CHAPTER 9:
AN: Thank y'all for all the support! I promised a chapter on Monday, so here it is. Starting with Belle POV and switching to Liz POV later. I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I don't want to spoil anything but I may have cried at the end when I was writing this!
Belle POV
Belle was patching up Nat's hand again since he cut the tip of his finger off. It honestly wasn't that bad, but Belle was afraid it was going to end up being his whole finger the next time.
Belle the whole time was keeping an eye on Dani. After the episode of thrashing, Dani looked like she was dead. Belle would think that, except for the shallow rise and fall of her chest.
When Nat left, Belle took a rag and dabbed Dani's sweaty forehead. Her face was contorted in pain and suddenly she gasped and her eyes flew open.
Belle shrieked and dropped the rag in surprise.
Dani kept repeating gibberish, but Belle heard Liz and Frank somewhere in there. She ran to fetch Liz since the other was out in the Maze.
Belle found her with Lacey at the Farms.
"Liz! Liz! Hurry, Dani's awake and calling for you!" Belle exclaimed flustered.
Liz immediately stopped what she was doing and ran after Belle back to the House.
Liz POV
When Belle called her name and told her the news, Liz was ecstatic. She wouldn't have the pressure of leading anymore and she was thankful her friend was okay and alive.
Liz ran in behind Belle to see Dani sitting up in bed and was drinking water. Louie took the cup and left the House so they could have some privacy.
"Hullo Dani. How are you doing? I thought you bloody died on me! Left me alone with all the stress! I can't believe you bloody thought you could leave me!" Liz started yelling and sobbing because she was so relieved Dani was okay, yet frazzled, which made her easily angered.
"Well hello to you too, Liz. Glad to see you missed me so much." Dani said with a smirk.
Liz chuckled and gave her friend a hug.
"Belle, could you give us a moment?" Dani asked the Doctor, who responded with a smile and exited the House.
"Really, how are you feeling?" Liz asked with sincerity.
"I've been better. But I have to say, that experience was definitely something different." Dani said with a shudder.
"What do you mean? What happened?" Liz asked confused.
"After the Beast pricked me and the episode I had, I started seeing images of a chaotic world. I think the world is lost. It's dangerous out there. Crazy people and deserted towns and this thing called the Flare. It was awful. But after the injection of whatever the heck Belle found, I saw things. I think they were memories. I remember most things. Some went a little fuzzy when I woke up, but I remember this organization called WICKED. They were experimenting on us. Testing our brains and will-powers. I saw you and your brother. My step-brother. Our brothers were placed in a different Maze just like ours. Theirs is the main group, with all boys, along with a group filled with just girls. The only thing different was that we are just extras. I remember some important lady saying that we were the 'miracles' because we stand no chance of succeeding in the tests. This whole thing is just some big experiment. It makes me so angry that they could treat us like this. Separate siblings and take children away from their families. We need to prove ourselves. Make that lady regret ever underestimating us. We are going to beat those other stupid groups and be the first ones to escape the freaking Maze. We are going to blow everyone else out of the water."
Liz was shocked at the new information from Dani, but agreed nonetheless.
"Alright, then. What do you suggest we do? It certainly changes things now that we know it's just a buggin' experiment."
"I think we should stay out in the Maze at night and see if we can get a different view of things. See if there is an exit. See what the Beasts really do out there. Maybe kill a few as payback, because I know I want revenge for making me go through the Changing."
"Easy, Dani. I know you want payback. And I do, too. I need to get out and find my brother, but we can't go out and risk our bloody lives fighting the Beasts! We're not ready. We only have 15 people, and most of them don't even know how to hold a weapon or fight! We have to think this through rationally before we take extreme measures."
"Okay, okay. Tomorrow, I want everyone to start training for combat. Have Maddie and Benji teach everyone after dinner, every day. We can ask for volunteers who want to explore the Maze at night, and when we reach 20 in numbers, I say we try?" Dani asked.
"Why are you asking me? You're the leader." Liz looked on her friend skeptically.
"I feel different. I feel like I'm not thinking through everything. I mean you heard what I said right? Since when do I ever jump into anything? It's like I'm two different people now." Dani said and looked like she was about to cry.
Liz hugged her again and spoke calmly. "You're fine. You're alive. And you're not going crazy and turning bloody bipolar. You're just overwhelmed. If you want I can lead for now and you can take it back whenever you're ready."
"That sounds good. Thanks Liz, for being such a good friend. You always have been from the beginning."
"I know. I know." Liz replied.
And with that, Liz watched as Dani fell back into unconsciousness as sleep consumed her.
When Liz was sure Dani was asleep, she walked into the Kitchen for dinner.
"How's Dani?" Laurel asked.
"She'll live. She told me I'm still the leader for a while. I think she's just a little shaken up. But she'll be okay. Could you go up and give her some food after dinner?" Liz asked the kind cook.
"Yeah, sure! Anything to help!" Laurel replied happily.
When Liz sat down, Frank immediately bombarded her with questions about Dani.
"Bloody hell, Frank. Can you let me at least eat first? I'm starving!" Liz said exasperatedly.
"Sorry." Frank mumbled.
After Liz finished the chicken and soup she told Frank about what Dani had said, and recounted every detail.
"Wow. I'm sure Maddie would give people lessons. I know Benji would. He will do anything to help and Maddie will do anything for Dani." Frank assured her blonde friend.
"No doubt they will. I'm just worried. We're not even remotely close to finding a way out. I think we need to increase our studying of the maps, ten-fold. We need all the help we can get. So at the Meeting tomorrow, I'm thinking about having everyone after dinner do training and for an hour after lunch, start studying maps and seeing if we can find any patterns or clues. What do you think?" Liz asked her friend.
Liz really trusted Frank with that kind of stuff. She just felt like she needed someone to share the burden with because she knew her back would break if she carried it by herself.
"I think that's genius! Why haven't we thought of that before?!" Frank exclaimed excitedly.
"I don't know, but we'll tell everyone tomorrow. Could you ask Maddie and Benji about the training for me? I'm going to sleep. I'm just so bloody exhausted." Liz said as she waved good night to Frank and walked to her sleeping bag near the Farms.
As Liz stared at the stars she started thinking about what it was like before WICKED. If her and Newt were like normal siblings. Did they fight about stupid stuff? Did they love each other but show it in that annoying way? Did they go to school and play on the playground? Did they go outside and play tag with the neighborhood kids?
She kept wondering until she fell asleep.
Liz had to have been around 13 years old. She was running laps around the track, when suddenly she was pulled by the arm out into the hallway and a large hand covered her mouth so she couldn't scream and attract attention.
She looked up and saw no other than Newt.
"Oh my gosh. Newt! I miss you so much! What are you doing? We can't be seen together! They'll kill us!" Liz said in a frightened tone as she hugged her brother.
"It's okay. I made sure no one followed me. I just had to see you one more time." Her brother said with tears in his eyes.
"What do you mean one more time?"
"Liz, when they took me away when we were little, I thought I would never see you again and I told you I'd find you and protect you. I want you to know that I plan on keeping my promise. I'm being thrown into the Maze in two days. I'll be one of the originals in Group A. I won't remember anything with the Swipe and I wanted to see you one more time before I forget. But I'm letting you know I won't break my promise. I'll find some way to get back to you. I love you so much."
After Newt finished, he started sobbing and clutched Liz so hard she couldn't breathe. It was as if he were to let go, then she would disappear forever. But Liz didn't mind. She hugged back with the same force and lifted her brother's chin to look at her own tear stained face.
"I know you won't be able to forget me forever. Our bond is too strong for us to forget. I trust you to never forget me. I believe in you. And I'll be waiting for you. I love you Zach." Liz said with a small smile as she used her brother's real name.
"I love you too Eliza. Goodbye." And with that Newt ran off back down the hallway and out the door to the other facility, leaving Liz on the floor crying.