Another crappy chapter. I'm sorry guys. Also for the late update. Writers block is a bitch.
I can't move. I'm frozen to my seat as billions of emotions run through me: elatedness, hope, confusion, rage, sorrow, and most prominently, shock. The ache in my heart, the emptiness, lightens a little bit. The girl I love is alive.
And then, she screams.
The color is drained from her face and blood runs down her forearms. The two men that slice her like a slab of meat are wearing black ski masks, making it impossible to know who they are. A deep hatred plants its self deep inside me, and all of it is aimed towards those bloody bastards.
" Tell them Louisa. " One of the men say, their voice muffled by the mask. " Tell them what you did. "
She seemingly ignores them as she stares at something behind behind the camera. Her face is holding some distant look, but it's full of sorrow, regret and longing. The men move beside her, and I want to scream out and warn her, but I know she won't hear me. The man takes the scalpel and drags it across her collar bone. A low, scream escapes her, and tears spring up in her eyes.
But she never pleads for them to stop. Their blades slice her skin so many times, and they tell her to speak the truth, but she never does. Her screams still pierce through the speakers, each one full of agony. Her arms are coated with blood, and her once navy blue tank top has been tainted black. They leave her face unmarred, but there's still dried blood on it. This can't be the first time this has happened.
The thought makes my blood run cold.
" Newt, are you okay? " Thomas asks, looking at me.
" No. " I say, my voice feeling strangled. I wipe at my face, surprised to find tears there. I was so engaged in her, I hadn't even realized I started crying. It's just, she's alive. All this time. It seems as though her bloody existence has been nothing but hell. What did she do to deserve this?
" Who is that? " Thomas asks, his voice indifferent.
" Louisa. " Minho answers for me, looking away from the screens just as another scream permeates the cafeteria.
" I thought she was dead. "
" She never was. " Minho says, and I cast a look at him. " Apparently. "
The screaming stops, and I look to the screen, scared for her life. Her chest rises and falls with shallow breaths, and her head hangs forward. She blacked out. The pain was so bad it knocked her unconscious.
" What the hell? " Someone in the cafeteria growls. I turn my head and find a boy our age striding in the room. His eyes are glued on the TV's and he's seething. He approaches one of the people sitting quietly at their table—the doctor I think—and grabs her by the shoulders.
" You said she'd be safe! " He yells, the vein in his neck popping out.
" People lie Lee. " The lady says, " Get used to it. "
" Fuck you! " He storms away, sending a glare our way. I shake my head and find Minho staring at that guy, Lee I think was his name.
" That guy knows something. " Minho says, standing.
" About what? "
" About Louisa! " Minho raises his voice while walking away.
I quickly stand and rush after him, almost running into someone. Louisa is all I can think about. The last things I said to her, and her last words to me. Did she know WICKED was going to take her in? Is she a traitor? Did she leave us to die? No. I can't believe that. I won't.
I think back to when we first got here. I knew I had heard her voice. It was just the faintest of whispers, but I could tell it was hers. I was so close to opening that door. To seeing her. I could've taken her into my arms and shielded her from the world. She wouldn't be suffering. But I didn't. I let her asshole of a brother convince me not to. I chalked it up to the grief driving me crazy.
Minho grabs Lee by the shoulder and makes him face us. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him, and he glares right back.
" Welcome to WICKED. " Lee says with a fake smile plastered on his face.
" Shut the hell up. " Minho snaps. " I know we all feel the same about her so let's cut the crap. Alright? "
Lee rolls his eyes, but doesn't speak. Minho takes it as a sign to ask questions.
" Why are they doing that to her? "
" She killed one of the scientists. " Lee says with a shrug of his shoulders. " I don't blame Lo. The lady was a bitch. "
Louisa has murdered two people. I just know the guilt is eating her alive—driving her crazy.
" How long is it going to last? "
" I don't know. The people doing it have always hated her. "
I notice the sorrow on Lee's face when he talks about Louisa.
" Is it pos-"
" What was she to you? " I ask, interrupting Minho. Lee's face holds shock for a moment, but he quickly smooths it over with a smirk.
" I was wondering when you would ask. We were lovers. " He exaggerates the word lover, and grins. Jealousy surges through me. He knew about Louisa, they, they, Oh God. Did they have sex? Isn't that what ' lovers ' means? I don't believe Louisa would do that after what happened with Reed.
I look over at Minho, but he doesn't seem shocked by the news. I know about Minho's feelings about Lo, he would be jealous, pissed off, and Lee wouldn't stand a chance. Yet, he just stands there, and continues his interrogation.
" Is it possible to save her? "
Lee rubs the back of his head. " I don't think so. "
" What do you mean you don't think so? " Minho says, shoving him into the wall. Lee hits the white wall with a thud, and replies.
" I mean, WICKED would catch us and kill us. " Anger coats his voice, but his cowardice still makes me want to punch him.
I turn and storm back into the cafeteria, resisting the urge to kick his ass. People who work for WICKED barely pay any attention to me as I pass them, a plan formulating in my head. It requires the assistance of all the Gladers, and it'll risk all of our lives, but I can't let Louisa suffer.
My eyes flicker up to the screens as I sit down—Louisa is still unconscious, and I can't help but be grateful for that. If she were awake the pain would be all too agonizing.
" I have a plan. " I say while sitting down. The Gladers look up at me, their faces holding shock. They still haven't shaken off the fact that Louisa is alive. But she won't be for long. Not if they keep hurting her like that.
" Dude. What are they doing to her? " Frypan asks, and his voice cracks.
" I don't know. " I say, " But I do know that we have to help her. "
" How? " Winston asks " We're safe here. Why cause trouble? "
" Are you really that dense? " Thomas asks, directing the question towards Winston. " Look around. The way we're watched, it's like they're still studying us. " He glances up at the screen. " I'm not safe anywhere someone is willing to do that to a person. "
" Thomas is right. " Minho says, sitting down next to us. " We aren't safe. "
" We get Louisa, and we get out. " Thomas says, taking the words right out of my mouth.
" What about the Scorch? And the Cranks? " Teresa says, more fear in her eyes than anything. She didn't know Louisa. Of course she wouldn't want to risk her life for someone she doesn't know.
" We deal with it. " I say.
" How are we going to get to her? " Minho questions.
I look over at her brother, who's keeping his head down. Minho seems to get what I'm implying, and he nods.
Nobody touches their food because of their loss of appetite. My salad is untouched, despite how little I have eaten these past couple weeks. My stomach feels empty, but I don't long for food. In fact, the thought of eating makes my stomach churn.
I push it away and stand. We've been in here for a hour now, that's long enough. As much as I wanted to see Louisa, how much I wished she were alive, I can't watch her like this. I stand to leave the suddenly stifling room, when loud shouts permeate the room, rooting me to the spot. The Gladers all trade looks of confusion, ten we look at the door. People wearing black armor are filing in the cafeteria with guns. Guns.
" Everybody be quiet! " One of the men booms. I expect WICKED guards to come charging in here, and this huge fight will break out, but oddly enough, no one comes.
" Will all of the people who were in the mazes step forward. " He shouts and my heart thuds in my chest. I walk forward, slowly, leading the Gladers. I see another group, the girls, walking forward too. The people that are on either side of him walk towards us and grab our arms, pulling us along faster.
" You can't just- " A woman from WICKED starts, but gets cut off my a gunshot. Blood spreads on her shirt, and my eyes go wide.
" Don't talk. " The man who shot her says.
My hands start to shake. The man holding me in place sees it, and says, " Don't worry. We're here to save you. "
What? After all this time someone is actually here to save us? I want to believe it, I need to. But I can't. It doesn't make sense. Who would save a bunch of kids? We mean nothing to every one.
" Is this all of you? " The man asks, looking at all of us. We nod, and he smiles.
Then he starts firing random shots into the cafeteria.
We watch in muted horror as people from WICKED fall, one by one. Blood begins to pool on the white floor. When they try to fight back, more of the men open fire. WICKED is being annihilated. It's a massacre. Just like back in the Glade with the Grievers. I can't help but let a small satisfaction form deep inside of me. Karma's a bitch, isn't it?
Then, a woman who looks so much like Louisa stands, unable to watch her friends fall around her.
" Stop. " She says. Her voice is authoritative, like she's used to being in charge. She begins to walk forward, and she gets shot in her left shoulder. She continues to walk forward, and I can't help but feel a little pity for her. What can she do? Her co-workers are dying, and she's being forced to watch. Then, with a final shot to the stomach, she falls.
" Mom! " Noah yells, rushing over to her. He pushes her sandy blonde hair out of her eyes with a shaky hand. " You bastards! "
He gets shot. He lands next to his mother, blood pouring from the wound in his head. Wait, if that was his mother…. Then that means that Louisa just lost her family.
The last person from WICKED falls with a thud. The gunfire ceases, and everything is eerily quiet in WICKED. A man turns to us Gladers, and the people from the girl group.
" You are all safe now. " His eyes flicker to the monitors, but he simply ignore it. He ushers us forward, and out of the cafeteria. I turn around and look at Louisa one last time, and then I hear it. The one word that makes my heart shatter.
" Help. "
I can't leave without her.
" Hey! " I shout. One of the men turn around and look at me. HIs green eyes show annoyance.
" What? "
" There's a girl here. She's one of us. " I say.
" We can't afford to waste any time. We have to go now. " He stalks forward and grabs my arm, trying to pull me away, but I fight against his hold.
" I'm not leaving without her! " The Gladers behind me nod in agreement, and the man sighs.
" Janson! " He yells.
A man, wearing the same black uniform as everyone else, turns around. He looks like a rat. " What? "
" They want us to go off course and save that girl. "
Janson smiles. " We are supposed to save everyone. " He sighs. " I'll do it. "
He jogs down a hallway, and I resist the urge to follow him. I don't know these people, but I do know that they're going to save Louisa. I just want to hold her, and tell her everything will be alright. We're being saved from WICKED. We're going to be okay.
The pull a lever and a door opens. Hot stuffy air greets us and sand blows in. A helicopter is in front of a sand dune, waiting for our arrival. We get pushed forward and we take off in a jog, some feelings of excitement stirring inside of us.
But I stop because of one voice.
" Newt! " I hear footsteps from behind me, and I turn around to see Janson and Louisa, slowly jogging towards me. She looks horrible, and the wind blows sand onto her. It sticks to the blood on her arms. But, she's smiling. I let my own smile spread across my face.
I run as fast as I can towards her. She's right here. She's alive.
I nearly trip a couple of times, but it doesn't take long to reach her. I bring her into my arms, and hold her close. I can feel her tears, hot and wet on my shirt. I treasure the way she fits perfectly in my hold. I feel like my heart might burst.
" You're alive. " I say. My voice comes out strangled.
" Yea. " She says, and then starts to cry even harder.
" I am never letting you go. "
What did you think? I hope that went as well as I wanted it to. But I feel like the chapter was just... meh
Also, i'm going to do some review responses. Only the ones for C4.
GabbyKeyes9 ~ Glad you read everything! I will keep being fabulous. Or at least try to.
Swagmaster5000~ YOU'RE WELCOME! XD and, I made it canon. Btw. Remember
Fangirlwithapassion ~ Was it what you expected? I'm glad you love the story!
fiercetiger333 ~ Honestly, You have been reviewing almost every chapter since the very beginning. Thank you so much. P.S. LEWT!
Okay that was all of them.
Honestly, I'm so disappointed in this chapter. I had writers block because Newt's POV has gotten hard to write in. Not only that but my brother deleted the chapter, and I had over 3500 words written. I tried to re write it, but came up a thousand words short.
BY THE WAY, LOADS OF FLUFF COMING
Have a nice day, night, evening, morning, afternoon, I'm going to go sleep. ( I've been working on this all night and it's currently 11:00 in the morning. I was up all night working on this. )