**BOOK #2 of The Promise Series**
❝ We finally escaped the maze, but with what costs? I miss Ben. I miss Clint. I miss Zart. I miss Jeff. I miss Alby. I miss Chuck. And I miss Gally so much- maybe if I just had kept my promises, Gally could still...
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I grabbed the blankets that Jack had put in my bag when we were back in that abandoned mall. I looked around for anything else that I could use.
"What are you doing, Fin?" Minho asks me.
"Making something to help us carry Winston," I answer. "We leave no man behind." Teresa silently walks away and comes back with a couple of pieces of broken sticks.
"Perfect. Thanks," I smile up to her and she returns the smile. I take the blanket and wraps it around the sticks, tying them tightly in knots. I walk it over to Winston and lay the makeshift sled on the sand. "Help me roll him on?" I ask, but more so order the others, they all nod and help pick up the passed-out boy and place him gently on the sled.
"Here this might also help," Aris offers, passing over a piece of rope that he grabbed from his bag. I take the rope and tie them around the end of the sticks to create a handle so we could pull the sled.
"There we go," I stand back to admire my work.
"I can pull him," Fry offers while sadly looking down at his best friend.
"I'll help Fry," Minho offers as well.
"Okay, we can take turns then," Thomas nods. "Let's keep moving."
I grab Minho and Fry's bags off of them so it would be easier for them to carry Winston. I regret being nice and doing that though, 'cause now I am more tired and in more pain.
"Hey, Fin!" Thomas calls to me. I pick up my pace and join him at the front of the group.
"What's up?" I question.
"You need to take it easy," he says with a strict look.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you need to take it easy. You were shot only a couple of days ago. Now, here you are, trying to help Winston and carrying Fry's and Minho's backpacks on top of yours," Thomas explains.
"What else am I supposed to do?" I ask in confusion.
"Here," he reaches out and grabs my bag and tosses it over his shoulders along with his own.
"Now, you have two bags."
"Yeah, but I am not hurt. Plus, you still have two bags." I let out a sigh. "You are strong and fast, we need you if we are going to make it to the mountains. So, we need you not hurt. Relax a little. Take it slow and easy for now, okay? Heal.
"Yeah, I guess... Thanks, Thomas," he smiles down at me. I looked down to the sand below, falling into thought. When Thomas said 'heal', the word felt as though there was more meaning behind it. Even though, Thomas did not particularly like Gally and vice versa, I could tell that Thomas still felt sorry- mostly sorry for me. Not for Gally.
We walk a few more hours, taking a few rests here and there and switching out people to take turns carrying Winston. Currently, it was my turn- much to Thomas' dismay. I was pulling Winston along the miles of sand with Aris when a sandstorm began to approach us. The wind picked up and the sand started to blow up in the air and into our faces. My eyes burned and I could taste the sand in my mouth. I looked ahead to the others and barely could see them. They had their sweaters all wrapped around their faces to protect themselves while they trudged through this storm. However, Teresa had nothing but her hands to cover her eyes. I pushed my body against the wind and sand over towards her, dragging Aris and Winston with me.
