‧₊˚✧ ⁝ 𝑪15  ❪ 忘却 ❫ ‧₊˚✧

dead girl 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 ...

     RIA WOKE UP next to Newt. His eyes were shut and his chest rose and fell gently as his mind was captured within an elaborate dream. Slightly ruffled blonde hair fell delicately over his forehead and one arm was wrapped around Ria protectively, his touch smooth and warm against her skin.

The girl sighed softly, resting her head on Newt's chest. This action caused the boy to awaken, yawning quietly before turning to Ria. A smile adorned his lips as he focused on the girl, intertwining his fingers with her's.

"Good morning love," he murmured groggily, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Morning," As Ria responded, Newt leant forwards to press a kiss formed of tenderness and adoration against her lips.

Ria felt the familiar sentiment of butterflies in her stomach as she grinned, pulling Newt closer. The early sounds of the animals awakening and Gladers rising lingered in the air. The hour must've been early. The pair lay together peacefully for a further few minutes until Newt reluctantly pulled away.

"I've got to see Alby and Minho into the maze," The boy muttered, slowly sitting up.

"Why's Alby going?" Ria questioned, attempting to rub the sleep from her eyes. She combed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to detangle some of the knots that had formed overnight.

"Retracin' Ben's footsteps," Newt replied, pulling on his shoes hastily and standing up. "I'll be at the gardens later. I'll see you there, love,"

Ria nodded, pushing an image of Ben struggling to survive within the monstrous walls of the maze out of her mind. "Tell them to be careful, okay?"

Newt allowed a small grin to grace his features. "They're always careful," With that, he left the room, leaving Ria to get ready for another day in the gardens. She felt a blush creep to her cheeks as she thought of the events of the previous night. Of Newt.

     Ria let out a content sigh as she flung open her own bedroom door after closing Newt's shut. She pulled on her white shirt over her tank top, lacing up her boots tightly as she always did before making her way out into the Glade. She breathed in the fresh scent of the outdoors, focusing her mind on heading over to the gardens.

     As she peered over towards the Maze and she saw the figures of Newt, Alby and Minho. They looked so small and vulnerable compared to the vast body of the labyrinth. Ria felt a cold shiver sweep over her frame.

     Hunger stirred in her stomach and she cursed herself for forgetting to have breakfast — something she never forgot.

     "Ria!"

     The girl turned, and Chuck was jogging lightly towards her. The smile that always lit up his whole face adorned his features as he caught up with his friend.

     "Good morning, Chuck," Ria grinned. Already, the boy's presence has lightened her mood.

     "You hungry?" the boy asked, pulling an apple out of his pocket. It looked freshly picked, it's spherical face gleaming with a polished sheen.

     "Yes, please." Chuck handed the fruit to Ria, who began to devour the apple as soon as she grasped it.

     "You not have breakfast?"

     "I forgot," Ria shrugged, mouth full of the sweet syrup from the apple.

     "How could you just forget?" Chuck asked in disbelief.

     "I don't even know. What was it for breakfast?"

     "Oh it was Frypan's best. Eggs, bacon and even toast if you got there early enough."

     Ria groaned at the thought of delectable food. "Are you trying to make me jealous?"

     Chuck giggled, his chocolate brown eyes lighting up. "It was so yummy Ria. You should've tasted the e—"

     Ria cut the boy off by wrapping her arms around him and tickling him. The boy giggled and squirmed uncontrollably, cheeks flushed a shade of pink. Ria couldn't help but laugh.

      "Tell me you're sorry for making me insanely jealous on purpose!"

     "Stop! Ria I'm sorry! St—" his laughter cut off his own words and Ria eventually stopped. Chuck collapsed in a heap of giggles. Ria continued to laugh, then recovered enough to help Chuck off the floor. 

     "I hope you're sorry. You don't want to go through that again, do you Chucky?" Ria joked, smiling widely.

     Chuck grinned, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry. I swear,"

     "Good,"

     "If this were the real world, If we weren't stuck here . . . I would want you as a big sister." Chuck smiled genuinely. Ria opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the boy. "Race you to the gardens!"

     Ria felt an overwhelming feeling of love and protection for the boy consume her and she realised that tears had gathered in her eyes. She'd get him home no matter what.

━━━━━

"Alright but why would Alby go into the maze, I mean he's not a runner?" Thomas questioned. He was sat next to Ria, who had taken a break from shovelling, on a large fallen log. They were shaded by the generous arms of a tree, flaunting it's vibrant leaves. Chuck was stood, whittling a small lump of wood quietly. Zart was shovelling, focused and calm.

     "Things are different now," Newt replied. He seemed to be hacking away at a tree stump, a long knife in his profound grip. "Alby went to retrace Ben's footsteps before sundown. Look, are you gonna help?"

     "Wait okay he's gonna go back to where Ben just got stung—"

     "Alby knows what he's doing, all right?" Newt cut Thomas off in frustration, turning to face the boy. "He knows better than any of us."

     "Especially you Thomas," Ria threw Thomas a knowing look, earning an eye—roll from the boy. She jumped up and continued digging with Zart, her arms aching from the labour.

     "What does that mean?" Thomas persisted. Ria could almost sense Newt's growing agitation yet she related to Thomas' curiosity.

     Newt sniffed, straightening up and pointed his blade in the direction of Thomas. "All right, it's like you've heard, yeah? Every month, the box sends up a new arrival. But someone had to be first, right? Someone had to have spent a whole month in the glade alone . . . and that was Alby."

     The boy turned back to his work, taking powerful swings as he hacked at the tree stump. Ria found herself listening intently to his every word. "I mean, it can't have been easy. But when those other boys started coming up one after the other, he saw the truth. And he learnt that the most important thing is that we all have each—other." He paused to glance at everyone around him, his gaze lingering on Ria for a fraction longer than everyone else. "Cause we're all in this together."

     Ria nodded quietly at Newt's words and Thomas seemed to have received the message. He jumped up from his seated position and began to help Newt. The sandy blonde sent Ria a smile which she returned with a grin coupled with a shrug.

     "There you go, Greenie." Newt praised Thomas as he continued to work. Ria paused as a low, ominous rumbling sound reverberated around the glade. However, she shook her head free of any negative thoughts and continued.

     The thunderous sound that Ria had heard turned out to be the start of a downpour of rain. The hours had dragged on and the Gladers were gathered inside the walls of homestead, waiting for the rain to pass and for Alby and Minho to return.

     "They should be back by now," Thomas commented, raising his voice above the clamorous sound of the rain. "What happens if they don't make it?"

     Newt stood, gaze fixated on the maze walls. He didn't flinch. "They're gonna make it." Ria shivered, pulling her arms across her chest as she swallowed thickly. But what if they didn't?

     "And what happens if they don't?" Thomas questioned, as if he had read Ria's mind. The girl waited in anticipation for Newt's answer.

     Newt paused before finally facing Thomas. His voice was grave, emotionless and Ria could perceive the panic underneath his collected front. "They're gonna make it." 

     When the torrential rain had finally ceased, none of the Gladers bothered going back to work. The atmosphere was apprehensive, as if the maze was taunting them as they stood with prepotent above them.

     Ria huddled closer to Newt, who's face was pale with trepidation. The eldritch corridor of the maze stretched on far beyond where the gladers were stood, grime and ivy climbing the walls. Ria noticed a crimson blood stain against stone floor. It was Ben's. The familiar growling and sound of metal grinding harshly against metal indicated that the maze doors were about to start closing and Ria's anxiety soared. She thought of Minho and Alby being swallowed whole by the monster that was the labyrinth and her stomach churned. they were her friends.

     "Come on guys, can't we send someone after them?" Thomas suggested, though the strain of nerves twisted the tone of his voice.

     "That's against the rules." Gally murmured. His next sentence gave Ria chills. "Either they make it back or they don't."

     "Can't risk losing anyone else," Newt said softly, the sentiment of pain dominating the other emotions in his words. His hand brushed against Ria's as he twisted his pinky finger around her's. I can't lose you, spoke his action.

     A sudden gust of wind accompanied by a macabre growl belonging to a creature within the maze swept like a serpent through the walls and towards the Gladers like a warning. Ria shielded her eyes from the debris, fear coursing through her veins.

     The doors began to close.

     "No," Ria whimpered silently as tears gathered in her eyes. Then, she saw them and a brief wave of relief flooded over her body, consuming her in it's icy waters and washing away the anxiety.

      Minho and Alby.

     "There!" Thomas yelled, pointing. A scream of pure agony ripped through the atmosphere. It belonged to Minho.

     "Wait no, something's wrong."

     "Come on, Minho! You can do it!" Chuck yelled as Ria took a step forwards. Minho was dragging a lifeless—looking body with all the strength in his body towards the exit of the maze. That body belonged to Alby. Anticipation rang in Ria's head as she yelled for Minho to hurry before the doors closed. She had never been this petrified before. The feeling wrapped around her bones, causing her frame to become stiff and vulnerable. It clutched mercilessly at her throat, choking her.

     The Gladers were shouting and bellowing encouragement, willing Minho and Alby to make it. But, the doors were closing fast. It was almost impossible.

     "Minho, you've got to have to leave him!"

     "They're not gonna make it." Newt said, but his voice seemed to drown out into the crowd. Ria watched helplessly as Minho struggled and strained to drag the weight of Alby's limp body. Newt was right — any second now the doors would slam, sealing their inevitable deaths.

     Unless she acted now.

     Every sound seemed to sweep into oblivion as Ria acted. She broke her hand away from Newt's and lunged towards the closing mouth of the maze. Her gaze fell upon Thomas who seemed to have the same idea as her. She sprinted into the walls as they began to close, brushing off the hands that attempted to pull her back to safety. Cold stone pressed menacingly against her body as she forced her way through the gap.

     The piercing sound of Newt's terror—stricken scream of despair seemed to pull Ria back to actuality and she seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second. She then felt a hand close frantically over her arm and pull her the final way onto the cold floor of the maze before it shattered her bones. She took one final breath and peered fearfully out through the tiny gap of the maze doors which would seal shut any second. Newt was staring back, his face drained of colour and distraught eyes filled with tears.

     Then, the doors finally slammed harshly shut, echoing hauntingly off the walls. They seemed to be laughing at her, as if they knew what her fate would be. Ria clawed at the ground beneath her, emptiness in her stomach. She wanted to vomit, she wanted to scream, she wanted to cry — but nothing happened. She lay still, taking in the chilling and formidable reality.

     She was now a dead girl walking.

‧₊˚✧ ⁝ 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒂'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆  ❪ 忘却 ❫

oo. so to sum up the entirety of this chapter in a single picture ...

idk why i do this to my characters frick😤👊 why do i like torturing them?? ugh anyways SHIT WENT DOWN and i haven't updated this book in ages so you all deserve this for sticking w/me and this book because it is far from done ladies and gents. also, oblivion has been entered into the watty's so fingers crossed! as always, ty for reading i love all of u lotssss < 3