When The Storm Comes (When We're Older alternative ending)

mr. nice guy

lots of Radiohead coming

Mae

I had followed a group of students to the library after hearing them mention it in the elevator. I'd never been in a library before, but I had a vague idea of what I was to encounter. Many books, maybe some tables and some lamps for studying. I remembered Newt telling me once how he wished he could spend a day reading in a library. Maybe I'll bring a book back for him.

I wasn't just following these people to steal a book for Newt, but instead maybe gather some information on where exactly I am, and whether we were near any other forms of civilization. If I was going to escape, I had to be smart about it—not just run in the middle of the night like I'd gotten so accustomed to. I needed a plan. Somewhere to go after so I wasn't just roaming the earth like a stray waiting to be captured again. I needed to know how things worked here, so that I could work out a window for my escape.

And as terrible as it sounded, I'd have to go to the testing to gain the trust of the people who work here. I'd have to be obedient...

Ew.

Crossing my arms over my stomach as I walked a few yards behind, I followed the group down the hall to the left, passing what looked like multiple testing rooms in the process.

My stomach turned with anxiety at the thought of being tested on again—having a needle shoved into the side of my neck and writhing in pain until the doctors decided it was time to inject me with another serum. The nightmares from The Scorch had never really disappeared completely, only subsided with the comfort Newt brought while sleeping. After the death of my mother though, there was nothing Newt could do to keep me from reliving the trauma.

Sometimes my mother would be the one injecting the serum. Sometimes it wouldn't even be a vision, only the recollection of the feeling the serums brought. I'd be laying there, then all of a sudden it was as though a thousand hot knives were piercing me under my skin and the agonizing pain would only leave once I'd been forced awake.

To merely suggest that there was a possibility I had to relive that again was enough to make me want to jump out of a window.

The only thing that provided me a moments relief from my anxious mind, was the sudden change in setting when the doors to the library swung open. The group I had followed made their way into literature heaven, talking amongst themselves as though they'd seen a room like this every day. They probably had. But my jaw opened in awe as I wished I could capture images with my eyes.

The rounded ceiling created an illusion that the room was bigger than it actually was, but I knew that with a flat roof, I'd still think this was the largest place I'd ever stepped foot in. Light pummeled through the windows, highlighting the spotless brown bookshelves which housed countless books, all different shapes and colors.

Feeling immediately pulled toward a shelf, I abandoned the group I was following and walked toward the case. While I'm sure reading wasn't my thing, I knew for a fact that taking a trip to a library was something Newt dreamed of. Scanning the shelves, I picked up a green hardcover book, figuring I should bring something back for proof.

"The Lord Of The Rings..." I mumbled to myself, flipping the pages quickly. It sounded interesting enough. Quickly glancing to see if anyone was looking in my direction, I slipped the book into my bag, and walked around the corner.

Not knowing where to start my search, I aimlessly walked around a few bookshelves, grazing the aisles and picking up another book for Newt to read. I knew I had to start in the history section somewhere, but all the shelves looked the same. There were no signs telling me where to go, nobody to help me as they were all immersed in their own research.