No Escape

Chapter 13

3rd POV
As soon as all the keepers threw their torches into the mountain of wood was when the celebration began. Some were banging on pots and pans in an attempt to make music while others were dancing, drinking, eating, or just hanging out. Enjoying that one moment of fun they have get to have once a month.
While everyone was out there enjoying themselves Emilie strayed away from the group of boys. She was leaning up against a tree not far but not close to where everyone else is at.
She wasn't looking or thinking of anything in particular. She leaned the back of her head against the tree, closed her eyes, and focused of the faint music the boys were playing. At that moment she felt at peace of course nothing good ever lasts in the glade.
---
Emilie had her hair up in a ponytail and wore a green t-shirt, black waterproof hiking boots, black cargo pants, and a green jacket. She showed no fear while the guards led her to her faith. Once they finally reached a room the guards opened the door and gesture for her to enter.
     Once inside she is met by a lady with the strangest clothes she has a huge excited smile plastered on her face. The gesture doesn't change Emilie's demeanor though she keeps her expression hard and rids of any kind of  visible emotion especially fear. The strange looking lady pulls her into a small hug and once she pulls away leads Emilie towards a table.
     The strange lady takes something from the table and gestures for Emilie to turn around. Once she does she wraps a thin silver chain around her neck and lapses it together she then removes the hair that's tucked in it. Once she's done she once again gestures for the young girl to turn back around and gives her an even bigger smile.
"There you are your tribute token"
     Emilie looks at the chain and tightly grips on it as if it's the only thing keeping her alive. It is then announced that it's time for her to step into the clear tub in the far corner. Once Emilie steps in the tub it automatically slides shut and at that moment she turns back to the strange lady and finally looks at her with fear clear in her eyes. Making the strange ladies smile falter as the tub brings her up and into the arena.
     As soon as the tub reaches its destination Emilie frantically looks around taking in her new surroundings. A swamp mixed in with a forest. Other then the land her and the others are on there is barely any solid ground it's all either mud or swamp water. With many tall and strong trees surrounding them like the ones in a forest.
     Emilie then looks among the other tributes until her eyes finally land on the boy from her district who's already looking at her. She gives him a firm nod and then turns her attention to the supplies that is centered towards everyone. She focuses on the nearest bag of supplies and waits for the count down.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
All hell broke loose
     Almost everyone including Emilie runs towards the cornucopia to either grab supplies or out for blood. While everyone is busy fighting and killing each other Emilie quickly runs towards the 2 nearest bags and grabs them both and runs. She is suddenly tackled to the ground by the guy from district 6 who is twice her size.
     She tries to push him off of her but he pin both of her arms down right above her head with one hand and with the other pulls out a knife and tries to stab her with it. She quickly moves her head to the side the knife just barely missing her head. She quickly notices that he isn't pinning down her legs. She brings one foot up against the guys stomach and flips him right off of her.
     She grabs the knife that was stuck to the ground and her two bags and quickly runs away from the blood bath and off towards the muddy wet land the same direction the little boy from her district ran towards.
"Love"
     She runs until she is completely sure that she's put a good distance between her and the other tributes. She looks up in the trees trying to see if she can find a certain bird. Once she spots a few hidden beneath some branches she whistles out a small tune in which they copy.
"Love"
It doesn't take long when the birds sing a different tune. Emilie quickly runs towards the direction in which it came from. Once the birds stop singing she stops running and looks around desperately trying to find something. Suddenly a small figure jumps out from the trees and onto her back
"Emilie"
"Emilie"
"Ahh?!"
Emilie POV
I was breathing heavily and frantically looking around only to see that I was back in the glade. Though I'm glad to be here I still didn't calm down.
It was just a dream. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. I repeated to myself over and over again while trying to even out my breaths. There is no way that was real. I was just falling asleep and I ended up dreaming that like all the others.
I told myself this even though i knew fully well that I was just lying to myself. It wasn't a dream heck I wasn't even asleep it was a memory just like the one from my first night here but only this time I wasn't even trying and it was much more terrifying. I remember so many people there, so much blood, so much fear.
"Emilie are you alright?"
      I look over towards where the voice I know all too well and see Newt walking over to me with a concerned look.
     I force myself to calm down and look at him and try to muster up the most best smile I could muster.
"Yeah why wouldn't I be?"
     I lie. I was able to calm my breathing and stop my tears from falling the only thing I couldn't stop was my hands violently shaking. But hopefully with the poor lighting we have it won't be  notable.
"Are you sure? You didn't answer me when I called you"
"Yeah I'm sure I guess I was just asleep when you called me"
     Newt looks at me as if trying to find something. I knew he wasn't buying my lie he could always see right through me no matter how convincing and good of I lier I can be but he just nodded and dropped the conversation for now.
"Alright then"
"Umm"
"Oh yeah you haven't met the new Greenie yet"
It wasn't until Newt said that was when I finally noticed the person right behind him. Newt sits down right next to me while the new guy sits down next to him.
"Hey I'm Emilie"
     I say with a fake cheerful tone and smile.
"Hi I'm umm..."
     He tries his best to remember his name but comes to no avail.
"Don't worry your name will come soon enough"
     I say trying to make him not to feel so bad about not remembering his own name. He just smiles and nods at me.
"So your really the first and only girl here?"
     He says amazed that I'm the only girl here.
"Yup she is and don't get any ideas Greenie cause she's mine and I'm not sharing"
     Newt states as a matter in fact while rapping an arm protectively around me. I lean my head on his shoulder and snuggle up to him.
"And if you hurt or touch her in any way I'll beat the klunk right out of you"
     I can't help but laugh when he says this because apparently while I was in the slammer Newt picked a fight with Gally about the bruises he gave me and as soon as I got out Newt and Gally went right in with Gally with a busted lip and black eye.
"Point taken"
     The new guy says while smirking and both his arms up in the air. He then looks back at me.
"So from what Winston told me you seem to have had one heck of a first day"
"Don't worry Greenie on her first day she beat the klunk right out of Gally and me and ran straight for the maze doors"
I giggle at the memory and Newt laughs too. The new guy still doesn't say anything so then Newt passes him his jar of whatever it is Gally put in it.
"Here put some hair on your chest"
As soon as the brown liquid touches his mouth he spits it right out.
"Oh... oh my god what is that?"
Me and Newt laugh at his reaction and the new guy gives back the jar back. Newt then looks at the jar with a smile still plastered on his face.
"I don't even know it's Gallys recipe"
"He's still a jerk"
We hear him mumble. Newt then gives him a serious look.
"He saved your life today trust me the maze is a dangerous place"
No one says anything right after that we stay quiet Newt looks towards the maze while I watch the new guy look finally letting everything's that happened today sink in.
"We're trapped here aren't we"
"For the moment"
"But..."
I turn around and and gesture for him to turn around too. I then point towards Minho and the rest of the runners.
"Those are the runners and the guy in the middle that's Minho he's the keeper of the runners and every morning those doors open they run the maze mapping it memorizing it trying to find a way out"
The new guy looks towards the runners and back at us.
"How long have they been looking?"
"Three years"
I say looking at him with a serious expression. He looks stunned and looks back towards the maze.
"And they haven't found anything?"
"It's a lot easier said then done"
Newt says with a sad smile.
"Listen"
He looks at the new guy and holds up a finger and we all stay quiet and listen the maze changing.
"Yeah that's the maze changing"
"Changes every night"
"How's that even possible?"
"You can ask the people who put us in here if you ever meet the bastards"
We don't say anything for a few moments and wait for Newt to continue.
"Listen the truth is the runners are the only ones who really know what's out there. They're the strongest the fastest of us all and it's a good thing too because if they don't make it back before those doors close then they are stuck out there for the night"
Newt then looks at him in the eye.
"And no one has ever survived a night in the maze"
The new guy looks at him and stays silent for a few moments.
"What happens to them?"
He finally asks. Newts brings me closer towards his chest as if scared that the monsters that haunt the maze will come out through the walls surrounding us.
"We call them greivers"
Newt pauses for a moment as if scared to even talk about them.
"Of course no one has ever seen one and lived to tell about it... but they're out there"
No one says anything anymore and just let all of this new information sink in him for a moment. Finally Newt speaks up again.
"Alright well that's enough questions for one night come on. Your supposed to be the guest of honor"
"Oh no-"
"No come on let me show you around"
We all get up and start introducing him to everyone in the glade.
"And over there we got the builders"
I say while pointing towards them.
"Very good with their hands but not very good upstairs"
Newt comments.
"And we got Winston he's the co keeper of the slicers"
Newt continues while gesturing towards Winston and the other slicers.
"Who's the other keeper?"
"Your looking at her"
I say a confidently. He looks a bit surprised to see that I'm a slicers but then just nods and we continue walking.
"And we got two mrs-jacks Clint and Jeff"
The two boys wave at us and continue walking.
"They spend most of their time bandaging up the slicers"
I hit newts shoulder and give him a playful glare.
"Those are my slicers and your girlfriend your talking about"
"Well it's true is it not"
Newt looks at me and grin at me while I continue to glare at him.
"Shut up"
I finally say finally smiling at him.
"What if I want to be a runner"
Me and Newt look back towards the Greenie. Newt scoffs at him.
"Have you been listening to what I've been saying no one wants to be a runner"
"And besides you have to be chosen"
I add. The Greenie looks at both of us.
"Have to get chosen by who?"
I was about to answer that but before I could the Greenie was knocked down by a guy who was wrestling with Gally.
"What do you say Greenie? Wanna see what your made of?"
     Even though this is only my second bonfire I've never been interested in wrestling and I'm glad Newt stayed out of it and only watched.
     The Greenie doesn't say anything probably because he doesn't know what to make in this type of situation. Then everyone starts chanting for him to fight with Gally and once he does everyone starts cheering.
"Alright the rules are simple Greenie I try to push you out of the circle and you try to last more then five seconds"
     Everyone laughs at his last comment.
"Ready"
     Gally pushes him towards the crowd behind him and they push him back towards Gally. He then grabs him and pushes him hard making the Greenie smash his face towards the sand. He looks back up towards Gally.
"Come on Greenie I'm not done yet"
"Stop calling me Greenie"
     He says starting to get angry at Gally.
"Stop calling you that. What do you wanna be called? Shank.
     Everyone laughs and cheers again.
"What do you think boys does he look like a a shank?"
     This time the Greenie runs towards him but Gally just throws him back into the pile of sand.
"You know what think I'll settle on shank"
     He runs towards him again and grabs his torso. Gally tries to push him back to the floor but before he could the greenie moves out of the way making him fall on to the floor instead. Everyone gasps and cheers surprised that the Greenie actually knocked him down.
"Not bad for a Greenie huh"
     But that victory is short lived because Gally soon kicked one of his legs and knocked the Greenie down making him hit his head hard on the floor.
     He then mumbles something that no one can hear he then quickly gets back up to his feet and speaks up.
"Thomas"
     I smile when he says this.
"I remember my name I'm Thomas!"
     Nobody says anything some are stunned and others are smiling happy that he finally remembers.
"Thomas!"
     Alby finally yells out and everyone starts cheering and surrounding him to congratulate him. Frypan then walks up to him and gives him his jar.
"Welcome home Thomas"
     Thomas takes a drink of it and spits it out into the air looking disgusted by the foul taste of the liquid. Finally Gally walks up to him and shakes his hand.
"Good job Thomas"
     Suddenly there was a horrible shriek from the maze destroying our happy moment. Everyone turns silent and looks towards the maze.
"What the hell was that?"
"That my friend was a griever"
     I look over at Thomas who looks scared by just the sound of them.
"Don't worry your safe here with us, nothing gets through those walls"
     Gally then walks away and Alby speaks up.
"Alright guys lets tuck it in for tonight. Come on goodnight"
     Alby claps his hands and we all start walking back to where we sleep. But before me and Newt could go far Alby calls for him.
"I'll meet you back in our room okay"
"Alright"
     He gives my hand one last squeeze and walks away with Alby. I then walk back to our room and lay down on our makeshift bed. I try to go to sleep but every time I close my eyes I just remember the fear, the panic, the blood.
     Not only that but the people who were actually killing. They looked like they were my age they were just teenagers and yet showed no mercy or remorse when killing the other kids.
     Is that why I can barely trust anyone? Is that why every time I suddenly hear something my main instinct is to throw my knife and fight? Was I a killer? Did I kill people too?
     Shake my head at this. There is no way if I was going to kill anyone then I would have joined in on that bloodbath rather then running away from it. Plus not everyone there went for the kill like myself they just went to get a backpack and then ran.
Once I calmed down I thought back to that little boy. He was in all of my dreams but why was he in such a place he looked like he was younger then Chuck. He was just a kid.
     I take a deep breath at least I finally have a clear image of him. He had curly blond hair, pale skin, and had a short and skinny frame. But what stood out the most was his piercing blue eyes. When I looked at them you could see all of the fear it contained. I can only imagine what was going through his head at that moment.
     Knowing that I won't be going to sleep anytime soon I sit up and lean my back against the wall. That's when I realized something. I take out my necklace thats underneath my shirt and see that it's the same silver chain the lady gave me. The only difference was that the chain carried the small pink rock.
     This confirms it. If there was any kind of hope that all of this was just a dream or that my mind playing tricks me then this chain confirms it. That it's all real and that the things I saw really did happen.
     I feel a few tears slide down and I don't even know why. Was it because I went through something traumatic like that or was it something else I don't remember yet.
     I hear footsteps nearing the room and I instantly know it's Newt. I quickly wipe my tears away and tuck my necklace back under my shirt.
When the door opens and Newt walks in at first he looks surprised to see that I'm still up.
"Love what are you-"
     Newt shakes his head and cuts himself off.
"Never mind that we need to talk"
     I knew what he wanted to talk about but I still played dumb and acted as if I had no clue what was going on.
"Talk about what?"
     Newt scoffs and glares at me.
"I'll admit that you're a bloody good actor but you can't fool me"
     I don't respond and look down at the floor. Newt sigh and walks over and sits on the edge of the bed.
"Was it another memory?"
    I keep my head down and don't respond. He moves and sits right in front of me and puts two fingers under my chin and makes me look up at him. When I see his concern look I am instantly consumed with guilt. I did this to him. I take his hand in mine and give it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm sorry Newt"
     I finally say.
"I want to tell you. There are actually a lot of things I want to tell you things I should tell you things I have to tell you"
     I pause for a moment and look up from our hands to meet Newts eyes. He gives me a small nod gesturing for me to continue and I do but this time keeping eye contact with him.
"And I will I just need a little bit of time to process all of this and try to make some sense of it. I understand if your mad at me though"
     I say turning my gaze back down towards our hands. That's when he cups my cheek with his free hand and I look back up at him a sweet and gentle smile on his lips.
"I'm not mad I can never be mad at you"
     He then wraps him arms around me and lays me down on our bed with my head rested on his chest.
"Take all the time you need love I'm not going anywhere"