Burning Curiosity //Minho

Pitch Black

The next morning, we were all roused around five thanks to the digital watches W.I.C.K.E.D so graciously provided for us. I didn't really sleep much anyways, despite knowing this would be one of my last chances for a good nights sleep and a bed. But all my dreams lately had been plagued by old memories. Things I could not change, things I wanted to change. I didn't want to see Teresa's face and feel some sense of guilt.

I took a shower, probably one of the last ones I would take for a while, and washed my hair slowly. We had no shampoo or body soap, so it was quick work. When I came out, running a hand through my wet hair, Minho caught my arm. He had finally agreed to be the leader sometime last night after talking it over some more with Newt. I was glad he accepted it instead of continuing to argue about it with everyone.

"Well if it isn't our fearless leader." I said with a small smile. Minho smirked.

"Whatever princess, I have a job for you." I frowned, confused. A job? "I want you to be all buddy buddy with that Aris kid because I don't trust him and I want to know how he feels about us, about his Group B. I want to know everything about him." My blood ran cold. He didn't trust Aris... What was he going to do when he found out he couldn't trust me?

"Minho, he's a nice guy." His eyebrows arched down angrily.

"I don't care if he's a nice guy or an angel from heaven. I don't trust him." Minho insisted. I sighed. "You'll do this for me right?" I sighed, deciding to make a joke out of it.

"What will you do to me if I refuse to be your little snitch?" The glint in his eyes indicated to me that he had a smart ass response to that. I spoke again before he could say it. "I'll do it but I won't be happy about it." I told him, slipping out of his grip.

"See you in the cafeteria girly." He called out as I headed down the corridor.

----

At five-fifty, everyone was standing around the designated wall for the Flat Trans. Another invisible wall had gone up so we couldn't step forward. Instead, we all shifted our feet, shifted our gazes and fixed our grip on our things. We had all made makeshift slings out of bedsheets so we could carry food, the extra clothing and water. Our temporary canteens were plastic bags. We didn't have water bottles or anything else suitable to carry our water in so most people were carrying their plastic bags of water in their hands in case they popped and started to leak. We couldn't waste water. The Scorch would be brutal.

Next to me on my right was Minho and as our watches counted down, he stood and asked if anyone had decided to stay behind. "If any of you decide once we step through that Flat Trans that you want to go crying to mamma and head back, I'll make sure you come back here with a bloody nose or a busted lip. Got it?" I tried not to laugh. It wasn't exactly the pep talk everyone expected but then again, this was Minho.

"It's six!" Someone called out. Just like that, the invisible wall disappeared and the Flat Trans appeared. The wall before us was shimmering gray, just as Janson had described, and just as I had seen it many times before.

"Alright, I'm heading in first, Thomas bring up the rear and make sure everyone goes in. We only have five minutes people." Minho said bravely marching towards the wall. He paused just before it to look back at us. "See you on the other side ya shanks." With that, he stepped through and disappeared. Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

"Well, you guys heard him." I said, following after Minho.

"Mallory wait.." That was Newt but it was too late, I stepped onto the Flat Trans. The gray milky substance swallowed me whole and a cold wind seemed to carry me away, I got off.