Meant to be | A maze runner story

Chapter 16 - Chuck

We all slowly walk out. We are in some type of alley with pipes all around us. I look at Thomas and fear is rising up in my body. He grabs my hand and whispers in my ear "everything is going to be ok". A loud bang is heard and lights open up one by one, throughout the hallway. Everyone looks at Thomas. We're all waiting for his command.
- "Follow me." He says.
He slowly start walking and we all stick together. Newt is by my side and I can tell he is nervous as well.
- "Newt." I softly say. "We will be ok."
I needed to say it out loud in order for myself to believe it as well. He looks at me.
- "I hope so." He answers.
We continue on walking and the sound of the water traveling in the pipes is annoying me. We get to the end of the tunnel where there is a door on the left. It has these two light things on the side. One is red and the other is green. The green one is lit up. There is an "EXIT" sign above it. I roll my eyes. How convenient.
- "Seriously?" Says Fry, alluding to the sign.
Thomas takes a step forward to the door and slowly grabs onto the handle. He opens it. It was unlocked. He slowly opens the door with his hand and an alarm is going off from the inside. I cant see much but there seems to be smoke and red lights flashing. I take a deep breath when I notice some dead bodies in the background. What in the world happened in here. Thomas slowly walks in and we all follow. Flashes of memories flood my brain. I recognize this place. We continue on walking and there are dead bodies everywhere, which is kind of terrifying to be honest.
- "What happened here?" Asks Winston.
We enter into what seems to be the main area. There are screens everywhere, which kind of look like little desks. This is where I probably used to work when I worked for W.C.K.D. There are bullet shots everywhere, which makes the screens lag. Everyone looks around. I stay close to Newt. We go next to these screens and see images of the maze and scans of brains.
- "So they were watching us." Says Newt. "This whole time."
- "I...I don't know what to think." I say. "Newt I was on this side before."
- "Hey. It's not your fault."
I turn around and see Thomas at one of the little desks I mentioned earlier. He is looking at Teresa. I have a feeling that was exactly where they used to work. I continue on walking around and finally get to one of the little desks. I take a step back when I see pictures of me. I jump when I hear the voice of a woman saying "Hello". I turn around and see a screen playing a video. It is this woman. She seems quite familiar. I walk to get closer to it.
- "My name is Doctor Ava Paige." Says the lady.
Ava Paige...that name seems familiar. All the boys gather around me and we watch the video.
- "I'm director of Operations of World Catastrophe Killzone Department. If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the Maze Trials."
Maze trials? What is that.
- "I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you but circumstances seem to have prevented it. I'm sure by now you all be very confused, angry, frightened. I can only assume you, that everything that's happened to you, everything we've done to you, it was all done for a reason."
- "Reason my ass." I say mumbling.
- "You won't remember but the Sun has scorched our world."
Oh shit I think to myself. I spoke too soon. The videos shows us some terrifying images of the world. Fires. Bodies. It was truly terrifying to see this.
- "Billions of lives lost to fire, famine, suffering on a global scale."
Newt and I look at each other.
- "The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse."
I take a step back. What could be worse than this? Thomas looks at me and notices my fear. He grabs my hand.
- "We call it the Flare."
Images of the virus starts showing up on the screen. How the virus spreads and how people look like. In some way I understand their meaning behind sending us up there, but their morals are not very there...were only children and teens. I guess it's because we are in some way immune to the virus, but I am not too sure.
- "A deadly virus that attacks the brain. It is violent, unpredictable, incurable."
More images are showing and I look at them in total disgust. Thomas squeezes my hand tighter, which automatically relieves and calms me down.
- "Or so we thought."
I knew it.
- "In time, a new generation emerged that could survive the virus."
That's us I guess. I notice in the background of the doctor and see that the scientists or whatever they are, are packing up their things. It's quite weird.
- "Suddenly, there was a reason to hope for a cure. But finding it would not be easy. The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed inside harsh environments where their brain activity could be studied."
And that's when it clicked. Why they not only tested us, but placed us in the maze. I was furious. What happened with the virus is terrible, don't get me wrong, but sending innocent children and taking their memories away is beyond wrong. Thomas looked at me in shock. I turned around to Newt and noticed that he was softly crying. I look at the others and they all seem a mixture of shocked, confused, angry, and sad.
- "All in an effort to understand what makes them different, what makes you different."
I look back at Thomas and he seems broken.
- "You may not realize it but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun."
WHAT?! I think to myself. How has this only begun? What does that mean.
- "As you no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods."
Yeah no shit lady. You guys are psychotic. I look behind her again and see much more movement than there was before. Something is about to happen.
- "Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us."
Wow. I take a step back. Thomas looks at me worriedly. I look at the video and notice people shooting at each other.
- "For me, but not for you. The outside world awaits. Remember," She pulls a gun out of her pocket and brings it to her head, "Wicked is good."
She shoots herself in the head. I scream in fear. Thomas pulls me into a tight hug. I pull away and see him starting at something. I turn around and see the lifeless body of Doctor Ava Paige. Thomas walks towards her body and I follow. Everyone does. Doors open which catch me by surprise. It shows a long tunnel and there seems to be other doors at the end. We all face the door.
- "Is it over?" Asks Chuck.
- "She said we were important." Newt and I say.
- "What are we supposed to do now?" Ads Newt.
I look at Thomas and he shakes his head. He looks at the ground and he is panting.
- "I don't know."
He looks at me. I have never seen him this scared before.
- "Let's get out of here." Thomas says.
We slowly start walking.
- "No."
I quickly turn around and see Gally. He's been stung. I can tell.  Thomas takes a step forward.
- "Gally?" Thomas says.
- "Don't." I say, putting my hand on his chest. "He's been stung."
He throws a key on the ground and he is crying. I look into his other hand and sees he is holding a gun.
- "Thomas." I say.
- "We can't leave." Says Gally.
- "We did. Gally were out." Says Thomas. "We're free."
Thomas puts his hands in front of him.
- "Free? You think we're free out there?" He takes a breath. "No. No, there's no escape from this place."
He brings his gun up and points it to Thomas. Gally is crying.
- "Gally listen to me." Says Thomas. "You're not thinking straight. You're not. Now, we can help you. Just put down the gun."
- "I belong to the maze." Says Gally, still pointing his gun to Thomas.
- "Just put down the gun."
- "We all do."
- "Gally!" I say, walking in front of Thomas.
- "Y/N!" Thomas says.
- "Look it's me Gally. It's y/n. Please just put down the gun alright?" I take a step forward. "I know you think it's all because of Thomas's fault but it's not. This was bound to happen. Look at this place. No one would of been able to provide us food anyways. We would of been dead."
- "No. No. Thats not true."
- "Gally, please."
He brings down the lever. I take a deep breath and slowly start crying. Thomas tries to pull me back but I push him away.
- "Please Gally. I know you wouldn't hurt me."
- "We belong to the maze."
- "NO!!!!" Chuck screams, going in front of me.
At the same time that happens, Minho throws a wooden stick into Gally. I jump in shock. He falls onto the ground. I smile in relief. I look at Chuck and he has this weird look on his face.
- "Y/n...Thomas." Says Chuck.
I look down to his chest and see blood all over. Gally shot him. Chuck saved my life.
- "Chuck." Thomas and I both say.
Chuck falls and Thomas grabs him and brings him to the ground. I squat on the other side of Chuck facing Thomas.
- "Oh shit, shit." Says Thomas, grabbing Chuck's face.
- "Chuck. Stay with me." I say, putting my hand on the wound. "Stay with me." I break into tears.
- "Look at me, look at me , look at me!" Says Thomas.
Chuck looks at me, then at Thomas.
- "Oh shit." We both say.
I apply more pressure on the wound in order to slow down the bleeding.
- "Chuck look at me all right?" Says Thomas.
I look up to the rest of the group and they all at us in shock.
- "I got you buddy."
- "Just hang on." I say.
- "It's ok." Says Chuck.
- "Thomas." He places a hand on Thomas's shoulder. "Y/n." He grabs my left hand, making me take away my hand that was applying pressure on his wound.
- "No Chuck. Please let me put pressure."
- "Just grab my hand." He says in a weak voice.
My body shakes. He takes away his hand from Thomas's shoulder and shows him this piece. It was the little artifact he had made for his parents.
- "No, Chuck. You're gonna give it to them  yourself. Remember, I told you that."
- "Take it."
- "No."
Chuck turns his head to face me.
- "Y/n. Take it." He puts it in my hand. "Give it to Thomas when he's ready."
I nod and cry even more. I know he's not going to make it.
- "Thank you. Both of you."
He squeezes my hand tighter and grabs Thomas's hand with his other arm.
- "Thank you."
- "No, Chuck you're gonna get."
He stops panting and breathing. He's gone. He's gone forever. The only person that needed protection. The only child in the maze, had jumped in front of me and saved my life. I yelled in pain and laid my head on his chest.
- "Chuck." Says Thomas. "Chuck? Hey."
I lift my head and Thomas shakes Chuck trying to wake him up.
- "Hey Chuck, come on!"
I don't know how this is possible but I cry even more and even louder when hearing Thomas saying this. He is truly broken. And if it wasn't for me, Chuck would still be alive.
- "Come on wake up."
I fall back and sit on the ground. I sit in silence. It is my fault. Thomas completely breaks down into tears and lays his head on Chuck's chest. I look up and see everyone breaking into tears. I look at Newt and he places a hand in front of his mouth.
- "Damn it." Says a broken Thomas. "We made it. Come on."
I look at Minho. This is the first time I see him cry and honestly, I think that is the part where I completely lost it. I wanted to end everything. If it wasn't for me Chuck would be alive. I look back at Thomas.
- "I'm sorry." Says Thomas.  "GOD DAMN IT!" He yells.
I get up and grab a few pieces of glass and throw them at the wall.
- "FUCKING SHIT." I throw more pieces and yell in pain.
I fall back down and I get into a ball and cry. I cant believe this.
- "Thomas. Y/n." I hear Teresa saying.
- "GET UP CHUCK COME ON!"
I look up and see people rushing in next to us. They are wearing suits. They grab us and tell us to go out. Many of them try to lift Thomas and I up, but we aren't moving. We don't want to leave Chuck behind. They finally grab us tightly.
- "CHUCK!!!" Thomas and I both yell.
- "You can't just leave him here!" Screams Thomas.
They usher us outside. The light is blinding me. I look around and see sand all over. I push the guys away from me and run towards the helicopter where everyone else is sitting in. I enter and so does Thomas. They close the doors. This one guy pulls his mask down.
- "You guys alright?" He asks.
I sit in between Thomas and Newt.
- "Don't worry." He says. "You're safe now."
I grab Thomas's hand and he pulls me in. I lean on his chest. The helicopter starts going up. We all look outside the window and we get on top of the maze. Wow. I never realize how big it was. From up here it seemed so peaceful. I look at Newt.
- "Relax, kid." The guy says. "Everything is going to change."
I tighten Thomas's hand and everything goes black.

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heyo everyone! :) I hope you guys enjoyed book 1 of this series!! let me know what you guys thought of it by commenting and voting💞 - cat:)