The Scorch → Newt²

33 → "AT LEAST WE'RE ALIVE"

33 → "AT LEAST WE'RE ALIVE"

THEY WERE GIVEN hot food, cold drinks, medical attention and fresh clothing. For the first time since leaving the dorm room through the Flat Trans, Adeline got to shower. And she needed it, because her skin was caked with dirt and her hair was greasy and matted with blood. Standing in the shower, all of the events that had happened — the deaths, the encounters with Cranks, the betrayal — all came back to her. And as she watched the blood and dirt disappear down the drain alongside the water, she felt hot tears escape, but after a moment, she wiped them away and tried to pretend that she'd never cried. As she pulled on the fresh clothes, she felt ... refreshed. All of this was well needed. The only thing she needed now was rest; a long full night's sleep. Something she had not had in two weeks or more.

Adeline found the Gladers and Group B in a room, most a sleep. Except for Thomas, Teresa, Minho, and Newt. Thomas and Teresa were seated on a couch, although Teresa appeared to be falling asleep. Minho was trying to talk to a girl from Group B, but her eyes were closed, as if she was already a sleep. Newt was wide awake, but the dark circles under his eyes showed just to how exhausted he was. Adeline plopped down beside him.

"Hey." she gave him a small smile.

"Hey, love." Newt returned the smile, but it seemed a little forced.

"You alright?" Newt shrugged, then intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Yeah, I guess." Newt replied. "Just ... glad to be alive."

Adeline stared at Newt long enough to figure out that everything that had happened was finally now wearing down on him, as if it was flashing through his head right at this moment. Newt's eyes peered down into hers.

"Why're you staring at me?" Newt quizzed, now smirking at her. Adeline gave a forced smile, before resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know you too well." she replied. "You're overthinking about everything that happened over these past two weeks. But I don't blame you, so have I."

"I just keep thinking of everything that has happened to you." Newt lowered his voice, remembering some of both Groups were a sleep. "Matt taking you, you getting burnt by lightning, a Crank almost killing you. Everything."

Adeline gave Newt a small, but reassuring smile. "It's been a crap past two weeks. But, at least we're alive."

All Newt did was shrug his shoulders, then pulled her closer to him. Adeline felt her eyes droop, tiredness kicking in. Yawning, she tried to keep her eyes open, but knew her body wouldn't allow for it, considering she was exhausted after everything.

"You should get some sleep." Newt murmured in her ear, peering down at her.

"So should you." Adeline murmured. "You look exhausted."

Newt sighed. "I'm fine."

"Please." Adeline begged. "Newt, it's blatantly obvious you're exhausted. Please, just get some rest."

Newt sighed, giving up. He nodded, and Adeline leant her head once more on his shoulder and let the tiredness pull her under into a deep sleep.

—

For the first time in a long time, Adeline slept a full night's sleep, her dreams filled with old memories. She dreamed back to the day before she was to be sent to the Maze.

Adeline laid on a cold metal surgical table, alone. Dressed in a hospital gown, her eyes landed on a tray to her right, where scalpels and needles were placed. It was only moments until she'd receive the Swipe and lose her memories. Tapping her fingers against the table, she waited. It was silent; and the silence was deafening. The time ticked away on a clock on the wall, each passing second ticking away. The ticking seemed to echo; like it was bouncing off of the walls, driving Adeline insane. There was a click, a signal that the door was unlocking, and then a squeak of the door, and Adeline snapped her head towards it's direction. Adeline expected it to be the Doctor's performing The Swipe, but when she saw Matt enter, she jerked forward and swung her legs over the side of the metal table and her two feet landed on the cold tiled ground. Adeline threw her arm around Matt's neck, pulling him into a relieved embrace.

"H — How did you —?" Adeline rushed out. Matt gave her a smirk, and pulled out a key card.

"I borrowed this from my mother." he explained.

"You're lucky." she stated. "I haven't had the Swipe yet and any minute I'll lose my memory."

"I know." he nodded. "That's why I came. To say goodbye. They wouldn't let me come say goodbye, so that's why I snuck in here."

"Why wouldn't they let you say goodbye?" Adeline questioned, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion.

"A guard said it was orders from my mother." he explained. "She probably thinks I'll try stop them from performing the procedure of the Swipe on you."

"Well it wouldn't matter if you tried." Adeline stated. "There's security cameras in every room and hallway in this building, you'd be caught."

"And I'll get caught just for sneaking in here." Matt replied. "I don't care what happens. I've always disobeyed every order from my mother, I won't hesitate to do it again, because in a month I'll be in the Maze anyway."

Adeline sat back down onto the surgical table, her feet dangling over the side. Adeline didn't know what to expect heading up into the Maze. She knew she won't remember who she was, only her name. The fake name she'd been given years ago. Her old name echoed in the back of her mind; the name she'd been given by her parents. Not the name she'd been given by WICKED. Her friends wouldn't remember her; she wouldn't remember them. Adeline wouldn't know why she was sent to the Maze. She wouldn't remember anything.

"Matt." she breathed. "Why are we are doing this again? Why are we are allowing for WICKED to do all of this?"

Matt met her gaze, grimaced, then said; "You know why."

Adeline shook her head. "I know, but we all know this is wrong."

There was a click, the door unlocking once more. Adeline panicked, but Matt looked completely calm. He wasn't afraid of getting caught no more.

"Well." Matt sighed. "This is it."

"Yeah." she nodded. "This is goodbye. For now, anyway."

"I'll see you in a month." Matt said. "Even if we won't recognize each other then."

Guards and two doctors entered, and Matt didn't flinch as the two Guards ushered him out ofthe room, while the doctors started to set upfor the procedure. A gas mask was placed over her mouth, and she blacked out.