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

Escapade

I know I should go find the boys, but a shower and fresh clothes sounds too good to pass up. I grab a white t-shirt and green cargo pants out of the drawer, snatching a towel off the door before heading into the bathroom.

"Hey who said you got first dibs on the shower?" Teresa whines, flopping down on her bed. She can be so annoying sometimes. Just like Chuck, I think with a sigh.

"Shut up Teresa, if you wanted to go first you should have said something." I snap, turning around and shutting the door, losing twenty-two friends in one day doesn't leave you in the most cheerful of moods.

I slip out of my torn clothes, stopping to look at myself in the mirror. I look awful, lines of stitches that look like miniature fences wind around my body, accompanied by white scars from earlier incidents. I look like some sort of mutant monster, torn apart and put back together piece by piece. Purple and black bruises stand out in stark contrast to my pale body, the blood loss has drained all the color from my skin. I poke one of the bruises and wince in pain, limping slightly as I walk to the shower. I have never felt so weak in my life.

The shower water swirls pink and green when I step in, rinsing away the blood and slime from the fight. I don't even know how much of the blood is actually mine, and I don't particularly want to. The hot water feels amazing, and I lean against the wall, letting it pour over my body. Washing away my troubled thoughts.

"Hey Leave some hot water!" Teresa yells through the door a few minutes later. Sighing, I reluctantly get out of the shower and switch off the water. I slip into my clothes and go to sit on my bed, shoving a handful of extras into my backpack. Just in case. I lay down, and wait for the others to take their showers. Sleep becomes more and more tempting every passing second. No, stay awake, something is off and I need to find the boys.

Once everyone is out and dressed, I wait a few minutes, all of us sitting in silence. Well, silence besides Mal's quiet sniffling. She stopped crying awhile ago- probably running out of tears- but is still recovering.

"We need to find the boys." I sigh, then wrapping my blanket around my shoulders, I walk over to the door. Carefully I grab the handle and twist, it clicks but doesn't budge. Locked. Mal copies, joining me near the door.

"We're stuck and they separated us and what are we going to do?" Mal asks quickly, panic rising in her voice once she realizes the door is locked. I think about it for a minute before deciding on a plan.

"Well I for one, am certainly not staying here," I say taking out my knife and beginning to pick the lock.
"Me either." Mal says shivering. Neither of us wants to find out why we need to be locked in. If they were only trying to protect us, it would make a lot more sense for the locks to be on the other side of the door, to keep the boys out, instead of keeping us in. It's funny how solving a problem can make you forget everything. We are no longer upset, only determined, determined to get out of this room. One thing at a time. Maybe that is why some deep part of me craves the action, the danger, having a 'mission', because, if only for awhile, you can distract yourself from the pain. Pretend it doesn't exist. Focus.

"You guys are crazy, they said we were safe, they're just trying to protect us from the boys, quit being paranoid." Teresa says. she's been acting weird lately and I'm starting to get suspicious.

"Well for one, I think I can handle the boys, I have for nearly six months now, and for two after what we've been through do you blame me for having some trust issues? Stay here if you want, but I'm leaving." I say, the lock finally giving way with a click.

"I will stay here, thank you very much, and these people aren't WICKED, Skylar." Teresa says condescendingly. Her mentioning WICKED revives my doubts about just who these people are. For now, I push the thoughts away and focus at the task at hand. Maybe it's nothing, maybe I am being paranoid, but it isn't worth the risk.

"Whatever. Jess are you coming with us or staying with rese?" I ask, purposely using the nickname Teresa hates.

"Uh I'll go with you, I guess." Jess says, surprising me, although while she might be annoying and immature, she isn't stupid. She doesn't trust these people either. I hear Teresa mumble something that sounds like "traitor" under her breath.

"Ok bye bye Teresa, we'll tell tommy you said hi." I say, sweetly. she's really starting to get on my nerves. I see a hurt look cross her face. Too far? Oh well I think as I quietly push the door open, not really sure what to expect.

Nothing. Only the room we ate in earlier, dark and silent. I slip out the door, quietly walking towards the boys' dorm, Mal and Jess on my heels.
Suddenly my shin slams into something hard, causing a metallic screeching sound that echoes across the room. We all freeze, expecting to get caught, but no one comes.

"Watch out for tables." I mutter as we resume walking. When we reach the boys' door I assume it is locked, but try it anyways. yep, locked. I get to work on picking the lock.

"Maybe we should knock." Mal suggests, "I mean, we wouldn't want to walk in on anyone, like naked or something." She whispers.

"I would." Jess states bluntly. Then she adds, "I'm kidding, really."

"First of all Jess, eww. No." I say, thoroughly disgusted. "But ya Mal we will knock once I finish with the lock, make it soft though." I add, the lock clicking as the door knob loosens.

"I was kidding." Jess says louder this time. "Guys I was just kidding."

"Ok Jess, Whatever." I say, waving her off, her joke is the least of my current concerns. "Mal knock." I say moving back from the door. She hesitates then softly knocks three times. No answer. I knock again a little louder this time. Still no answer. My heart begins to race, what if something already happened to them? What if we wasted too much time taking showers? I put my hand on the door knob and twist, looking to Mal who nods her approval. Too worried to consider the consequences, I slowly push the door open, letting out a small gasp when I see what's inside.