choose the misery from below above whatever she and the others had just walked into. It seemed the closer they got to this 'Jorge' character, the more men followed behind the group of teenagers.