The Memoriam Files: Hearts ✔

| Chapter 37, When it comes down

|My heart’s beating faster. I know what I’m after

|Runnin', Adam Lambert

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Lisa's P.O.V.

We spent the next twenty minutes or so dividing everyone into groups and getting them into long lines. Thomas told us to keep the groups even in terms of age and strength. It surprised me how well they listened to us but they seemed to have no problem following our orders once they realised we came to rescue them.

Once the entire crowd was organised Thomas made us line up in front of the East Door and then waved his hands to get everyone's attention. I ended up standing next to Dawn who had her eyes focused on the crowd before her.

'Listen up!' Thomas began. 'Wicked is planning to use you for science, your brains. They've been studying people for years, collecting data to develop a cure for the Flare. Now they want to use you as well, but you deserve more than a life as lab rats. You are, we all are, the future. And the future isn't going to happen the way Wicked wants it to.' He took a deep breath and gestured to the Gladers. 'That's why we're here. To get you out of this place we'll be going through a bunch of buildings to find a Flat Trans that'll take us somewhere safe. If we're attacked, we're going to have to fight. Stick with your groups and the strongest need to do whatever it takes the protect the weaker. Only then will we make it out of here alive. Now let's go show Wicked what we are made of!'

The crowd started applauding and cheering and I felt Dawn shift next to me, making me turn to her. Her eyes were glinstering with tears as she turned to look at me. 'Great, we're all bloody inspired,' she whispered, the corner of her lip turning slightly upwards.

I remembered the words, as she had told me the story of their escape out of the Maze and I felt myself smiling back at her and I pulled her into a hug. Her arms held me tightly before she pulled away from me, quickly wiping away her tears and I felt myself frowning.

'What aren't you telling me?' I asked her quietly.

She looked at me, another tear rolling down her cheek as she took a deep breath. 'I-I,' she stuttered then exhaled slowly. 'He's-' but she was interrupted by a violent crack, the sound of stone splintering and then nothing but silence, only an echo bounching off the walls.

'What was that?' Minho yelled, looking at the sky for the source.

Dread spread through my stomach, a shiver crawled down my spine as suddenly another crack sounded, then another. A thunderous rumble sounded through the Glade as a sudden realisation struck me.

'The bombs!' I yelled, turning to Thomas. 'They must've set off the bombs!'

The ground started shaking and screams came from people in the crowd. A defeaning roar sounded through the Glade as a large portion of the wall on our left broke loose, sending great chunks of stone flying everywhere. There was no time to even shout as much as a warning as the massive piece of rock landed on a group of people, crushing them as it broke in half.

I felt myself gasping for air, watching blood spread out from under the edges of the rock and into the grass of the Glade.

The Maze was falling apart around us, we had to leave. Now.

'Run!' Thomas yelled at Sonya. She didn't need to be told twice as she turned and disappeared into the Maze, the group that been assigned to her followed without hesitation. Then Thomas ran over to Minho. 'Bring up the rear! Teresa, Brenda and I need to get ahead of the pack!'