⚠️⚠️⚠️

TRIGGER WARNING (SLIGHT S.A.)

THIS CHAPTER CAN TRIGGER SOME READERS, DON'T READ IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE

⚠️⚠️⚠️

/////

"Why are you alone here?" A boy —who is 9 years old — almost jumped out of his seat when he heard a voice. He looked at who it was and secretly swallowed.

The girl did not wait for him to answer and sat down next to the boy. They are now on the rooftop; the sky is dark, and they can see city lights in front of them.

"Wait, you're the guy who's ignoring me when I'm approaching." Suddenly the girl said when she recognized the person next to her. The boy felt his own cheeks heat up.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he heard that she let out a chuckle.

"Are you sure about that? Why aren't you looking at me?" She teasingly asked. The boy quickly glanced at the girl, so she laughed even more.

"I won't bite, just so you know."

"I know that, but I feel like if I talk to you, your brother will be angry at me. He's still a bit scary." The girl next to him looked at what he said.

"That's just how my brother is — overprotective because of what happened," the girl said, and the boy just nodded because he didn't know what to say.

After they were silent for a few minutes, the girl stood in front of the boy. He looked at her with mixed wonder.

"My name is Zelia; how about you?" She asked while extending her hand to the boy.

"Minho." He shook hands with the girl, who now had a wide smile.

"From now on, we're friends, Minho."

Zelia got up from her bed. She felt like she was still dreaming, but she couldn't remember what happened.

Two months have passed since Minho had a fever, and the first and last they have a long conversation. After they talked, they went back to ignoring each other as if they had never spoken since day 1. Ben and Newt are confused about what happened to both of them, but they didn't dare to ask.

There were two boys that added to the Glade. Zelia still couldn't help but hope that the Creators would send a girl next.

Ever since they talked, she never tried to be friends with Minho again. To this day, Zelia still remembers every word the man said. That's what he thinks about me; I'm just a girl who's only want to be friends with him.

She didn't know if he was looking around or she just caught the young man staring at her several times every morning, but she ignored him.

"Good morning, Zel." Newt greeted her when he saw her sitting in front of him to eat her breakfast.

"Good morning." She greets him back. Zelia gave a smile to Alby and Kendrix, seeing that the man was not alone.

"How's your sleep?" Alby asked, and she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Still the same, like I'm dreaming, but I feel like it really happened in my life. Of course, I also forget what happened," Zelia said and started eating.

"Are you really sure that there's nothing going on between you and Kendrix?" Newt asked, and Zelia and Kendrix glanced at each other before they looked at the latter with a confused look on their faces.

"You still believe in those rumours?" Zelia asked back.

"Well, when you arrive here at the Glade, it's hard to separate the both of you. There isn't a day that you two don't talk, so it quickly spread that someone was intervening between you." Zelia is aware of the rumours spreading at the Glade.

She didn't know why they thought something like that. She was just surprised that someone was asking her if the rumours were really true. She let out a sigh first before she spoke.

"Like I said before, nothing comes between me and Kendrix. We only treat each other as a friends."

"Right, I don't like people who punch casually." Because of what Zelia heard, she just rolled her eyes.

"Just say if you want me to punch you too." Kendrix was about to speak when Alby suddenly spoke, who had been silent and was listening to what they were talking about.

"How can you be mistaken for just friends when the both of you are almost flirting in front of us?" The girl was suddenly quiet, so she heard Newt laugh. She just glared at him before finishing what she was eating.

"It's like I just heard a disgusting word," Kendrix said, and Zelia just shook her head.

"Just say it if you really want to tell me your secret." Kendrix immediately looked at her when he heard what she said.

"Now, that's the exciting part," Newt said while smiling at the two in front of him. Alby just took a deep breath and didn't speak.

"Your life is too serious; it's hard to make you laugh. I'm joking, you know, you're my friend after all," Kendrix said while forcing a laugh. Zelia just shrugged and continued eating.

-----

After Zelia ate her breakfast and lunch, instead of going to the Med-hut, she got a basket to put the flowers in. She has already said to Jeff and Alby that she is going to Deadheads.

She didn't know why, but when she knew about this place, she found it peaceful here. She doesn't feel any fear in this place, so sometimes she comes here when everyone is asleep or when she doesn't want to stay in the med-hut.

It only took a few minutes for Zelia to arrive at Deadheads. She started laying the flowers. Even though she doesn't know them, she still feels bad. They didn't even get the answers to the questions they had for themselves.

She sat on the big branch of the tree first after she put the flowers. I just wish there was nothing to add to this place. They don't deserve to disappear from the world while they are still confused.

"I just wish we get out of this place so that somehow they don't lose hope either." Zelia took a deep breath and stayed for a few minutes before she decided to stand up. She was about to leave when she almost jumped in shock when she saw Stan by her side.

"You scared me."

"Sorry about that," he said while smiling. She didn't know why the girl felt a shiver in her body, but she just ignored it.

"Well, if you excuse me, I need to go back to the Glade. Maybe Jeff and Clint are looking for me." The girl said and was about to leave when Stan suddenly grabbed her by the arm. Because of the shock, she quickly removed the man's hand.

"What do you want?" Zelia asked boldly. She doesn't feel any fear right now because if something bad ever happens to her, she can protect herself. She saw how his smile widened.

"So brave since day 1," Stan said and started to walk towards her, but the girl walked backwards.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it. I don't want any trouble, Stan." She heard him laugh.

"This is not a part of trouble, you know; we just want to have fun." Zelia frowned.

"We?" She was surprised to feel something on her back. She knew it wasn't just a tree. Before she could react, the man immediately grabbed her by the arm that was behind her so that Stan could come in front of her.

"The Creators are doing something right. They sent you here for us to have fun," the young man said. She swallowed secretly. I'm sorry, Alby and Newt. I will break the rules to protect myself, and I hope you can forgive me.

Stan was about to bring his face closer to the girl's neck when she suddenly kicked him between his legs. She heard how he groans in pain. She felt as if the man behind her loosened his grip, so Zelia hit his chin with her own head.

"Oh, fucking bitch." She heard what he said. The girl was about to run when she felt someone grab her leg and pull it so that Zelia fell to the ground. Stan tightened his grip on the girl's leg as she started to struggle.

"Not happening, baby girl. Jim, you're in the hands," Stan said, followed immediately by another man. Before he could get close to her, Zelia poured her strength into her own leg so that she could kick Stan completely.

Jim was about to grab the girl when she suddenly rolled sideways and got up to kick him right in the face. He cried out in pain and saw that Stan was about to rush towards her when the girl suddenly punched him in the face.

"Bitch, we're not afraid to hurt you," Stan said while holding his face.

"Do it," Zelia said boldly while grinning. Stan spat the blood on the ground, and she noticed Jim was about to rush at her, so she kicked him in the stomach. The girl quickly dodged Stan's fist, and she punched him again on the cheek.

Stan lunged forward, grabbing her arm roughly. She yanked it free, adrenaline flooding her veins. Instinct took over as she swung her fist, connecting with Stan’s jaw. The impact sent him stumbling back, eyes wide in shock.

Jim snarled and charged at her from the side, but Zelia was quicker. She dodged his grab and spun, driving her elbow into his side. Jim grunted, momentarily winded, but quickly regained his balance.

This time, Zelia wasn’t fast enough. Jim tackled her to the ground, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. She fought back, kicking and scratching, trying to get him off. Stan joined in, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully behind her back.

But Zelia wasn’t about to give up. With a surge of strength, she drove her knee into Jim’s stomach, making him yelp and roll off her. She used the momentum to twist her wrist free from Stan's grip, delivering a hard punch to his face, feeling the satisfying crack of her knuckles against his nose.

Stan yelled, staggering back with blood streaming down his face. Jim, furious, scrambled to his feet, his eyes blazing with rage. But Zelia stood her ground, her breath heavy, her body ready for whatever came next.

"Stay away from me," she spat, wiping the blood from her split lip with the back of her hand.

She was about to leave when suddenly someone kicked her left leg, causing her to fall to her knees. She was about to stand up when she felt someone punch her, so she fell down again. Fuck, what am I against the two of them? Well, at least it was worth it that I retaliated.

She felt that Stan sat on her stomach, and the man gave the girl one blow after another; she was unable to fight back. The man noticed that she couldn't fight back anymore, so he called Jim.

"If you just cooperate with us, you don't need to get hurt." She heard what Stan said, so she glared at him, but he just laughed at her. Zelia secretly swallowed, just waiting to see what the two men would do to her.

The girl just closed her eyes, and Stan was about to strip her of her top when she felt him stop. She slowly opened her eyes to find out what happened, and Zelia saw a man holding a long knife in the same hand while it rested on the shoulders of the two men. She did not expect who the newcomer was.

"Do it or else, I won't hesitate to use this," he said, and Stan slowly left on top of Zelia with his two hands raised in the air.

"Right, I won't do it anymore," the man said as he stood up. Stan looked at the newcomer and grinned before leaving with Jim.

He is on my last list to save me if something bad happens to me. Why is he here? It's almost past lunch; he should be inside the Maze.