Unfit (A Maze Runner Fanfiction)

Chapter 10, Brenda (WICKED):

Brenda woke in the morning to the sound of her alarm clock. She rolled out of bed and slipped into her gray WICKED uniform. Brenda hurried out of her room to the kitchen behind the cafeteria. She grabbed an apple and ate it on her way towards the medical room where she was working that day. Today was a Tuesday, her least favorite day at WICKED. She was helping Sarah examine a Crank that had been captured. So far examining the Crank had not helped them find a cure whatsoever. Brenda opened a door leading into a small room, there was a counter covered in medical items. One wall was covered entirely in glass and she could see the Crank on the other side of the glass.

"Brenda, the Crank is still sleeping from the last dose of anesthetic that we gave it but it will wake up soon. Could you go get more anesthetic from the supply closet?" asked Sarah. Brenda nodded her head and left the room. When she opened the closet door she found a small boy sitting on the ground. She was surprised, she hadn't seen anyone her age since she was taken. She was kept separate from all the Subjects so all she saw was the other WICKED employees.

She quickly masked her surprise before asking, "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be completing tests?" Oh god! Why did I say that! She thought to herself. Maybe I am turning into a WICKED drone afterall.

The young boy stared at her nervously, his eyes were wide as he responded nervously, "umm.. I, uh, I'm sorry should I leave?"

Brenda turned and peered nervously down both hallways before stepping into the closet. No she wouldn't be a WICKED drone. She closed the door behind her and sat down next to the boy.

"My name is Brenda, you're one of the Subjects from group A, aren't you?" she asked him quickly.

He stared at her before responding, "umm yes, I'm Newt and I'm in Group A."

Brenda sighed in relief and smiled, "thank god! In your group is there a boy named George? He's my brother and I need to know if he's alright!" Newt looked confused for a moment and Brenda was worried that he didn't know George.

"Yes George is in my Group. I don't know him well though," Answered the boy. Brenda grinned, maybe she would be able to get George and herself out afterall. She slipped her hand into her pocket and grabbed the note she kept there in case she had a chance to contact George.

"Give this to George, but don't tell him you saw me please. I could get in trouble," Brenda told him, handing the note over to Newt. The boy nodded seriously, grabbed the note and left the closet. Brenda stood and grabbed two needles containing anesthetic. She hurried back to the room with the Crank smiling to herself. Maybe all hope wasn't lost after all. She gave the anesthetic to Sarah so she could give some more to the Crank. She was about to administer it using the tubes attached to the Crank, when the Crank suddenly awoke. It growled like a dog before it started screaming and pulling against the restraints. Brenda screamed. Then the Crank turned and faced them, looking at them through the window. It was foaming at the mouth and had a wild look in it's eyes. For a moment the Crank paused it's thrashing and looked Brenda straight in the eye. Then with a sudden burst of energy it ripped out of the restraints and the tubes and wires connecting it to the many machines. This time Sarah screamed when the Crank slammed itself up against the viewing window. But Brenda had seen something in the Crank when it had looked at her. It's last bit of sanity. For that one moment the Crank had been sane and had been trying to tell Brenda a message. One small simple message. Kill me. Brenda jumped into action. She ran over to the room where the protective suits and equipment were kept. She grabbed a gun, flung open the door and ran into the room with the Crank. Sarah yelled at her to stop but Brenda didn't listen. The Crank was still at the window trying to punch through it. At the sound of the opening door the Crank turned to Brenda. It was about to pounce onto her but Brenda fired. The bullet when straight through the Crank's forehead and it immediately fell to the ground, dead. Brenda dropped the gun and walked back through the door. She stepped into the transition room where she was cleaned from head to toe. Then she walked back through the equipment room and out into the viewing area. Sarah was staring at her with a stunned look on her face. Brenda walked over to the window and saw the Crank lying on the ground with a pool of blood around it. But Brenda didn't see a Crank. She saw her father. Then she broke down. Tears sprung her eyes and she crumpled to the ground sobbing. That woke Sarah from her daze and she knelt down beside Brenda.

"Honey, honey it's okay," said Sarah. "You did great in there." Brenda looked up at Sarah and paused her sobbing for a moment.

"My dad. I killed him back there. I saw my dad dead down there," Brenda said.

"No, no honey. That was a Crank. You saved me back there. You might have saved the whole of WICKED," responded Sarah quickly.

"But my dad," said Brenda.

"Your dad is dead but you didn't kill him. Your dad was shot a little while ago at the last camp you were at," Sarah said soothingly. Brenda nodded but became agitated and angry.

"You killed him! You came into our shelter and tried to take George and I away! And my father was trying to protect us. He didn't want to lose us! And you shot him! Straight in the head! He wasn't a Crank. He wasn't trying to start a rebellion, he was just trying to protect his kids! And you murdered him!" Brenda screamed. She had stood up by now and her face was red from yelling. She had completely lost her cool.

Sarah took a step back before saying, "calm down Brenda. The officers were just doing their jobs. You father had been noncomplying and had attacked an officer. He even killed him. They were not sure if he was a Crank or not. And in those situations we are taught to do what is best for the most people, which that case was to exterminate the threat of a possible Crank." Brenda was about the object and yell again but thought better. She needed these people to trust her if she was to ever see George again.

Brenda nodded her head and said, "yes I see. I understand. The officer was caught in a terrible situation and in the spur of the moment did what he thought was necessary."

"Thank you for understanding. And thank you so much for saving my life and that of so many other WICKED people had that Crank gotten out," Sarah said with a smile.

"I didn't shoot that Crank for you," Brenda muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?" Sarah said politely.

"I didn't shoot the Crank for you, or any other WICKED person," Brenda said more loudly. "I did it for him."

"Who?" Sarah said, offended.

"For him, the man. The last little bit of man left in the Crank." Brenda said.

"What are you talking about Brenda?" Sarah questioned, suspiciously.

"When the Crank woke up he paused right before he broke out of the restraints. He looked me right in the eye and I saw, not a Crank, a man. A sane man. And in that look the man gave me I saw one last request. Kill me. And so I did. I thought the man deserved it," Brenda responded.

"Ah I see. So you would have let that Crank get out and possibly kill everyone if it hadn't been for a 'look' you saw in it's eyes?" Sarah said, her hackles slightly raised.

"Yes, you deserve it," Brenda said with a slight smirk.

"Um excuse me?" Sarah said raising her voice.

"I said you deserve that. You all do. You have been torturing poor creatures for months and are about the do the same thing to innocent children. Not to mention all the people you have murdered," Brenda responded.

"Alright Brenda I think it is time for you to go back to your room," said Sarah, her lips pressed into a thin line. Brenda turned and swiftly walked off to her room. There she marvelled about her victory. It may have been small but it felt good to rebel a little. However, she could not make a habit of this. She still needed their trust to get to George. Brenda sat down on her bed and fell quickly to sleep. It had been a long day.