The Scorch Trials Rewrite

Part 3

  Janson called another list of names, and I held my breath the whole time hoping that none of my friends were those names. We were some of the few people who weren't excited to go.

"I wanna know what's through that door," Thomas said. I nodded and Newt looked away from us with an eyeroll. Needless to say, they weren't totally sold on what we'd told them. They weren't there to see it, but I wished they would just take our word.

"Now, we've been over this. You said they were covered up, so you don't know what you saw. It could've been anything under there."

"I know exactly what I saw, they were bodies."

Minho and Winston leaned in when I spoke quietly. "Aris said they bring in a new batch every night."

"Who the hell is Aris?" Minho asked. I pointed to him sitting alone again with his hood up. He was holding up a piece of cornbread, letting it crumble in his fingers. "Well... I'm sold." I made a face at his sarcastic remark and he smiled at me.

Ratman finished calling names and they started to walk out. A guard had the door open for them to pass through. Newt started talking, probably something about waiting for the right time and keeping a low profile, but I jumped up and walked purposefully to the end of the line.

I had no plan, not even an inkling of what I was going to do, so this was probably a stupid idea to act as the bait. It was a spur of the moment, but I was committed now. I was in the game in a position I'd never practiced for.

I was almost through the door when Jason, the guard who'd talked to Thomas yesterday, pushed me back by my chest, the other guard stepping in the doorway with his thick arms over his chest. "Woah, hang on. You weren't called."

I shoved his hands off. "Get your hands off me. I'll just be a second."

He pushed me back again when I tried to walk. "This is a restricted area, kid."

"Look, there's just someone I have to see, so can you-." I tried to go around him, but he gripped my upper arm so hard I thought I was getting my blood pressure tested.

"Hey, I said it's restricted. Get your ass back in that chair."

"You're hurting me." I was scared that this man might have the authority to hurt me even more if I tried to pass him again.

"Hey! Let her go!" Thomas yelled, stalking up behind me. With an annoyed frown, Jason pushed my arm back, and I stumbled backwards into Minho. Thomas lurched forward angrily. He didn't throw a punch or anything, he just shoved Jason back. "What's your problem, man?! What the hell, huh?!"

"Back off!" Jason kept his hand on Thomas' chest, but Thomas was so angry that he just kept shoving.

"Thomas, it's fine!" I shouted through the louder noises. Minho and Fry pulled Thomas back from Jason while Newt stepped between the two, holding out his arms.

"Control your friend!" Jason demanded.

Ratman pushed him to the side angrily. "What's happening here?" As a group, we backed up from him, and he looked at me then Thomas, who's chest was still jumping up and down with anger. "Thomas, Y/N... I thought we could trust each other." He came forward, putting one hand on each of our shoulders, and I looked at his hand in distaste. He gave me the creeps. "You know we're all on the same team here."

"Are we?" Thomas asked.

Janson smiled, but it was the kind of smile that had fury and annoyance behind it. "Get them to their bunks." Hands smacked down on my shoulders, a set of guards already whisking us away. Their touch was light as we walked through the cafeteria, all eyes focused on us like we were being taken to the principal's office.