TRIGGER WARNING:
(This chapter briefly discusses violence; proceed only if you feel comfortable doing so)
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~Y/N's POV~
Thomas and I exchanged glances as we all gazed at each other. We slowly started to move down the lengthy corridor as we mentally prepared to confront whatever lay at the end of it. I didn't have a good feeling at all; this all looked too easy to be a success.
There were pipes blazing out with steam as our small group slowly proceeded.
We eventually came to a room with a door that had a green light directly next to it and an 'Exit' sign above it. We all exchanged skeptical glances until Frypan spoke for us all by asking, "Seriously?"
Thomas approached the door and cautiously reached his hand out to turn the knob. As soon as he did, the door released a corridor leading to what appeared to be a small laboratory and an alarm began to sound.
As we all carefully entered, we noticed the dead bodies of individuals who appeared to be doctors, as well as chambers with contained dead bodies over tables. Before Newt put his hands on his shoulders to keep him moving and looking away, Minho stood there in utter fear and contempt.
"What the hell happened here?" As I observed Minho remove a gun from a dead man's hands with his foot, I said.
As we continued to walk, I felt Newt lightly squeeze my hand. I also noticed that there was broken glass all over the place and windows with bullet holes in them.
I noticed some equipment, some computers, and projectors scattered everywhere as we continued to move across the area.
When we entered a room with more natural light, computers there contained images of our brains and footage of the Glade. Newt sighed as he stated, "So they were watching us, this whole time."
I let go of Newt's hand as he continued to study the computer screens, turning to follow Thomas as I saw him removing some of his Runner gear and focusing on what appeared to be a work station area. He and Teresa were giving each other a glance, and I didn't like that at all.
When I looked over at the desk Thomas was standing at and noticed a blinking red light, I brought my palm up to it and tapped it.
Then, immediately after, we all heard a voice say, "Hello," on a projector to the left. It was a woman with blonde hair and a white suit who appeared like a doctor. She had an uncanny familiarity about her that I couldn't explain.
We stopped exploring and all turned to face the projector, which now had our complete attention as we all drew nearer, "My name is Doctor Ava Paige. I'm the director of operations of the World Catastrophe Killzone Department. If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the Maze Trials. I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you, but circumstances seem to have prevented it." She continued speaking calmly while indicating that there was a faint siren heard and folks in the background appeared to be in a panic.
"I'm sure by now, you must all be very confused, angry, frightened. I can only assure you that everything that has happened to you, everything we've done to you, it was all done for a reason." She continued to speak as individuals in the background appeared to be evacuating.
Then the images that would help put what she was saying in context appeared on the screen, "You won't remember, but the sun has scorched our world. Billions of lives lost to fire, famine, and suffering on a global scale. The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse. We called it the Flare, a deadly virus that attacks the brain. It is violent, unpredictable, incurable, or so we thought."
"In time, a new generation emerged that could survive the virus. Suddenly, there was a reason to hope for a cure. But finding it would not be easy. The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed inside harsh environments where their brain activity could be studied. All in an effort to understand what makes them different, what makes you different." When I glanced momentarily at Newt, I noticed how afraid he appeared, and for a brief moment, my heart sank.
She continued speaking as explosions and gunfire could be heard as people were being shot and killed in the background, "You may not realize it, but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials only just begun. As you will no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods. Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us, for me, but not for you. The outside world awaits. Remember, WICKED is good." When the shooters noticed her in the video, they started shooting at the glass she was behind, which caused it to break. She pulled a gun to her head as she finished speaking and shot herself.
Before the bang, I was one of the Gladers who turned away, but I noticed that Newt and Minho continued to stare, so I swiftly prodded both of them to stop. Then I caught a glimpse of Doctor Ava Paige's body where Thomas's gaze had landed.
The other Gladers and I followed Thomas as he moved in that direction.
However, before we could approach too closely, an alarm went off, and a large door suddenly opened in front of us. Chuck inquired, "Is it over?" as we all turned to face him.
As he talked, Newt gave me a glance, "She said we were important. What are we supposed to do now?"
Thomas interrupted me and said, "I don't know." I then moved forward and whispered, "Let's get out of here," immediately after that.
We were going to move forward when I heard glass being walked on and a low, drowsy voice saying, "No." My eyes widened as I turned to face the speaker with the other Gladers and saw that it was Gally.
"Gally?" Before Teresa put her hand on his shoulder to stop him from getting any closer, Thomas asked as he was about to approach him, "Don't, he's been stung."
When I saw Gally was holding the gun Minho earlier kicked away, he dropped the Griever stinger he had in his palm and had tears streaming from his eyes.
Chuck and I steadily came closer to one other while I urged him to move back and out of the line of fire.
Gally stated with a trembling voice and trembling hands, "We can't leave."
Thomas gently raised his hands and said, "We did, Gally. We're out, we're free."
Gally remarked, shaking his head, "Free? You think we're free out there? No. No, there's no escape from this place." As he raised the gun slowly and pointed it in Thomas' direction, he muttered.
Thomas's voice cracked as he spoke, "Gally, listen to me. You're not thinking straight. You're not. Now, we can help you. Just put the gun down."
I took a quick look at Minho and noticed that his grip had tightened on his spear. I immediately understood what he was planning to do. I made a slow attempt to approach Thomas, but Newt grabbed my arm and stopped me.
"I belong to the maze," Gally stated while wiping away tears from his face. "Just put down the gun," Thomas kept pleading.
"We all do," While Gally's finger was on the trigger, he said, and in what appeared to be slow motion, I observed Chuck shift Thomas away from Gally. After hearing a huge bang, I said, "No!" but then I turned around and watched Minho stab Gally in the chest with his spear, nearly knocking him out of consciousness immediately as he gasped for air.
Chuck heaved and mumbled, "Thomas" faintly. My heart broke as I turned to see a sizable crimson spot of blood developing on his shirt.
When Chuck started to fall, Thomas quickly grabbed him and lowered him to the ground with care, "Oh, shit! Chuck, look at me, look at me, all right? I got you, buddy. Just hang on, it's okay." Chuck took his hands away as he inhaled and exhaled in order to breathe, Thomas cried as he attempted to apply pressure to the wound.
Then, when Chuck trembled and hesitantly offered Thomas the tiny figure he had shown us that evening in the pit, I was unable to hold back my tears any longer, and Thomas broke as he shouted, "No, Chuck. You're gonna give it to them yourself, remember? I told you that, we told you that." Chuck simply mumbled in agony, "Take it," and when Thomas did, he thanked him and sent a quick glance in my direction as well.
Although Newt pulled me to his chest and wrapped me in his arms, I was unable to take my eyes off the unfortunate boy who was no longer breathing.
The other Gladers sobbed as they heard Thomas crying out for Chuck to wake up while he was screaming and shouting in agony. But soon a door opened, letting in a bright light from the outside as a number of individuals rushed inside.
They had firearms in their hands and were dressed in black suits, but they insisted that we were secure and had left. They seized us and forced us to move outside. I struggled against their hold, screaming for Thomas as he struggled with them to get back to Chuck.
When I turned around, Thomas was being carried out of the desert-like area where we were running and being helped onto the approaching helicopter.
Then a man in the chopper removed his mask and addressed each of us, "You guys alright? Don't worry, you're safe now."
We all glanced out the window as we flew and noticed the maze in the distance. The man then continued, "Relax, kid. Everything is gonna change."
I couldn't help but think about Chuck, and when I looked across at Thomas, I could see how devastated he was.
I felt a gentle touch on my leg, and when I turned to look at the person next to me, I saw Newt asking, "You okay?"
I simply nodded drowsily, "I will be," and leaned in closer to kiss his cheek before resting my head on his shoulder and falling asleep alongside him so that we could keep up with the rest of the journey.
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Finally finished, I sincerely hope you all loved it. I'm incredibly appreciative for your support and can't wait to get started on the second book. Although I'm saddened by Chuck's passing, I truly believe it's for the best because it spares him from having to witness the future events. I sincerely hope no one is dissatisfied with how I concluded the story, particularly given that Y/N and Newt haven't kissed yet. Till next year, I hope you all had fantastic holidays!
~D <3