𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷 - [EDITING]

Chapter Twenty Three - Addy

I sit on the bed with Newt, waiting. He still hasn't woken up and I'm incredibly worried. It's been hours since I spoke with Teresa. It has to be night by now. She must be coming. Unless, she changed her mind. If she changed her mind then... then I don't know what I'll do.

"She's not coming," I tell the unconscious Newt. "What do I do?"

Newt's silence reflects my own uncertainty.

"Well, we can't stay here."

Even though I have no clue where to go, I slide Newt's body to the end of the bed, drape his arms around my shoulders, and hoist him onto my back. I strain to stand, but with his added weight, I can't walk more than a few steps. I definitely can't run or escape guards. Newt is on the skinny side, but he's tall and I'm not particularly strong.

I gently place the boy back down on the bed and sob in defeat. There's nothing I can do. I can't get us both to safety and I'm not about to leave Newt here. I failed.

Just then, a quiet knock interrupts my pity party. I scramble to my feet and wipe my eyes before opening the door. A slim, brown haired girl stands before me.

"Teresa?" I ask the older girl and she nods. "Thank goodness! I thought you weren't coming."

I pull her into an embrace, but she tenses at my touch and I release her. "Sorry, I just- thank you."

Teresa clears her throat uncomfortably. "So shall we get going? There's only a short space between shifts. The guards will be back soon."

"Yes," I say, "but what about Newt?"

Teresa glances at the boy on the bed. "Come on."

Teresa walks to the bed and slips Newt's arm over her shoulder. Then she gestures for me to join her and I do the same in his other side. Together, we lift Newt and pull him out the door and down the hall as quickly as possible. His feet drag and his head hangs, but we're moving and that's all that matters.

After quite a while of walking down seemingly identical hallways, until we run into a woman with dark brown hair. I gasp and start stumbling backwards, but the woman speaks and stops me in my tracks.

"Addy! Wait, please."

I know her voice. "M- Mom?"

She nods, tears in her eyes. I want to throw myself into her arms but I can't let Newt down. She reads my mind.

"Here." My mother throws Newt over her shoulder effortlessly. "Let's go."

She bolts down the hallway and I follow. This is it! We're going to be free! I run like I've never run before, focused only on the next step and entirely oblivious to the alarm ringing out. My mother shoves through a door and throws Newt into the back seat of a truck outside. She clambers into the driver's side and guns the engine. I open the passenger door, but, out of nowhere, guards appear and their arms pull me back.

"Go!" I scream. "Get him out of here!" We were so close. We were so close.

My mom hesitates but only for a moment. Men swarm the vehicle, climbing into the bed of the truck, but my mom drives in an erratic pattern and knocks them all off. I watch as the truck disappears into the distance, followed by a dozen men on motorcycles, while being dragged back into the facility. Time seems to slow as I watch. My mother's hand flies out the window and explosions follow the release of whatever was clenched inside it. And then they're gone in a puff of smoke, taking with them my hope.

---

"How did they find us?" I ask Teresa. "I thought you disabled the cameras."

She blinks at me. "I called them. Besides, the boys were getting out of the Maze just then and the Right Arm was collecting them."

"Why?" I hiss at the emotionless girl in front of me. "Why give me hope just to take it all away?"

Teresa shrugs and goes back to prepping a series of needles. "I realized it wasn't worth it. I wanted to help you be happy, but I realized it was more important to keep you for the Trials and save all of humanity. Happiness is temporary and illogical. A cure is not."

"That's all we are? Lab rats?"

Teresa nods. "It's for the greater good. Your lives could save billions."

She finishes checking my vitals and cleans up her station. I slide off the examination table and I'm immediately escorted to my room by guards who inform me that the next Trials will begin in the morning.

I sit down on the bed and immediately start searching for the foriegn object in my brain and press it. Thomas? I think to my brother. Thomas, are you alright?

He doesn't answer so I try Newt. Newt? I say. Are you ok? Please, Newt. Give me anything.

He doesn't respond. Distress claws at my gut. They have to be ok. Please let them be ok. An idea pops into my head. If I can talk to Newt, I can probably talk to all of the other Gladers!

I take a deep breath and focus on Minho. Minho? It's Addy. If he does hear me, he probably thinks he's gone crazy. Don't worry, this doesn't feel normal, but it's ok. Will you get Thomas? He won't respond and I need to be sure that you're all alright.

Moments later Thomas' groggy voice fills my head. How he can seem groggy when we're not even using sound, I don't know, but he does. Addy? You just scared the klunk out of Minho. How the shuck can you talk with him?

I giggle. I can imagine how Minho's face and can sense Tommy chuckling lightly along with me. I send him my memory of him teaching me. We can speak with all of them!

What the shuck? Tommy says. That's amazing! And WICKED doesn't know about it?

I mentally shrug. Guess not. Where are you guys?

Thomas blows out a sigh and I imagine him running his hand through his hair. Not sure, to be honest. Some sort of facility. I didn't get a real good look around but we're all in a giant dorm room and have been for quite a while. I've lost track of time. As far as I could tell, it's just the bedroom and a main room. Where are you? I thought Mom would take you back to us.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to tell him the truth because I know it would worry him and he doesn't need more of that, so I change the subject. Is Newt still unconscious? I smile a little as I realize that Thomas has no clue that we're together now.

What do you mean? My brother has a grim tone. Isn't Newt with you? Why is he unconscious?

I cringe at myself. Such a stupid thing to ask. Now I have to tell him.

When I've finished explaining, Thomas is speechless. You mean to tell me that Newt is missing and unconcious and you're still trapped at WICKED?!

Yes... For some reason, his concern makes me feel guilty and embarrased. Don't worry about me. I have a plan. Not true. I'll be out of here and coming to you guys by morning.

If you say so... Thomas doesn't sound convinced. I love you, Addy. Stay safe.

I love you too and don't worry, I wi-

My door is thrown open and one of the doctors walks in with his hands behind his back. He has rectangular, wire-rimmed glasses and a shiny, balding head.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," he says, stepping closer. "You've got a big day in the morning."

I open my mouth to speak, but before I can he plunges a needle into my thigh and I blackout immediately.

*A/N Continued in my second installment of the series, The Loved and the Lost! I hope you've enjoyed and tysm to all those who have made it this far!*