𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 & 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘-𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮

EIGHT

*I apologize in advance if this ends as a short chapter, but it is the last one. I don't know if I'll do an epilogue, but I just might. Considering if I still have the juices to continue this story*

I found myself in new clothes, ones that fit slightly better than my last ones. I was shown where the bathing pool was. It was an offshoot of the actual ocean and was in a secluded area by the woods that grew on the outskirts of the beach.

Gally decided to jump into the water with me. Thankfully it wasn't too deep where I was drowning or too shallow to cover anything. The surface of the water came up to the hollow of my throat while Gally stood with most of his chest out.

He moved towards the edge of the pool and stopped when he saw I hadn't followed him. "What?"

I blushed. "Well, uhm, I don't really feel comfortable standing out there naked." I had taken my clothes off in the water when I came in. I hadn't really thought about what I would do when I was done.

"Oh, okay, I'll get dressed first then and hold my towel up for you."

"Okay." I looked away as he got dressed, feeling even more uncomfortable with looking at him naked. Even if I had seen everything before. He held his towel up and I climbed out, picking my towel up and drying off.

I went as quickly as I could and relaxed when I had clothes on. I dried my hair as we walked back to the camp.

I saw a figure stepping out of the tent they had put Thomas in. When I noticed it was him, I walked quickly, pulling him into a hug. He winced but hugged me back. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're okay."

He sucked in a breath. "Okay as I'll ever be." I heard Minho call out to him and saw our small group of friends rush toward him.

We walked back to the common sleeping area, mingling with people and eating the fish they had caught for dinner.

We caught up with Aris, Sonya, and Harriet, the trio telling us how Vince had everyone working at double speed to get everyone on the boat they repaired to get them here. They hadn't stopped working until we got here.

When it got dark, someone lit a fire and Vince stood in the middle of a stage, a large piece of stone sticking out of the ground next to him. He gave a speech, telling us to remember the ones we lost to get us here and I had a list in mind of who I would be adding to the rock. I looked around as everyone got the same distant and pained look in their eyes as they remembered their own fallen comrades.

We gave a toast to them and Vince left the chisel there. People rushed in groups, desperate to carve their dead friends' names on the stone. I watched as one by one teens and adults went and carved their lost ones in the stone. Each one taking the time to carve the dead into the stone.

I had so many to add to the stone, so many that I wanted to honor, but I couldn't bring myself to step up to it. To take the knife into my hand and put their death into existence.

But I couldn't sleep. The tent that I shared with Gally had a direct sight of the stone, the small fires lit up each name that was etched in it. I heard the whispers of each friend's last words, but only one kept banging around my skull.

"Flore, I-" He never got to finish his sentence, but it wasn't hard to figure out what he was trying to say.

I slowly moved Gally's arm off of me and stood up, not bothering with putting shoes on. I looked back once more to make sure he stayed asleep and then left the tent, walking towards the stone.

It was cold as I put my hand to it, tracing the lines my friends had made for their chosen names. Everyone I could think of was up there. Clint, Jeff, Alby, Newt, Chuck. Even Teresa. I knew that was Thomas's doing. I found an empty spot and picked up the knife and hammer.

It felt like I was back in the Glade, carving my name into the wall with Newt beside me. He had just gotten out of the med-hut, wobbling on crudely made crutches. I felt the tears burn my eyes and their warmth as they fell down my cheeks. I was biting back sobs as I finished Nico's name.

Warm hands held onto mine, taking the tools from me. I turned to find Gally, sadness and comfort in his eyes. He set the tools down and gathered me in his arms. I rested my ear against his chest, hearing and feeling his heart's steady beat.

His hands found their way in my hair and he rubbed my scalp in soothing patterns. "Come back to sleep." He whispered in my ear.

Yes, sleep sounds great right now.