Chapter 37 Chapter 37: The Smoke of the Heavenly Medicine

Those words stung Thomas, and he could only imagine how Minho felt. "Take us there to see him," his friend ordered roughly. The guard spread his hands. "Didn't you hear what I just said?" "Your mission is not yet complete." Thomas insisted, he definitely supported Minho.It didn't matter what Newt said, since they were so close to him, they needed to have a word with him. The short guard shook his head and flatly refused. "No way, you told us to find your friend, we have already found it, give us the money." "Are we with him already?" Jorge asked. "We won't give you a penny if we're not together."

Brenda didn't say anything, but she stood beside Jorge and nodded in support.Thomas was relieved to see that everyone didn't take what Newt said to heart and still wanted to meet him in unison. The two guards looked very unhappy, mumbling and arguing back and forth. "Hey!" Minho yelled, "If you want money, go!" "Okay," said the bearded guard at last, his companion staring at him in great annoyance, "come with us." They turned around and walked towards the direction they came from, Minho followed behind them, and the others followed one after another.

As they got closer and closer to the complex, Thomas kept thinking things couldn't get any worse, but it still turned out badly.The buildings are getting shabby and the streets are getting dirtier.He saw several people lying on the pavement with their heads resting on dirty bags or on cushions piled with several clothes.Each of them stared blankly at the sky, with a happy expression of forgetting everything.Paradise Medicine really lives up to its name, Thomas thought. The guard continued to move forward, sweeping the launcher at everyone who was tens of inches away from him on the left and right.They passed a place where they saw a devastated man, his clothes were torn, his hair was covered with some kind of black goo, and his body was covered in rashes.He fell on top of a groggy teen and started punching the teen.

Thomas paused, wondering if they should help. "Don't even think about it," said the short guard before Thomas could say a word, "keep going." "Isn't your job—" Another guard interrupted him: "Shut up! Let's deal with it. If we intervene every time we see a quarrel and argument, we're not done yet, we're dead, and those two can Solve the problem by yourself." "Hurry up and take us to meet Newt." Minho said calmly. They walked on, Thomas trying to ignore the sudden howls behind them. At last they came to a high wall with a great archway, which was open and crowded with people.There is a sign on top of the arch, with shiny letters announcing that this is the heartland.Thomas wasn't quite sure what was going on inside, but everyone seemed busy.

The guards stopped, and the bearded man said to them, "Just once, are you sure you want to go in there?" "Yes." Minho replied quickly. "Okay then, your friend's over there at the bowling alley. When I point him out, you're going to pay us." "Let's go forward." Jorge roared. They followed the guards through the arch and into the core.Then they stopped, and the place was in full view. The first thought in Thomas' mind was a madhouse, and then he realized that it was indeed the case. Crazy people everywhere. They walked up and down a circular area a few hundred feet across, apparently once surrounded by shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.Most are dilapidated, dilapidated and closed.Most of the infected don't look as crazy as the shaggy-haired guys they see on the street, but there's an air of madness about this group.To Thomas, everyone's actions and speech seemed...exaggerated.Some were laughing hysterically, slapping each other roughly on the back with wild eyes.Others were crying uncontrollably, either sobbing alone on the ground or spinning in circles with their faces buried in their hands.There were little fights going on here and there, and here and there a man or a woman was seen standing there, screaming hysterically, flushed in the face.

There were also some people huddled together in a group, with their hands crossed and their heads shaking from side to side, as if they were waiting to be attacked at any time.As Thomas had seen outside, some delirious patients had lost themselves in the smoke of the heavenly potion, sitting or lying on the ground laughing, not caring about the noise and chaos around them.There were a few guards walking around, weapons at the ready, but their numbers were pitifully small by comparison. "Remind me not to buy real estate here." Minho joked. Thomas couldn't laugh at all, he was full of anxiety and desperately wanted this to end soon.

"Where's the bowling alley?" he asked. "Over here," said the short guard. He walked to the left, clinging to the wall, Thomas and the others following.Brenda walked beside Thomas, their arms touching with each step.He wanted to hold her hand, but he didn't want to do anything to draw attention to himself.Nothing was predictable in this place, and he didn't want to do anything that wasn't necessary. Most of the lunatics stopped their frenetic activity to stare at the few newcomers coming and past them.Thomas kept his eyes down, lest his eyes catch anyone who might be hostile or want to speak to him.They heard booing and whistles as they walked along, and a lot of rude jokes or insults along the way.They passed a run-down convenience store that Thomas could still see through the window.The glass is long gone and nearly all the shelves are empty.There is a doctor's office and sandwich shop, but neither has lights.

Someone grabbed the shirt over Thomas's shoulder, and he shook the hand away as he turned to see who it was.A woman stood there with her dark hair in a mess and a scratch on her chin, but otherwise she looked normal.She frowned, elongated her face, stared at him for a while, and then opened her mouth as hard as she could, showing a set of neat teeth, but it looked like she hadn't brushed her teeth for a long time, and she showed her swollen and faded tongue, and then she Shut up. "I want to kiss you," the woman said. "How do you feel, Immunity?" She laughed, a breathless giggle, and reached out to touch Thomas' chest.

Thomas jumped out of the way and walked on, noticing that the guard didn't stop at all to make sure nothing bad happened. Brenda leaned over and whispered to him, "This is the creepiest thing ever." Thomas just nodded and continued on his way.