TST: Searching In The Scorch :Sequel to The Maze In Her Heart: ✔ (UNDER EDITING)

*Chapter Seventeen* Candle lit Roxie

Chapter Seventeen

Liam's POV

    I  wanted to hope the screams belonged to Roxie, but it was confirmed they didn't. The screams were more hoarse and more huskier than Roxie's glass fairy voice. And even if I did hope, I felt bad. The screams coming from nowhere seemed to be the screams of pleading, and the aftermath of torture. Even though the screams themselves are torture on the Glader's ears.

    I just use my method, suck it up and keep going.. No matter what. It worked in the Maze, it works here, yet Minho expects input from everybody, being new at this leader business. I was left partner less, so i just found myself carrying the pack alone. I'm not complaining. Loneliness is bliss right now.

    About a half hour after the screaming started, Minho ordered we take a break, so I found a spot by myself and started eating. One unexpected thing happened to me right then. Aris walked up to me. He asked if we could walk together. I accepted his offer.

    We ran in silence for a few minutes, though every breath sent a spike of pain to my chest. I didn't consider myself as a fit person. I looked fit, but halfway into the jog, my heart started beating faster. Not that I could tell Minho to slow down.

Never tell a Runner to slow down.

    Then Aris spoke. At first, I didn't  seem to listen, but then he mentioned WICKED.

    "What do you think their motive is? Having two groups?" Aris asks.

    I make a scene of tapping my chin, though behind the cheesy gesture, my gears were really working, searching for an answer.

    "I don't know." I finally admit, swinging my arms with my legs to stay balanced. How I wish I could take a sip of my water  right now. Aris chuckles softly, soft enough for me to hear only. Laughter sounds weird. I haven't heard it in so long.

    "I think it's to breed us. To weed out the best of both groups, and to breed us and sort of, make really smart.. babies."

    If I had enough spit, I would've choked on it. "Breed us? Are you insane?"

    From the corner of my eye, I see Aris shrug. "We do have the Flare. I could be.. 'shucked' in the head," Aris replies, his tongue making a weird sound when he pronounces Glang (Glade slang.) "But really, think about it. They are searching for something, aren't they? Maybe smart babies."

    "OR, they could be trying to decide on one group. One group to stay alive. After all, WICKED said stuff would be hard. Maybe for them too, to try to find the one group who will survive all of this."

    I take a moment to actually look at Aris, at his sun faded freckles that remind me of Roxie's against her pale face, and his choppy brown hair. He turns to look at me too, and we share a look of knowing. Breeding and weeding is an option, but not likely.

    "Maybe... I got it! They said they were analyzing our actions and our genes. What if they're just studying us and killing us all off, and in the end just have a butt load of notes to study from?"

    I sigh. That option was more likely than the ones we came up with before. And I frankly didn't want to think about the future, so I just turn away from Aris and lug the pack along.

    After the silence set in, the screams seemed to be louder, but I knew it was just my brain bringing the attention back to it. It rang in my head, bounced off my flesh, cutting into my brain. One of the Glader's in front of me shook their head, cupping their ear.