Finding Love In a Hopeless Place

Chapter 15: Friend or Foe

        As everyone gathered in the small stone room, we decided to start looking for a way out, until a familiar blaring siren errupted through the wet air. Startled, we knelt down with ears covered. A small hole opened in the side of the stone wall. The siren stopped, and we took a peek at the new outlet. It was dark and slippery, but everyone felt the surroundings of it, and it was a shute, or a "slide". Not that we wanted to go out this way, but it was our only shot. 

        One by one the Gladers took turns pushing themselves down the shute. People shouted, there was a steep and curvey drop. Everyone who weighed the most went first, then waited 20 seconds before the next person went. Eveyone had taken the chance except Thomas and I. I felt very nervous all of a sudden. Although this was it, that we had made it out, I feared what was lurking at the end of the shute. What would happen to Thomas and I. Newt and Chuck, and everyone else I've come to know as my family. Thomas saw that I was flustered and hugged me. 

        He whispered in my ear, "this is it (Y/N). We have fought for so long and we are gonna make it out. We can do this. Together." He released me from his arms and took hands on both of my shoulders. "No matter what happens, I will love you through it all." He kissed me and my mind soothed into a numbness that would allow me to carry on our journey once more. 

        We took deep breaths and exhaled before going down the shute. "Ladies first." Thomas cracked a smile as he motioned me to go first. I bumped his shoulder playfully before getting into the tunnel way. I scooted forward and the sharpness of the metal was frightning. My body fell straight down bumping into the steep metal walls. We fell and fell for who knows how long. If I had to guess realistically I would say 20 minutes. I finally saw aproaching white lights. I tumbled out of the shute, quickly getting out of the way so Thomas didn't land on me. Once I regained balance, I looked at my surroundings. The walls of the room were white, with a metal floor. A mat placed infront of the shute exit. To the right there was a long wall of glass. Desks placed in front of them for observers to violate us, again. To the left, a automatic door opened to the sound of clicking heels on the hard ground. A woman in a white lab coat came toward us, with a wimpering boy trailing behind her. There was no mistaking that black hair. Gally. 

        How many times will he be saved from a situation known to be a  death wish? The woman fixed her glasses as she introduced herself. "Hello everyone. Congradulations, you have completeed trial 1, The Maze. " Everyone looked at her in disgust. Trial 1? How many trials are there?! As she continued, she would show us something we would never forget. "You have all done exactly as you where programed to." There were some of you we had our doubts with, but here you are. Strong enough to get out of the Maze. For a long time we-" She was interupted by a loud wail from Gally. He looked like he was fighting his own body with the jerky and unatural movements he was making. He took both legs and charged at me. Before Anyone could react, he had a knife next to my throat.  People backed away, but Thomas stood where he was, furious. Thomas was about to give the whole, "hey take it easy" speech when Chuck jumped on top of Gally, making him drop the knife on the ground. I was stunned in place. What was Chuck thinking? No matter how brave he was..there was no way Gally would lose in a fight with Chuck. Gally swiftly got off the group, veins popping of of his skin, turning red. He picked up the knife to attempt to end me right there, when Chuck ran infront of him, and hit Chuck in his side. Blood started to ooze from his side as he fell to the ground, choking and struggling for air. Thomas and I both ran up to him I held his hand as Thomas propped his head up on his knee. 

        "Thomas.." Chuck whispered. Thomas's projected trars from his eyes, barely seeing anything. "Live a good life for me....I hope you find your family....You and (Y/N) are my best friends......You deserve the-" Chucks eyes widened a tad before relaxing as air made its final way out of his lungs. I tightly held Chuck's hand and kissed it as tears began to blend with the blood forever stained on his body. Thomas cradled Chuck's head as he sobbed uncontrollably. He soon looked at gally who way laying on he ground. Trying to stab himself, but an outside force prevented every attack. Thomas took it upon himself to avenge Chuck's death. He took the knife from Gally's tight grip and started to stab him right where he stabbed Chuck. When doing so,

        The doctor woman yelled "WAIT!" before she could continue, she saw a man, face covered. He shot her thorugh the glass, as he did for every other doctor observing us. No one knew what to do with themselves. Was this a trick? Was this our savior? Was this our Enemy? There was no way to know in time before he aproached us. 

        "Follow me if you want to get the hell out of here!" He shouted at us, leaving us with a decision to make.