𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 & 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘-𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮

TWENTY-SIX

A buzzing filled the room and a big screen flickered to life. A woman in white took up the screen. She was sitting in the exact same room as we stood in, only it didn't look like the mess it was now. Other people in white walked around behind her, most likely discussing us.

"Hello." Her voice echoed around the room. "My name is Ava Paige. I'm director of operations World in Catastrophe Killzone Department. If you're watching this, that means that you have successfully completed the Maze Trials." I stared at the lady, wishing I was there now, if only to choke her. Make her suffer the way she made us. "I wish I could be there to congratulate you in person, but it seems certain circumstances have prevented that.

"I'm sure by now you all are confused, angry, frightened. I can only assure you that everything you went through, everything we've done to you, it was all done for a reason." My nails dug into my palms. What reason was necessary for me to be attached the way I was. To be almost killed? "You won't remember, but the sun has scorched our world. Billions of lives lost to fire-famine-" The screen switched to videos of the sun exploding and the world on fire. Piles of bodies, black and burned. "Suffering on a global scale. The fall out was unimaginable, what came after was worse.

"We call it the flare. A deadly virus that attacks the brain." It switched to someone picking a brain out of a skull-and I was no scientist, but it did not look normal. "It is violent, unpredictable-" A person being held down to a table, veins covered their body, black goo slipping out the side of their mouth. It almost looked like Ben when he was stung, only worse. "Incurable. Or so we thought.

"In time a new generation emerged that can survive the virus. Suddenly there was reason to hope for a cure, but finding it would not be easy. The young would have to be tested, forced inside harsh environments to find out what made them different. What made you different. You may not realize it, but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun as you'll no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods." Flashes went off behind her, hitting the screens and the scientist. "Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us, but not for you."

People in black clothing and gear appeared on the screen, carrying big guns. They shot at the glass behind her, but she seemed unfazed by it. "The outside world awaits. Remember," She reached behind her and pulled out a small handgun, pointing it at her head. "WICKED is good." I watched as the gun went off and she slumped off the chair, blood flew to the glass that shattered in seconds from the bullets coming from the men in black.

The screen glitched, glowing blue now. She was dead. The woman who ran all of this was finally gone. We were out and free. But no, she said that our trials have only just begun. What else would we have to go through just for them to find this "cure"?

Thomas stepped past us and we followed him to where the lady in the video laid, specks of glass surrounding her. So this was recent. Who had sent in the video then, if she-and everyone else-was dead? None of this made sense.

A loud buzzing sound came from a door to our left and it opened, revealing a black tunnel with a slit of light coming from the end. Another door. Why hasn't it opened yet?

"Is it over?" Chuck asked.

"She said we were important." Newt pointed out. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know," Thomas said after taking a moment to think. "But let's get out of here."

"No." A voice said from behind us. I never turned around so quickly, never been happier to see Gally.

I went to step towards him, but Newt's hand on my shoulder stopped me. I looked up at the boy, but he only looked at Gally.

"He's been stung." Teresa said. Gally dropped something on the floor and I recognized it as the Key. How did he get one? Where was ours?

He didn't look okay. His face was red and he was crying. I felt the blood rushing to my ears as I tried to hold back the tears from seeing Gally like this. "We can't leave." A gun rattled in his hand. He must have picked it up from one of the dead men.

"We did, Gally, we're out." He held his hands up like he would to a wild animal. "We're free."

Gally laughed mockingly. "You think we're free out there?" He shook his head, raising the gun at Thomas.

I shook off Newt's hand and stood in front of the group. Gally looked at me, his gun still trained on the boy. "Please, Gally don't do this. Just put it down, we can get you help." My voice shook and I hated it. Why couldn't I be strong just this once? Or at least sound like it.

"There's no escape from this place."

"You're not thinking straight." Thomas pleaded. "Just put down the gun alright. You don't want to shoot her."

Gally shook his head, dropping his gaze to the floor. I could see how much he struggled with the insanity that came with the sting. And it was then that I had connected the dots.

Gally had the Flare.

I felt a hand close around my wrist and it pulled me back as Gally said, "I belong to the Maze. We all do."

A bang went off and everyone screamed. I closed my eyes out of fear, my heart beating against my chest, fighting to escape my body. But I didn't feel anything.

Sound returned with a gasping breath and I opened my eyes to see Gally fall to his knees, his mouth open, hitching breaths leaving it. A spear stuck out of his chest.

I screamed and ran to his side, barely having time to catch him before he hit his head. "No, no, please." My tears landed on his face and his eyes moved quickly before settling and his breathing stopped. I screamed again, holding him close to me.

This wasn't real. I thought as I sobbed. I heard Thomas yell out Chuck's name and I turned my head in time to see the young boy fall, a red dot seeping into his shirt and spreading out.

Oh my god...I watched, unable to move as Thomas assured the boy he would be fine, as Chuck put something into Thomas hand. It was stained with blood.

"No, I promised you would give this to them yourself, remember?" Chuck wheezed and muttered for Thomas to take it.

He pushed it into Thomas hand and breathed harshly for a few more seconds before going silent. A sob racked up my throat and I wanted to vomit. Too many friends... Too many friends that I had considered family gone, just like that.

All noise disappeared as I felt myself slip into a state between consciousness and disassociation. I couldn't remember being pulled by Gally's body or through the hot and dry sand of the outside. Not even when I was practically tossed into a helicopter.

I couldn't remember anything and I wished I could go back to before all of this. I wish I couldn't remember the Pain and Ecstasy.