TW: PANIC ATTACK
After Running a couple more hours and some more corridors of my section, I slowed down my jogging pace into a walking pace as I stopped and sat down on the cold, dirty concrete ground of the maze. I reached behind my back and unclipped my knapsack. I untied the string and opened it up, pulling out a plastic wrapped sandwich and a water. I twisted off the knob of the water bottle and took a big gulp of water. The cold, wet liquid ran down my dry and sore throat. It felt like an absolute blissful heaven. I unwrapped my sandwich and took a huge bite and countless more within seconds until the sandwich was all gone. Finding an apple at the bottom of the knapsack, I rubbed it against the fabric ends of my shirt to clean it and took a bite from the crunchy piece of fruit goodness. I inhaled my lunch and took one more gulp of water before packing up and heading off again.
'Remember, never stay in one spot too long in the maze. Even during lunch' Minho's voice rang through my head from the first run in the maze I had. I recall every word and rule Minho told me during that run and will never forget.
I picked my jogging pace back up and turned around one corridor and ran right into a wall, or what I thought was a wall. I looked back up to see Ben on the ground. I stood up from the dirt ridded ground and dusted myself off before giving him a hand to help him up as well.
"What are you doing over here?" I asked, curiosity taking over.
"My route crosses through this corridor to the west side of the inner rim of section 5." He explained. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Just took my lunch break, heading over to the outer rim of the east side of section 5." I explained. We both nodded.
"First run going good?" I nodded, his gaze fell down to my hip. "What's that?" He asked. I looked down to see the blood covered knife hanging off my belt.
"Found it. It was my knife that Gally gave me back when I first became a runner. I lost it, remember?" I asked and he nodded. "Yeah, must have lost that night. I just found it at the end of one of the dead end corridors." He nodded again.
"Well, I'll leave to your running. Remember," He began.
"Be safe." We said in union since I knew exactly what he was gonna say. He gave me a bad look before chuckling and heading off down his corridor. I headed off as well.
I had a little more than half an hour left until the doors closed. I began to head back, however when I turned left down a long corridor. I stopped.
Blood.
There was a pile of dried blood on the stone. It was beginning to fade due to the time it had been there, yet it was still noticeable. An assortment of claw marks dug into the concrete stone ground was just beside the fading crimson.
A pain shuddered through my body. Tears began to well up in my eyes as my breathing became hasty and fast. A ripple of flashbacks tore through my thoughts causing my mind to be blank besides those memories of the griever. Those memories that I had received after being stung. I fell to the stone, my knees colliding against the cold ground. The tears began to fall and my breathing became more ragged. My fingers brushed against the cold stone and over the dried blotch of blood. My last breath was caught in my throat and became stuck. My body thrashed as I sobbed aloud, the memories kept coming, though there was a new one that I didn't recall remembering.
"Ben... Finley... the world is becoming a very scary place. I want you to understand that, okay?" An older women with blonde hair that was the same as Ben and mine.
"What are you talking about mom?" A younger version of Ben sat beside me on a white couch. The whole room was white and had clean, modern edges and a huge window that overlooked a city. It was beautiful.
"What have I told you Ben?" The lady asked a stern face taking over her once soft and welcoming smile.
"Sorry..." He paused. "What are you talking about Dr. Paige?" He re-asked.
"Better... I am talking about the flare, dear. But, you two do not need to worry. I will fix it because I promised everyone I would do so." She paused and looked out at the huge window. Standing up she slowly walked over. Ben and my gaze followed her as she stopped walking and looked out over the horizon. "It is my job to save us all. I know you both don't like it, however sometimes we have to do things we don't want to in order to survive. You will both soon understand that. For now though, I am putting you both in the system along with Theo." I looked over at Ben and tears began to fill in his green eyes. I looked back to the lady.
"Mom- I mean Dr. Paige, why? You told us we didn't have to go, that we could stay here with you." My voice came out shaky.
"Dr. Paige, Theo is only six he is too young to go into the trials. Finley is only eight and I am only nine. We are all to young." Ben added.
"All the kids joining the trials are around the same age as you two. Theo will go in when he is older, until then you two are starting the tests tomorrow. From now on, you will be a part of group A. Finley your subject number is subject A0 and Ben you are subject A12. Theo will join group B."
"But-" I was cut off.
"There will be no further discussion on this matter, you hear me?" The lady's voice came out stern and loud. She turned away from the window to look at us.
"We're your kids. Your son and daughter. Theo is your baby boy. You can't do such thing to us, mom." Ben tried to persuade her.
"Yes, you are my children and I love all three of you with my whole heart, but I have a job to do. A plan that must go into action as soon as possible to save the world, to save the human race. You three will be a part of this plan... guards." She summoned the guards and they walked over to where Ben and I sat and took hold of us, dragging us out of the office.
"Mom! Mom! No! Please! I don't wanna die! No!" I shouted as tears streamed down my face.
"You can't do this! Mom! I love- I love you! Please! I don't wanna die either!" Ben shouted in between sobs. The lady stood there with a cold, expressionless stare as she shut the door to the office.
I opened my eyes again, shivering with fear, anxiety, and confusion. I tried to take deep breath's, however I found myself unable to do so. I kept trying and trying to calm down. To breathe, but I couldn't. The fear of not being able to breathe built up and I began to have more troubles breathing now.
"Finley. Finley! Hey! It's okay. Calm down." A women's voice sounded off in my head.
Where is that voice coming from?!
A sense of familiarity rippled through me. It sounded familiar, like I have heard it before. Then it hit me. It was the voice to the women I just had a memory of. The women that is my supposed mother.
Dr. Ava Paige
Anger bubbled through me and my breathing still have not came back.
"Hey! It's me. It's me. I'm here. It's gonna be okay. Just listen to me." A friendly and kind voice spoke, not Dr. from hell, but a younger women talked to me now. She sounded like that young girl that was around my age from my one memory.
How?!
"Listen to me. Listen to my voice, okay? Focus on your breathing. I know it's hard, but just try. Try and take a deep breathe... That's better, yes? Take another deep breathe for me. Perfect. You are doing great, Finley. I am so proud of you right now. You are so strong, I understand it's hard. Having these confusing memories back and seeing the spot where the griever attacked you. It's hard, I know. I know. Hey! No-No! Breathe! Breathe. Yes, breathe. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out." She paused. "It will be okay. I promise. Just keep breathing. Wipe those tears away." I did as she said. "Take one more deep breathe and run back to the glade. Time is running out before those doors close. We can't stop them. So, you need to get out. You have fifteen minutes. I will lead you out, follow where I tell you to go." She spoke.
"Okay," I muttered, nodding. I stood up and dusted my knees off and wiped my tears once more. Taking a deep breathe I got ready to run.
"Good, you are so brave. Run ahead now. Turn left here. Keep running." She instructed me. I knew where I was, though I still followed her directions. "Take a right. A left. Keep running. See the next turn off up ahead. Turn left there and you will be back at the glade."
"Thank-you" I spoke aloud, unsure if she could hear me.
Who are these people. I mean, I know the one voice was Dr. Ava Paige, and that girl that just spoke to me was from my one memory, but that boy that talked to me the night I was stuck in the glade, his voice sounded familiar as well. But, who is he? Maybe he was also in one of my memories like the other two.
How are they talking to me? Is this some telepathy shit?! Am I cursed?! God, I hope neither. Who knows maybe they can read my mind too! I'd feel pity for them then.
I turned left where the girl told me to and I saw the doors to the glade. There were people standing there, waiting. I ran out from the threshold of terror and a pair of strong arms attached themselves around my shivering body. The person who had been holding me pulled away and looked deep into my eyes as I looked deep into his.
"You scared the klunk out of me." Gally murmured, his own voice shaky.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just- just got distracted." I explained, not telling the full truth of what had caused me to get distracted. I looked behind him at the other gladers. All who looked back at me with worry.
"Distracted? Distracted! You can't get distracted in the maze, especially after what happened last time, Finley! You can't do that!" His voice raised.
"I'm sorry." I said shyly and scared.
"Are you though?! If you actually were sorry you wouldn't have gotten distracted! You wouldn't have gone back into the maze to even begin with, you idiot! You are so stupid! Maybe those gladers were right! Maybe you are useless! A waste!" He was now shouting on top of his lungs from anger. His face turning red.
Idiot? Useless? Waste? Am I actually? Now, hearing Gally say it aloud... Has he always thought of me like that? Like I am just useless. A waste. Does he really think these things of me too?
He seemed to realize what he said, he stopped yelling and his mouth hung open. Regret took form over his once angered face.
Tears began to build up in my eyes for the second time today and I turned away and ran. I could hear the doors usual rumble of when they close in the distant as I ran further away. Gally's yells too.
I didn't let any of that stop me. I just wanted to be alone. I ran into the forest and into the runners hut and took a seat at the paper covered, wooden table. Taking a deep breathe.