the scorch trials
chapter one

❛❛ you guys think too much, we're free ❜❜

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"Hey, Poe" Newt nudged his shoulder to wake Poe up. The blonde boy fell asleep during the flight and had his head laying on Newt's shoulder. "Poe!" His shoulder nudged the boy's head up.

Poe slowly woke up, lift his head up from Newt's shoulder, he opened his eyes, blurriness was he saw at first, he squinted his eyes and adjust his sight. He first notice that it was night, there were lights beaming through the windows. "What— what's going on?"

"I think we're here" Newt leaned forward to the window and peered. Poe looked over Newt's shoulder, outside there are spotlights, a large building with hundred of lights as the helicopter began to hover down to the ground.

The helicopter hasn't touched the land yet when the man slide the door open and jumped out, he urged the Gladers to get out quickly, "Come on, kids! Get out! Now! Now!" The helicopter touched the ground harshly and the Gladers did as they were told.

Poe jumped out behind Newt, he had fell onto his knees, with his ankle still pulsing in pain, Teo and Winston helped him up and they rushed Poe forward. Thomas had only woken up seconds ago by Minho, in seconds, he rushed out of the helicopter before going back quickly like he forgot something.

Everything was happening quickly when the men began firing their weapons as someone shouted "Cranks! We got Cranks!" there were sounds of snarling and growling just behind the helicopter. The Gladers watched a human figure being shot down that was charging towards Thomas.

"Go! Go!" the man near the Gladers urged them to go towards the complex. Teo and Winston helped Poe to run for the building as the Gladers followed.

There were sounds of inhuman noises coming from their left, right and behind while the guns were rapidly shooting towards the shadows. There were even more people above and various floors of the building, shooting their rifles at the Cranks.

The Gladers made through the doors of the building that was closing and Thomas came in last, then in few seconds, the doors closed together. Poe shifted his gaze around his surroundings, they were in some sort of a large hanger, more people around, scattering in various direction, alarms were blaring and there was construction going on.

There was a man who rushed to the Gladers, "All of you, kids. Come with me now, hurry!" The man rushed away and the Gladers seem to have no choice but to follow the man. He was guiding the Gladers across the hanger until they found themselves into a corridor but he stopped on the first door, opened it then "Get inside! Hurry, hurry!" The man urged them and the Gladers quickly went inside the dark room.

Lights flickered on within the room when all of the Gladers went in, the man closed the door behind them and locked the kids in while Thomas demanded them what was going on.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Gladers saw what was in the room; in the middle of the room was a long table full of cooked food. The Gladers found themselves in awe as they stared at the food. Poe had never seen the food this good and admittedly thought it was the most beautiful food he has ever saw. Roasted chicken, stuffings, sliced ham, mashed potatoes, various fruits, bread, drinks—

"Dibs on the rice!" Frypan rushed forward and the rest followed.

Poe grabbed a drumstick from a bowl and started devouring it, so did everyone else. He could eat every food that's on the table. After his drumstick was all in bone, he grabbed a slice of ham and he'd chug in some cold water from a jug. "This is way better than Frypan's slob" Winston said joyfully and everyone burst in chuckles. While they were feasting and still devouring, Teresa threw a spoonful of mashed potatoes at Poe's head and she laughed. He laughed as well and grabbed a spoonful of rice before tossing the food  at her. Everyone began tossing the food at each other, all having joys and laughs.

Everyone were full, Poe was laying on floor, everyone else were sitting and laying down on various spots but almost closer together. All relaxing.

It was a long silence of resting until Nico asked, "So, are we just going to ignore about these people? Like who they are?"

Poe haven't thought of that, they've been ignoring about these people that rescued them from the maze. They don't really know who they are. "Who knows" Frypan replied, "but they sure know how to cook"

"Who're they really?" Teresa asked, "I mean we don't know a thing about them"

"Well we know they rescued us" Teo was the only one still eating and having leftovers, "and helped us"

"And we know they're no friends with WICKED" Newt added.

"That's good enough for me" Minho was sitting on the table then laid down, "you guys think too much. We're free. Enjoy it"

Are they really free? Poe wondered. It all seem too good to be true. He wants to believe all of this desperately, that they're free, that they're safe. He can't help to think that they might not be. He had an uneasy feeling about this place and about these people.

They didn't wait long for someone to come for them, when they finally did. They opened the door and got every Glader's attention turn to the entrance. Poe barely got himself up onto his feet. A man came in, a man had grey hair, wore a leather coat and a grey turtleneck sweatshirt underneath the coat.

He looked at the Gladers, "You kids doing alright?" The boys and Teresa went forward, "Sorry about all the fuss. We had ourselves a bit of a swarm"

Poe pressed his brows together as he stared at the man. "Who are you?"

"I'm the reason you're all still alive" The man answered "it's my intention to keep you that way. Now, come with me. We'll get you kids squared away" with that, the man left to the door.

The Gladers stood by at their tracks, they were all hesitant to follow the strange man. "Are we—following the rat-faced man?" Anton hushed.

Poe sighed sharply and limped heavily forward but Winston rushed to him to support him walking. Everyone followed.

As the Gladers followed the man around the constructed hanger, the man began speaking, "You can call me Mr. Janson. I run this place." The Gladers kept turning their attention around their surroundings as they kept walking behind the man who calls himself as Janson. "For is it is a sanctuary, safe from the horrors of the outside world. You all should think of it as a way station. Kind of a home between homes. Watch yourselves—" he pointed above him.

They all glanced up and see a man working just by a ceiling. "That mean you're taking us home?" Thomas asked.

Janson shifted his glance over his shoulder and took a second look at Thomas then at the Gladers. "A home of sorts" he turned his glance forward, "Sadly, there wouldn't be much left of wherever you came from, but we do have a place for you. A refuge. Outside the Scorch where WICKED will never find you again. How does that sound?"

This man seem assuring. But Poe does like the sound of WICKED never finding them again. He still wasn't sure if they can trust this man. "Why are you helping us?" Minho asked.

"Let's just say the world out there is in a rather precarious situation. We're all hanging on by a very thin thread." Janson turned to the left toward what it seem to be a metal door, "The fact that you kids can survive the Flare virus makes you the best chance of humanity's continued survival. Unfortunately, it's also makes you a target as no doubt by now you've noticed. Beyond this door lies the beginning of your new lives"

He swiped a card on the scanner on the side, the door slide up to open, revealing a long way down of a corridor.

"First things first" Janson turned to the Gladers, "let's do something about that smell"

Before they could go on, Janson guide the Gladers to the showers meanwhile Teresa was taken to the other shower room. The boys were given clean towels and fresh, clean clothes before they went into the showers.

There was Frypan, Teo, Winston and few others all laughing giving joyous cheers as they all showered separately. Poe can't help himself to think that all of this is too good to be true. The glorious, warm food, fresh clothing and warm showers. As of now, perhaps he's judging this place too soon, but he doesn't know everything yet. Poe never realized how much dirt and blood was on his skin until looking down at his feet and sees the warm water washing off all that dirt and watch the blood dripping down and steaming into the drain.

He did have a difficult time to wash his right leg where he had been slashed by a Griever few days ago and the warm water kept stinging his wound.

Poe grabbed any clothing that was folded and piled, a pile of pants, shirts, even socks and new shoes. He put on the fresh clothing then sat down on one of the benches by the lockers.

"So how do you feel about this place?" Newt had came from around the lockers as he put on a dark sleeved shirt.

Poe bend down to put on the socks and shoes. He gave a light shrug, "I don't wanna like... put my trust on this place right away. Right now, I'm just waiting for answers and more explanation of what this place really is"

Newt grabbed a pair of shoes from the stack and went to join Poe. "Don't you think it's enough since these people are not WICKED?"

"Slightly enough"

Newt sighed, "With you not enjoying these moments— you're just killing the mood, mate. Seriously"

Poe let out a soft chuckle.

"Hey, Poe!" Anton was heard calling from the entrance. Poe got up, went around the lockers, he sees Anton, sitting on a wheelchair, his arms wide opening as he was pretending to be an airplane while Teo was wheeling the boy toward Poe. "Look what we got you!" Anton beamed.

"Jesus—" Poe softly groaned before smiling at his friends.

"About damn time I won't have keep carrying your ass!" said Teo, smiling.

After they moved on from the showers, the Gladers were all taken to the infirmary where they treated for the wounds, have their vitals checked, their blood pressures, iron and even got their blood samples taken. He seen Teresa sitting alone on a bed before a woman doctor came to her, Teresa gave Poe a weak wave which he waved back as well along with a sincere gentle smile before the woman pulled the curtains around them.

After Poe had his blood taken, his vitals checked, he was taken to a private room where they could treat his leg. Poe got anxious to see the equipment the doctor was using, some sort of light grey, gun-shaped equipment that made this loud whirring and buzzing sound. He was laying on a bed, the doctor had pulled Poe's pants sleeve up over his knee then removed the bloodied bandages. "This may hurt a bit, but try not squirm much" the doctor told him.

When he said 'a bit', he meant 'a lot'. But the pain didn't last long, it was painful at first, there was this tightness feeling and the strong heat that stung his wounds before the pain was gone. It was slow and long, it took about half hour to get the wound healed, it was rather half-healed meanwhile there was only the ache in his leg now. But he can walk almost properly, and had a little limp. Poe felt good to walk again without feeling any pain. The half-healed gash on his leg was still visible.

After that, he was guided by a guard to the cafeteria where his friends were. When he arrived the cafeteria, to his surprise, there about fifty or more people in the cafeteria. These people were kids, maybe all of them are teenagers, older and younger ones, boys and girls. Poe was confused.

"Hey, Poe!" There was Teo waving at him in the middle of the cafeteria with the rest of the Gladers. He went to join them. "Hey, you're walking again!" Teo noticed.

Poe looked down at his leg as he smiled, "Yeah, they— sorta healed it? I think, but not properly. Anyway, what's going on here? Who are these people?" He gazed around.

"You're not going to believe it" Winston gave a small smile, "all of them— they all came from the maze"

Poe had his brows pressed together and expressed bewilderment look.

"We weren't the only ones, Poe" said Anton, "they are like us"

*****

Yay! First chapter of part II, I'm excited to write this part and have a lot of plans for this!
^_^
Who's excited?!