Song - Gilded Lily (Cults)
"Hold up... sister?" Fry exclaimed in response to Newt's new revelation. I looked to Minho with a sheepish grin, but his mouth just gaped open in shock.
"Yeah... yeah we're siblings," I affirmed trying to contain my chuckles.
Minho shook his head in confusion,
"Wha- How? When did you find out?" Minho stuttered.
"When El got her memories back in the maze," Newt answered for me,
"Wait all the way back then? And you didn't tell us?" Minho hissed.
"Well, there hasn't exactly been a good time, has there?" I argued in response.
"Yeah, I guess... but brother and sister? God, you would think nothing would surprise me after everything, but I was not expecting that," Minho sighed.
We all nodded in agreement. Newt sat down on one of the rocks beside Minho on the cliff we stood atop. I came and sat on the rock in front of him, which sat slightly lower so I could lean my head back onto my brother's chest. He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and his other hand played with my hair softly.
We sat in silence until we heard the rocks crunching and tumbling as Thomas climbed up to the top. He glanced at me and Newt before raising an eyebrow. I grinned at him.
"So, I'm presuming you already knew Thomas?" Minho grumbled,
"Yeah... yeah I did," He answered sheepishly.
Thomas sent a look to Newt. One of regret and apology. Newt stiffened but didn't move from his position with me. Thomas sat on the rock beside him... a meter away.
God, I hope they get over this quickly because I couldn't imagine these two not talking.
"How's Brenda?" Frypan asked quietly.
"She's okay... the serum Mary got from me worked... but it won't last forever,"
Fry nodded before looking out into the horizon.
We all sat in silence.
It felt strange, having this tiny moment of... peace? After all this time. We were almost free. We, meaning the very few that survived. So many were dead. Some who we wouldn't have made it here without.
"I wish Alby could have seen all this," I murmured softly.
"And Winston," Fry agreed.
"And Gally," Newt added quietly. I looked at him in surprise but couldn't help my lips upturning slightly.
Thomas didn't flinch from the name. None of the boys did anything like that. Frypan even nodded in agreement. Minho caught my eye and smiled softly as if remembering all the good times we had had with the boy I loved. The first time we all came together around the fire, laughing at each other, drunk and giddy on the mystery brown liquid. When he hugged me for the first time in that med hut. Wrapping his builder arms around my back so I could breathe in his scent and feel his warmth. And when he kissed me in that forest. And I kissed him back.
Tears filled my eyes as some broken part inside me started to sense the beginning of... healing.
"And Chuck," Tom concluded softly, fidgeting with the wooden totem Chuck gave him in his hands.
"He'd be proud of you, you know, Tommy," Newt expressed.
Tom didn't look up but nodded,
"Yeah," He murmured.
"Hey Aris!" Fry called out to the camp below. I spotted Aris giving Harriet and Sonya a passionate retelling of some story. Aris looked up at us and waved,
"Hey guys!"
"I kinda like that kid," Fry grinned.
"Yeah. I still don't trust him though," Minho chuckled.
"Of course you don't," I teased and the others laughed.
I looked at the grinning faces of... my family. My brothers. Yes, of course Newt is my blood sibling but these boys matter to me just as much as him. They were my true family.
That's when I realized Teresa wasn't with us.
"Hey, where's Teresa?" I asked.
"She's up there," Minho answered pointing to the top of another rock formation a little further away but I could see the outline of her body in the pink glow of dusk.
"She okay?" Thomas asked.
"Don't know, she kinda just left without saying anything," Fry revealed.
I glanced at Thomas. He looked concerned.
"I'll go talk to her," I sighed while standing up, "I'll be right back,"
I scrambled over loose rocks to reach the top where Teresa stood, watching the sun dip behind the horizon. She didn't move an inch as I came up behind her.
"Hey... you okay?" I asked softly.
She slightly turned her head to the side to respond,
"Yeah... just thinking,"
"Oh, okay. Well, I'll leave you alone then,"
I half turned before her voice stopped me in my tracks,
"Eleanor?"
"Yeah?"
I turned back. She also had turned to face me.
"Do you remember your mother?"
The question took me by surprise, but I answered,
"Bits and pieces. Just little memories."
"I remember mine. She was a beautiful woman. Everybody loved her,"
Her eyes glistened with tears, but a tiny weak smile was on her lips.
"And before WICKED, she was all I had. When she got sick, I didn't know what to do. I just kept her locked up. Hidden. I thought she'd get better," She stammered before taking a shaky breath. My throat tightened as I watched her struggle to find the right words.
"Every night, she'd make these awful sounds, like screaming. And then, one night, she just stopped. She was finally quiet. I went down to her room. And there was blood everywhere. But she was just sat there, calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were gone. She'd taken care of them,"
I didn't move a millimeter as I waited for her to finish.
"She took her eyes out, El," She croaked.
Bile started to rise up my throat, but I pushed it down. Tears started to flood from Teresa's eyes.
Why was she telling me this?
"There are millions of people suffering out there. Millions of stories, just like mine. We can't turn our backs on them. I won't," She choked.
"Teresa... what are you saying?" I breathed, taking a step closer to her. She flinched her body away when I tried to touch her arm.
"I'm saying... I want you to understand,"
"What are you talking about? Understand what?"
"Why I did it," She muttered.
I heard the helicopters chopping first.
And as I looked to the horizon, past Teresa, I saw the flashing white lights. Moving closer towards us.
Oh god.
I took a step back to my exit.
"Don't fight them El. Please, don't let the others-"
My eyes switched to her. I sent every ounce of rage I could manage in that stare.
"You... What have you done?" I stammered, "What have you done?"
I turned and sprinted down the rock.
"Eleanor!" Teresa yelled but I ignored her as I stumbled down and down in the darkness of twilight.
The chopping of the aircraft got louder and louder.
"Newt!" I screeched, "Thomas! Minho! Frypan!"
I was almost there. I was almost there-
I heard the aircraft fly past above me,
"No!" I screamed as they released two torpedos.
And the camp erupted with explosions.