𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓼𝓽 - ᴀ ᴍᴀᴢᴇ ʀᴜɴɴᴇʀ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄ

Chapter Two - Newt

The memories come in waves; some of them playing through my head like a movie and others appearing as spontaneously as recalling where a lost item was left.

I watch, like a spectator in my own life as I make friends with some of the other boys and sneak out to visit the girls on occasion. I watch as I allow myself to be tested and used like a lab rat, not a human. I watch as I obediently go to the lessons I'm directed to. I watch my younger self curl on a bunk, tears streaming down my face as I'm tortured by the monsters inside my head. I watch myself search relentlessly to find the boy, Thomas, that my sister and her friend were looking for. At last, I do and the memories slow from the steady flow to a vision-like scene and I relive the moment.

Lizzy's new friend is much more than you'd expect from such a tiny girl. Somewhere, beneath that long dark hair of hers, her brain buzzes. She's really smart, but seems to hide it from all the doctors. Addy was the one who figured out how to loop the cameras so we could meet up at night. Addy was also the one who found the files stating where her brother was kept. The girl reminds me of a feline with the way she sneaks around without getting caught and I admire her for it.

"Something on your mind?" My sister whispers as she catches me staring at her friend. An amused smile slips onto her face.

I try to control the heat that works it's way slowly into my cheeks. "No, I just zoned out for a moment." It's not exactly a lie.

"Mh-hmm." My little sister doesn't seem to believe me but turns back to play with Chuck so I give in and glance back over to Addy.

She's seated against the wall of the closet, leaning into her brother while he mutters to her.

"Keep hiding it. I don't want them to test you the way they test me. You're so smart and I'm so proud of you, but you've got to stay with the other girls," Thomas insists.

Addy's crystal green eyes are glazed in tears that threaten to spill over. "But I could be with you if I didn't hide. I could help plan our escape." Her voice cracks and she lowers it to a whisper thag I barely make out. "I'm scared, Tommy."

Thomas shakes his head. "No. It'll be worse for you. I'll try to convince them to let you hangout with me more, but I don't know how. It'll be ok." He wraps his arm around her and stares blankly at a wall.

Just then, our wait is over and Minho finally comes back with Alby. I grin and ask, "Ready to see the great outdoors?"

Soon enough, we're taking the familiar route up the rungs of a dusty ladder and climbing out onto the concrete platform that makes up the roof. I shield my eyes as they adjust to the light, chuckling at Tommy's dramatic reaction to the brightness. Minho and I have come up here plenty of times before, but it's the first time we've brought Tommy and the girls.

As Addy and Lizzy emerge, awe fills their faces and they take grateful breaths of the fresh air. Addy stretches her arms out and spins slowly in a circle as she takes it all in. I don't want to move. I just want to watch her, but Minho has other plans.

"Let's show them the woods! Maybe we'll get lucky and see a deer. And maybe it'll let us pet it."

We guide the others to the drain pipe and make our way down. After everyone makes it down, we prepare to head out into the woods for a bit of fun, but are stopped.

"You kids really shouldn't be out here," the guard says and I recognize him. This was the man that hurt us. When we wouldn't accept our new names, when we wouldn't forget our old lives. My breath catches in my throat and I force myself to stay calm. I have to be brave for the others. "But I don't think you need me to tell you that. You're smart enough to figure it out on your own. It looks like we need to teach you a lesson about the dangers of the outside world. Make you appreciate what WICKED does for you a little more."