EPIPHANY ✁ newt

1 , cold

Why did it always have to be so cold?

People had been quick to dismiss my complaints about the freezing temperatures inside this building ever since we had arrived, about a week ago, but despite most of the girls around me being perfectly comfortable in their cotton half-sleeved t-shirts, i shivered even as i pulled on the jacket i had had to request.

Food had been placed in front of us and i slowly picked at a slice of cheese, ignoring the actual 'nourishment' which i know Leya would have scolded me for leaving.
Leya... I tried shaking away the thought of her. I knew i couldn't afford to even think about everything that had gone down in the past fortnight. I couldn't afford to start spiraling again. Pushing my plate away to the side, now completely unable to think about eating, gave me some sort of satisfaction. If nothing else, i could keep up my silent protest against these people. Until they chose to actually tell us something.

The rest of the girls from the Clearing seemed all too pleased with out new living arrangements - and i wouldn't lie, the showers we're welcoming, but something about the whole place just felt... off. I had tried talking to Alex about this, who i had the second most trust in, but she was sceptical, and had said that Harriet was right - we just had to wait and watch what happened.

'There's no point trying to do something rash, Seph. We've got something going here. Let's try and make it last as long as possible' i quoted her in my head - and even though i understood where she was coming from, it just felt wrong.

As my thoughts slowly spiraled, i was suddenly pulled back to reality by the metal door being unlocked. My jaw dropped as around a dozen boys walked into the room, taking seats around a table on the other side of the hall, far enough where i couldn't hear their conversations. As much as i hated it, i was interested.

They were definitely not from our maze... so who were they? Some other death trials? Another similar to ours? Or were they simply normal teenager's who had had a normal life, who had grown up remembering what having a family felt like and knowing they could spend as much time with them as they wanted.

The thought made my lips go sour, even though i was pretty sure that was far from the truth. Three of them stood out to me - an asian boy who looked quite tall from what i could tell. He looked angry about something, talking in whispered tones to a boy with dark hair and eyes, who had an expression of annoyance clearly painted across his face as well. The third had blonde hair - no, it was darker than blonde, and brown eyes. The only way i could describe his face was worried.

No one in the group other than them looked particularly worried - which confused me. Where had they been till now? Before i had time to think it over much more, Janson stepped into the room - his usual smirk planted on his very punch-able looking face.

He started calling out names and my heart skipped a beat on each one, praying, hoping it wouldn't be mine next. Everyone who had been picked till now seemed overjoyed to be going to this, supposed, 'better place' Janson spoke of. But i couldn't help notice i hadn't seen a single one of them after they left this room. That may have been a stupid observation, as they were obviously meant to be leaving this building, but it just felt wrong.

Aris had spoken to me about a few of his midnight adventures through this facility - and had told me about bodies being taken into a locked room on stretchers.

That. Was not. Normal.

Aris and i had grown a lot closer over the past few days, once we had escaped the Maze. We both seemed to be able to sense each others weariness - and in its own strange way it brought a twisted feeling of comfort. I had only had a few days to get to know him in the Maze - but i could tell he meant well. The poor boy had gone through so much already, with everything that had happened in such a short amount of time. And losing Rachel so close to the finish line... i couldn't imagine what it would feel like.

That in its self had been part of the reason i had sworn off of any sort of romantic relationship even after the Maze. I didn't have it in me to lose someone like that - so i wouldn't give the universe a chance to make it happen.

I noticed Janson had finished calling names, thankfully no one i knew very well was chosen - and there was a calming lack of 'Sephora'. I knew the day would come soon, but i could try avoid it for as long as possible nonetheless. Just as my guard slipped a little, the brown eyed boy stood up, walking towards one of the windows.

"Hey! Teresa! TERESA!" he yells, throwing himself towards the glass where i could just make out a brunette being escorted by a few guards outside. The guard stops him, they speak a few words to each other, and the boy slowly walks back to his seat.

Tilting my head slightly, i can't help feel even more curious about the new-comers.

"Sephora, follow me" jumping at the sudden voice, i locked eyes with Estell, the nurse who had been treating me the last week. She was always pleasant to me, but she'd never called me out during a meal time - and now everyone was staring at me, including the new group.

Nodding at her briefly, i slid out from the bench i was seated on, letting my hair frame my face in a weak attempt to keep attention off me, and quickly walked over to the woman, letting her lead me to her office.

She sat down behind her white desk, on her white seat, in her white room, leaving me a hard plastic chair to take across from her.

"Sephora, how are you feeling today?"

"Fine." She was used to that answer. It was all Estell got unless she prodded further.

"The headaches?"

"Sometimes"

"Any more dizzy spells?"

"A few."

"A few this week?"

"Today."

"Still unable to eat properly?"

"Yeah."

The last word came out as barely a whisper. I was tired of the same old questions every single day. Estell sighed, standing up and getting my usual injection ready as i watched in awkward silence.

"That should tide you over. I will call you to my office earlier tomorrow, since from your reaction it seems none of your friends know about these... procedures." she said, quickly taking my arm and using the needle painlessly.

I had the urge to correct her and tell her i didn't really have friends, but instead i just nodded.

Aris was waiting for me in the girls dorm when i arrived there ten minutes later. "What did she want with you?"

I rolled my eyes, not particularly wanting to lie to him, but also not wanting to say anything in front of a dozen girls who i knew were listening. "It's nothing, some tests. I don't know."

He frowned, not looking convinced, but bid us goodnight soon after and vanished through the vents. I flung myself onto my bed, trying pointlessly to sleep, but my brain wouldn't let me for another few hours, instead replaying the events of that day, the events of that week, the events of that month...

As much as i tried to escape my memories from the maze, i could never seem to run far enough - and they always managed to find ways to slip into my dreams. 

credits !

every character other than sephora and estell (till now) belong to the amazing james dashner ! 

also i really hope you guys enjoy the first chapter :3 - lythora