Minho, Alex and Newt were standing in front of the Slammer door, "Big day, Greenie. Are you sure you don't wanna sit this one out?" Minho teased as he fiddled with the lock and key, agonizingly slow.
"Come on, man. Get me out of here." Thomas bagged, wrapping his hands around the bars, he heard all the commotion and laughing last night, he was ticked he missed it..
"All right. All right." Minho replied "Let's go!" Thomas pushed his way out even before the door was fully opened - he likes to squeeze through small places doesn't he .? This is totally going to be a thing!
"Wait, hold up ya shank! You need some food and some gear." Alex grabbed his arm. "Whyyyy? Why can't we go now? What kind of gear?" He whined.
"Tommy. Slim it. 1, the walls aren't even open. Race you to the closed walls... And 2. Follow Minho. He has info you need and I'll meet you."
With that her and Newt left and Thomas in Minho's care.
"BYE BABE!" Minho called.
"BABE! SEE YOU SOON BABE!"
He over exaggerated a big wave goodbye.
Alex had turned around, walking backwards "BYE BABE! HEY BABE! I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, BABE!" she reached her arms out towards him, and blew him kisses.
"BABE I LOVE YOU! BABE, REMEMBER THAT BABE! BABE, I'LL SEE YOU SOON, K BABE?" He called back, grabbing the blown kisses, and blowing some back.
Thomas rolling his eyes, grabbed Minho's arm and hauled him towards the map room, while Newt pulled Alex towards the kitchens.
"BABE NOOOOO! BABE! COME BACK TO ME BABE!" He yelled, at this point he was on the other side of the Glade, and they were just yelling at each other.
"COME ON MINHO!" Thomas yelled frustrated.
Alex and Minho both burst into hysterical laughter, "HAVE FUN BABE!"
Alex managed to shout before Newt clamped a hand over her mouth and hulled her over his shoulder. She still struggled and tried reaching for him, laughing the whole time.
"Relax Mama Newt. You are so easy to mess with." Alex laughed at how annoyed her brother got.
"Haha. Very funny. Now look, I know you 3 are going into the maze to check out that dead Griever. But the other runners quit and are absolutely refusing to go back."
"Shucking cowards," Alex muttered.
Newt ignored that, "What's the plan?" He placed her down now and was back to the concerned leader of the Glade.
"Newt, the less you know the better. Minho and I worked it out last night. Okay? Just do your thing here and we will be back as quick as we can." She patted his shoulder and walked into the Homestead to suit up.
15 minutes later, by the door, but covered by the trees of the Deadheads stood Minho and Thomas waiting anxiously. The doors had already opened. Thomas was itching to go, "Just Slim it! Alex would skin us alive if we left without her." Minho said checking his watch.
"You're totally scared of your girlfriend!" He teased.
"Shuck ya man, have you seen her shuckin' ninja skills? She can shoot with deadly accuracy, she can also throw knives and fight. I took a left hook from her in her sleep... dude she's terrifying!" Minho said, eyes wide.
"Awww babe, I didn't know you felt that way! Say some more sweet nothings about me" Alex said with a smirk as she waltzed up behind him, followed by Frypan, Winston, Zart and Chuck. "Will this be enough? Sorry we're late, Gally almost caught us." Alex said, nodding her head towards the guys. Thomas and Minho nodded.
"Okay, let's go!" Minho took the lead and ran into the maze. Everyone followed, but as they got to the entrance, Chuck hesitated. And then stopped. Alex turned and ran back towards him, he looked at her with fear in his eyes.
She knelt down in front of him, "Hey, Chuck, it's ok. We need someone to help keep an eye on things. Newt knows Tommy, Minho and I are going but not about the others. Help keep him and Gally busy. You're our ears and eyes. K?" Chuck nodded his head gratefully. She patted his shoulder and then messed his curls up, "see ya soon Chuckles!" She sprinted to catch up with the guys.
She kept pace with Minho, Tommy right behind them, she looked behind her and saw Fry and Zart lagging behind. She slowed down and ran beside the boys.
"Just up here, last turn!" Minho yelled from the front. They all stopped. Halfway down the corridor was a squished Griever. One of its legs, part of its body and head sticking out between the doors. As they got closer they could see slime and other juices puddled on the floor.
"That's disgusting!" Zart said with a shiver. Alex agreed.
How could I have ever had an idea like these monster creatures? It's absolutely horrible!
She was looking at the head and body, she took a step closer, examining it, wanting a closer look she took a step forward. Minho grabbed her wrist. She turned her head to look at him, "..just...just be careful, the last one we saw wasn't actually dead." He said quietly.
"Okay. But I'm pretty sure its Griever guts are on the ground .. don't think there is any coming back from that. And I always have you to save me."
She turned back to the smooshed thing inside the wall, "but I think there's something in there!" Alex replied looking back at the Griever's body. She could see the squishy blubber, it was a clear greenish colour, but under that blubber skin she could see robotic machine parts, and something glowing.
"You mean, besides a Griever pancake?" Fry asked, absolutely discussed. He took a step backwards. Alex took another step forwards, and reached a hand out. She turned to the side and reached her hand into the crack.
Alex felt the cool jelly bloob of the skin, it was like shoving her hand into a big bowl of jello and in the center was snotty slimy goop. It was a very gross feeling, and she scrunched up her face.
"Whoa, what are you doing?" Thomas asked panicked "what can you see? What does it feel like? Can you reach whatever you're trying to grab? Can I help?"
Question after question, the guy never stops.
"Whoa!" Minho yelled, and pulled Alex back, as her arm came out it made a gross squelching suction noise. But just in time too because the Grievers leg lashed out, and the head moved, clamping its razer teeth together.
"I thought you said it was dead!" Winston yelped.
"Was it a reflex?" Zart asked.
"You hope." Fry answered.
"Yeah, must be, when I touched the metal part inside it must have made it twitch...Okay, come on. Let's try and pull it out!" Alex replied quickly, she had an idea.
"Everyone come on, give me a hand." The boys hesitantly grabbed onto the metallic leg, avoiding the sharp sword like blade at the tip of its leg.
Once everyone was evenly spaced out, Minho quietly called "All right, ready? On three. One, two, three!"
Everyone gave a massive tug, and with a wet ripping that sounded like a wet suction cup being pulled off, the leg tore out of the body and landed on the floor, making everyone fall onto their butts.
"Are you okay, Fry?" Thomas asked, helping him to his feet.
"Yeah. Thanks, brother."
Minho reached out a hand for Alex, she grabbed it grateful, and he pulled her effortlessly to her feet, "Thanks Babe."
Minho smirked, "anytime sunshine. "
"What the hell is that?" Thomas asked, squatting down to look at the leg and the guts that fell out into the stone floor.
"Interesting." Is all Alex said.
She reached into the goop and held up something that resembled a brain or heart. It was a greyish green, oval in shape and covered in slim and the jelly goop from inside the Griever body. The brain-heart was glowing a little, and then it shut off. After a few seconds it would glow again. Alex flipped it over to examine the other side. The bottom had a hole and there was something mechanical shoved inside the organ. It looked like the two parts, biological and mechanical, were fused together, veins attached to wires, and what looked like tendons attached to more wires. She pulled the mechanical part out, and tried to wipe the slim off her hands. It didn't work, she wiped a little on her pants. She wasn't sure what she was looking at, it was a long silver cylinder that had some wires sticking out the end when she ripped the brain off. She rolled it in her hands, on one side there was a small screen that was slowly flashing the number 7 in red. And on the other side the letters W-I-C-K-E-D. Thomas and Minho were both leaning over her shoulder to see what it was, she handed it to Minho who inspected it, rolling it around his hands, he used his thumb to try to wipe more slime off the screen. His face was fixed in concentration.
"Okay, whatever it is...can we take this up back at the Glade?" Zart asked, he was looking up and down the corridor.
"Because I don't want to meet this guy's friends." Fry added in.
"He's right. It's getting late. Come on." Minho looked up to the sky, seeing where the sun was, and back down to his watch. He handed the cylinder back to Alex who slipped it into her holster around her leg.
"Ok boys, lets go!"
They took off running, Alex in the lead, mentally going over the turns in her mind that brought them there, just going backwards. She heard Thomas whisper to Minho
"How does she remember the way back, isn't this only like her third time in the maze? Did you tell her the way back? Did you show her a map before coming here?"
She glanced over her shoulder as she took a turn without hesitating and smirked at him, "No Shuck face, I just don't ask stupid questions and pay attention."
Minho laughed at her sass.
"All you gotta do is memorize the turns here and then to get home it's just backwards. Also, did you not notice the vines Minho cut down on our way here..."
She pointed to a chunk of ivy on the ground, kicking it out of the way as she passed.
Minho slapped his back, "Pay attention man! Rule one of being a Runner"
"I thought rule one was Never stop running?" Alex called over her shoulder.
"Okay, rule one A. Pay attention." Minho sassed.
"Bread crumbs" Alex laughed at the look on Thomas's face.
They all made it back to the Glade, Newt, Gally and Chuck were waiting by the entrance door for them, Newt looked worried pacing up and down, and Gally looked like he was ready to blow a gasket.
"We found this." Alex said, pulling the mechanical cylander out of the little bag around her thigh, handing it to Newt.
"It was inside a Griever!" Thomas added excitedly. Newt's eyes widened, looking at it, rolling it around in his hands.
"These are the same letters we get in our supplies." he said looking up at Alex and Minho, for confirmation.
"Yeah." Minho nodded.
"Whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers." Thomas said, piecing things together, his forehead was furrowed in concentration.
Alex shot Newt and Minho a guilty look, she hoped no one else noticed. Minho placed a hand on her lower back, giving it a small reassuring rub. Thomas continued
"This is the first real clue, the first anything, you've found in 2 years..." He paused and looked at Minho, "Right, Minho?"
"Right." Minho said again, nodding.
"Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this could lead us!" Thomas exclaimed. He turned back towards the maze. Alex and Minho both pushed him back.
"Nah man, doors close soon, and there ain't time to do a proper look for anything. This is a good start. We will go back out tomorrow morning." Minho said crossing his arms standing in Thomas's way. Newt stepped in, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Look Tommy, we love your enthusiasm, but it is still dangerous, and Minho is Keeper. Tomorrow."
Thomas was about to argue.
Minho held up a hand, "But that night, when you killed that Griever...Section 7 was open. It must be where it's from. Tomorrow, you and I are gonna take a look." Minho added.
"Excuse me?" Alex asked with irritation in her voice. She crossed her arms, looking at Minho.
"You said 'Tomorrow you and I AND ALEX will take a closer look' wrong."
"Sorry babe." He looked at her sheepishly.
"Fine."
Thomas huffed and stormed off, so did Gally. The other guys had left a while ago, not really understanding the conversation about the maze things.
Newt ran a hand through his hair, and said with a sigh "I think you should probably show Thomas the display in the weapons room...he's too curious, and he needs to know what he truly is up against."
Minho deflated.
"Want me to come with you?" Alex asked gently. He looked at her and then laughed,
"How about you shower that griever goop off yourself and then meet us in the map room?" She gave him a quick kiss and went to shower.
15 minutes later she was inside the weapons room with the boys trying to detangle her wet hair. She was leaning on the table with the little model maze, with Bark beside her. She watched Minho explain how the maze worked with Thomas. He wouldn't stop asking questions. Which was making this take extra long.
"Take a look at this. About a year ago, we started exploring these outer sections. With numbers printed on the walls. Sections 1 through 8. See, the way it works, is at night, when the maze changes...it opens up a new section. So today, Section 6 was open. Tomorrow, it will be 4, then 8, then 3. The pattern is always the same." Minho was a surprising patient teacher. Answering all of Thomas's questions.
"What's so special about 7?" Thomas asked for the hundredth time.
"I don't know. But when you killed that Griever...Section 7 was open." Minho answered, he ran his hand through his hair.
Shuck it, he's hot when he does that.
"That's why we are going to go check it out again," Alex said, ripping her eyes away from Minho.
Clint came bursting through the door.
"Hey! What are you doing? You're not aloud in here!" Minho yelled.
"Sorry, it's just the...uhh. It's the new girl." Clint panted, he must have run from the Med Room.
"Is she awake?" Alex asked, as she pushed off the table, she was excited and nervous...
What would it be like to finally have another girl around?
"You could say that."
"Well, what are we waiting for, lead the way!" Alex said, rushing out the door. As they exited the map room, she could hear commotion on the other side of the Glade. She spied a group of Gladers huddled around a tree.
"Is that...the lookout tower?" Minho asked.
Clint nodded, Minho caught Alex's eye, she smirked and they both raced off to see what was going on.
"Hey Chuckles, what's going on?" Alex called as they got closer to the ruckus. Chuck turned and pointed up the tree, laughing hard.
"Girls are awesome!"
Alex looked up and saw something being thrown over the edge towards the boys and a light breathy voice yelled.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Newt ducked "Watch your head!"
Fry was standing under a piece of discarded board, he peeked out from under it and hollord "WE JUST WANT TO TALK!"
Another rock came flying.
"THROW ONE MORE THING-" Gally screamed at the girl, he stopped yelling when a rock hit him in the head. Alex couldn't help it anymore and she doubled over laughing!
Girls were awesome!
Newt turned to look at her "I don't think she likes us very much." Amusement in his eyes
"GO AWAY! I'M WARNING YOU!" the girl yelled again and threw a few more rocks at the Gladers on the ground.
I should probably do something. This poor girl... I remembered my first day seeing all the guys..
She took a step forward, but Minho had grabbed her arm pulling her back.
"Be safe!" he kissed her forehead quickly "I trust you, just be careful. And don't sass her too much."
She smiled, "Min, if I can take down Gally, and you...I can take on that tiny little pipsqueak up there. She's terrified. I get it, she won't listen to you shanks, she'll listen to me."
"Oh I know you can. I'm worried about that poor girl up there. Be nice." He laughed.
Alex gasped, "Please. I'm always nice!"
Minho just snorted, then kissed her again, "Go save her!"
She turned back to the tree and yelled, "HEY! IT'S ALEX! IT'S ALEX!"
The flying debris stopped. It was quiet for a second, and then a head with black raven hair peeked over. Alex waved her hand and gave her a smile.
"I'M GOING TO COME UP, OKAY?"
She turned to the boys "ONLY me." And she gave Gally a very pointed look.
She marched over to the ladder and climbed up, as she got to the top she slowed and cautiously climbed onto the platform, she turned and there was a machete blade pointed right at her face.
Without thinking, she grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled forward, twisting out of the way and the girl's hand at the same time, stepped into her and brought her elbow down into the crook of her arm, making her drop the weapon. The girl yelped and scrambled away.
"Everything ok up there?" Newt yelled, concerned, after he heard a girl yell.
Alex walked to the side of the platform, she leaned over, and yelled back irritated with the guys.
"How many times do I have to be held at knifepoint in this shuck place. Lock up your bloody shuck weapons you slintheads!"
She held the machete over the edge and dropped it point down. It landed with a thud, point in the grass. Minho looked from the blade up to her, and smirked at her, "That's my girl!"
Alex rolled her eyes.
She pushed away from the edge and looked back at the girl cowering in the corner. Alex sighed and sat down.
"Uh, sorry about that..reflex. It's okay, take it easy, it's okay, I promise. We aren't going to hurt you. My name is Alex, and until you came, I was the only girl." Alex said quietly.
The girl unwrapped her arms from her legs, relaxing a little. Alex smiled reassuringly at her.
"Where am I? What is this place? Why can't I remember anything?"
Fear written on her face and laced in her voice. Alex sighed again, and ran a hand through her messy hair, getting it out of her face.
"It's all normal, none of us could remember anything, we have all been there. You will get your name back soon...It's the only thing they let us keep-"
-"Teresa " The girl whispered.
"What did you say?" Alex asked shocked.
"My name, it's Teresa."
The name was so familiar! The girl from her memories. How could she forget her name!
Alex smiled again, "Well Teresa, I'm Alex, but you seem to know that already, don't you?" Teresa nodded.
"They said I had yelled your name and a boy's name, Thomas. Who are you guys?"
"Friends. We're friends." Alex answered, she was a little sad, she was hoping Teresa would remember some of their past.
"Come here, let me show you" Alex waved her over, Teresa cautiously crawled over.
"I'm not going to hurt you, promise. Okay, this is the Glade, and everyone of us has been where you are now. Brand new, scared, full of questions. None of us could remember anything, we all woke up here, just like you." The girl's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Hey, it's going to be okay, I promise." Alex reassured her, reaching out and placing her hand on her knee.
"IS SHE COMING DOWN YET?" Gally yelled at them. Alex rolled her eyes, got up and yelled over the side
"Just...give us a second! Okay?" She turned and looked at the girl, then back down at the boys.
"Hey Tommy? Come on up here, ya?" All the eyes traveled to him.
"Uh..Okay.." He stuttered, going a little red.
He climbed up and sat down on Alex's other side, he couldn't take his eyes off the girl. She was very pretty. Curvy in all the right spots, bright vibrant blue eyes, pale clear skin and pink luscious lips, her hair was shiny and wavy, falling around her in a black cascade. Alex felt a little self conscious. She shook her head.
"Teresa this is Thomas, I call him Tommy." He stretched out a hand to shake her delicate one.
"So you're the last one ever, huh?" He asked.
"The last one ever? What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure." He answered with a shrug.
"Well, Ever since you came up, that Box hasn't gone back down. That means no supplies, and that has a lot of people a little worried and on edge." Alex answered.
"Oh" Teresa answered, looking away. "Everyone thinks it's my fault, don't they." She whispered as a small tear leaked out.
"Hey, they also blame me and Tommy- well not all of them, mostly just Gally- that big guy with the big nose and weird eyebrows."
Alex pointed at Gally. Teresa let a small smile show on her face. Alex continued.
"I was the first girl, the first of many disruptions to their predictable routine, and then Tommy showed up with all his questions and rule breaking...then you, in a weird coma, with the note. None of us know what's going on." Alex explained.
"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Thomas asked.
Teresa furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think.
"I remember water...and screaming, bright lights...I remember your faces. And other faces staring down at me... And I've had some dreams...but more real, You two were in them. Alex..?"
Alex nodded.
"You said you couldn't handle it anymore, and you were going to do something. Tom, you said Everything was going to change, and you were sorry. What does that mean?" She asked, looking between Alex and Thomas. They both shook their heads.
"Why are we different?" Teresa asked.
Thomas looked at Alex, then back to Teresa, "Well she gets these memory visions, she knows more than she's letting on."
"Jeeze thanks Tommy! Not like I had a reason I wasn't going to tell her.. not like this whole shuck place is overwhelming enough as it is, now you drop that little klunk of knowledge on the poor girl!" Alex snapped, letting the sarcasm show.
Teresa was looking at her with interest. Alex sighed again, "But ya, I get snippets of memory every now and then... something I touch or hear, it can bring on a memory. I don't know why. Or how it works."
Teresa just nodded, bitting her lower lip.
"Why are we different?" She repeated, quietly.
"Not sure."
Alex stood up and leaned over the railing.
"Hey Tes, come here, I'll show you what's what. It's not much, but we call it home."
Teresa came to stand next to her, her black wavy hair blowing slightly. Subconsciously Alex racked her hand through her hair.
"So everything inside those big walls is called The Galde, it's where we live, where we sleep and work..."
She explained the buildings and the rules, she looked down and pointed at a few of the Gladers still watching
"Ok, so I pointed out Gally''
Teresa nodded and stifled a little giggle.
"His eyebrows are a little ridiculous. Do you think he pluks them?" She whispered to Alex. Alex snorted with a laugh. Gally glared up at them
"Who the shuck knows." She whispered back. She cleared her throat and said loudly so everyone on the ground could hear.
"That tall guy with an apron on, is Frypan-weird name I know, but he won't tell me his real name. He's the Keeper of the cooks. He's very loud but the sweetest guy ever. Also he's a massive gossip and the captain of The Ships."
Teresa looked puzzled "captain of the ships? What ships?"
"All of them. All the Ships." Alex said seriously.
Fry laughed and waved. "Thanks Lil Lady!" Alex smiled.
"That little munchkin down there"-
-"HEY I am NOT LITTLE!" -
"is Chuck or Chuckles. He's like everyone's little brother. But he's my special little Buddy" Teresa smiled sweetly and gave a small wave, Chuck turned bright red.
"That dreamy hunk of Asian muscle, there" Minho flexed, and Alex rolled her eyes, but smiled, "looking good shuck face! His name is Minho, he's Keeper of the Runners, the biggest bloody drama queen of the Glade and also a shuck face."
"But I'm YOUR shuck face drama Queen." He sassed back with a smirk and wink. Teresa's eyes flicked back and forth between the two.
Alex continued, "the dog there, she's mine. Her name is Bark. They named her that as a joke because before I got here she didn't make a noise and didn't do much. She's the best dog."
Teresa squeezed "PUUUIPPPPPY!" Alex laughed.
"That tall drink of water with the golden locks, is Newt. Right now he is Commander and chief of our little brotherhood..sisterhood? Shankhood? Whatever- our Admiral Alby is..uh out of commission at the moment. So Newt is first in command, he is also my big brother."
Teresa's eyes widened. "How do you know?"
Alex turned her head towards Teresa, and tapped her temple, "Cuz of those memory flashes, episodes, whatever you want to call them. He's my brother, I have a twin sister, in another place, just like this. You, me and Tommy were the last left behind and we tried to do something rebellious or DID do something rebellious. I'm not sure. But I was caught and the creators -the people who sent us here - they were going to put me somewhere else, in a different place but somehow, you and Tommy got me switched to here."
Teresa was standing there with her eyes wide and her mouth open.
"Sorry. That was a lot..kinda just word vomited all over ya..sorry." Alex said sheepishly.
"No. No, it's ok...somehow it feels...familiar.. and I don't know why or how." Teresa said quietly, her face scrunched, like she was trying to remember. Alex smiled at her
"Oh, and...you and I were best friends."
"Well, that makes sense!" She laughed, Teresa's laugh was quiet and airy. It was so dainty, just like the rest of her.
"Are you guys coming down now?" Gally yelled up. She still looked a little unsure.
"Hey, it's Okay. We won't let Gally do anything, he's just loud and bossy...but there are more of us and only one of him."
Thomas said, "Also with Newt in command and Alex as his Second, and her ninja skills, you're fine." Thomas said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Yup." Alex popped the P. "I've taken him down once, I'll do it again. And gladly."
Thomas went down first, then Teresa, followed lastly by Alex. When she got to the bottom all the guys were there to greet them. Teresa was very shy, hiding behind Thomas and Alex. Everyone, but Gally, shook her hand and introduced themselves. She seemed to relax once she saw they were in fact friendly. And when Bark came up to smell her she licked Teresa's face. Bark had a way of making people feel relaxed. Alex pursed her lips when she watched Minho give her a charming smile and a "Welcome to the glade She-Bean!" he smirked a little when he saw her blush. Alex crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Teresa was polite enough to say thanks and back up again, closer to Thomas.
"Well, who wants to take Teresa here on her tour?" Alex asked, in a snappy tone. Before anyone could say anything Jeff ran up.
"Guys! Guys! Alby! He's awake and he wants to talk to Thomas and Alex!" Newt was the first one to move closely followed by Alex.
What did he wanted to talk to me about, why was I the first one he wanted to see..What did he see in the changing? Uhg, I've been hanging out with Thomas for too long, now I'm asking all the questions.
They reached the door, and Newt knocked on the MedHut door and slowly opened it. Newt walked in with Alex close on his heels, Thomas a little hesitant at the door, Minho and Teresa waiting by the door, Teresa looked a little lost and frightened, and Alex couldn't make out what Minho was feeling, he had a blank mask on.
Sitting on the bed, with his back facing them was Alby. A wave of relief washed over her, he was up, and he wasn't trying to hurt them...yet. Newt walked over and sat beside his longest friend.
"Alby?" he asked cautiously.
"I didn't ask for you Newt, I asked for Thomas and Alex. Get out." Alby replied, his voice was gravelly and angry. Newt looked over his shoulder at her with a hurt expression on his face. Thomas looked as confused as Alex felt.
"But..Alby.." Newt tried again, hurt in his voice. Alby groaned and held his head in his hands. His voice was rough when he spoke again
"Everything...is going to change..the new girl..Thomas..Alex...I saw them.." Alby groaned again, his face in his hands.
"What do you mean you saw-"
Newt was cut off by Alby yelling "I SAID OUT! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOU!" Newt flinched back. He stood up and stomped to the door.
"FINE! Ya grouchy shank, they are right bloody here" and he slammed the door.
Thomas and Alex were left alone with Alby. He looked over to them, they were still standing by the door, a little leary to move closer. Considering the last two people who went through the changing had tried to kill her, Alex had slipped a knife out of her belt, and was holding it loosely in her hand.
"I know who you two are, I saw it and the girl...I saw you..I saw where we came from and who you are...I remember the Flair" he trailed off. Alex took a breath.
"Yes Alby, I know who I am. I know I 'worked' for the creators. But I also know I was forced to. I was tortured and manipulated by a twisted group of people. Thomas also knows a littlet, only the small snippets of what I have seen-which aren't a lot. I also know that we both, and Teresa- the new girl- tried to stop it. I don't know what else you saw or what pieces of memories you saw, but I know we are not bad people." She finished, looking the boy on the bed dead in the eye.
She knew her past, or at least part of it and she had to live with that. She had to come to terms that she was part of or used to be part of whatever this maze is for. The guilt was still there, but the people she loved and trusted told her she wasn't a bad person..so she chose to believe them. There was no way the Alex now would condone this. Hopefully the Alex before the maze was the same.
Thomas looked at Alby like he might hold all the answers to all his life problems.
" The Flare? I don't know what you're talking about Alby. What did you see? I would love to know who I am...or was." It sounded like he was forcing himself to talk.
"It ain't pretty...why would they want us to remember? Why can't we just...can't we just live here...happy away from it all?" He looked so broken and sad.
"Alby, what happened? What did you see in the changing? You're not making any sense!" Thomas said, taking a step forward.
"You-" Alby started.
He was cut off mid sentence by his own hands. He started clawing at his throat, making weird choking noises, his eyes wide in panic. He fell back onto the bed, his body thrashing. Alex leapt forwards, dropping her knife, trying to pull his hands off his throat.
"Thomas! HELP!" Alex yelled as Alby thrashed under her, knocking her to the floor.
"NEWT! MINHO! GET IN HERE!" Alex screamed, as she jumped back onto Alby, trying to pull his hands off his throat.
The door banged open, the boys ran in, took a quick look at what was happening, and jumped into the thick of it. Alex looked down at the boy on the bed, he looked so broken and scared right before this. What did he see? The changing broke him, he was so confident and unflinching before, her big brother, her proud Glade father...her heart broke.
What did those creators do to him? What are they doing to him RIGHT now? What's going on? Mother shuckin' bloody creators!
Her anger bubbled up inside her, she was angry at herself but more importantly she was furious at the creators. Alex grabbed onto Alby's wrists and with the anger swirling around inside her she slowly pried his hands away from his throat, she had to climb right onto the bed, almost on top of him. She used all her strength to slowly pull them down and pin them to his chest, he was fighting her hard. But somehow she was stronger, she felt the adrenalin coursing through her. She held his wrists to his chest until he stopped fighting. Alex was panting, she felt all her muscles straining. And then she felt a wave of exhaustion, but she held on until she was sure he wouldn't try to strangle himself. His breathing came back to normal.
He looked at Alex, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Sorry nothing you shank! You tried to bloody kill yourself!" Newt said from behind Alex, he had held Alby down, to stop him from thrashing. He was just getting up now.
"I swear...it wasn't me! I don't know what happened..! It was like...like...someone was controlling me! I had no control over what I was doing!" Alby was panting, his eyes closing.
"Well get some rest Alby, K? We still need you. The glade still needs you. Me or Jeff will bring you some supper later, okay? Just please don't hurt yourself anymore." Alex said, as she rested a hand on his shoulder. He slowly nodded. The group slowly backed out of the door.