Chapter Forty Two:
So?" Teresa asked after we'd walked in silence for a while.
"So ... what?" Thomas replied.
"So what do you think?"
"That's it? That's your whole explanation? I'm supposed to feel all happy now?"
"Tom, I couldn't take any chances. I was convinced they'd kill you unless I went along. No matter what, in the end you had to feel like I'd completely betrayed you. That's why I put so much into it. But why this was all so important? I have no idea."
I was getting a headache between the conversation that I stood back with the other's, the team I venture the Scorch with. I should of brought myself to killing Teresa, spearing Thomas the obvious heart ache. But I couldn't. As much as I want to, I just subcome to my burgeoning feelings for her.
"Well, you sure were good at it. What about in that building? When you kissed me? And ... why did Aris need to be involved in all this?"
Teresa grabbed his arm and made him stop and turn to face her. "They had everything calculated. All for the Variables. I don't know how it all fits together." Was her line of defense.
Thomas slowly shook his head. "Well, none of this crap makes any sense to me. And excuse me for feeling a little ticked off."
"Did it work?"
"Huh?"
"For some reason they wanted you betrayed, and it worked. Right?"
Thomas paused, looked into her blue eyes for a long time. "Yeah. It did."
"I'm sorry for what I did. But you're alive, and so am I. And so is Aris."
"Yeah," he repeated. He really didn't feel like talking to her anymore.
"What about me!" I snapped.
"How could I forget about the brave hero," Teresa said rolling her eyes without looking at me.
"I'm shucking sick of you. Thomas I can understand, but Aris. Do I even matter to you, did I ever mean anything to you was that a lie."
"In the grand scheme of things, no. But at one point you did, not even I can forget that. More else try to, it's burnt into my mind." She spoke so bluntly.
"Well excuse me for existing!" I yell throwing my arms up fumed and pissed.
"Half of this is your fault, if you'd mind your business you wouldn't be so hurt right about now. You broke the masquerade, I could on kept lying and pretending you matter." She hiss. "It doesn't pay to be the hero, does it?"
"Relax, Ross." Jacob said. Followed by Nyx. As I was lurched over posied to attack her.
"I hate your guts, to even think I fancy you!"
"This will be a easy transition then, saves you the heart ache."
"That's enough,Teresa." Aris said in my defense."
"I didn't want to get into this in the first place Aris." She complains. " Ross you've done what you came to do, no need to linger with us, shoo already.
"Teresa!" I said intensely as I balled my fist.
"Go ahead and do it, prove how much you need my validation," she hissed.
Instead I collpase to my knees, tears steaming up on the hard sandy pathway, the sun beating down on me, as if I was the only one in this God forsaken mountain.
Before I could get up, Curie leaps in front of me, holding up Socs crossbow. "I'd watch how'd you talk to my family." She said aimming it point blank at Teresa.
"Fine, whatever kid, I'm done dealing with children and crybabies." She grin walking away, Thomas and Aris right behind her.
"Ease up Cue." Nyx says putting a hand on her shoulder.
"She doesn't know of the hardships and lost we substain during the Trials. Let her be ignorant.'' Curie said almost about to curse aloud. Jacob pulls me up and leads the way. Curie is latch on to me, like usual. It's a welcomed embrace.
"It's alright kid, we'll get through this together." I said patting her head. She eventually let's go of my sides. She sling's the Crossbow over her shoulder and continue walking. I followed suit.
Jane latch her hands between mine, and smile softly. She manages to always radiate a calm aura around her. She's been just as strong as the rest, but she's been rather quiet since we lost members of our family. Jane has her own way to grieve, but it's so stubly you'd never guess she was.
Always smiling, always calm. The Scorch can't break her. The Drone tried, but she quickly adapted. It's the epitomy of adjusting to change. I actually admire her strength and resilience. Together the two of u caught up with the rest.
'No matter what, you'll always have us, and will have you.' She said to me.
'That's what family is for.' I reply tears still forming around my eyes.
The two of us caught up with group. Nyx and Jacob pulled back to have a conversation. It was something we need to discuss.
"Once we get the Cure, it's your call, Ross. The five of us can break away from the others and find our own way of life." Jacob mentions.
"You've done you're job, he's safe it's time to worry about ourselves." Nyx says leaning over the five of us.
Pulling out the map, I run my fingers across it and point out a small City in the far distance, just pass the Scorch. "Nevada we could head there in about six days walk. It's landlocked and probably still somewhat intact."
"That's if we can resupply on the way. Otherwise it's impossible although the Scorch in that direction is slightly more barrable." Curie points out.
"Jane says our best choice is the Right Arm." Nyx relays for her.
"Jacob we can eat rodent or whatever, it's water which is our mean issue." Curie said.
"The plan remains the same, until further notice." I decided as I began putting the map away.
"It's for the best really!" Jacob nods in agreement. As we take off walking because it appears the three of them kept walking ahead.
Catching up with them was easy, as I could over hear a conversation. Teresa big mouth for that matter. Slowly I stood a few meters away but just always in ear shot whilst we continue talking with Thomas.
"WICKED got what they want, and I got what I want." Teresa looked at Aris, who'd kept walking for a while and now stood down on the next level of the path. "Aris, turn around, face the valley."
"What?" he replied. He looked confused."Why?"
"Just do it." She didn't have the mean streak in her voice anymore, hadn't since I stood behind with the others. This made me even more suspicious. What was she up to now?
Aris sighed and rolled his eyes, but did what she said, turning his back to them, but not before calling the others over to him.
"Him to?" Aris asks.
"I careless what he does." I've been spotted as I thought I was futher behind. The meanness in her voice jumps back.
Teresa didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms around Thomas's neck, pulling him in. He didn't have enough will to resist. I stood there mouth agape.
They kissed, and the world turn on its head. My heart shuddering at 's like she wanted me to watch. Hasn't she been cruel enough to me? Once more and this time deliberately, her lips slowly met Thomas's with a wet smack, bodily fluids coalesced In a small harmony then broke free as spittle drip from her lips.
"Now that's a kiss." She said in a vicious tone. Thomas face blank, his voice absent.
With that being the last straw, I barged off past every last person down the path way in such a speed everyone but the three of them try to chase after me. Each calling for me to slow down.
"Bitch!" Curie let's loose from her mouth as she shoved pass Teresa. Nyx failing to catch up.
All that hard work, all that suffering, the friends dead In order to rush off to save Thomas, who just letting her have her way. No words in my defense what so ever. Maybe if I didn't bother in the first place, Leon, Elizabeth and Soc would be here with us.
Even the shucking Cure was on the back burner this entire time, my sole objective. Save Thomas. With or without my intervention, he was going to be alright in the long run.
Janson, he planned this out, he'd knew I play ball if it meant saving those who mattered. He has been playing me like a fiddle from the start. And I let him… How foolish of me, to save one. I had to sacrifice three. Worried about saving him, I should've focus on the here and now. Janson clearly won this round…
After hurrying away from everyone, my legs sore and stiff from rushing off. I took a moment to collect myself sitting aside of a huge boulder. It was peaceful at last, but that wasn't going to last. Nothing good does. Suddenly the wind intensified, whipping and swirling gather dust up in the air. Then it came to a stop. Bitter stillness.
I sat watching the forming storm front take hold in the distance. The group finally caught up. Teresa had latch her self to Thomas, desperate to prove her sorrow to him. Lighting broke out arching across the sky in a spectacular light show. This gave Thomas the chance latch off her.
Doing his best acting job, he gave Teresa a smile and said, "Guess I got it―you did a bunch of weird stuff, but you were forced to, and now I'm alive. That's it, right?"
"That's about it."
"Then I'm gonna quit thinking about it. We need to catch up with the others." He said as we all stood and sat by the boulder. Then the walking continue.
Sadly I trailed behind Thomas and Teresa rather broken. I shouldn't had run off before, but the others understood. Even Aris had a concern look on his face for me.
"Hurry up Aris…" Teresa stop and called for him. As the three of us where arms length apart.
"You wanna act like I don't exist, go ahead. But you better not betray Thomas or the others. We can mean absolutely nothing to each other if that how you wanna play it. But heed this warning, I won't hesitate to put you down if I think you're going to hurt anyone else." I said to her as the last thing I needed to say. Letting her pace forward as she still didn't even raise an eyebrow to me.
Thomas had been so lost in his mind, all the stuff Teresa been doing to me is just brushing past him. I did only what I thought was right. This place is effecting everyone diffently. Was it something in the air? Either way he left me to fend for myself. Teresa must of told him something inside the cave. Perhaps warped his mind, manipulated him into hating me or seeing me as the enemy. Either way, he didn't respond, but stood there like her puppet. Confused at her actions, manipulated into believing them.
Either way things stood, we all progress on our trek to find the Safe Haven. It was mostly quietly expect for the roaring winds. Still the journey pressed onwards despite the weather.
It took about another hour to get to the bottom of the mountain. The slope leveled a bit as we got closer, allowing everyone to increase their pace. Eventually the switchbacks stopped altogether, and we all jogged the last mile or so to the flat and desolate wasteland stretching to the horizon. The air was hot, but the overcast sky and the wind kept it bearable.
Even with such a distance crossed I still couldn't get a very good look at the slowly converging Groups A and B up ahead. Especially now that we lost the bird's-eye view and dust had clouded the air. But both the boys and the girls still moved in their own tight packs, heading north. Even from our last vantage point, they appeared to be leaning into the stiffening wind as they walked.
Everyone eyes began stung from the dirt flying through the air. Wiping at them only made it worse, made the surrounding skin feel raw. The world continued to darken as the clouds thickened in the sky above.
After a quick break to eat and drink our remaining supplies, which were dwindling fast―the eight of us took a moment to observe the other groups.
"They're just walking up there," Teresa said, pointing ahead with one hand while shielding her eyes from the wind with the other. "Why aren't they running?"
"Because we still have over three hours until the deadline," Aris responded, looking at his watch. "Unless we totally figured wrong, the Safe Haven should be only a few miles from this side of the mountains. But I don't see anything."
"Soon this nightmare will be over, then it's on to the Right Hand." I bring up.
"That's the plan," Nyx said eating with Jane. I sat with Jacob and Curie. Eat the scraps of what was left. Teresa handed out the food since she and Aris were the only ones with anything. Surprisingly she was able to spare anything for someone who didn't matter.
We happen to leave our things with Minho and them. Teresa hand picked a scrap of crumbs and shook them into my hand. What was her deal? What was Thomas's?
My stomach growls at the tiny bits of crackers she fed me. It was insult to injury, but she should gave me nothing if that was the case. Nyx and the others decide to go up ahead of us, they wanted to assist the other's. Thomas still apper to be in shock, he's allowed Teresa to act that way to me. He was on autopilot most of the time.
Aris glanced at the gray-black sky. "Looks ugly up there. What if we get another one of those nice lightning storms?"
"We'd be better off staying in the mountains if that happens," Thomas said. Wouldn't that be a perfect way to end all this, we all thought. Burned to a crisp by bolts of electricity while searching for some safe haven that had never been there in the first place.
"Let's just catch up to them," Teresa said. "Then we can figure out what to do." She turned to look at both boys and put her hands on her hips. "You guys ready?" Neither prompt meant for me, it went from hatefulness to complete non-existence.
"Yeah," Thomas said.
I was trying not to sink into the pit of panic and worry that threatened to swallow me. There had to be an answer to all this. Had to.
Aris just shrugged in response.
"Then let's run," Teresa said. And before Thomas could answer she was already gone, with Aris close at her heels.
I lagged behind as honestly I've never felt so low before, everything went from bad to worse. What did I do to deserve this? I question myself as I followed along.
After maybe twenty minutes of running, the wind is forcing us to work twice as hard as I ever had to in the Maze, I knew somehow this was the last push.
Between the two of them was slience, prehaps they were talking to another so I couldn't hear. At this point I wanted be as far from Teresa as possible. So I ran past them as figures melded together, I regret making the mistake risking our Group for Thomas, since he's on the bandwagon with Teresa. And hasn't proved otherwise.
Once this was done, screw the first plan. I'm getting the five of us far away as possible. Didn't know how, but the Scorch isn't going to last forever now that I read the map. I rather go hungry like we discussed then provide anymore time and effort with them. Nevada sounds like a ideal plan the more I think about it.
If Soc was alive he would figured a way for us to make it to Nevada. With little to nothing, a plan would of been figured out and undertaken.
His death is on my own hands, so is Leon and Elizabeth. I just hope I can live on protecting our family. That's all that matters now, escape WICKED one and for all. Even if that means distancing myself from Thomas and Teresa forever.