The Player of the Maze

Reflection

The clean free of the flare air surrounded Thomas as he sat up quickly.

"Paige..." Thomas said breathing heavily. As soon as he regained consciousness a sharp pain in his stomach, where he had been shot. How was he alive? He for sure thought he was dead. Paige... Rushing out of a bamboo hut like the one in the Glade. Only this time light surrounded it, hope and happiness. Not fear or sadness. The sun shone down on the large island, as a ship rested on the ocean blue waters. Walking around, Thomas saw kids running around laughing free from Wicked. Girls laughing. Boys playing football. People cooking, some sleeping. But there was one person specially Thomas was looking for. There she was. Watching a boy make a figure carving wood. Just like Chuck.

"Paige!" Thomas yelled. "Paige..." Turning quickly, Paige made eye contact with him as she started to break down. She was also bandaged up only her leg but she did have a limp. Walking closer Thomas realised she was crying. Limping halfway to meet him the girl flung herself into his arms.

"You could have died. You almost died Tommy." Paige said her voice shaking in his arms.

"It's okay. I'm okay now." Thomas said kissing her forehead relieved her father hadn't killed either of them.

"Don't do that!" Paige shouted. "Don't nearly die on me! Don't leave!"

"I won't. I promised myself and Luca and Newt to take care of you. Plus." Thomas stopped. "I like you Paige. I love you." Paige smiled brightly.

"Incase you haven't noticed." Minho said getting his hug from Thomas. It was a long hug. They had just lost their brother. Newt. But that was a story no one wants to read. Then Frypan joined then Paige and Galy. Out of 50 Gladers only 5 had made it. 45 had lost their lives so they could live their lives.

•••••

As the first night grew on the survivors of the Great War they all took their places around the fireplace. Paige stood In front of everyone with Vince.

"Hey guys! Welcome to the Safe Haven." Vince shouted as everyone cheered. "But anyways. Back from the dead. The leader of this. Paige Everdeen." Paige stood in front of everyone with a beer in her hand as she looked around.

"How about this huh? I went from a no one literally I didn't even know my own name to being safe from Wicked forever." Paige smiled. "But to get here we lost people. But I see them around everywhere here. Chuck-." Paige's voice broke a little saying his name. "I see him in the kids playing around. Alby in Jorge and Vince. N. N. Newt in every place. These are the things we lost in the fire. The fire of the war. We couldn't have made it without them. So. I want to say thank you. Holding the bottle of beer, the final survivors of Wicked, looked around at all that was left of them. All the immunes, all those friends with immunes. But, looking around Paige didn't see Chuck physically, he had died looking into Paige and Thomas' eyes. She didn't see Newt, who she had just found out had died to save Thomas. Alby, her mentor and idol, he had died hoping Paige would be stood here only with more than 5. She didn't see Winston who had killed himself to stop him becoming a Crank. Teresa, who she hated, but was now thankful, she had saved her and the love of her life from her father. She didn't see the happiness the Gladers had whilst they were eating thinking they had escaped Wicked. That meal was special to Paige, after all that was the last time they were all together. As one. A family.
Walking back to her friends, she smiled at them as Vince took over the speech. Sitting next to Thomas she rested her head on his shoulder holding his hand.

"You okay?" Thomas asked.

"Just wished everyone made it." Paige said.

"I know." Thomas whispered.

••••

Getting some quiet time, Paige reached into her pocket pulling out the paper Newt had given her the last time she had seen him. A letter in his handwriting.

"Oh Newt." Paige whispered reading it. Tears of joy and sadness fell onto the paper. That's when Paige understood that Newt had to die to save them. It was Wicked's plan. To kill of Newt. If only it wasn't like that. He would be here right now. Later that night, Paige's hair shone in the light of the fireplace. Her eyes finally glistened of happiness but not the same as before of all of this. Looking from afar, Thomas looked over at her laughing with Luca and he smiled brightly. This was all he wanted, her to be safe, with him. After all they were destined to be together. Or that's what Minho said anyway. The two made eye contact as Thomas walked over to his girl and smiled wrapping his arms around her. Minho and Luca smiled walking away.

"We made it Tommy." Paige whispered. This was it. This was the endgame. They were endgame. Nothing else could hurt them. They had built Wicked and burnt it to the ground.

𝟕 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑....

Chasing Paige, Thomas tackled her to the ground gently.

"Dad! You're not meant to hurt mummy!" A little boy said.

"Oh sorry." Thomas smiled. "You going to stop me Newt Chuck Alby Everdeen."

"Yes. I'm mummy's protector." Newt replied.

"And who's my protector?" Thomas asked smiling sat next to Paige looking at his little boy.

"Mummy and me." Newt replied.

"And who's your protector?" Paige asked smiling.

"Everyone here. Uncle Minho. Uncle Luca. Aunty Brenda. Grandpa Jorge. Everyone." Newt smiled. "And Uncle Newt, Alby and Chuck looking over at me from heaven."

"And..." Paige said.

"Aunty Teresa." Newt smiled running away to Uncle Luca.

"Grandpa Jorge." Paige chuckled.

"He's not going to get along with that one." Thomas smiled before kissing Paige.

"Hey!" Teresa shouted a little girl running over at Thomas and Paige the same age as Newt. "Look I found a turtle." Paige and Thomas smiled at each other then at their daughter. They were powerful. The faces of the rebellion. Their children were going to be powerful. The same way their mother and father were....