The Hawk / Maze Runner/ Harriet

𝒜 𝐻𝒶𝓌𝓀 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒞𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝐹𝓁𝓎

-2 weeks later-

"For fucks sake!" I yell in frustration.

The small wooden figure I was carving hits the jagged rocks, falling into a crevice.

I had been sitting on the shoreline for just over an hour. Attempting to carve pieces of driftwood into figurines. I've had three failed attempts so far, my left arm kept shaking, causing me to dig in too far and mess up the entire piece.

One last try.

I'll try one more time.

I saw off a portion of driftwood, flicking open my utility knife once again. I strip off the bark on one side, moving to the next.

I hold the wood in my left arm, the blade in my right. Most of my focus is on my left arm not jittering rather than where I'm moving the knife.

The wood's clean, relatively smooth, a blank canvas.

My mind is blank on what to create.

I look around me, there has to be something.

A bird flies over head, my eyes flick up, squinting to see what it is.

It's a hawk.

If that's not a sign I don't know what is, I guess I'm carving a Hawk.

I lightly etch out my guide lines, content with the general shaping. I press harder, cutting deep into the gap under the hawk's wings.

I feel my left arm grow tight. I know this feeling well enough. I set down the unfinished carving. Shaking my arm lightly.

I pick up where I left off, creating more details, the feathers, the slight hook of the beak. I thought back to the Glade, the other bird that I carved, the lopsided one, the one I carved with Chuck by my side.

And before I know it, it's done.

It turned out surprisingly well, not as lopsided as my old one. It's sorta pretty, I'm tempted to throw it like the others, but instead I stuff it into my pocket as I get up.

The ground crunches as I walk, my head is buried in thought, my eyes glued to the ground.

"Char!" Thomas yells.

The boy waves me over and I scurry over.

"Hm?"

"Fry needs help peeling potatoes, and I know that you've been well.."

"Bored out of my fucking mind?" I bud in.

"Yeah, that. So I thought I'd ask if you'd like to go help."

"..Frypan asked you to do it, and you really don't want to, right?" I ask.

Thomas looks away sheepishly. "..Maybe."

—---

I flop down onto my bed with a groan, my body aches.

"When was the last time you changed your bandages?" Harriet asks from the shack's doorway.

I look up, not realizing she ever entered.

"Umm.." I say out loud. "Never?"

"Oh my lord Charlotte." She says with a sigh.

She sits down on the bed next to me.

"No wonder they look so grimy.." She mutters.

I shrug.

"Here, let me go find some and I'll help you change them, alright?" Harriet says.

"Alright.." I mutter, slightly embarrassed.

Being 'injured' and all reminds me too much of the days in the Glade, I'm getting real fed up with healing and shit.

Harriet comes back soon enough, two rolls of badges and some first aid tape.

She sits back down on the bed,motioning for me to take my shirt off.

I oblige, as I'm left in only my sports bra.

I feel her hands on my torso as she gently peels back the old tape and unravels the bandages.

I look away, part of me doesn't want to make eye contact with her, the other terrified to look at the damage.

I hear the old bandages hit the floor, I can see out of the corner of my eye that they lay discarded on the floor.

I wince in pain as her fingers come in contact with the wound.

"Sorry." She whispers

I wince again feeling the cold, fresh bandages touch my skin. My torso grows tight as it gets consumed by bandages. I glance down, watching the girl rip off a piece of tape with her teeth, securing the bandages tightly.

"Thanks." I mutter.

"We're not done yet." She tells me.

"Oh right."

I watch as she moves to my arm.

I suck in a deep breath.

Her hands gently unravel the wrap, for some odd reason I can't look away.

As the bandages fall from my arm, I watch as red and white skin starts appearing. She balls up the old bandage, throwing it next to the other one.

My eyes stay glued on the mess of flesh on my arm.

My skin is red and light pink all over. Small blisters all over the edges. The middle is all irritated, some spots are even more black.

I stare in horror at what my body has become.

Harriets gaze meets mine, I want to hide my expression, but it stays glued to my face.

"Hey.." She says gently.

Somehow that snaps me out of my haze and my head snaps to face the other direction.

"Just...Just be quick..K?" I ask

She doesn't respond, but I feel hands on my shoulder and the tightness of the bandages return.

"There." She says.

I reach for my shirt again, pulling it back on.

I feel her hand touch the bandage on my thigh, I brush her hand away.

"Maybe some other time?" I ask, trying to make sure my voice doesn't crack.

She looks..shocked? No...sympathetic, she opens her mouth to respond, but turns her head away.

She walks over to the door, pushing the metal door open as she leaves.

I can just see the golden light of the sunset as she leaves.