LIBERATION | A Thomas Love Story

1 - Punishment and New Beginnings

Joan struggled from the guards' grip. The girl tried to call out to her friend who stood feet away, his face in shock, but the hands digging into her arms seemed to have paralyzed her, making her a loss for words.

"Remember! Remember! Don't let me forget!" she finally called out as she was being dragged down the corridor. She heard a shuffle of footsteps and her friend yelling for her, but she knew he was being restrained.

She was going to the maze.

Her punishment, for the crime they both committed against WCKD. She knew that her friend was going to suffer the same fate as her, or worse, death.

Thomas was going to be either killed or sent into the maze after her.

For a crime that they both committed, but she took the blame, and WCKD was going to find that out sooner or later. They weren't stupid.

As she was being dragged down the bright halls of the facility, she passed Teresa.

"Teresa..please.." she pleaded, but to no avail.

Her friend simply shook her head. She was always loyal to WCKD.

Anger bubbled up in Joan and she lashed out, struggling again.

"Don't you see what they're doing!? Wake up Teresa! They're killing kids! Kids!!" she screamed.

Teresa stepped back and quickly walked down the hallway, turning her back on her pleading comrade.

Finally, Joan reached the Swipe room. Her heart raced as she was pushed into a large tank that resembled a clear coffin, at least to her.

Tears swelled in her eyes as she laid her head back against the glass, the tank filling up with water at her feet. Her body trembled as the water filled up quickly, almost at her hips now. The girl clenched her jaw and pounded on the glass with her fists, shouting obscenities at the guards who stood on the other side of the door.

She panted tiredly, the water now up at her shoulders. Her head whirled to her right as she saw movement.

Thomas.

The young man banged on the observation window a few meters away, his lip busted. Joan's stomach turned as she felt her heart break, knowing that she wouldn't remember him at all after this. What she did for him.

She was suddenly overwhelmed as the water gushed over her mouth and nose. She gasped and gurgled, the liquid filling her lungs and making her mind numb. In the midst of the bubbles she saw Thomas, still trying to break the window and get in, his face contorted in fear and sadness.

Joan's tears mixed in with the water as she closed her eyes, a warm and soft feeling enveloping her as she drifted into a calming sleep.

*******

The girl woke up to the sound of screeching machinery, so loud that she thought her ears were going to split. She winced and held her hands over her ears as she shakily got up, the container she was in jolting to the sides as it sped upwards. She tried to push on the top, before calling out,

"Hello?!"

The only answer she received was a screech from a chicken in a crate, which made her jump out of surprise The container kept lurching and clanging for what seemed like hours.. Eventually, the container stopped, and an eerie silence took place, which the girl hated. Her mind rambled with all the possibilities on what was happening to her. Was she food for some animal? Was she on a carnival ride? She had no idea.

Her mind felt foggy and empty, like something was missing. Then she realized.

What's my name? Who are my parents? Where did I come from?

She began to panic, even more so as she heard a metal door open above her.

The area was flooded with bright sunlight, and as her eyes adjusted, she saw figures standing above her, and voices surrounded her.

"A girl!'

"Well, I'll be shucked."

"I call dibs!"

"She's a redhead."

"She looks scared."

They all sound like teenage boys.

Just then, a voice with a british accent cut through the clamour like a knife.

"Show some class!" he said, and a hand was outstretched towards her.

The group went quiet as she took his hand and he pulled her up and out of the pit.

She looked around at all the boys who were gawking at her, and she began to feel intense fear and confusion.

Unfortunately, a boy stepped up to her and began to place his hand on her shoulder, but before he could get a word out, she reeled her hand back and connected it with the poor boy's jaw.

Laughter and jeering erupted from the boys, but the Greenie wasn't tolerating it. She quickly pushed past them and ran towards the first thing she saw; a giant corridor. Escape.

Her legs pumped her forward as she ran with all her might, her lungs trying to keep up.

The yelling behind her grew louder as the boys realized what she was doing, but she didn't care.

However, someone else did. She screamed as she felt a pair of strong arms close around her and lift her from the ground. She heard a voice laughing by her ear.

"Got her Newt!" said the voice.

She kept struggling, and he huffed, annoyed.

"Stop squirming, shuck! I'm trying to help!"

The girl broke free and looked back at her captor, who was a tall asian boy with a leather harness on over his shirt, sweat on his face and arms.

"Don't touch me." She said, venom in her tone.

The boy's eyes widened and he put his hands up in defeat.

"Whatever you say miss, as long as long as this beautiful face doesn't get punched."

She growled and began backing up, but was then greeted by another boy.

"Easy, we're not gonna hurt you." A boy with blonde hair and a british accent said. He was the one who helped her out of the container. His brown eyes were filled with sympathy and a hint of amusement.

"Where am I? Why can't I remember anything?" She questioned, completely clueless and still afraid.

"Relax. We'll help you through this. This is your new home. Welcome to the glade, Greenie."