Escape to Paradise/Newt, book 2

Chapter 3

"This is your room." I said, leading him into the white, empty space. His eyes flitted over the entire room, taking in the clean exterior. A small bed, with wrinkle-free sheets and a single white pillow. There was a table off to the side, a plastic desk chair neatly placed. There was a small shelf in the corner of the room, with what looked like books and small picture frames. Next to his bed was a small drawer, and knowing WICKED it's most likely full of neatly folded and stacked clothing. Newt closed the door, his eyes glued to the bookshelf on the side. He let go of my hand to walk over, his hands clasping around a small picture frame.
"I can't believe I forgot about this." He said quietly. He turned to face me, the glass cover on the picture reflecting the bright light of the room.
"What is it?" I asked, not wanting but pry, but my curiosity getting the better of me.
"It's all of us." He said, turning the photo around. It was a small, slightly faded picture of me, Newt, Minho, Gally, Chuck, and a few other people I didn't recognize. We were all smiling, something I don't remember happening for a long time. Don't get me wrong, we've all had good moments and a laugh here and there, but it's rare to see the entire group smiling at the same time. Newt had me lifted up onto his shoulders, and Minho was giving both of us bunny ears. There was a brown haired boy that looked slightly familiar crouched in front of us, making a goofy face with a girl, and Chuck had his eyes crossed, his tongue hanging out. There were other people too, making faces and standing in weird poses. Minho looked happy in his clean white shirt, his eyes scrunching up until they were barely visible. The brown haired boy in front of us was holding a girl with black hair, both of them smiling.
"I remember the day we took the picture." Newt said quietly, turning it back around so he could look at it again.
"There was this girl...Carrie? I don't remember. Anyways, she had this camera. It was old, but she had kept it hidden somehow." He said. I nodded, remembering the day too.
"That's right. It was the day before the trials began. The last moment we would all by together before they sent us up into the maze, one by one." I added. Newt nodded, sitting on the bed.
"We all look so young." He said quietly. He put his finger underneath my face, pointing it out to me. My cheeks were chubbier, my legs were shorter and I didn't have marks or bumps on my skin. Newt was the same way, but he had thinner shoulders, and wider eyes. He didn't have the lines between his eyebrows from the stress of the trials. Everyone looked young. It had to be almost 4 years ago that we took the picture. Minho was still athletic, but his long legs weren't quite so long. Chuck looked like a child, all pudgy cheeks and bright eyes. He couldn't have been older than 10.
"Wait..." Newt said, peering at the picture. "That girl in the backround, I know her." His eyes didn't move, studying the picture like if he stared at it hard enough he would remember. When he couldn't remember he seemed frustrated, setting the picture back down on the bed.
"It's okay Newt, you'll remember. Just like the glade, it takes a while for your brain to process-"
""Emmy! Get out here this instant." A stern voice called from outside the door. I stood up, giving Newt an apologetic look.
"Sorry, I've gotta go. My break was only supposed to be two hours to show you the tour. I glanced at the clock. 3 hours and 17 minutes past when I left.
"Emmy!" The voice called again, followed by banging on the door.
"Just a second!" I called back. "Newt, get some rest. Take a nap, it'll help with your memories. I mean it." I said, before turning and running out the door into a guard.
"Finally. The chancellor has been waiting for you for a while now. Come with me." The man said, grabbing my arm.
"Hey! Get your hands off of me!" I hissed. The man tightened his grip and pulled me down the hallway, even though I knew where to go. He used his thumbprint to open a door, pushing me in and then blocking the exit until the mechanical door closed automatically. The door sealed shut and I turned to face my least favorite person in this entire compound.
"Emmy. Your display of behavior today was completely irrational." Ava said, not even bothering to turn away from the window while scolding me.
"I just got Newt back, I'm sorry I wasn't focusing on deadlines." I said. She sighed, giving a small nod before turning around to face me.
"I'm aware, Emmy, and frankly, I don't care." She said matter-of-factly. She walked around the her desk to stand in front of me.
"I understand the situation, and I know you're trying to help him settle in. But you need to realize that we have a schedule here." She said, her voice monotone, like she's said it a million times.
"You don't understand the situation at all! You didn't go through the trials, you didn't have to watch everyone get hurt, you just sat back and pressed some buttons. You didn't make friends and then watch them from a computer screen as they mourn your dead body!" I yelled. She frowned.
"That's true. I guess you have a point." She admitted.
"Yeah, you know what, I'm being blamed for taking some time away from you after he spent three years in a maze, and then his time in the other trials? Im done. Me and Newt, we're done." I said sternly, my hands clenching into fists. Ava barely even stuttered.
"Both of you are incredible subjects though. You don't have time to be messing around. We have research to do, a cure to be searching for." She put her hands on my shoulders, but I shrugged them off, taking a step backwards.
"You put us in that god-awful simulation. You hurt us, you know that? We might not have the injuries from that stupid simulation but it's all still right here." I said, pointing to my head. "And I know what you're going to say, 'well, we can remove your memories' or some other klunk. I don't care. You did that to him, so you can spare an hour of your precious time to let me help him." I spat the words at her, turning on my heel to leave when a hand clamped down on my wrist.
"Hello, Emmy, come with me?" Janson sneered down at me.
"No...no you were gone. You were out working on the safe haven, you shouldn't be back yet!" I yelled, trying to pry my arm from his grip.
"Well guess what Emmybird, I'm back." He said, pressing a button on a device in his hand.
"Prep testing room number 12 for me. I'll be there in 5 minutes." He said. My heart sank.
"No! No not again! Please!" He grabbed my arms, yanking me out the door.
"NOOO!" I screamed, and it echoed throughout the hallways.
At least Newts door will block the sound of my screams. He just arrived, I don't want him to know how much worse this place can be compared to the glade.