Hearing a bird, Thomas would wake up looking over at Paige first. Who was still asleep tucked into his jacket.
"Guys come on." Thomas woke up already feeling the warmth of the sun. "We have to go."
Waking up, growling and groans from Winston would echo in the others minds as all eyes fell on Winston. He was spitting out black substances, when he fell back onto his back, he revealed the wound that Frypan had patched up.
"It's growing." Winston said knowing. "You'rere going to have to leave me here."
"No." Paige immediately said. "Come on help him up."
"Paige..." Winston whispered. "I'm not going to make it." Tears appeared in everyone's eyes even Luca's and Aris's. "Please." Winston said reaching out for the gun. "Don't make me turn into one of them." Fulfilling his wish, Newt grabbed the gun from under a jacket and gave it directly to Winston.
"Goodbye Winston." Newt whispered turning away grabbing his back. Winston nodded smiling he had the gun. Minho was next. He looked up and down at Winston.
"Go..." Winston said slowly. Minho nodded getting up before anyone could see him cry. He walked behind Newt, Luca and Aris who had already started to walk. Frypan stayed by Winston's side until Winston begged him to go.
"Fry. Go." Winston said.
"Goodbye mate." Frypan smiled at his friend one last time before getting up and walking. Just Paige and Thomas now.
"I'm sorry Winston." Thomas said grabbing his bag and walking off. Winston smiled knowing he didn't want to say goodbye either. Paige stood looking at Winston.
"It's okay..." Winston said dying.
"I'm sorry Win." Paige said grabbing her bag. Teresa had already gone without saying goodbye. What a bitch.
"Paige..." Winston said before she went.
"Take care of them for me." Winston said.
"I will Winston. You know I will." Paige smiled through the tears. "Goodbye Winston..." Winston smiled through the pain as Paige started to walk onto the sand dune, the others infront of her. Soon after they were a distance away. BANG. All the Gladers fell silent. No one moved. Memories of the Glade and Winston flashed in all of their minds, especially Fry's. 8. 8/50 left. But from Group A (Paige's Maze) it was 6/50. Walking on, it was silent throughout the walk. Knowing he had to do it, Luca broke the silence, walking next to Thomas behind the group a bit.
"What's the deal with you and my sister?" Luca asked. Thomas looked at him.
"I just want her to live." Thomas replied.
"You want all of us to live. But more specifically her." Luca said.
"She's different." Thomas said.
"Meaning." Luca added.
"If she died. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. If anyone touched her, I wouldn't be able to control myself." Thomas said. "No ones ever had that much control over me."
"Good to know." Luca said patting Thomas on the back. At least if something happened to him, Thomas was there for his sister. "Promise me. If something happens to one of us. The other will protect her no matter what."
"I promise." Thomas said nodding. Smiling Luca looked back at his sister walking ahead, so did Thomas. Knowing they were talking, Paige felt safe knowing her to almost "bodyguards" were on the same good terms as each other.
•••••
In the middle of nowhere, on the cold, hard, sandy desert floor the Gladers slept. But little did they know a storm was approaching. Lightning struck the ground behind them as Thomas woke up. His eyes met light in the distance them the daunting lights crowding over them.
"GET UP! LETS GO!" Thomas grabbed his bag. "PAIGE!" Hearing this, all the Gladers got up and looked at what threat was coming after them now.
"Oh shit." Frypan said as he started running. Knowing what they had to do. So did everyone else. They had a long distance before they got to the building.
"Keep running!" Thomas yelled running in the middle of everyone. Thankfully, the remaining Gladers had no one to slow them down as they were all quick runner. As instinct, Minho, Thomas and Paige all began to pick up the pace running ahead of the rest of the group, only to slow down intensely to be with the others. Getting closer, the storm got worse, this time striking closer and closer and closer and closer. Black clouds stood over them. At the back of the group was now Minho and Paige, who were going to pick the average pace of the group up. BANG! Lighting struck. Right beside Paige. Immediately falling down she fell unconscious, Minho on the edge other hand wasn't in good conditions either. Ringing banged in his head. Everything was a blur to Minho. Trying to get up to get to Paige he stumbled finally falling down again. Aris and the others helped Minho up carrying him inside to where he looked outside the door to see Thomas and Luca picking up Paige who was still unresponsive. Placing Paige on the floor, Frypan would shut the door tightly behind them.
"Flashlight!" Luca yelled. Teresa looked in her bag until she found a flashlight, pointing it on Paige's face.
"Paige..." Thomas shook the unconscious girl. "Paige please. Wake up. Please. Come on." Thomas shook her again. Again. Again. "PAIGE!" Thomas's voice echoed throughout the ominous building they were in. Silence. Then suddenly, Paige would gasp opening her eyes slowly. Thomas breathed in relief as he smiled holding her hand.
"Don't do that." Thomas said helping her sit up.
"Sorry Tommy..." Paige whispered her back against Thomas' knee. "Minho okay?"
"Yeah fine." Minho responded. "Just glad you are."
"What even happened?" Paige asked squeezing Thomas's hand three times. Noticing this, Thomas helped her stand up, but as she didn't have the strength to stand up fully yet she leaned against Thomas wrapping her arms round one of his arms. Holding his hand tightly, the other hand going round Thomas's muscles.
"You were struck." Luca said breathing heavily from the running.
"Fantastic." Paige replied. Everyone chuckled knowing they had beaten the storm. What came next was unexpected. Teresa looked around but without her flash light because it was in Newt's hands. A scream came from Teresa's mouth. Stumbling back she fell back into Newt and Aris. Catching her the group looked at where she had backed up from. One of those dead things were running towards them. With no where to go the Gladers stood still hoping for some miracle. Thankfully, it was chained up. All of them were. Screeches and groans sounded around them. It was a trap. Holding Paige tight to him, Thomas looked for an exit. Nothing. Until a light switched on and out walked a girl. Like it was normal, she walked through the sea of those things.
"Quiet down cranks." The girl said coming closer to the group.
"Stay there." Paige almost ordered her.
"Alright." The girl said.
"Cranks?" Teresa asked.
"That's what these things are. Cranks." The girl said looking up and down at the group she smirked. "You lot look like shit. Come on. Jorge wants to meet you. No one has come out the scorch for a long while. I'm Brenda." The girl had short hair, jeans, a black top and boots on. Whoever she was, she hadn't met the outside world before but she did have a lot of attitude.
"It's better than being in here with Cranks." Minho said following her through the Crank like dogs. The others followed Minho careful not to be touched by the begging Cranks. Following the girl, Brenda, on the way Paige made eye contact with others. Men. Children. Women. All giving them dirty looks, they knew they looked bad but not this bad to get all these funny looks.
"Who's Jorge?" Luca asked getting as close to Brenda as he could.
"The man you're meeting now." Brenda replied her feet meeting steps up into a silent room. Thomas guessed this was the man in charge.
"Jorge." Brenda said sitting down on the couch. Whoever the girl was she was certainly comfortable in this room. Wires came from every direction, lights in every place that was dark. Turning, Paige's eyes met a man. He was black, with a white smile, and a brown beard to match his fuzzy hair. Like Brenda he wore the same clothes, jeans, shirt, boots, but this time this man had a jacket on.
"Who are these Brenda?" The man asked confused pouring himself a drink.
"They came from the Scorch." Brenda replied.
"Who's in charge here?" The man asked waiting for a response. All eyes fell on Thomas. Nervously Thomas nodded at the man. "Ah. You are. And who's this holding your hand here?"
"Leave her." Thomas said tensing.
"Ah. He speaks. Only when someone talks to her though." Brenda chuckled. Jorge nodded. At that moment, a shout from Luca.
"Get off me!" Luca shouted who was getting dragged back by two men of his. Seeing this Paige sprung into action. Taking a sharp knife from her pocket she had taken from the Wicked compound if she ever got separated from the boys. Holding it up at Brenda, she kept her eyes on Brenda then Jorge. Thomas stood there watching.
"Tell your friends to let go off my brother." Paige said. "Or your friend here is dead."
"Oh. Brother. So your the girlfriend of him and sister of him. Got it." Jorge said chuckling. Moving closer Paige put the knife against Brenda's neck.
"LET HIM GO!" Paige shouted as she started to cut Brenda's throat. Jorge saw this and immediately nodded. Luca ran back to the ground adjusting his clothes.
"Brenda." Jorge said looking at Thomas. Smirking Brenda pushed Paige's arm away from her kicking her in the stomach, getting free. But before Brenda could get away Paige flipped her legs tripping Brenda up. Standing up, Paige returned back to Thomas looking at Brenda. Getting up holding her nose, Brenda took a tissue from Jorge her nose bleeding.
"Even." Paige said looking at Jorge.
"So you come into my office and assault my daughter!" Jorge shouted.
"Don't touch anyone here!" Paige shouted back smirking.
"And what if I do." Jorge said telling his guards to back off.
"I'll kill you. Then your daughter." Paige said. "Don't touch my brother."
"I'm guessing especially don't touch your boyfriend either." Brenda said.
"Something like that." Paige said. Thomas pulled Paige back behind him.
"We need help." Thomas said. "We need to get to the right arm."
"Impossible. They're ghosts." Jorge said turning away from the group at some computers.