Discoveries | TMR | Three

5:1

Surviving in the Scorch demanded a wild kind of bravery, a touch of madness that allowed one to traverse the endless dunes and crumbling cities. It required a fearless spirit to approach those sinister compounds and confront the loathsome guards who seemed to take pleasure in the suffering of others, not to mention the audacity to return to the very place where this chaos all began.

Yet, Adeline faced it all.

She faced it, and though there were fleeting moments when she felt her hard-won life teetering on the edge of destruction, she mostly succeeded in pushing those fears aside, doing whatever was necessary to persevere.

So why does she feel so scared now?

Why, after overcoming everything she has faced, does fear grip her heart? Is it the lingering uncertainty surrounding Maggie's immunity? Or perhaps the looming danger of being discovered in the midst of an act that could plunge every Glader in this yard into turmoil? Is it the anxiety of what might unfold when they inject her blood into the frail body of the unconscious boy lying before them? Or maybe it's the realisation that they are the only ones present to deal with whatever consequences may arise?

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Honestly, Adeline doesn't know if what they are about to do borders more on bravery or insanity.

"It's the only one we've got, ain't it?"

She inhales a sharp breath through her teeth. "I suppose so..."

Maggie's persuasive powers quickly unraveled Adeline's initial hesitations about the plan to inject her contaminated blood into Jeff. With just a couple of repetitions of the phrase, "he's gonna die anyway," Adeline's determination shattered like glass. Now, ten minutes later, she finds herself crouched on the floor, her gaze darting over the collection of crimson vials neatly stored in the locked cupboard.

"Why do you think she keeps these?"

Maggie glances up, her focus clearly drifting elsewhere. "Keep what?" she inquires, though her mind seems preoccupied.

Adeline picks up on this distraction as she turns her head, spotting Maggie vigorously washing her hands with vodka to disinfect them. "The red stuff," Adeline replies. "I thought for sure she would've gotten rid of them."

Maggie's gaze shifts to understand. "Oh," she replies softly. "Probably for research."

"Research?"

"Yeah, probably for a cure." Maggie shrugs. "And it's probably easier to keep it, anyways. There's not really anywhere else it can go. Nowhere that it couldn't hurt someone."

"I guess so."

As Maggie shakes off the vodka residue from her hands, she meets Adeline's eyes. "There's not really a safe place she can get rid of it."

''Makes sense,'' Adeline reflects aloud. Jeff stirs in his sleep, prompting her to quickly check on him. In her movement, she notices that the blonde has also shifted, and she catches a glimpse of her expression. "He looks like shit, doesn't he?"

"Yes he does," Maggie replies, her voice carrying a light, melodic quality. Once her hands are somewhat dry, she reaches for a box of gloves, pulling out two, blowing into the latex, and deftly sliding them over her hands.

Adeline reaches for a mask, pulling it close to her face. "You really should wear one too," she suggests, her voice slightly muffled as she secures the mask. "I'm still not entirely convinced you're immune." She hands a mask to the girl. "Probably best that neither of us take them off until we're outside."

Maggie accepts it without hesitation, looping the strings over her ears before she douses her latex gloves with another splash of alcohol. When Jeff coughs, she springs into action, hurrying to his side. As she kneels beside the bed, softly murmuring reassurances and gently wiping the sweat from his brow, Adeline can only watch in silence.