𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓-𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨

XIV-GOODBYE

When I came to, I was a few feet away from everyone else. Which was fair, because I did attack them...earlier? How long was I out for? It was dark, pitch black except for the fire light the boys sat at. Teresa was the only one who sat close to me.

"Oh my-you're awake." She flung her arms around me, holding me close. "I was so scared. What happened to you?"

"I don't know." I mumbled against her shoulder, peering over at the group and catching eyes with Newt. His eyes widened and he immediately came over.

"Talk now." I was shocked by his bruteness. He was usually the kinder leader, stern but not overbearing.

"Wouldn't it be easier if I explained it to the whole group?" He thought for a second and then nodded, both him and Teresa helped me up when they noticed I had trouble standing.

I was hesitant with sitting down and opted with a spot that was close to the group but gave enough space for them to run if they had to. They avoided my eyes-except for Thomas. He stared at me, waiting for answers. I was surprised that it was Newt who demanded them and not Thomas.

I took a look around at the group and noticed someone was missing. "Where's Winston?"

No one answered, but it didn't take a genius to figure it out. "Oh." My eyes watered, but I wiped them away. I didn't get to say goodbye.

"He said for you not to feel bad." Aris spoke up.

I nodded and bit my lip, preparing what I was going to say. "First off, I'm sorry. Second off, it wasn't my fault."

"We know it wasn't your fault." Minho said. From the soft firelight I could see that he had a bruise on his left eye. My stomach clenched and I had to close my eyes to stop myself from crying again. "We just want to know what's going on."

I breathed in. Here goes nothing. "I'm being controlled. I'm not sure by who, but they want me to kill you guys."

"It's WICKED." Thomas had never stopped looking at me, his eyes burning holes into me. "Before you passed out, you-well, not you-said that WICKED will come for us. You said we had to go back or be killed by your hands."

This time I couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Oh god. I'm a danger to you guys. Why didn't you leave me behind?"

"Aesara, you're our friend. And after Winston," Frypans voice broke "There was no way we were leaving anyone else to die."

"And besides, Teresa would have killed us if we didn't bring you." Minho joked.

But I didn't laugh. I couldn't laugh, the thought that entered my mind made it impossible to. I swallowed it though and donned a guilty look. Which wasn't hard because I still felt really guilty. "I'm sorry guys. I really am. I tried fighting back, but I couldn't. It was too strong."

Teresa, who was sitting next to me, put her arm around my shoulders. "You don't have to be sorry. Do you wanna know how we knew it wasn't you actually attacking us? You were crying, but you had no expressions. It was an odd thing to see, but it gave away that you weren't behind it." She smiled at me. "You'll be fine. Soon this will be a thing of the past."

I nodded and Newt suggested that we head to bed, we had a long day tomorrow. Yes. I did.

I waited until everyone was asleep, all of their snores mixing together, making a very unpleasant song. Even Teresa's. She was close to me, but far enough for me to get up without making a sound. I grabbed my backpack off the ground, not putting it on yet. I paced a few steps away from the group, who slept semi-close to each other since the fire went out a while ago.

I tried to be really quiet, but it was hard considering we were on hard packed sand. The sand dunes were long gone now. But the boys and Teresa didn't wake up, they still snored soundly. Good.

I walked slowly backwards, to make sure no one would wake up and follow me, and when I was far enough away, I strapped on my backpack and made a run for it.

I ran until the sun came up, pacing myself every few half hours. And when I finally stopped to rest, my throat was as dry as the desert around me. I opened my bag and pulled out one of the two water bottles I had. The cap snapped off, telling me this was new water. I wouldn't have cared if it was used. All I needed was the refreshing feeling, just a little bit more energy for the run ahead of me.

I was putting my bottle away when I saw it. A shimmering glint out of the corner of my eye. I stood up and frowned. What could that be? Danger maybe? I wanted to stay clear of it if it was. But my curiosity took over.

I walked towards it. My patience was wearing out though so I made a dash for it. It took me about thirty minutes to get to it. But it wasn't just one shimmering glint, it was hundred-thousands-of them. It was a whole other city. Destroyed just like the last one.

I entered the city. The building toward me, casting shadows slightly to my left. The sun would be overhead soon. I stuck to the shadows mostly, feeling like if I didn't, I would die of heat stroke. Fear settled on me at the quietness. At least with the other Gladers I had their footsteps as a reassurance that I wasn't alone and that I would be safe. Now it was just me and the wind.

I was starting to doubt my decision. Was it right for me to leave? I wanted to keep them safe and if that meant I go my own way, then so be it. But I missed them and I was scared. They say there's safety in numbers, but I was just one.

I hoped that there weren't a lot of cranks here like the last city.

I walked a couple more minutes, looking around the broken landscape. Shards of glass still fell from building windows, scattering to the wind and sometimes hitting me. But they were nothing compared to the sand from the storm.

A couple towers leaned towards others across from them, creating a sort of bridge. But they were too high for my liking, so I continued straight forward.

It wasn't long before I heard the whispers. Not the ones in my head. These ones were external, coming from someone not that far away. Without leading on that I heard them, I quickened my pace. It wasn't until I heard footsteps that I started running. They were fast, catching up to me.

Fear ran through my body, seizing my lungs, making me breath harder, but I pushed through it. But it wasn't just one person, soon it was a group of them and I knew I was outnumbered. I kept running, leaping over fallen debris.

My foot caught on one and I was sent to the ground. It didn't take the group long to gather around me and I couldn't get up. My ankle burned when I tried to move it.

The group wore masks, covering their face, save for the eyes. And they had baggy dark clothes on, hoods draped over their heads. I couldn't differentiate them other than their eyes. And when they spoke, it was in the same deep and gravelly voice. "A lab rat. HE will be happy."

"He, whose He?" They ignored me and conserved amongst themselves, speaking in a language I didn't understand. As they did they gathered closer, some grabbing my arms and legs. "Let me go. Don't touch me!" I struggled against them, twisting this way and that, but they held tight.

"Quiet Rat, you'll alert the monsters."

Monsters? Weren't they the monsters? Did they think they were completely separated beings? Were they just crazy? I had plenty of time to think.

The sun was already sinking down behind the buildings by the time we made it to their hang out. It was dark and smelt like death. I felt like puking. I didn't think they would appreciate that. Fires were lit everywhere, giving off faint flickering lights.

They set me down in front of a chair that seemed to be made from bones. On closer inspection, I realized it was bones, some had dried blood and pieces of skin on it still. Bile rose in my throat. It burned and begged to be realized. But I swallowed it. There was someone sitting in the chair, but he wore no robe. No clothes for that matter. He was thin down to the bone, covered in blisters and sores and no hair.

I shook when his blood shot eyes landed on me. He smiled a toothy grin and pointed at me. "You will be my favorite Lab Rat."