Lovers Lies || Thomas

14 - Runner

COLD water ran down Sandra's back as she brushed her wet hair out, looking at herself in the mirror. Dark circles sat under her eyes, the bruising on her neck from Adam still noticeable with a few new bruises on her face from the maze.

The mysterious girl had been rushed to the Med hut where Carlos was, keeping watch with Jeff and Clint. Sandra was going to stay too, but the three boys had told her she should get cleaned up.

In all honesty, Sandra was more than happy to agree since she had no idea what to do with the news about the new girl. In three years, it had always been Sandra as the only girl in the Glade. Now there was another and she didn't know what to think. Part of her was over the moon, but another part of her was worried. Why would another girl suddenly get sent up?

Shaking the thoughts away, Sandra walked out of the shower hut, making her way toward the medical hut so she could check on Alby who was still going through the changing.

Alby stirred and groaned as Sandra sat on a wooden stump near him. She hated seeing his arms and legs pinned down on the bed by restraints, but with him being stung, they had to take extra precautions.

None of the boys had been in the room since Sandra had arrived, and she was okay with that. She didn't want them to see her so bothered by the state of her earliest friend. The world felt like it was moving too fast around her with Nick's death, then Ben's, and now Alby looked like he was dying next.

She reached her arm forward, hesitating to lay her hand on his leg, but she did anyway. His legs jerked, the reaction of her touch feeling like a punch in the gut.

"Hey, Albs," she quietly said, looking at his face. His eyes were squeezed shut; his breathing was abnormal. "It's Sansa, your friend."

Of course, there was no response from his mouth, but his body did seem to relax the smallest bit.

"You know, if you were awake right now, you would kick my ass because I went into the maze to get you," she half-heartedly laughed, feeling the fresh tears burning her eyes. "Listen," she paused, taking in a deep breath, "I know what's going to happen to you—we all do—and for once in my life, I'm going to have to abandon my job at those doors. I-I can't bring myself to do to you what I've done to Ben and all the other boys in the past." Those tears burned her eyes as they met the skin on her face.

She removed her hand from his leg, covering her mouth with her other hand to silence her cries. Never did she think a day like this would come. Never in a million years.

"Three years we have survived," Sandra continued on. "There's no way it can end like this for you." She wiped under her nose, taking in a deep breath. "We built this place together, from the bottom up. You can't leave now, not when we're so close, Albs."

His hands curled up into fists and she dropped her head. He'd been stung. How are we supposed to save you when we didn't know how to save the others?

She lifted her head, blinking away the tears. "You need to get better, Alby. I need you here—the boys need you here."

Only his silence answered her, deafening her thoughts and squeezing her heart till it was painful.

"Sorry, Sansa," Jeff quietly announced himself, standing in the doorway. Sandra wiped away her tears, sending him a small smile. "Gally's asked for us in the council hall."

Annoyance prickled her skin and she nodded, standing up. "Any idea why?"

Jeff shook his head. "He didn't say." He looked down at Alby, then back to Sandra. "I can tell him you're busy—"

"It's okay," she cut him off gently, walking toward him. "Let's be quick about it, okay?"

He nodded, stepping out of her way as she passed him and headed out of the medical hut. The boys were quieter today, mixed feelings swarming the camp. She knew half of them were waiting for her to make an announcement or something, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.