The Tributes from the Maze (Newt/OC)

Infected

Gasps erupted all around Thomas as he turned to see who'd entered. Janson had come through the door from the outside of the hallway. From the looks of his rotting flesh and manic eyes, Thomas immediate knew what had happened. He had gone to take the new disease up to WICKED's launchers. He must have dropped a vile or infected himself by accident. He looked just past the gone. Newt, Jorge, Brenda and Minho had organised a way for everyone to get through the Flat-Trans effectively. The chamber was fast emptying.

"I know what your mother did!" He yelled, pointing to Ariadne. "She is a disgrace and a traitor to WICKED! She may have disappeared but you will pay for her actions. I will personally carry out that punishment!" He charged forward but Teresa intercepted him with a long pipe she plucked from the floor. She brought it crashing down over his skull and he crumpled into a heap. The room was almost empty when Brenda went through, followed by Jorge, Gally and Minho. Thomas motioned for Teresa to go in next and she obeyed. The brunette boy made sure Newt was safe before he hurried through, his sister following close behind them. They emerged on the other side and the world was different.

Thomas thought it looked a lot like the Glade but with more forest surrounding the wide fields. There was a lake as well and a real blue sky with a real sun and real clouds. There were pastures with animals and farms with crops. There were actual cottages and houses that were huge and had lots of room. It was obvious that WICKED had been working on it for a long time. There were mostly older style buildings and farmhouses but there were also modern things. Like a proper hospital and kitchen with tables and chairs to have meals at. There was even a large campfire with a weird looking sound system. Minho had taken charge, as true to his tattoo. He was allocating people to jobs and making sure everything was running smoothly already.

Thomas was glad. he didn't want another ounce of responsibility to fall onto his shoulders ever again. Everyone was mesmerised by their new surroundings. They had found paradise. Newt, Gally, Jorge, Brenda, Teresa and Thomas stood on the hill frozen in wonder just in front of the entrance from the flat-trans, gazing intently at their new life. They were finally free from the disease, from WICKED, from the cranks and the scorch and the fighting.

Ariadne's shouts brought the group back to reality. They turned to find that she was struggling against an arm that was in their side of the portal up to its elbow. A rotting hand was clutching her forearm, trying desperately to pull her back through to the other side. The black veins and bloody, mottled skin alerted Thomas to the fact that it was Janson. A spike of panic rose through the group. This could jeopardise everything. If the new disease spread through the portal their safe haven was in danger. Everything they had lost and everything they had risked would be in vain.

Teresa acted quickly and took a gun from Brenda. She shot at one of the tiny devices that were holding the portal open. The device was destroyed and the rip in space started to pull apart. Separating the new world from the old one. Janson was being pulled away, trying to tug Ariadne with him. He dug his dirty fingernails into her skin and scraped long, deep grooves out of her flesh. She screamed in agony and she felt new disease began working at her brain immediately. The connection was cut off and so was Janson's hand. Ariadne flung what was left of the offending limb away from her in disgust and fell to the ground. She uttered a bloodcurdling shriek. An inhumane scream. An animals scream. A crank's scream.

"No," Newt whispered, his voice hollow.

"We failed, that's it, everything we've worked so hard to achieve will be broken down within a few days, weeks at the most." Jorge pointed out, he let out a dejected sigh.

"There is one thing we can do about it. It's the only way." Gally's hand shook as he raised his gun, aimed it at Ariadne's head and flicked off the safety. Newt charged forward and knocked the gun out of Gally's hand.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!? Are you crazy? Ariadne saved me. She saved us all. She created this Flat-Trans and was integral in this plan to start over and now we're just going to kill her? No. I can't let you do that. I won't let you do that. Okay? If you want to kill her you'd better be prepared to kill me too." Newt shouted at Gally. Thomas completely agreed with him.

"Newt is right. There must be a way to save her." Brenda said. They all looked at their new friend. Ariadne was writhing on the ground, clutching her injured arm to her chest. The new disease was painfully eating away at her brain, her memories, her personality, her humanity. And she could feel it all happening within a few minutes.

"So what can we do about it? Huh? You tell me, Newt, since you're the expert on this now." Gally retorted. Newt ignored his tone and frowned as he racked his brains of a way to save Ariadne.

"This new disease is basically the same effects of the flare but amplified, right? So technically the cure that she gave me could cure this as well. We just have to get a large dose, or alter the cure." Newt said hopefully. Trying to reassure and convince himself as much as the others.

Thomas looked at Teresa for an answer. She was the next smartest out of them all. Plus she had her memories. "Teresa?"

"Hypothetically speaking it could work. We just have to get it to her before she passes the gone." She answered thoughtfully.

Ariadne arched her back as she screamed so loud that Thomas feared her vocal cords would rupture. She was beginning to lose herself to the sickness that was engulfing her brain. Newt picked her up bridal style and started toward the hospital building. The rest of the group followed in hot pursuit.

"Hang on, We'll get you help. I promise." Newt whispered into her ear.

Despite everything that was happening Teresa and Thomas couldn't help but exchange knowing glances. They immediately felt ashamed of themselves. The poor girl was having her humanity stripped from her. Ariadne's gut-wrenching screams echoed in their brains as they moved as fast as they could over the rolling hills.