Till World's End [Skylar's Story//The maze runner (death cure) fanfic]

4. Watch me

At first I'm speechless, frozen in utter horror. I have never felt so angry, not in the maze, not after the maze, not even when I was dragged back to WICKED. My blood boils, but no words come out of my mouth.

I'm furious at everyone and everything. WICKED for what they've done. Rat Man for the way he stares at the screen in his hand, more interested in his variables than human lives. Minho, for being stupid enough to come back here. Myself, for not keeping him and the others safe.

The others.

The thought sickens me further, and I can only pray they aren't here. No way he brought then back. No way.

I force myself to look at him again, watching as they strap him into a chair. I don't want to see what comes next.

I know he can't see me, judging by the way he stares blankly at the glass, but I find myself stepping forward anyways. He looks awful, his eyes are listless, and ringed with dark circles, his hair unkept and dirty. Scars mar his arms, ugly burns that have never quite healed.

I want to touch him, to wrap my arms around his waist and run my fingers through his hair until it stands up straight. I want to make him better, bandage his wounds. It's then that I realize just how much I miss him. During the last month I had done my best not to think about it, to push him and the others as far from my mind as I could. Sure I would never see them again. But now, standing face to face, all the memories come bubbling to the surface in a an ugly hoard, sobs bursting from my body without permission.

I stare at the glass, tears streaming down my cheeks, "enough." I whisper.

"Enough!" I yell, when no one seems to notice.

"Calm down we haven't even started yet." Teresa hisses, barely paying attention to my tantrum.

I grit my teeth, and stalk towards her, intent on strangling her. That is, until I hear a scream. An all too familiar scream.

My own.

But it isn't coming from me. I even touch my hand to my mouth to make sure. My eyes fly around the room searching for the source, until they land on Minho. His back is turned mostly to me, his head held in place by two armed guards. I follow his eyes, and find myself staring at a screen. A screen filled with... Me?

In the video I'm being led along a dark prison hallway, cranks reaching out from every side. I scream, backing away and trying to run. But the scream is off just a little bit, sounding not quite right. Like a younger version of me, perhaps. The guard in the video grabs me roughly, and shoves me ahead. It isn't real. I think to myself. That never happened? How did they?

I'm cut off by a voice.

"You'll help us, or she goes in!" The guards in the other room have turned Minho back around are screaming at Him. He stays firm, until I start screaming again, and I see his eyes fill with tears. He can't see the video anymore, and doesn't know what's going on.

He starts to waiver "what do you want?"

No. Don't.

I know this room, but this time it's me who runs into the glass. Launching myself against it, I pound on the cool surface, yelling for them to stop.

"Enough!!" "Stop it!!"

No one flinches. The glass remains solid, not even a crack.

"Enough!!" I yell, even louder this time. I see one of the guards in the other room pause for a moment. Janson notices too.

"Be quiet." He growls, rising from his chair.

I give him a dead stare. Why he expects me to listen, I don't know. Instead, I fill my lungs with air, and scream as loud as I can. The sound is ear piercing, and Janson, along with Teresa, drop his tablet to cover his ears. I watch in surprise as Minho's head snaps straight up, and I know he heard me. The guards in the other room freeze too,
unsure what to make of the sound.

For a moment time stands still, and then the chaos ensues. Minho begins trying to get out of his restraints, obviously recognizing my real scream and realizing it to be close. Janson and I simultaneously realize that his tablet is on the floor. I dive for it, Grabbing it seconds before he can get to it. He tries to grab it back from me, but I get back to my feet and take off running. I run to the back door and block it, trapping then inside.

Both he and Teresa head my direction, and I know I don't have much time. I frantically press buttons on the tablet, looking for the controls to the glass. Finally, I find what I'm looking for.

I press the buttons as quickly as I can, rushing pasts Janson and Teresa towards the glass. I can hear Janson calling for Security behind me, but I don't care.

Minho has stopped fighting and is staring straight at me. The two bewildered guards hold him back, but I can tell he sees me, though he doesn't trust what he's seeing.

I press my hands against the glass, "none of that's real." I say, pointing hurriedly at the video screen. The guards will be here soon. "I'm ok, don't listen to them!"

"Sky?" He asks softly, as if he's still not sure that it's me.

"It's me! I'm here!" I yell, feeling the tears beginning to form again. I hear the back door burst open. He needs to listen to me. He has to.

"Sky! Behind you!" Minho yells, seeming to come to his senses. But I don't need to look. I already know.

"I know." I close my eyes for a moment, "it's ok." I open them again, trying to remember every detail about the moment.

"Sky!"

I feel the needle slide into my back.
"I love you...." I say, my words slurring as the picture becomes blurry. My hands slide down the glass as I fall, my head crashing against the chairs before hitting the ground.

Minho's screams are the last thing I hear.