Pieces of the Sun

Chapter Two

I woke up in a cold, white room. 

No windows, no doors, no furniture.  The tile floor pressed against my back, ice seeping through my thin shirt.  I shuddered and pulled myself into a sitting position.  My feet were bare.  Clean tan pants were rolled above my ankles.  I inhaled, the air reeking of iron and blood and fear. 

Where the hell am I?

"We're very disappointed in you, Ari."

I jerked.  The voice had come from nowhere and everywhere. 

"You nearly derailed all of the Trials."

The voice filled the room, bouncing off the white walls and rushing at me.

"Who are you?  Where am I?"  I yelled.

The voice chuckled.  "You're right where you need to be."

The wall to my right disappeared.  Literally just vanished before my eyes.  A gaping black whole filled the space. 

"What the hell is this supposed to be?"  I screamed at the voice. 

"This, Ari, is a warning to you and to your friends. You have to trust us, you have to let these Trials take place.  The fate of humanity hangs in the balance."

"The Trials are bullshit!  You don't want to save humanity- you just want to save yourselves!"

A pause.  Then, "Ari, you need to understand what we are doing and that it is necessary for the world to survive."  The voice sighed.  "But clearly you do not.  We did not want to do this to you, but you gave us no other choice."

"Do what?"  I spit back.  "What are you going to do to me?  Kill me?  Give me the Flare?"

"No, Ari.  You are too valuable to lose.  But you are going to wish we had."

Something churned uneasily in the pit of my stomach. 

"Remember, Ari, WCKD is good."

I didn't answer this time, staring into the black abyss.  Then I heard it.  Quietly at first and then growing louder.  The noise that haunted me in my sleep.  The was always on the edge of my mind.

"No," I whispered.  "No, no, no, no."

Clicking and whirring and creaking.  The hideous bulbous creature emerged from the darkness.  I stumbled away.  My back slammed into the furthest wall.  The Griever started towards me.   Images, bloody and painful, images shot through my mind of the last time I'd been cornered by a Griever in the Maze.  My body had only just recovered from that but my mind was nowhere close to healed. 

"You sick bastards!"  I screamed at the walls.  The was no answer as the Griever rolled closer and closer at a tauntingly slow pace. There was no where for me to go, no where for me to run except-

I glanced past the Griever to where the gaping hole in the wall was-

It was gone.

The black whole was gone, once again replaced with a white, stainless barrier.  A sob broke from my throat.  I was trapped this time.  For good.

The Griever was close enough to touch, it's horrible rotting stench filling the air.  Trails of slimy goo were left across the floor.  It's spider-like legs extending to reach me-

"Had enough, Ari?"  The voice ripped through the air.

"Yes!"  I screamed.  "Yes, just please-"

The Griever stopped.

"Will you do as we ask from now on?"

"Yes, please just let me out of here.  I'll do whatever you want."

"Good.  I'm glad you understand now.  Use the door to your left to exit."

I jerked around.  A metal door had appeared in the center of the wall.  I eased away from the Griever and hurried to it. 

"One last thing, Ari."

I paused, hand on the door knob. 

"Next time, you put the experiment at risk we will not be punishing you.  We will be punishing your friends."

My stomach dropped and I felt nauseous.  I turned the knob letting the door swing open.  Two guards were waiting on the other side.  I let them escort me through the halls, numbly staring at the ground in front of me. 

I only glanced up when we stopped in front of a door and I was thrust inside.  The door slammed behind me and I glanced around.  The room was big, housing several bunks and another door which I assumed led to a bathroom. 

"Ari?"  Newt jumped down from one of the top bunks.

I looked at him, relief flooding through me. 

He glanced behind him, "Somebody wake Minho."  He held his hands up, slowly coming towards me.  "Ari, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah."  I nodded and rubbed my eyes.  My hands were shaking.  I clenched them into fists and met Newt's eyes.  "I'm fine."

He stepped forward and hugged me tightly before stepping back.  Then Minho was there, pulling me into him.  I breathed in the comforting smell of grass and rich soil.  He pressed his lips to the top of my head.  "I thought they were going to kill you,"  he murmured.

Me too.

When we finally pulled apart I glanced around at the rest of the Gladers gathered.  Thomas and Teresa stood close together by one of the bunk beds.  Frypan, Clint and Winston stood by another.  And then I saw Chuck beaming brightly at me from Thomas's side.  "Is it my turn now?"

Minho rolled his eyes.  "Yes, Chuck.  It's your turn now."

Chuck run to me, and threw his arms around me.  I chuckled quietly as I hugged him back. 

"I didn't think I was ever going to see you again."  He told me.

"Well I'm here now so I guess we don't have to worry about that anymore."  I glanced back at Minho.  "How long have you guys been here?"

"You don't know?"  Newt asked, suprise evident in his voice.

I shook my head.  "I'm pretty sure they drugged me.  I didn't wake up until.... today."

"Shit,"  Minho muttered and shook his head.  "What the hell is wrong with these people?"

I looked to Newt.  "Why?  How long have I been gone?"

"Ari,"  Newt said slowly, "We've been locked up in here for almost three weeks."