━━ in which a girl with special abilities is sent up into the maze where she is swept into the life of boys, grievers, beetle blades and running for your life. but maybe, just maybe, she can save her friends and the sandy blonde she loves so dearly...
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ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, Newt had stayed by Victoria's side after hearing her having a nightmare. The truth was every time she closed her eyes, she was taken right back to that moment. That moment of weakness. That moment of losing. That moment of wishing for death.
Of course, he had a job to go to on top of being Second in Command, and Victoria was given the day off. Or as much time as she needs — as Frypan had put it. The majority of the day, she didn't move from her bed, not even for meals. Various people had offered to bring her some, but she refused and told them she wasn't hungry.
She didn't know why, but eventually she stepped out of the Homestead and made a beeline for the Pits, where Carl was being held. Crouching in front of the wooden bars, she squinted her eyes through the darkness and saw him sat there. With a black eye and a bloodied lip.
Glancing up, his blue eyes landed on the fragile brunette. "Come to gloat?" He tutted, raising a single eyebrow. The sight of him made her sick to her stomach, but she needed answers before he was banished to his death. Because nobody survived a night in the maze, right?
"What happened to your face?"
"Your good pal, Gally," He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, "Never liked that slinthead," And then he raised his eyebrows at her. "Why are you here, princess?"
"I just wanted to know. . ." Victoria cleared her throat and tapped her fingers against her knee due to the anxiety of being around him again, "Do you regret it? Any of it?"
Carl just laughed. He laughed, and that was what broke Victoria's heart. Inside, she hoped that there would be at least one decent bone in his body to own up to what he had done. To feel some sort of regret. But there wasn't.
"I regret nothing," He snarled and Victoria nodded, standing back up properly. "You know, I came here because I wanted you to convince me that you don't deserve banishment, I really thought that there would be some kind of goodness in that stone cold heart of yours," She explained in one breath before sighing, "Turns out I was wrong. You deserve everything that you get."
From those final words, she left Carl alone to process what she had said. She felt a weight off her shoulders. She didn't feel so guilty anymore about his banishment, because he really did deserve it. He deserved to be thrown into a situation of complete terror, just like he'd done with her.
As Victoria strode across the Glade, she spun around when she heard somebody calling her name. Chuck came jogging over to her, his cheeks rosy as he caught his breath. "Hey, Chucky. What's up?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," He replied and held something out in front of her, "I made you this."
Furrowing her eyebrows, Victoria accepted the gift and examined it. It was a piece of wood carved into a lion head. "I know it's not that good, but it represents bravery and courage. And I think you're really brave after what happened," The young boy explained, and Victoria felt tears stinging the back of her eyes.
