Steel and Stone [The Maze Runner (Scorch Trials) Fanfiction]

Steel and Stone

I wake with a shudder, as the bus rolls across uneven terrain, bumping and shaking as it goes. At first I'm only aware of quiet whispers and the feeling of Minho's shoulder under my head. I open my eyes, then immediately wish I hadn't. Memories flood into my brain, as I remember yesterday, and instantly I'm on the verge of tears.

"Ugh." I moan, coughing, my throat dry and scratchy.  I'm about to cry again when I feel someone's hand on my shoulder.

"Don't." It's Minho, "don't because once you start you won't be able to stop." He says his voice is low and quiet. I know he's right, if I start crying now, I'll never stop.

I hyperventilate, I shake, but I do not cry. "But.....but...but they..." I whimper shaking my head.

"I know, I know,"  Minho whispers rubbing circles on my arms. I like that he doesn't tell me it's ok, because it isn't. Twenty-two of my friends died, twenty-two innocent kids died for some stupid experiment, and that will never be ok. I reach down and wipe my sweaty palms on my torn pants, which are dyed red with Kate's dried blood.

Wrong thought. Thinking about them is too much, and soon silent tears are streaming down my face again. 

"Ok, ok, shhhh....." Minho soothes but his voice is shaky. I realize he too is trying not to cry. All of are at the edge, the slightest thing setting us off.

"We're here." The driver announces  suddenly as the bus screeches to a halt. No one moves, not a sound besides muffled sobs and tearful sniffles. None of us have the strength to lead. No one wants to face the unknown again.

Suddenly an image pops into my head, "Skylar, keep them safe and get them out." Kate's last words to me. That's all it takes, I know now what I have to do. We've come too far to give up now. no, we will make it. We will make it for Kate, for Chuck, for all of them.

We can only be weak for so long, and today, I don't have time for weakness. Five seconds. Five seconds of weakness and I will be strong. I close my eyes.

One.... I think of all those we lost, I picture their faces, their smiles.

Two.... I look at those of us left, see our fear, our pain.

Three..... I feel my own pain, my own fear, my own grief

Four..... I shove it down, I take my hate, anger, fear, pain, loss, grief, despair, and shove it all in a box. I lock it and push it far away. I will deal with it when I have the time.

Five.... I will myself to be strong, to feel nothing. I lift my head, steeling myself against the pain. I am tough as steel and hard as stone, I am unbreakable.

I open my eyes and stand up, turning towards Minho and grabbing his hand. By the shocked look on his face, I know I must look different. The determination has seeped into my eyes, they are on fire. Before I can change my mind I walk towards the front of the bus, pulling Minho along behind me, not giving him a choice. I still need his support, just his being there makes me stronger. Soon Newt falls in line behind us, Mallory at his side, then everyone else. We file out of the bus. Robotic.

We are hit with a stifling heat and blinding light. I throw up my hands to shield my face, my skin instantly becoming dry. My lips are instantly cracked and I blink as my surroundings slowly come into focus. I catch sight of Newt standing to my right comforting Mal, and think that he may be the strongest out of all of us. I don't think I could stand to speak right now, let alone comfort someone else. But then again, It's funny how strong you can be when there's nothing else left. And sometimes there isn't, your world has ceased to exist, you've been through so much pain, so much fear, so much loss, that there is nothing left to do. Nothing left besides being strong, that is all that is left, that is your only choice. Be strong or die. Trust me, you will surprise yourself. When you need to be, you can be stronger than you knew possible.

The gladers have proved that, we are just teenagers, yet look at what we have survived. We have done the impossible.

I tense as a man, one of the rescuers, motions for us to follow him. He leads us through a set of double doors, and we enter what appears to be some sort of dormitory. Bunk beds, a bathroom, and drawers full of clothing. All the boys are given beds, but not the girls.

"Hey what about us?" Teresa asks speaking my mind exactly.

"Girls in a separate room, sorry it's the rules." The man says shrugging. Mal starts to protest, not wanting to be seperated from Newt anymore than I want to be separated from Minho, but I give her a look that makes her stop. The more we argue the more they're going to try to enforce that rule.

He leads us out into a central room where a pile of food waits on a table, "help yourselves, you deserve it." He says gesturing to the table.

We gorge ourselves on the food until we can't eat one more bite. I don't care if we're safe or not, food tastes good. T a team of medical personnel attempt to stitch us up, wrapping the rest in clean bandages. The give us pain medicine, and for the moment I'm feeling better. Until the man directs the boys to their dorm, well, more like pushes them.

"Goodnight Sky, I love you!" Minho yells before the man shuts the door in his face. I don't like how hard they are trying to keep us apart, it makes me suspicious, and I can tell Mal doesn't like it either. Strangely however, Teresa doesn't seem to mind. Neither does Jess, but that doesn't surprise me. I'm not sure she cares about anyone.

"Ok ladies this way," the man says ushering us into another, smaller dorm..... That I have absolutely no intentions of staying in. Once we all 'pick' a bed the man stands at the door.

"Ok goodbye." He says simply, before turning and walking out the door.