Thomas came back and apparently had a good nights sleep in the woods. I never saw him but Newt informed me when he got back. "I'll go get him." I said, standing up from my chair by Teresa's bed. Newt put a hand on my shoulder, pushing me back.
"No, you won't." I frowned.
"Why?"
"He's stressed out. You heard him. He thought Teresa was talking to him." I glanced back at her. She probably was talking to him but I wasn't going to vouch for Thomas because it was crazy talk. They'd just as quickly throw me in the Slammer if I confirmed that Thomas could hear Teresa in his head.
"If that's even her name."
"Thomas seemed to think it was." I shrugged. Newt sighed. "Anyways, just let him have a night alone in the woods. Chuck will get him in the morning and then he'll go spend the day in.."
"My favorite place in the world. It's like a second home to me you know." Newt grinned and shoved me a little.
"Shut up you shank. Just stay here, watch the girl and get some sleep." I nodded my head slowly.
"I'll see you tomorrow Newt."
"Goodnight Mallory." I stayed with Teresa most of the night, Jeff came to relive me and I smiled at him sleepily before heading into the room Alby once occupied so I could sleep without hearing Tersa muttering in my ear. I should have known my memories would follow me.
I was probably only seven when they started grabbing new kids. She had told me they were coming but I thought she was just telling me that to make me feel better. I was tired of being around adults. They were always so worried about me and not in the way a seven year old might like.
They were worried in the sense that, if anything bad happened to me, if I got hurt, upset or angry, they would have to pay with their job and possibly their life. I was the golden kid before they started showing up.
Teresa and Thomas were already there but I never saw them until the others began showing up. They were special, but in a different way than me. Maybe even in a more feared way than me.
I met Aris first. He was sweet and either my age or a little older than me. He was also very shy, kind of secretive. We were supposed to be partners, him and I but I would later find out that that wouldn't work. At first, I hated the Creators for it, until she told me I should be glad, especially after what they had planned for whoever was Aris' partner. But I wouldn't find out about that until it was too late.
Sonya I met a little later and we were friends, sort of, we worked in the same area, went to the same class, trained together. But she was wary of me because I slept in the same room as Teresa. A whole ten room dorm for the two of us. We were different, I knew that. I just wish they didn't isolate us like that. Up until the time Sonya went into the Maze, I considered her one of my best friends. And then she forgot about me and nothing mattered.
I don't think they ever wanted me in the Maze, I was a good candidate but the Creators, at least she, would have never allowed it. "You're a risk. You're not like the others Mallory." So I was different, separate, even from the rest of the candidates.
I woke up to hear people rummaging around downstairs. It wasn't even dawn yet, nobody should have been up except.. The Runners. Making my way carefully down the stairs, I followed the light that led to a small room at the back of the Homestead. Two silhouettes were talking quietly in the doorway.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked with a yawn. Thomas whipped around, revealing Minho holding a pair or.. Underwear? "What's that?" I questioned, motioning to it, even though I knew exactly what it was.
"Nothing." Minho said, shoving it into Thomas's hands who looked slightly embarrassed to be holding it. "Why are you up?"
"You guys woke me."
"You must be a light sleeper." Thomas commented. I shrugged.
"Well, shank go back to bed and get out of our way. This is Runner stuff." I glared at him.
"Yeah and who was supposed to make me a runner?" Minho turned red and Thomas looked back and forth between us skeptically.
"What does she mean?" Thomas questioned Minho.
"It means that I beat this idiot in a race and my reward should have been a spot with the Runners. But.." I gestured to Thomas who shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
"You were upstaged Malls." Minho said, bumping my shoulder.
"Oh shut up." I grumbled shoving him as he began to walk past me.
"Hey, meet us for breakfast. I still gotta show Greenie around his new responsibilities."
"Breakfast?" I snorted. "The sun isn't even up yet."
"Fine don't come. Sheesh I'm sorry I offered." Minho said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I'm going. I just like annoying you." Minho just stared at me, smirking. I smiled back. Thomas cleared his throat. "Right, come on. We have a little walk." Minho said ducking out of the room and motioning for us to follow. We parted ways. They went to the Map Room and I went to find Jeff so he could take over for Teresa. He sleepily walked up the stairs to the room and then I met them up for breakfast.
I got there first, since Minho was probably showing Thomas the map room and I was already eating when they appeared. "Hey girly." Minho said, plopping down next to me. There was no space between us. His arm was against my arm and every time he moved it, his bare skin rubbed against mine. I couldn't lie, I was liking it.
"Ready to run the Maze Thomas?" I asked him. He shrugged.
"Not to excited to see those Grievers again." He murmured.
"Ah they're not so bad." Thomas made a face and I laughed. "They're rubbery, creepy things though." I added with a solemn nod of my head.
"Bet you'd like to head in with us." Minho said, nudging me.
"Think I could sneak in with you guys?"
"Newt would notice you were missing." Minho said. His demeanor changing slightly. He shifted ever so slightly away from me and stared at his food as he said this.
"Because she's a girl." Thomas said with a nod of his head. I don't think that's what Minho meant though.
When they left, I went back to the Homestead and let Jeff go get something to eat. I hadn't been gone long and Teresa hadn't done much but it was boring just staring at her and occasionally leaning in and writing things down if she spoke.
I told Jeff I would just stay with her until Clint came to relieve me. I knew they could probably use him elsewhere and I wanted to be there with her. I wanted to be the first person she saw when she woke up. I knew she wouldn't remember me exactly but she'd have a vague recollection.
Around eleven, there was a knock at the door. Startled, I looked up and found Newt. He picked himself up off the doorframe and walked towards me. "Hey Newt. What's up?"
"Heard you've been in here all day?" I shrugged. "Did you eat?"
"Yeah, I had breakfast with Minho and Thomas before they left. Had to see the little protege off." Newt smirked.
"Still bitter that he got your runner spot?"
"Maybe." Newt grinned. "Well, I brought you this anyways." He said, bringing out a bottle of water and an apple. I smiled.
"Thanks." I said taking both of them from him.
"Remember anything else?" He questioned, gesturing towards Teresa
"Um I don't know." He waited for me to elaborate. "It was another dream and I was little in it. Really little and I remember I was excited because this lady who was following me around was telling me how I would like the other kids."
"Other kids?" I nodded.
"Yeah. She said they'd be my age, younger or a bit older."
"Where were you?"
"Some hallway. There's more but I can't remember." Newt rapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Could the other kids be.." He paused. "Us? Have we met before? All of us? And we just can't remember." Oh if only he knew. I shrugged.
"Maybe. Sounds like a possibility."
"Well if there were other kids in your dream, there must have been other girls. Not just Teresa and you." I shrugged. He sighed. "No use speculating." He stood up. "I have work."
"Okay. Have fun with that." He smirked and left me alone.
The rest of the day dragged on painfully and when Minho and Thomas did get back, they were too tired to talk. All they did was eat, and fall right to sleep.
I had the first night watch for Teresa and as I settled down for the first couple of hours, she spoke. The words chilled me to the bone. "I've just triggered the Ending."