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Chapter 49

He hugs me.
The rain comes down. Faster and heavier than ever, so much it's blinding, an entire waterfall tumbling from the sky.
But it's all forgotten.
Because me and Stone are the only people in the world, right here, right now.
Hunger, thirst, exhaustion, all nothing more than a faint thought at the back of my mind, Stone taking up all my thoughts, him and me, wrapped together for eternity. It seems as if nothing will ever break us apart.
But as the seconds pass, my mind travels elsewhere, to other, darker places. This is my chance, and I might not get another. Who knows he could have been lying about telling me everything, once we reach the top. God knows, he's lied enough already. Still holding him, I glance down to his left shoulder, to his neck...
Slowly and carefully, I move my hand up, trying to act natural, and I gently pull away the ragged blue cloth, so slowly so as not to be suspicious. Just a little more... But the scarf is caught on his shirt collar.
I just can't stand the suspense any longer. Abandoning all caution, I take in a great breath, and rip away the scarf.
My heart stops.
Stone's probably does too.
I stare in disbelief at the base of his neck, then look guiltily up into his face, his disappointed eyes.
"I-I thought..."
"I thought you trusted me." He says, shaking his head and backing away from me.
My world just dropped into a state of confusion and chaos. Suddenly, all my suspicions, everything I thought was right to suspect, they've all been proven false. I was wrong, about everything. And now Stone knows I've never trusted him, never completely.
All because there is no mark on his neck. There is no brand, no blood number, nothing, nothing but skin, unblemished and unmarked. He was actually telling the truth.
"We should get going..." Stone says. It kills me to see the disappointment in his eyes, like a physical blow has been dealt to me. Now I don't know what to believe, or what not to. He lied completely about the rebels, and yet he was telling the truth about his not having a blood number.
"Stone-Wait!" I reach out and grab his shoulder to stop him from continuing on.
"Get away from me." He says in disgust- My paranoia rises again. Narrowing my eyes, I hear the waver in his voice, the uncertainty. It's faint, but it's there. It's almost as if he's... Acting.
Then the rain picks up, becoming so heavy it's nearly blinding.
And the paint washes away.