Understand Me

15

Teresa's POV

The darkness grew deeper and deeper, as I made my way back with Kris back to the camp. I was very nervous on going back there and seeing Tom. I could just imagine everything that could happen when Counselor Paige come back.

"Are you okay?" Kristina asked me.
"I don't know. I'm just thinking about...everything." I sighed. "I just hope everything at the end works out."

The camp finally appeared from the direction we'd come from earlier today. I noticed right away as soon as I stepped inside that something was different. I think it was the way that everyone kept looking between Tom and I. Immediately I was worried. Did they figure everything that happened? Did Tom say anything about me talking to him?
"What?" I asked, trying to look unbothered from the stares.
It was Allyson who answered my question. "We need to talk."

I felt very confused because I didn't know what to think. Allyson walked over to a nearby cliff.
"Stay here with Thomas." I told Kris who was following me. "Just incase I don't want to blow your cover." I whispered. Kris quickly looked between me and Allyson before nodding.

"We've been speaking to Thomas." She said cutting to the chase.
"What?" I asked sternly but I was in shock.
"He said some pretty interesting things about WCKD." Allyson said crossing her arms across he chest. The rest of the group seemed to agree with her nodding in response.
"He's probably saying anything you guys want to hear." I told them. "Besides we can't trust him. We can't be like WCKD who put all their trust in one of the most promising subjects. He will betray us in the end."

"I don't think he will. He says that we are being test. We are all subjects to a test." Cindy chimed in. "He can help us get into the safe haven, all of us. He knows everything about Group A and Group B and what WCKD is really up to."
"So what we are just going to follow him all willy nilly to the safe haven?" I asked her.
"Of course not all I'm just saying is that we should trust him for now. He seems to have all the information about WCKD that we need to continue on. I mean in all honestly how much do we even know about WCKD?"
"Enough. Enough not to trust him. We can't let him get in our heads no matter what. I still don't think we should trust him."

"Teresa." Allyson said softly. "Just give him a chance. We need to take this chance to see where it leads. The minute something seems off or he makes the wrong move," she paused putting her words together. "You can kill him."

Finally my mind finally decided to work. This was my chance to stop lying to Tom. Well not entirely but it will help me say the truth about everything that has happened. I couldn't be to eager though because I didn't want to break character I had to still be a little bit more hesitant

"Fine but I see one wrong thing I won't just kill him, I'll kill you too." I told her harshly before stomping away from the group. On the outside I seemed probably annoyed, mad even but on the inside I felt joy, relief. I grabbed my spear and a backpack before going outside and walking in the moonlight.

"Hey Teresa wait." I heard Kris call out from behind me. "What happened back there?"
I turned and pulled her into an unexpected hug. "Kris it's all over." I said happily.
"What do you mean?" She asked once I let her go.
"I mean that I can almost tell Tom everything." I sighed deeply and smiled. "Everything is going to work out soon enough."
"Are you sure? I mean honestly this seems to good to be true." She stated.
"I don't care. I don't want this lying to continue any longer, I just want anything everything to go back to normal. Come on let's keep walking I have to pretend that I'm very mad."
"Okay let's do this."

We continued to walk after moments later the rest of the group, along with a freed Tom, caught up to us. I knew that we were going to the safe haven I just didn't really know where it was. It wasn't until Cindy came to the front of the group and led the way. We finally made it to the narrow part of the canyon. The valley in front of us looked dark purple and eerie from the moons shining light. But it was very flat. With nothing for miles and miles but sparse, dead land.
Absolutely nothing. No sign of anything that could be a safe haven.

"Maybe we just can't see it." I heard someone say, not knowing who it was.
"Yeah," Cindy added, sounding upbeat. "It might just be another entrance to one of their underground tunnels. I'm sure it's there."
"How many more miles do you think we have left?" Allyson asked.
"Can't be more than ten, based on where we started and how far the man said we had to go," Cindy answered. "Probably more like seven or eight. I thought we'd come out over here and we'd see a nice big building with a smiley face on it."

I was looking into the darkness the whole time, but I couldn't see anything either that caught my eye. It was just a sea of black stretching to the horizon, where it seemed like a curtain of stars had been pulled down.
"Well," Allyson announced. "Not much choice but to keep heading north. We should've known better than to expect something easy. Maybe we can make it to the bottom of the mountain by sunrise. Sleep on the ground. It's flat enough it should be so uncomfortable."

We all laid down on the ground tired from the crazy day. I closed my eyes and let myself sleep. It was a couple hours until I heard footsteps loud enough to wake everyone. I opened my eyes and looked around as I slowly sat up. Kris was next to me, Allyson, Cindy we asleep. Even Tom who was several feet away from me was still here sound asleep. I decided to lay back down to go back to sleep since everyone was still here. I closed my eyes but as soon as I did I felt a small hand on my shoulder. When I opened my eyes I couldn't believe who it was.

"Aris what are you-"

He covered my mouth, preventing me from speaking as my eyes opened wide. He put his finger up to his lips gesturing me to be quiet.

"Don't say anything Teresa. Just follow me." He said before disappearing to the nearby forest.

What just happened. Did I really just see Aris or was I going crazy?

A/N: Cliffhanger for you all. Thanks for not killing me everyone. I know I haven't updated in a week and it must have been annoying not seeing this story update. I have been super busy and honestly I've been putting off the story, but I see how many people read it so I update for you guys. Thanks for your patience and for still reading my story. I hoped you all enjoyed.

❤️ Kayla