Wicked Atmosphere | Aris Jones [2]

20 || Keep Marching On

The next morning, the sun beat down on me as I woke up. Stretching my arms out, I sat up and looked out of the window. Everyone else stirred in their sleep for a bit before getting up as well, squinting their eyes and already groaning at the heat. I wiped the sweat, dirt, and also some dried blood from my face with my shirt, which was just as dirty. I ran my fingers through my hair to make it less tangly, then I got out of the truck and observed the aftermath of last night.

The camp didn't even look like a camp anymore. Smoke was all over the place, along with some small fires. Our weapons and other supplies were in big piles that were scattered all around us, the tents had also been demolished.

Did WICKED really think all of this was worth it? All this mess for a cure that might not even exist for the Flare?

I was sure that Dr. Paige and Janson found the majority of last night's invasion a success due to the fact that they had caught most of the Immunes and took them back to WICKED's facilities.

"Let's pack up anything that looks useful," Vince told us in a groggy tone. "We might as well start there."

And so that was what we did. Everyone divided and conquered each pile, rummaging around the piles of things that were mostly destroyed in last night's invasion. Nevertheless, I took my backpack and dug around some supplies such as cans and some paper that was still in decent condition.

While cleaning up, I remembered the pain I felt when the Grievers attacked the Glen and the pain I felt when I made graves for the deceased. I remembered the pain when Rachel's blood was seeping through her shirt and when she died on the floor right in front of the Glenners. I almost forgot how horrible it was to feel that pain. Then the events of last night happened and everything came back to me.

"Hey, you okay?" Gwyneth asked me, a concerned look on her face.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...I don't know if I'll ever come back from this."

"You will," she assured me. "We all will. We've been down this road before, Piper."

"I know, but the circumstances have changed. We're not in the Glen anymore. We're in the Scorch, and we were so close to escaping WICKED. Then Teresa..." I held my breath, feeling anger at the sound of her name. "Then Teresa betrayed us."

Gwyneth sighed, looking down at the ground. "I knew she was trouble the moment I first laid eyes on her."

I snorted. "Oh, did you?"

"Sure did. I know a crackface when I see one."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, whatever you say, Gwyn."

She smiled a little. "By the way, Lillie was right."

"Right about what?"

Gwyneth grinned at me. "There's definitely something between you and Aris."

My heart sank when she said his name, remembering our kiss before we parted ways, not knowing it would be the last time we'd say another word to each other. "Yeah, if only we figured it out sooner, not while we were running and fighting for our lives." I paused, feeling a lump in my throat. "I wish he was here instead of back in the hands of WICKED."

"I know," she replied, her face falling. "I'm sorry that he was taken."

I nodded my head. "I am, too."

She sighed. "He'll be fine. All of our friends will be fine, Piper."

I shot her a desperate look. "I really hope so."

Jorge, Brenda, and Aurora were sitting nearby, looking around at the mess. Newt spotted the helmet of a soldier, picking it up and setting it down in front of him. He studied it, sighing. Knowing him, I was sure that he was thinking about Minho.

I thought about Aris, Sonya, Maeve, and Lillie, hoping that they were okay. I wished WICKED hadn't taken them. I wished that WICKED didn't have to take anyone.

"What do we do now?" Frypan spoke up, looking at Vince.

Vince sighed, looking at all of us. "Well, we pick up what's left of us. We stick to the plan and get you kids to the Safe Haven. Then we start over, I guess."

Start over? That was Vince's plan? It sounded more like giving up.

The silence loomed over us for a while, then Thomas stood up, strapping his backpack over his shoulder. "I'm not going with you."

While we all looked at Thomas in confusion, Vince furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

Thomas sighed, looking at Vince. "I made a promise to Minho that I wouldn't leave him behind. I have to go after him."

"Hey, kid, look around you," Vince retorted, motioning at the devoured camp. "WICKED just kicked our asses. You think about where you're headed."

"I'm not asking anyone to come with me," Thomas replied.

"Thomas, listen to me," Newt intervened, taking a step towards him. "I've known Minho for..." he trailed off, thinking for a moment, then continued. "I've known Minho for as long as I can remember. So, if there was any way that we could help him, trust me, I would be up there standing next to you. This, what you're talking about, is impossible."

"More like suicide," Jorge added.

"Maybe, but I know what I'm supposed to do now," Thomas said. "It's not just about Minho. It's about all of us. It's about everyone WICKED's ever taken and everyone they will take. They'll never stop, so I'm gonna stop them."

"He's right," Gwyneth agreed. "It's about the ones that died for us in our Mazes and the ones that WICKED took before we escaped to the Scorch. We can't let them die for nothin' or let the ones WICKED took last night go down, either." Gwyneth scanned at everyone. "You sticks know that we're right about this. Because we've all been fightin' ever since we escaped our Mazes."

Both of them had good points. None of us could go to the Safe Haven without the others. We also couldn't let the ones that didn't make it die for nothing, especially the ones that never made it out of the Glen.

At this point, we weren't just Glenners, or since the boys and Teresa came from the Glade, Gladers. We were now soldiers, and soldiers kept marching on.

Harriet nodded her head in agreement. "I have to admit, I'd like some revenge."

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one," I commented, going to stand next to Thomas. "I'm not letting my friends go like that. I can't go to the Safe Haven without them, and I certainly won't let WICKED win again. We've all lost too much and it's all because of them." I looked at him, standing a bit taller than before. "I'm with you, Thomas, no matter what."

"So am I," Gwyneth added.

"I am as well," Harriet said.

Jorge, Brenda, and Aurora all exchanged looks, silently making an agreement amongst the three of them. "We're with you, too, hermano," Jorge stated.

Newt and Frypan looked at each other, then back at Thomas. "We're with you, Tommy," Newt said.

"No matter what," Frypan added.

Vince looked around at all of us, then stared up at Thomas, chuckling a little. "Well, kid, that was a good speech. So, what's your plan?"

He took a long hard look at all of us and then stated, "I'm gonna kill Ava Paige."

END OF BOOK TWO

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A/N: And that's the end of BOOK 2!

I'm so happy that I finished this! I can't wait for y'all to see what I've got in store for Book 3!

Song above is Soldier by Fleurie.

Comment, vote, see everyone in the third and final book!

-A