You're not Him

Tears in the Sand

Thomas woke up. The sun was up, making it morning. He saw a crow eating some of their food.

"Hey!" Thomas yelled. Everyone else woke up by the yelling.

"Let's get going." Minho said. They hiked up the sand dunes and went through abandoned buildings. They also had to hide from WCKD once. They reached the top of a sand dune. Thomas pointed at the mountains.

"Those mountains, that's gotta be it. That's where we're going." Thomas said.

"That's a long way off." Newt said.

"Then we better get moving." Thomas said. Right as he said that Winston collapsed. Everyone ran to him.

"Winston!" Everyone yelled.

"He's hurt really bad." Newt said.

"What do we do?" Teresa asked. They made a stretcher and placed Winston on it. Frypan and Minho carried it. After a while, they got to a place that had shade. Thomas went to see how much farther. Teresa went to talk to Thomas.

"How's it looking?" Newt asked. Thomas looked down.

"It's a little further." Thomas yelled back.

"That's not very convincing." Newt said as he sat down. Suddenly, they heard a gunshot. They all stood up, seeing Winston with a gun.

"Hey! Guys, get down here!" Minho yelled.

"Winston what are you doing, man? Give me that!" Frypan asked. Thomas and Teresa ran to them

'What's going on? What happened?" Thomas asked.

"I don't know. He just woke up and grabbed the gun and then he tried to... Give it back, please." Winston was lying on the ground.

"Winston, are you okay?" Aris asked. Winston pulled up his shirt.

"It's growing... inside me." Winston's stomach was covered in veins and the wound was purple. "I'm not gonna make it." Winston barely said. Winston reached for the gun in Frypans hand. "Please. Please. Don't let me turn into one of those things." Newt stepped forward and grabbed the gun from Frypans hands. He slowly went to Winston, knelt down and put the gun in his hand. "Thank you. Now, get outta here."

"Good-bye, Winston." Newt whispered and stood up. He was the first to grab his stuff and start to walk away. Frypan knelt by his best friend.

"I'm sorry." Thomas softly said, tears forming in his eyes. He started to walk away.

"Thomas. Take care of them." Winston softly said. Thomas nodded and left. Everyone was walking in a single line, when they heard a gunshot. They all froze at the sound. After a few seconds they kept on going. That night they made a campfire.

"I thought we were supposed to be immune." Minho said, breaking the silence.

"Not all of us, I guess." Teresa said.

"If Winston can get infected... we should assume so can the rest of us."

"I never thought I'd say it... I miss the Glade." Frypan said. After a while, Thomas stood up and walked away. Everyone stayed quiet. Newt went to where he was sitting and sat next to him.

"You haven't slept at all since we left the maze, have you?" Newt asked. Thomas sighed in defeat as he was playing the wooden figure. Newt sat closer to Thomas." Frypan was just letting off steam."

"He's right though. I'm the reason we're stuck out here." Newt looked at Thomas and grabbed his hand.

"You're the reason we're free. The others may have their doubts, but they will still follow you anywhere." Thomas looked at Newt.

"They'll follow you too."

"No, it's different with me though, you know that."

"I don't know where we are going. I'm lost."

"You've been lost before." Thomas shook his head.

"Not like this."

"I know that there is a place for us. I don't know where it is but, I do know that a lot of our friends died to get this far. So, we can't give up." Newt held Thomas's cheek and looked at him." You can't give up. I won't let you."

"You can't trust me." Thomas softly said, making his head away from Newt's touch. Newt looked at him confused.

"Why would I not trust you?" Thomas looked at Newt.

"When Aris and I sneaked into the room, we heard Janson and Ava talking. Ava asked if I suspected anything and of course I did." Newt softly smiled. "She then asked if I suspected that..." Thomas felt a lump in his throat. Newt held onto one of his hands. "If I suspected that I was his son."

"What?" Newt softly asked.

"I'm Janson's son." Thomas was waiting for Newt to run away from him, to tell the others but all he felt was a hand laying on his cheek gently.

"Tommy, you're not him."

"What if I am?" Thomas asked, looking at the blonde." I could end up like him. I did work on the maze before I was sent to it." Newt looked at the boy.

"Remember what I said about how we are different people now?" Thomas nodded and Newt grabbed his hand. "I still believe that. You are our savior. You helped us escape Wicked, even when we doubted you. You saved us from the maze. I trust you more than anyone. I would die for you."

"Why?" Thomas' voice cracked and Newt felt tears forming in his eyes.

"Because I like you and I want you to be safe." Thomas looked at Newt.

"Like me or like-like me?" Newt softly smiled.

"Like-like you Tommy. I just don't give nicknames to anyone." Thomas smiled.

"I like-like you too." Newt noticed that their faces were getting closer and closer. Thomas looked at Newt's lips then his eyes, asking for permission. Newt softly nodded and Thomas closed the gap. Newt's lips were soft, and he tasted somehow like strawberry. Thomas placed his hand on Newt's cheek and soon they stopped.

"Wow." Newt said. Thomas softly smiled and they placed their foreheads together.

"I heard something else." Thomas said after a while. Newt hummed. "It makes more sense."

"What?"

"Ava and Janson did talk about another boy and how I was always by his side. And how despite losing our memories, we still formed a connection." Newt softly smiled. Thomas then frowned. "They said that they would use you as leverage."

"Oh." Newt said.

"I promise that they won't lay a hand on you."

"Good that." Newt kissed his forehead. "Get some rest ok?" Newt said after a while. Thomas nodded and they both went to camp. They put out the fire and fell asleep.