Evolution (O/C X TMR)

Unclear Skys

*Tris's POV*

I made it to the outskirts of the city with my bike, making sure to stash it in an abandoned building that most people stayed away from since the cranks liked to take up residence there. I pulled up the hood of my jacket to try to keep a low profile and avoid any unwanted attention.

The sounds of distant rhythmic booms and the smell of desperation slowly grew stronger as I made my way to my former place of employment. The familiar yet foreign aroma drawing me twords my past. Memories only recently unlocked, jumbled fragments of another life I've had to weave together like an intricate puzzle came bubbling to the surface. Though I had lived through it, the images didn't completely feel real. Slowly but surely, my memories have become more coherent, and they have been easier to recall without much effort.

In the minutes that's past I had found myself lost in thought, reliving the last time I was here. Unsure of how my reappearance would be perceived by Markus, the best I could do is clear the air about my intentions with him.

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*Aris's POV*

Rachel and I have been in this facility for 4 days. Yesterday, they called Rose's name to be taken to some paradise. Something feels off about this whole thing, I can't really explain why. These people who had supposedly saved us from WCKD, they just don't feel right, and the whole gunfight when we escaped. Nothing was adding up right.

We're sitting alone at a table in the corner of the cafeteria. Rachel and I are eating what was supposed to be food, though the cornbread seems barely edible. We're waiting for the names to be called again, there was only 6 of us that made it here, Harriot and Sonya were taken back by WCKD during the gunfight when we escaped the maze, that's what we were told.

Ours was the first group to arrive, but apparently there was more then 1 maze. Everyday more and more kids show up, everyone's story pretty much the same, except we've been the only ones who were there at the gunfight, the other groups have only said they've seen the aftermath of one.

".. ey... hey... Hey." Rachel grabs my wrist from across the table and shakes it slightly while trying to get my attention.

"Huh.. Oh, sorry, what's up?" I asked, still a bit disoriented from being lost in thought. I pull my hands back into my lap and stare back down at my tray, not entirely comfortable with being touched by one of the girls who sent an innocent girl to her death. I know it's kind of selfish and probably petty of me to hold it against her, or any of them really. But they barely let me stay, they were going to throw me out into the maze as well. By the grace of Sonya and Rose, they managed to convince the group to let me stay and help everyone escape, still though, that doesn't make it right.

"They're about to call our names, cheer up Aris, we'll be back with the others soon, and we'll be safe from WCKD!" Rachel whispers excitedly to me. She wants so desperately to believe what these people are telling us, but I don't buy it.

"Rachel.. I'm telling you, something doesn't feel right about this place.. I don't trust them." I argued back, still keeping my voice low as to not draw attention to our conversation.

"Then trust me." She pleaded, looking me directly in the eye. "I have a good feeling about this." She added trying to assure me. I could feel my face contort into one of disgust and disbelief on it's own, I was baffled.

"Trust... You?.." I said blatantly, a twinge of anger in my voice. I could see Rachel's body visually tense up at my words. "You helped kill someone who was just trying to protect me and then tried to convince the other dryads to kill me, too." I was glaring so hard at the girl in front of me it felt like my eyes might burst. "Do not ever ask me to trust you, it's never going to happen. We're stuck together due to the circumstances, the moment we're free of these people, we're going our separate ways." I said firmly. I felt bad, but I couldn't help but blame her. She sat there quietly not moving to say anything else.