Thalia stared at where he had been just a second before.
"Who's the scared shank now?" Minho came over to her along with Newt and Thomas. "Seems like you thought you could get away with this all along." He had a smug look on his face. Thalia stood up.
"I'm not scared. Just surprised." She looked at Aris who gave a sympathetic smile.
"You have to come with us," Newt said. They all looked at him in surprise. "She's part of us now."
"I am?" Thalia beamed. She didn't know the boy had considered her one of them. "Aw, thanks." Newt didn't say anything and went to the room.
"Are you sure you don't know anything?" Minho glared at her. Thalia shook her head.
"All I know is about the variables and the two experiment groups." Thalia said. The boy growled something unintelligible and went inside the room where Thomas and Newt had gone.
"So are you scared?" Thalia walked over to Aris who looked alone.
"Wha?" He looked up, surprised. "Not really." He shrugged. She smiled and looked around.
"Let's check the whole place. See if they have anything else for us," she walked into the room, followed by Aris. She opened the dressers and found clothes in there.
"Aris," she said excitedly. "there're clothes in the dressers." she took out a scarf and wrapped it around her neck, making sure it covered her tattoo. She kept on looking around the room as Aris called the other boys inside. Thalia found a pair of combat boots and wore them. They fit her surprisingly.
"We could carry stuff in these sheets," a boy declared.
"Our supplies," another boy agreed.
"Good idea,"
Thalia quickly packed food and more clothes in her sheets. By the time she was finished, it was late. Yawning, she went to bed.
Around 5 am, a boy woke her up. She washed up and went to the common room where Minho was talking. Thalia sat down next to Aris and Thomas. Newt groaned.
"What was that?" Minho said menacingly. Thalia looked at Newt who was obviously embarrassed.
"What happened between them?" Thalia whispered to Aris and Thomas. Aris shrugged.
"Those tattoos happened," Thomas muttered. Thalia made an oh sound and turned back to Minho who had continued talking.
"Let's go," he declared. They got up and trooped to the Flat Trans. Thalia lined up between Newt and Thomas. As she walked through the Flat Trans, she glanced back. Thomas had a serious look on his face as he followed her. Thalia smiled and turned back to the front, bumping into Newt.
"Sorry," she squeaked. Newt grunted but didn't say anything. Thalia looked around. It was pitch black. She couldn't see anyone.
"10!"
"11,"
The boys counted. Thalia opened her mouth to count as well but Thomas bumped into her, making her crash into Newt again.
"Sorry," Thomas spoke loudly.
"Start again," Minho shouted. "One." No one spoke.
"Two!" Thomas shouted.
"Three," Thalia said loudly. They began counting again until it reached 21.
"Good, let's go." Minho said. They started walking. Thalia stumbled and reached out for support. Her hand went on Newt's back. He stiffened.
"Sorry," Thalia whispered.
"It's alright," Newt muttered. Thalia kept on walking slowly, holding Newt's shirt. She could hear some boys whispering.
"What was that?" a boy asked quietly. They stopped.
"Did anyone hear that?" Minho demanded.
"Everyone listen," Thomas ordered. They all fell silent. Thalia realized it wasn't the boys who were whispering.
one chance deal. go back now, you won't be sliced.
Thalia froze. At once the boys started talking. Thalia stood closer to Newt, finding comfort in his warmth.
"it's a test," Thomas was telling Minho. Thalia tried to concentrate on his voice but it was hard with the whispering and the boys arguing. What if something happpened right now and they couldn't hear it coming? Panic rose in Thalia's chest. She felt something brush against her arm. She screamed.
"Everyone run!" she screamed and pushed Newt forward. They all broke into a run. Thalia could hear their panting as they ran. After what seemed forever, there was another scream. Thalia gasped and fell down in her surprise. Thomas nearly trampled over her.
"What happened?" he demanded as he helped her up. He pushed his way to the front. Thalia squeezed herself between the boys, following Thomas. She heard a metal ball roll on the ground. Minho and Thomas were shouting. Thalia hated this. She felt so lost in this panic and confusion.
"I have it," Newt called from the back. The boys made way for him. Thalia listened as the three obvious leaders spoke.
"Let's get out of here, and fast." Minho decided. They broke into a run again. Thalia was in the middle of the crowd. She could feel bodies pushing all around her. She didn't know what was going on. There was another scream but they didn't stop.
Suddenly, Minho shouted stop. Everyone halted. Thalia ran into Winston hard. He stumbled forward.
"Sorry," she gasped, rubbing her nose.
"It's ok," he said. Thalia wondered why they had stopped.
"it's stairs," a boy shouted.
"Let's go," Frypan said gleefully. They started going up the stairs. There was a cry and everyone stopped again.
"What happened?"
"It's the roof," Minho yelled.
"Open it," someone yelled back. There was a few moments of silence. Then hot light poured inside. Thalia gasped and shielded her face. Everyone did the same. The light disappeared.
"That was hot," Thomas exclaimed.
"Let's do it slower," Minho said. Light poured in again but this time there was less. Thalia blinked in the brightness. Slowly more light came in. Thalia could see the boys' faces. Most were tear streaked. Some were pale in terror. Thalia felt sweat form on her back.
"Isn't it getting a bit hot?" someone asked. There was a cry.
"Look," a boy cried out. Thalia looked up and saw something silver hanging from the ceiling. Everyone watched as it slowly formed into a ball. It dropped from the ceiling. But instead of falling down, it flew straight at Winston. There was a scream. Thalia felt someone grab her wrist and pull her towards him. As she crashed into the boy, she felt someone fall past her.
"Winston!" she felt Thomas push past the boys. As the boys crowded around Thomas and Winston, Thalia caught sight of burned skin. Sick, she went up to Minho's and Newt's side at the top. Minho, wordlessly, pulled her to his side.
"Thomas get back here. We'll need you. Aris, take his stuff. Jack, Frypan, help Winston." he ordered. Thalia watched Thomas hurry back to the top. His face was red.
"Come on," Newt said quietly. They pulled themselves outside. Scared of staying in the dark, Thalia followed. The three boys were putting their sheets around them. Thalia did the same.
"What are you doing here?" Minho demanded. Thalia looked at him defiantly.
"I didn't want to stay there anymore," she said.
"Scared?" Minho taunted.
"Yeah, so?" she held her ground.
"Let her stay," Thomas sighed. Thalia gave a him thankful look.
"Do you see that?" Newt spoke. They turned to him. He was pointing at a town.
"We should go there," Minho agreed.
"Call the others," Thomas said. Minho went to the hole. Thalia looked at her supplies. Where could she put them? "Wrap your scarf around your head and use the sheet to carry your supples." Thomas suggested. Thalia looked at him in surprise. "Your clothes should be thick enough to withstand the heat." he looked at her jumper.
"Oh yeah," she took off her sheet and quickly put the supplies in it. The heat was beating down on her. She wrapped her scarf around her head and neck. As she rearranged her supplies, Minho barked some orders.
When they were done, they broke off into pairs and started walking. Thalia hurried to Minho and Newt. They were at the front of the group.
"Lucky she doesn't get to share," Minho grumbled.
"She's a bloody girl," Newt reminded him. Thalia grinned.
"She's right here," Thalia said. Minho grunted.
