Variables → Group B [AU]

34 → "THE FIRST INSTRUCTION"

34 → "THE FIRST INSTRUCTION"

SHE STOPPED BEFORE them, meeting their gazes. A hot wind swept over them, and she gave them each a smile in between a smirk. Her tar black hair was swept sideways in the wind, and her blues eyes shone in the sunlight.

"Teresa?" She tried the name, and the girl reacted to it. "Is your name Teresa?"

The girl nodded. "And yours is Adeline. They told me about you. You're lucky they saved your life."

"They?" Adeline arched her eyebrow questionably.

"Surely you were told about WICKED." Teresa said. Adeline didn't say anything, just stood there speechless. Harriet spoke from beside her.

"Are you from Group A?" Harriet quizzed. Teresa only nodded. "What do you want from us?"

"I don't want nothing from you." Teresa said. "I'm here because I have one mission; to kill Thomas."

"To kill Thomas?" Adeline questioned. "Why?"

"For what he did to me." Teresa only said, gripping the handle of her knife a little tighter. "And to my knowledge, you have to kill him to receive the cure. We're on the same side."

"Hold up." Adeline stopped her. "Thomas was nothing but worried when I was with Group A. Are you sure he did something so horrible to you that he deserves to die?"

"He's probably just putting on an act." Teresa said. "Pretend what he did wasn't as bad as I remember. But he did. And he has to pay."

"So ... ?" Sonya started. "You said it yourself we're apparently on the same side. Are you telling us you want to join us?"

Teresa nodded. "To get to the Safe Haven. To carry out what we have to do to get the cure. And I'll get my revenge. He'll get is punishment. I was told the exact thing; to kill Thomas. The same way you all were told too."

—

Teresa had taken over the Group very quickly. Honestly, Adeline was unsure on how to feel. She didn't like the idea of killing someone and wasn't sure she could trust Teresa's words. Thomas legitimately looked concerned about Teresa's whereabouts when she was with the boys of Group A. There was no way he did something so horrible to Teresa that she had to get her payback by killing him.

Adeline walked alongside Sonya. Before them, Teresa was leading the Group. They'd walked through deserted streets, and had made their way South of the town. According to Teresa, the first instruction they were given was to head to this small building South of the town, to lure Thomas there, to give him false security. They would leave Teresa there and hide out somewhere until Teresa found them again. And then they'd leave for the mountain, set up a camp. Then carry out the rest of the instructions

—

The small building looked almost out of place. As they neared it, they found the wooden door shut, and as soon as the door was pulled open, they found it mainly empty, except for a small candle on the ground in the center with a pack of matches. The building had no windows. They crowded inside the small building, amazed that each of them could fit.

"We should head up the mountain, see if we can see Group A." Teresa stated. "We have to do this right, otherwise they might change their mind about giving us the cure."

Not one girl bothered to argue. Teresa turned on her heels and lead them towards the mountain, each girl following. It took no more than an hour to get to the top of the mountain. They stood and gazed out towards the horizon. So far, they couldn't see the group just yet, but Teresa reassured that they'd make their way near soon. So they settled down and made the spot their camp for the next few hours as they waited.

Until a few hours later, someone saw something on the horizon. The sun was starting to set and girls were complaining about being hungry. Adeline watched as Teresa got to her feet, resting her hand just above her eyes to shield the sun away, standing on a rock.

"That's them." Teresa stated, stepping off the rock. And then she was gone, racing down the mountain side. As it was becoming dark, they wouldn't be able to see her, and they were a few hours away at least. Once she was gone, and out of earshot, each girl felt the mood lift; they'd been afraid to question Teresa. The girl looked genuinely set on "punishing" Thomas, as she had said.

"So how is this plan suppose to unfold?" Adeline quizzed, leaning in to Harriet.

"You'll see."

—

Sometime after dark, screams emitted around them. It echoed, and made chills run down Adeline's spine. The screams — girls screams — were chilling. Like a cat being tortured. Adeline guessed it pretty quickly; that the screams belonged to Teresa. Adeline clamped her hands over her ears to block the disturbing screams. The screams continued. The girls ate. Adeline tried to ignore the screaming. Conversation was slightly made. Adeline tried to have a conversation with Harriet and Sonya, but nobody seemed to be able to focus with the screaming. Adeline ended up gaining to her feet and settling alongside Esther, who she hadn't talked to since they escaped the Maze. They talked for a while, about the whole Teresa thing going on.

"I wonder what that Thomas guy did that was so bad?" Esther pondered.

"Whatever he apparently did, Teresa is more than just upset at him for it." Adeline said. Esther nodded in agreement.

"I wish she'd Shutup, though!" Ruth complained from close by.

Then, as if Teresa had heard her complaint, the screaming stopped. Adeline, Ruth and Esther shared a glance with one another as it did, the screams cut short.