Sadie woke up to darkness. Her body was pressed against an icy metal floor and the cold seemed to almost seep into her bones. Her breaths came out ragged and desperate as she attempted to pull her self up. Her arms shook as she managed to sit up and take in the suffocating darkness that surrounded her, the first thought she had was that she had gone blind. But as the inky blackness started to outline the shapes around her Sadie sighed in relief. Where am I? Sadie hauled herself onto her knees and groaned her whole body ached like she'd been run over by a bulldozer and the swift movement had caused stars to dance in her eyes. No. Come on. She commanded herself trying to shake away her dizziness and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She looked around curiously finding nothing but the outlines of enclosed walls, and from what she could tell, she was trapped.
"Where am I?" She said, out loud the words clawing their way out of her throat in a raspy and croaky manner. Sadie waited nervously and was slightly relieved when she heard only her own uneven breaths and the pounding of her heart against her chest. Sadie shuffled over to the nearest wall. Her hands shook as she ran them over the surface of it, hoping to find a light-switch, a doorknob, anything. But her fingertips didn't find so much as a dent in the smooth metal. No! Come on! Sadie thought desperately panic beginning to set in as she clawed at the wall, nothing. Sadie groaned loudly and began crawling away from the wall using her hands to guide her as she felt around, pressing her palms into the hard floor, her fingertips brushing nothing but sleek metal. She was about to give up when her hand brushed against something warm, squishy, and… alive!
"Holy shit!" Sadie yelped backpedaling in surprise. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the walls seemed to grow closer. She wasn't the only one anymore. Sadie pressed her back into the wall, praying that whatever it was wouldn't come near her. "Keep it together Sadie." She instructed herself. Trying to even out her breathing as she tried to melt away into the corner…. Wait.
Sadie?
Was that her name? She searched her memory but found nothing but the word Sadie. She spoke her name out loud again, it seemed to roll off her tongue and take place in her head like a puzzle piece. Sadie squeezed her eyes shut hoping for another familiar memory to surface but found nothing. Her name, Sadie, was the only thing she was sure of. Her head began to spin as Sadie attempted to grasp onto memories that were no longer there. She scooted farther away from the thing she had felt earlier and massaged her temples as a pounding headache began to form in her skull.
She had a family right? Parents? Well obviously she had parents but where were they? Sadie was beginning to think she should scope out the mysterious… thing again, when an alarm rang out and red emergency lights started flashing. Sadie jumped to her feet her head snapping down to the floor as a figure was bathed in the dim red light. It was another girl. Sadie walked over cautiously her eyes taking in the girls pale arms and black hair. She looked around anxiously unsure of what she should do. But there was nothing. Nothing but sleek metal walls and the other girl. Cautiously Sadie nudged the girls side with the tip of her shoe and nearly jumped out of her skin when the girl's eyes fluttered open. She looked around, her eyes wide and haunted, her limbs shaking as she struggled to her feet.
"Who-?" But before the girl could say anything further a shockwave of pain went through Sadie sending her reeling into the closest wall. The girl must have felt it to because she stumbled and gasped. The girl stumbled forward, catching herself on the opposite wall as Sadie stared at her in disbelief and shock. Sadie knew her.
"Sadie?"
"Teresa?" Sadie and the girl locked eyes. Sadie took in the girls terrified and panicked expression and figured that she probably looked just as scared. The name Teresa seemed to fit in Sadie's head almost as well as her own name. She couldn't remember how she knew this girl, or when she had met her, or why they were both here but she definitely remembered her. Sadie's brain recognized her and at the moment it felt like one of the most comforting things in the world to be able to remember something other than her name.
"I know you. We- we're friends?" Teresa said quietly her eyes wide in shock. "I mean I know we're friends. I can't explain it. But I just don't know-"
"How we know each other. Or how we met. Or anything?" Sadie finished voicing her thoughts as Teresa nodded and took in their surroundings. Sadie was about to ask more when a voice spoke. It was a nasily, arrogant voice that seemed to seep from the walls themselves.
"Welcome to Wicked experiment group A." The voice announced, "You two will serve as variables for now. Sadie your job is to protect Teresa. Deliver the message Everything's going to change and give them this. Do not fail." And with that the voice shut off as quickly as it had turned on leaving the two of them in a hallow silence. A slot in the side of the wall ground open revealing a small folded piece of paper. Teresa reached over and grabbed the note crumbling the paper between her fist as the lights around them seemed to flash more urgently, almost as if the were warning them about what was to come.
"What's it say?" Sadie asked nervously breaking into the silence. Before Teresa could answer the sides of the walls started rumbling, and jerked upward sending the two of them careening into the walls. Sadie yelped in surprise as the room began to soar upward at breakneck speed. "Teresa! What's going on!" Sadie screamed as she tried to regain her footing. "Teresa?" Sadie looked around and watched in horror as Teresa's eyes rolled up and she collapsed into a heap on the ground. "Teresa!" Sadie yelled rushing to her side, as the box continued to soar up like a hellish elevator ride. She shook the girls shoulders but was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea herself. Sadie tried to shake her friend awake again but had to quickly roll away from Teresa as bile began to rise in her throat. Sadie dragged herself into the farthest corner and curled into a tight ball. Was it just her or had the box gotten colder? She shivered uncontrollably as a tsunami of pain and dizziness rolled through her. Sweat began to drip off of her face as her shaking limbs began to spasm with pain. "Help!" Sadie screamed her head ringing with pain. The pain was quickly becoming too much for her. The walls rumbled and groaned around her sending chills down her spine as the sound of grinding metal sent her hair on end. And as the box shot upward Sadie couldn't help but feel a sense of dejavu as she slowly blacked out.
Sadie jolted awake as the metal box came to a jarring stop. The overwhelming pain she had felt before had faded into a dull ache in her temples and bones, leaving her exhausted both physically and mentally. Another alarm rang out, but it was fainter this time. And suddenly the ceiling opened up like a lid flooding the entire room with blinding sunlight. Sadie yelped and blocked her eyes from the sting of the light. Sadie could here chattering around her but one voice spoke above the rest.
"They're girls?"
Blinking back the black dots in her vision Sadie looked around her to discover that her and Teresa were surrounded. Boys of all age, race, and size crowded the edge of the box all of them pushing each other out of the way to get a look inside.
"I call dibs!" A voice from the crowd rang out.
"Are they hot?" Another one called.
"How old are they?" Sadie's head began to spin again as more voices shouted out from the group of boys. Sadie struggled to her feet, her legs trembling as adrenaline began to course through her veins. She felt weak and tired but if these boys turned out to be dangerous she wanted to go out fighting, and on her own two feet.
"Shut your shuck faces!" A tall dark skinned boy yelled from the edge of the box sending a wave of silence through the crowd. The boy kneeled down and hung his head over the box locking his eyes on her and Teresa as another boy peered over the first one's shoulder. Sadie's senses were sent into overdrive as she backed up and stood over Teresa protectively. The voices instructions echoing in her mind as she raised her fist defensively. I have to protect Teresa. I have to protect her.
Newt pushed his way through to the front of the crowd right as the box started to open up. He peered inside curiously. This wasn't right. It wasn't supposed to come now. Ever since Thomas had arrived everything had started changing. "Would you lot shut it!" He yelled trying to hold back the curious Gladers as the Box doors groaned open. Sure, Newt had seen plenty of weird and disturbing things in the Glade, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw in the box.
The doors opened to reveal…
"They're girls?" Newt said in utter disbelief, two of them to be exact. And it only looked as if one of them was alive. Immediately every boy began to push forward all of them trying to sneak a peek into the Box. Newt watched as one of the girls clambered to her feet, eyes wide as she took in the sight of them all. The girl was small but built like a long distance runner, with brown hair that fell in wild curls around her face. Her size did nothing to affect how intimidating she seemed. Her eyes whipped around the edges of the Box drinking in their surroundings and making Newt feel like he'd just been x-rayed. She looked intimidating alright. Intimidating and beautiful. The other girl was of about average height with pale arms and legs and long raven black hair. From where Newt was standing it didn't even look like the other one was breathing, but either way the shucks around him still took the chance and immediately started cat- calling.
"Shut your shuck faces!" Alby ordered as he leaned over the edge of the Box and looked down at the two girls. "What's this about Newt? What the shuck is going on?" Newt could only shake his head in confusion his eyes transfixed on the new Greenies. Newt had no idea what was going on. There had never, ever, been any girls in the Glade until now. He didn't know why it was just the way things had always been, he had no idea why things would start to change now, but the thought filled him with a queasy uneasiness. "Well guess we gotta take 'em out of there." Alby said waving forward two boys who sent ropes spilling down into the box. Newt walked over to the side and slowly clambered down favoring his good leg when he finally reached the floor. Newt's appearance in the Box seemed to send the girl into an even greater panic. She stumbled backward her breathing coming out even faster and ragged.
"Alby don't send anyone else down just yet. I think it'll freak the bugging life outa her.'' He called up, before focusing his attention back on the girl. Newt gazed at her warily, she had a ferocious look in her eyes that seemed to send out a warning. Her arms and legs were shaking, whether from exhaustion or fright, Newt couldn't say but while the rest of her seemed terrified and unstable her eyes watched him with a steady, challenging gaze. And he didn't doubt that she could seriously cause some damage. "Hey there Greenie- I mean girl. We aren't going to hurt you." Newt said in a soothing tone, trying his best not to make any sudden movements. The girl just continued to stare him down, but her adrenaline was noticeably fading. She was swaying on her feet as he spoke. "We can get you and your friend outa here. Get you two somewhere safe." Newt tried again, raising his arms up to show he had no weapons. The girl looked down at her friend and back up to him, her eyes burrowing holes into his forehead as she took in what he had said. She took a shaky step forward using the wall for support. When it seemed like she had steadied herself, she turned towards her friend and stooped down sliding her arms under the other girls, with a grunt the girl began to drag her friend towards Newt her eyes clearly stating that she wanted no help. When the girl finally made it to the pile of ropes Newt reached out his hand, only to have it be slapped away and ignored. The girl kneeled down and began to tie the rope expertly around the girl, her fingers flying as she tied each knot with ease. When she was done and when her friend had been safely hauled out of the box she turned her attention back on Newt. He tried again and held his hand out for her his other hand gripping the rope tightly.
"It's okay. You can trust me."
Sadie felt like she was going to have a heart attack. She wasn't sure but something in the back of her mind told her that she hadn't seen a boy in along time. And suddenly BAM they were all over the freaking place. One of the boys lowered himself down a rope until he landed in the box with a thud. Sadie felt her breathing quicken as she backed up even further, the back of her heel brushing against Teresa's arm. Stay calm. Whatever you do, just don't panic. Sadie focused her attention on the boy, her eyes scanning him up and down as he began to talk to her. He was tall, much taller than Sadie, with toned arms, messy blonde hair, and a mischievous edge to his jawline and features. He spoke to her softly but Sadie could only register half of what he was saying. Her head was spinning like a top and her heart was beating so fast she felt like it might explode.
"safe." That was the one thing Sadie did catch. Safe the word seemed to have a hollow and false ring to it when she mulled it over in her head. But the boy before her said it like a promise, his accented voice gruff and sincere as he watched her. Sadie looked from the boy to Teresa the gears in her mind grinding in confusion as they tried to evaluate what was happening through the oncoming migraine. Could these be the people they needed to give the message to? Or were they the one's Sadie had to protect Teresa from? Maybe both. Whatever the case Sadie could feel her body shaking with exhaustion. She at least had to get them out of the damn metal box. Sadie shakily bent over and dragged Teresa over to the boy, smacking away his hand she grabbed one of the ropes and began to wind it around Teresa. Sadie didn't know how she did it but her fingers seemed to as they tied the rope quickly around her, tugging knots around her friend tightly until she had made a sort of harness for her. Sadie watched anxiously as Teresa was hauled out and then she turned back around to face the blonde guy.
"It's okay. You can trust me." He said holding out his hand again to her. Sadie felt like scoffing, she just met the guy for god's sake. She was in a place she didn't know, surrounded by people she didn't know, and worse of all she didn't even know who she was. But what other choice did she have? Sadie stared into the guys hazel eyes taking in the stained glass mixture of blues, greens, and browns. His eyes glinted with intelligence and something sadder, darker. They were the eyes of someone who had seen too many bad things. Sadie couldn't help but wonder if her eyes looked the same way. And then she accepted his hand.