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It happened 3 weeks after Atlas had first joined the plain. (or glade. he still has to convince the others, though.) He was happily, incredibly happily working as a cook with frypan.
Absentmindedly scrubbing dishes, Nick brought him out of his concentration.
"So, we were thinking of this idea." He said, and Atlas looked up at him, because Nicks ideas were never good.
"The Box—what if we went down the same way we came in?"
"No." Came Atlas's immediate answer. Nick gave him a look.
"What do you mean no?" He said, standing a little more defiantly.
"Don't you think the people who put us here would honestly put the exit in the most obvious place?" He said, turning towards Nick.
"So? we'll never know until we try."
"and if you try, you might die." he said, with gritted teeth. he dropped the dish he was holding.
"and if i do?" and suddenly Atlas with struck this familiarity. he blinked, and when he opened his eyes, the scene changed.
he was standing in a white room. it was circular, with monitors facing...the maze? what is this place?
suddenly, a boy came into view. he was taller, blonde..
Newt?!
"hey, listen, it'll all end up fine." he said, putting his hands on his shoulders.
he wanted to jerk back, ask him what was this? take his hands off, run away. he shuddered.
his voice floated from him like a cloud of smoke billowing from a chimney, he couldn't move, talk, anything. it was like he was existing in his body but not really there.
"if you go, you'll die." he said, his voice was soft, and thick with worry. Newt—or whoever this was, nodded. He surely sounded like him, looked like him.
But instead of the usual, far-away look he had, he saw a soft, loving, longing look.
did they..love each other?
but before he could ponder on it longer, he was shaken back to reality. he was standing in the kitchen, Nick had his hands on his shoulders, and frypan was behind him, looking incredibly worried.
"...Atlas?" he asked, and his eyes snapped up to the tallers.
"i'm fine." he said, uncertainty putting his hand on his upper arm.
"i think i'm..gonna go lay down." he said, before turning away and walking out.
itll all end up fine.
what was that place? where was it? when was it?
his head spun, and he felt like vomiting, and it didn't make it any better when Newt walked in.
"Nick told me what happened, and i just wanted to check up on you." he said. Atlas looked up at him, but stayed silent.
He decided not to mention the dream.
𖦹𖦹𖦹
before he knew it, he was waking up. it was near dawn, and it seemed like no one was in the bed area. he got up, confused.
he looked over and saw—a group of gladers, over by the box, and suddenly he felt a strike of anxiety. he rushed over, and elbowed through the crowd.
At the center and front, Nick stood, with a rope wrapped around his waist.
"what are you doing?" Atlas asked, reaching out to him.
"I told you. i'm going down into the box." he said, looking down at the deep, dark space. Atlas shook his head.
"No, you're not." he said, he looked helplessly into Nicks eyes, and he was pleading, begging him not to go.
A hand found it's way onto his wrist.
"Yes, i am."
There was a light kiss on his head, and the hand retracted from his wrist. he felt sick. his wrist felt cold.
they made eye contact one last time, and then Nick descended into the box.
