THE AFTERMATH (after the death cure)

The First Night

NEWT POV

The flames consume the wooden logs, a red aura disturbing the hushed, inky night. I watch as the ignited ashes dance in the wind and rise into the infinite sky. I breathe in a breath of crisp air and revel in the calmness that flows into my body with it. This is good,  because in this moment it is. In this moment I possess the illusion of reassurance and it's different, but a good different.

My eyes glance over to the girls who are both sleeping under large trees, using the trunks to lean on. We had planned to have watches but the girl fell asleep before we could assign any times so I assumed the position of the first watcher. The flicker of the flames illuminates both of their faces showing their expressions of calmness.

Deception.

I cast my mind back to when my mind was infected. I remember what it felt like to be crazy. I know enough to know that I never want to be like that again. The thought makes my head pound, another sign of the flare.

I knew that I had it from the start. I believed WICKED when they said that we all had it so I thought it only made sense that while we were escaping the scorch I would feel symptoms. They started very small, not big enough for the people around me to notice but big enough for me to know.

When I couldn't get to sleep in the scorch because of my racing thoughts, sometimes it would feel as if a creature was scratching my head from the inside. I convinced myself it was only a headache, but I knew.

When the gladers and I made it to the safe haven and WICKED had captured us once again I noticed certain people being pulled out from our captivity.

Minho told me that they took him to a room when I asked him about the swollen bruise on his cheekbone. They wrote names on a whiteboard and told him that everyone on the whiteboard was going to die but he could save one. He told me that my name and Tommy's was on the board. When he refused to answer they beat him up. But Minho didn't relent. It was a trait that I admired. Loyalty. It was why Minho remained my best friend along with Tommy. I was never pulled out for one of their tests. I was relieved but I knew I was different. There was a reason I wasn't called.

Until I was, on the list of people who weren't immune.

Flashback

I wasn't surprised. But my heart sank at the confirmation. I made sure not to show it on my face even though my mind was spiraling out of control of all of the different ways I could go insane.

"WHAT? THOSE SHUCKING SHANKS!" Minho exclaimed.

Suddenly as if remembering I was in the room, he looked over at me and his angered expression turned into a solemn one. He put a hand on my shoulder and I shook my head a little.

"I'm okay," I said.

"But Thomas isn't." He replied sadly nodding his head slightly towards Thomas who had doubled over and was now staring at the floor. Watching Thomas like this made my heart sink even lower but I forced my legs to walk towards him. I stand next to him for a second contemplating what to say or do. I decide to play it off. I force a grin on my face across my arms.

"Tommy, slim yourself." Thomas looks up his face displaying pure shock but he straightens up.

"Slim myself? That old shank just said you're not immune to the Flare. How can you-" he argues.

"I'm not worried about the bloody Flare, man. I never thought I'd still be alive at this buggin' point—and living hasn't exactly been so great anyway." The confusion on Thomas's face still hasn't left. I'm at a loss for what to do so I continue to grin. I don't want him to think I can't handle this, besides what I said was true. The part of my life that I can remember is just me trying to survive. I'm not actually living, simply breathing. Thomas tries out a smile but fails miserably.

"If you're cool with slowly going crazy and wanting to eat small children then I guess we won't cry for you," Thomas says but I can tell he doesn't mean it. Still, the comment stings a little but I try not to let my grin falter.

"Good that," I respond. I can't hold my smile any longer and my face becomes expressionless. The whole scene feels surreal. As if I am watching a scene from a movie. What will it be like? What will it feel like? What will I become?

Suddenly an intense pain pierces my skull.

End of Flashback

The memory reminds me of the objects occupying the front pocket of my backpack. I'm going to need to find this eucalyptus soon otherwise whatever they've done to my brain now to stop the flare is eventually going to stop working and then everything will stop working.

I'll find it.

But still the worry in my mind lingers and the small illusion of calm dissolves into the past.

And I am left to face the present.

A/N

Hey Guys! 

I kind of loved this one. The flashback is actually directly from the book and I'm so happy as to how it turned out and to kind of think about what Newt was thinking.

Hope you guys enjoyed and leave a comment if you can! Please don't be shy, it would make me smile.

Love you guys, next update on Monday!- Hxx