Stars ➳ TMR, Thomas [1] ✓

Chapter {18}

"No!" I screamed, a word that tore my vocal chords to shreds as loud rumbling erupted from all four sides. The walls weren't closing, instead they were doing the exact opposite; letting our greatest fear in while we would be helplessly forced to fight against something we couldn't defeat.

Scared by the loud rumbling, somewhere in the distance a few black dots that I identified as craws flew over the wall's top as any sounds of animals, both livestock and careless birds I used to listen to, died down as if they were scared by what those walls could bring by opening.

Absolute terror sipped through my veins, my breathing increasing while I gazed in disbelief at what used to be our safe home, that was now nothing more but another community deemed to destruction. With Grievers free, this could possibly be our last night here.

"Chuck, I want you to go to Council Hall and start barricading the door." Thomas layed a comforting hand on short boy's shoulder, as I spun around facing both their scared expression, Chuck's more than Thomas's. Chuck's eyes glistened with fear, maybe even tears as he nodded, exhaling involuntary a breath through the cold air that has bitten on our cheeks.

"Aria," Thomas stepped in front of me, taking in the scared and beaten down expression my features must've held. His hand pulled out fingers together, as his gaze became full of longing and mouth opened a few times like he had wanted to say something. "Save yourself. For me, alright?" He finally uttered.

"I will." Parting out hands, Thomas's fingers glided against my skin softly, letting the sensation last a second longer before our hands were too far away to interlock again. Giving him a sure glance, I have headed in the direction of Deadheads, already has his figure faded away in fog and chaos surrounding the Glade. In the distance shouts of Keepers were audible, their scared voices wevering as a loud screech punctured the agitated silence; the Grievers found their way in.

Silence of the shadows between dried tree branches was deafening and had a deadly undertone. Their tall stamps forbade any sound its passage, only parts of angry, mad screeches coming from the Grievers found their way through. As I ducked under another tree, my feet cracking twigs that lay forgotten beneath I heard a few urgent shouts from the deepest part of the forest aside which nothing was audible, not even a bug as my own heavy breathing broke the unsteady rhythm of tranquility.

Snapping back the tree branch that stood out, I followed the shouts and soon found three boys have picked at least five knifes and stood in anticipation awaiting the moment they could step out. "Aria, what are you doing here?" My eyes found two more, blue even against the shadows that covered part of his face.

"Helping." I walked toward him, the overwhelming fear in my gut being pushed away by decision not to let it overcome me as I took one shiny blade from his hand. We stood, looking at each other unsure of what to do before I spoke. "The Grievers are here." I said quietly, letting Chris walk a few steps in front of me, leading fearlessly through labyrinth of branches and broken tree stumps. I took in one, big breath trying to still the wrecked nerves and heart that pumped in my ears loudly, that I felt let only wevering sureness to go through my veins.

As we marched through the forest, out breaths matching each other as white mist floated through the air, I could hear arising levels of chaos the closer we got to the Glade's center. Screeches pushed down the scared voices, their madness filled tone freezing in my head when we stepped out, fires lighting up our four figures. The Glade burned in waves of orange and yellow that overrun the green and gray that used to be the two most intense colors. Despite the deep sadness and fear built in my being, I took a step forward, closing my eyes once more as I let myself know this was the moment I'd make my debut here, not anymore as a scared person whose dreams were marked by grains of terror of the Maze, but something that opposed my usual beliefs. A brave move of a fearless warrior.