fragmentary → scorch trials | newt

chapter one

Elodie paced around the table while her mind searched for possible solutions to their dire problem.

"Any minute now, the weepers will start to come through the opening and kill everyone in the clear!" Luke pounded his fists on the wooden surface. Elodie would've been startled by her brother if it weren't for the stress numbing her body.

"It's been hours since the walls were meant to close and nothing has happened yet, maybe it's just the creators' mistake." Alex had her arms crossed and looked at the map intently, looking for ideas as to why this would happen.

For three years, Luke and Elodie knew the daily schedule of the walls; they would open early in the morning, open for six to seven hours then close. It had been ten full hours since the ivy-covered doors opened and they hadn't moved a millimetre.

"Everyone is out there waiting to see what will happen, they won't sleep until an explanation is given." Alex continued, causing them to look out the only window in the meeting room to the small groups of boys and girls formed across the clear, looking nervously back at the building they were in and the giant walls that were separated by a huge gap.

"We don't have one!" Elodie shouted, both pairs of eyes darting to the blonde because of her sudden outburst. "Sorry, I'm just under a hell of a lot of pressure here."

"Not trying to add to that pressure, but they're all standing out there and if something does happen-"

A thunderous boom cut Luke off clean as sparks were seen flying from near the hammocks and rumbled the ground, Elodie was sure it was an earthquake.The three stumbled and rushed to the window again.

It's funny how quickly a scene can change.

Chaos had wrecked, people dressed in black had scattered across the usually peaceful green courtyard. The frightening sounds of shots and blood-boiling screams would haunt the trio for the rest of their lives.

A dark head of hair whipped past the other two quickly and started to push a wooden cabinet in front of the door.

"What are you doing Alex?!" Elodie shouted at the girl, who didn't take her eyes off the task.

"I'm barricading the door!" She answered loudly, grunting as she pushed.

"Why would you? There's still people in the courtyard!" Elodie frantically shouted back.

"It's too late Els, we can only save ourselves!" Luke got up to help Alex push the heavy drawer.

Elodie sighed and looked out the window again. This time, lifeless bodies scattered across the clear. She teared up a bit and started to push the broom closet next to her to the door.

"The lights!" The only boy notified, Alex closed them quickly and the three hid behind the furniture blocking the door.

Then silence ensued, the catastrophe outside becoming quiet. The only sound audible were the breaths of the siblings and Alex.

"It's too quiet."

Alex got up quietly and tiptoed to the window to see the source of this sudden stillness, her face described the scene.

"Weepers."

The one word made Elodie's spine shiver and her blood go cold. As a second-in-command, she had never seen one of the wretched creatures before. But as keeper of the runners, Alex knew what they looked like almost inside-out.

"They took out the guards." Luke observed, he had joined Ally at the window. "There's so many of them."

Alex looked at Elodie with fear tainting her eyes. Elodie felt the same way, except she hid her emotions with several layers of calm.