𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ★ 𝙏𝙈𝙍

[34] Betrayal.

Elsie and Katie had run off hand in hand, leaving a trail of giggles behind them as they disappeared into the camp. the two girls chattered excitedly as they ran up a little rock ledge. they reached the top and sat cross-legged together dangerously close to the edge, looking over the camp. "Oh, tell me about the Maze Elsie" Katie whispered, clutching Elsie's hands. 

"Well," Elsie began, clearing her throat. "One day, I came up into the maze in the box"

"Box?" Katie echoed, frowning. Elsie nodded. "and I couldn't remember anything. I was surrounded by loads of smelly boys," Elsie said, grimacing and fanning her nose as if she had smelt something awful, causing Katie to laugh. "but there was this one boy who picked me up and carried me in his arms" Elsie continued. Katie nodded with wide eyes, fully immersed in the story. "it was Newt, my big brother. he always looked after me and comforted me. I don't know what I'd do without him"

Elsie told Katie everything, her stories and memories of the glade, all about her dear friends and her bestfriend Chuck, and the Gladers escape from the Maze. Katie was absolutely gobsmacked. "Wow!" she whispered. "You really have been on quite the adventure haven't you"

"What about you, Katie? what's your story" Elsie asked her curiously. Katie cleared her throat and straightened her back, sitting up straight. "Doctor Mary and I escaped the WICKD base when my older brother was taken into the maze. he had given her all the information the Right arm needed, the locations of all the WCKD labs, bases and warehouses and all sorts." Katie explained. "she took me with her as she had promised Thomas she would protect me at all costs- Elsie, why are you looking at me like that?"

Elsie's jaw had dropped. she was staring at Katie in shock, her facial expression resembling one of a Goldfish. "Katie! that means... Thomas is your older brother!" 

"Well, I wasn't so sure-" Katie said, only to get cut off by Elsie. "it all matches up! you have to tell him!" Elsie exclaimed. but Katie sighed. "Elsie... Thomas won't remember me" she whispered, the pain and fear evident in her voice. Elsie's smile fell. "I can't bear it, Els. I remember him. all the memories. but he doesn't. he's probably forgotten I exist and he'll never remember" 

"You have to talk to him, Katie! its alright. you have all the time in the world to get to know Thomas, and before you know it, you two will have that sibling connection once more. I mean look at me and Newt, that special bond can't ever be broken, whether your memories are wiped or not" Elsie reassured Katie, squeezing her shoulder. 

Katie smiled and nodded. "I will" she whispered. "Elsie... tell me about your heart pendant" 

Elsie bit her lip, gently slipping her heart pendant out from beneath her t-shirt, laying the wooden heart pendant in her palm to show Katie, who leaned over to look at it. "Chuck made it for me" Elsie admitted, her voice wobbling as she thought back to the day chuck died. "I took it from him before we were taken away by WICKD. I had to leave his body behind, all alone in that lab" she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. 

Katie leaned forward and enveloped Elsie into a hug. the two girls sat their comforting each other in silence before pulling away. Elsie quickly wiped at her tears, smiling at Katie, but before the girls could resume  their chat, the sound of footsteps nearing closer filled their ears. 

"someone's coming! quick, let's hide!" Katie whisper shouted, giggling. the two girls leapt to their feet and ran off hand in hand, quickly darting behind a large rock and crouching down out of sight. 

The someone was Teresa. 

the two girls observed Teresa stood on the Edge of the cliff, standing silently as she stared into the distance at the setting sun. The two girls looked at each other, puzzled. What was Teresa doing?

another set of rapid footsteps could be heard as another figure emerged, Thomas. 

"Hey, you okay?" Thomas called to Teresa, his voice slicing through the silence. "What are you doing up here?" Teresa turned to face Thomas, glancing at him before turning her back on him again. "Just thinking" she replied. Thomas nodded. "All right, I'll let you be alone" he said, turning to leave only to stop as Teresa called out to him.

The two teenagers failed to noticed the pair of eyes peeking over at them from behind a large rock.

"Do you remember your mother?" Teresa asked him. "I think so" Thomas mumbled, looking uncertain. 

"I remember mine." Teresa said, turning to face Thomas. her eyes were glossy as if she were near tears. "she was a beautiful woman. everybody loved her. and before WICKD, she was all I had. When she got sick, I didn't know what to do. I just kept her locked up, Hidden. I thought she'd get better. Every night, she'd make these awful sounds... like screaming. and then one night, she just stopped. she was finally quiet."

"I went down to her room, and there was blood everywhere. But she was just sat there, calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were gone, she'd taken care of them. She took her eyes out Thomas" Teresa said, her voice thick with tears. 

Elsie felt terrible for Teresa. Katie and Elsie looked at each other, their expressions grim. they felt rather guilty for listening in on their private conversation. 

"There are millions of people suffering out there Thomas. Millions of stories just like mine" Teresa whispered, swallowing back tears. "We can't turn our backs on them.. I won't."

"W-what are you saying?" Thomas stammered, frowning. "Im saying I want you to understand." Teresa whispered, looking very very guilty. "Understand what?" Thomas persisted.

"Why I did it" Teresa said. Elsie felt a horrible horrible feeling in her stomach. she shook her head slowly, her eyes widening in Horror as she spotted the lights in the distance. Teresa had turned them into WICKD. 

Thomas' eyes widened in shock as he spotted the aircrafts speeding towards them, the humming of the engines growing closer. "Teresa.."

"Please don't fight them Thomas!" Teresa begged, almost in tears as she looked around frantically. 

"Thomas!" Elsie cried, leaping out from behind the rock. Thomas and Teresa turned to look at the two girls in surprise. Elsie and Katie ran forward, both of them hiding behind Thomas as they watched the aircrafts growing closer and closer. 

"What have you done!" Thomas exclaimed, taking the two girl's hands as he began running back down the ledge to the camp, dragging Elsie and Katie with him, leaving Teresa stood alone on the ledge, watching WICKD arrive.