Last chapter before the finale! Who's excited!
I am a bit! Excited to start book 2, I have a few interesting ideas planned.
This chapter is dedicated to @SweaterWeather24 for their Fanfiction The Walls ➡️ Newt (co-written with Lizcherry0627) .
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How? When? What the hell is going one?
Who does she think she is.
And why is he not stopping her?
I walk out from behind the tree, anger pulsing through me like a raging fire. I hold back my tears, so that he doesn't see me as someone who will cry over a guy.
I probably will, but not in front of them.
I keep walking until I'm right in front of them, and that's when they decide to pull away from each other.
Newt's face contorts into shock when he sees me, "Lori?" He falters. "I promise you, this isn't what it-"
"Don't you even dare" I interrupt. "I want you to leave me alone."
I take a deep breath and turn towards the girl sitting beside him, "And you."
My veins pulse with hatred for her, that I barely know what I'm doing before it happens. I raise my hand, and slap her straight across her smug face, hopefully leaving a mark.
"That, is for kissing my boyfriend." But suddenly, I pull back, and look pointedly at Newt. "Sorry, ex-boyfriend."
I turn on my heel and sashay away, trying to leave whilst keeping at least some of my dignity intact.
This week has turned to shit. We're trapped in a Maze, going to be eaten by Grievers, I'm a Variable, apparently Teresa and Thomas created my personality, and now the boy I loved has betrayed me. God, why did this have to happen to me?
As soon as I'm out of the Deadheads, I run, so that no one can follow me.
I find myself crouched in the corner of the Slammer, where no one is currently being held. I wrap my arms around my knees, and just cry.
Why would he do this to me? I thought he cared for me, just as much as I care for him. I guess not. I wish that I could be back in my old life, or at least no what it was like. I wish I knew who I was before Thomas and Teresa basically hacked my personality.
I run my hand through my hair, and just let everything go. My life has fallen apart, and the only thing that could possibly go right, is our conceivable plan of escape.
I wipe my eyes and lay down, curling into a protective sort of ball.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Lori?" Someone's voice breaks through the darkness which is my sleep. When did I fall asleep? The person's voice is so distorted, I'm unable to tell who's speaking. Therefore, I answer with my go-to phrase.
"Whoever you are, go away."
I hear their footsteps grow quiet. Good, they get what go away means.
But then, after a few minutes, I catch another voice calling my name.
"Lori, get your shank ass out here, and stop whining. Just cause that klunk head Thomas said that he changed your brain or whatever, doesn't mean you have to go and cry. He screwed with all of us."
"Minho, I brought you over here to help. And I don't think that's what's wrong shuck face." I hear another voice hiss.
I sit up and look towards the door of the Slammer, to since Minho and Chuck crouching in the doorway.
"What else could she be crying 'bout, Chuck?" His eyes go wide in shock as he looks towards me, "Is it your" he loses eye contact, "Time of the month?"
"Seriously, Minho?" I shout. I look around for something to throw at him, but apparently they don't keep rocks in the Slammer. So I settle for one of my shoes.
I can't believe, that of all their memories, they allow them to keep that one! Damn, I hate these people!
"Well, what's up, Lori?" Chuck asks quietly.
I rub my eyes and look towards him, "I really don't want to talk about it, Chuck."
"Is it Thomas?" Chuck asks.
"Or Newt?" Minho adds.
"Or both?"
I sigh and roll my eyes, "Boys, I said to drop the subject. I still have another shoe."
Minho reaches a hand in the Slammer, "Fine, but at least come out of there. I'll catch you up on what you walked out on before."
I grab his hand and let him pull me out. Looking at him like that reminds me of my first day in the Glade, when he saved me from that Grave. Good times.
Minho let's go and turns to Chuck, "Private stuff right now shank, you gotta go."
After complaining for a little while, Chuck eventually gives up and leaves us to talk.
"So, just give me the gist, Minho. I'm not in the mood for this."
"Alright. Thomas and Teresa can speak in their shuck minds - he began to insert you into that part, but a few glares from Newt and I, and that stopped withing seconds -, he said he was forced to help the Creators, he then went on to say how he's one of us and whatever, Newt stood up for them, and then he said that we have to go over the Cliff and through the Griever Hole."
My eyes go wide, "Wow, so much happened while I was gone."
Minho holds a hand up, "But wait, there's more.
Alby went nuts. He went on saying about how Thomas could just be a traitor, Thomas went on again about how he's one of us, Alby was sayin' how we can't leave, he started cryin', and then Alby decided to shock us all. He's the one who burnt down the Maps Room. Said he whacked his own shuck head on the table to make it seem like someone else did it."
"Gosh-"
"Stop interrupting me! As I was saying, Alby said stuff about something called the Flare." The Flare? Why does that seem so familiar?
"We've planned to leave tonight, as soon as Newt convinces the Gladers to come with us. Thomas, had the dumb idea to throw some shank to the Grievers as the nightly sacrifice when we escape. Then, of course, the shuckface offers up himself. That's when he got kicked out. After that, I stayed behind with Newt to convince the Keepers to go. They all agreed, so now we're waiting on Newt."
I wait a second, so that I don't interrupt him again. After a moment, he nods his head. "Cool. So we're finally escaping from this hell tonight?"
"Yep. What do you want to do first when we do? Find a place to make out with your boyfriend?" He chuckles. I throw a glare his way, making him realise his mistake.
"Oh, so he's the subject that you don't want to talk about, lest I have a shoe thrown at my head. Again."
I nod, and Minho sighs in ressponse, "Come on, Lori, let's go and help get stuff ready for tonight."
"On one condition." Minho raises his eyebrows slightly, "You need to keep me away from Newt. Please?"
"Fine. Let's go."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I had been helping Frypan pack rucksacks full with supplies, when I was informed of our numbers. Approxiamately, forty-one Gladers have agreed to attempt the escape with us, then we have the Keepers, Teresa, the girl, and myself.
Newt had tried to speak to me whilst I was packing, but I just left, barely letting him speak.
I had heard people who aren't going, walking around telling people how stupid the idea is. Just because they don't like it, doesn't mean they have bag it out.
The idea at the moment, is to wait until nightfall, then make our way through the Maze and down the Griever Hole with as little Griever attacks as possible. We're hoping that they will keep their take-one-a-night rule and not attack all of us.
We are all working hard, so that we can have one last good meal, before some of us may die. Food is being gathered, Griever serum packed, weapons sharpened, water handed out, and whatever else was going on. I kinda lost track.
As I get back to packing the bags, someone's shadow rolls across the table.
"Good to see the rucksacks are nearly packed" the person says. The strong accent implies that the person I want to see least, is standing in front of me.
I pull closed one last bag, before walking out of the kitchen, leaving him behind.
"Lori, wait!" But obviously, I don't. Apparently, his solution to this, is running until he's in front of me, holding my arms, forcing me to stop.
"Let me explain. Please."
I attempt to walk away, but he doesn't lose grip. Argh, I'm so sick of all this shit.
"Let go of me, before I kick you, where I promise you will not enjoy." I hiss.
"No, I need to tell you what happened. The girl, Clara, she said she knows me from our past. She said that- that we were together before the Maze."
"Is this supposed to make me feel better about what you did?" I shout.
"No, of course not, but she just was telling me stories. She said we were close and that she wanted me to remember. I swear, I had no idea she would do that, that's why I didn't pull away. I was too shocked."
I look around for an escape, when I finally spot it. Or should I say who.
"Minho! You promised!"
With an eyeroll and a sigh, Minho walks over, and makes Newt let go of me. He pouts as his expression turns to mush, and then he slips away.
"I heard some of that, considering how loud you were speaking, and to be honest, it sounds more her fault than his. You're gonna have to forgive him sooner or later."
"Later." I sneer.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
After dinner, we are finally standing in front of the Maze Doors, waiting to go. We were all handed out weapons, and I ended up with four daggers. I hold two, whilst the others sit in the pockets of my shorts.
I wear a singlet, shorts and combat boots for our escape. They were the most comfortable running clothes I could find.
After the primary, 'are you ready?'s and 'we're finally leaving this place' and all that crap, we're finally prepared.
"Shouldn't someone give a pep talk or something?" Minho asks. I suppose that'd be a good idea, give the Gladers some sort of hope.
"Go ahead" I smirk.
He nods, before facing the many boys before us. "Be careful, don't die" he spoke with much dryness.
"Great. We're all bloody inspired" Newt replies. Now it's Newt's turn. He turns to the crowd, and speaks.
"You all know the plan. After two years of being treated like mice, tonight we're making a stand. Tonight we're taking the fight back to the Creators, no matter what we have to go through to get there. Tonight the Grievers better be scared."
The whole crowd erupted into cheers, all seconding Newt's motion. We are like the electricity running along a live wire, sparking up an intense courage within us all. The battle cries sound out across every person standing among us, all finally ready to escape this test.
Newt thrusts his spear into the air, shouting towards the sky, "Hear that Creators? We're coming!"
Newt turns on his heel and runs into the Maze. It's weird how you can't notice his limp when he runs, but I guess he's full of adrenalin or something like that. Everyone filters into the corridors of the Maze.
Finally, we're going to be free.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
(Author's Note)
So the next chapter is the final chapter of the book!!
I can't believe I actually finished it hahaha
Q- What had been your fave part of the story?
Normal q- Do you like Ava Paige?
xoxo