iii. you believe me like a god

Waking up in a cold sweat after being shaken awake, Cassie's eyes wildly moved over her surroundings. Her breathing quickened, and her vision went blurry. Newt gently shook her, trying to get her out of her stupor.

"Cass, breathe. It's me, Newt. I'm right here," he gently spoke as he brushed the hair on her forehead away. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal, and she wiped the tears that escaped her eyes.

Newt pulled her into his chest, letting out a sigh of relief. He should have known that would have happened. She always had nightmares whenever any new Greenie's showed up. He wondered if they'd ever go away.

Their shared room was silent, the only sound heard being Cassie's sniffling as she tried to get rid of her tears. She hated those night terrors. Most of the time, they were worse, and she knew she should be happy that the episode wasn't as bad, but she couldn't find it in herself to be grateful.

"I- I'm sorry," Cassie whimpered into Newt's embrace. He tightened his hold on her, willing the tears in his own eyes not to escape.

"Ya' have nothing to apologize for Cas. It's not your fault. You can't control it," Newt quietly assured her.

Cassie wanted to argue, to tell him that it was her fault. That she should have been stronger, better at controlling it all. She hated being weak. Instead, she quietly murmured, "Okay."

He nodded, sighing in relief. They sat there for a while before Cassie finally found the courage to get up, showering and getting ready for the long day ahead. The bags under her eyes were an indication that she'd slept terribly. She could still hear the screams from her nightmares echo through her mind, but this dream had been different.

It started out like her usual nightmares, but then, it changed. There was a boy with deep brown hair and kind caring eyes, and he held her hand. She could recall how happy her dreamlike self felt with him, but then, she was ripped away from him, her head shoved underwater, unable to get out.

That was when Newt woke her. Cassie tried recalling the boy's face, but it was no use. His features were blurred, but she could remember how he looked. Something about him felt familiar, but she didn't know why.

Making her way to her fellow med-jacks, she sighed lightly, looking at the long line of Slicers with cuts. Sometimes, she'd have to patch the runners up after a long day of running the maze. They'd come to her with bloody knees and bruised elbows.

Passing the garden on her way, she caught sight of Newt. Cassie sent him a small grin that he returned. She was aware of Thomas' eyes following her, but a part of her didn't want to look back at him. Something about him felt off, and if Cassie were being honest, something about him reminded her of the boy in her dream. She didn't like that one bit.

Jeff and Clint were halfway through helping a few other Slicers before Cassie pitched in. As she cleaned someone's bloody wound, dressing it as best she could with the resources she had at her disposal, Cassie heard a scream.

Head whipping up, Cassie realized she knew that voice. It was Thomas. He came running out from between the trees, face bruised as if though he'd been in a fight.

He was screaming bloody murder, and Cassie's eyes widened as she caught sight of Ben chasing after him. He looked feral, like a hungry animal deprived of food, for too long.

"Hey! Help!" Thomas yelled, getting closer to them.

Newt grabbed whatever was nearest to him, which was a shovel, before running towards Thomas and Ben. Ben tackled Thomas to the ground, gaining the upper hand. He sat on top of the brunette, and Thomas could feel the fear rushing through his body as Ben choked him.

"I'll kill you!" Ben yelled in anger.

Everyone, including Cassie, ran towards the commotion. She could feel the dread wash over her, but she knew that Thomas would need a med-jack to patch up the cuts on his skin.

Newt ran up behind Ben, the shovel in hand before yelling out, "Hey!"

As Ben turned his head towards the blonde, Newt smacked him right in the head with his makeshift weapon. As the boy hit the ground, Newt rushed towards him, dropping the shovel.

"Hold him down!" Newt yelled.

"What are you doing?" Newt asked Ben as he, Gally, and Frypan held him down.

"Calm down, Ben!" Gally shouted as he held him down by the arms.

"What happened?" Gally demanded, eyes shifting to Thomas as he tried holding Ben down.

"H- he just attacked me!" Thomas stuttered, crying out his reply.

Ben laid on the ground, still twitching as a river of crimson blood flowed down the wound on his head created by Newt.

"Calm down, Ben." Gally strained, trying to hold him down.

Alby pushed through the crowd, and as his shadow cast upon Ben, the pale boy opened his eyes.

"No. No," Ben begged, furiously shaking his head.

Alby flinched, glancing away before turning his eyes back to the boy on the ground. His face hardened, and he pointed out a hand as he sent an order to the others. "All right, lift his shirt. Lift his shirt!"

Cassie knew what was coming, and yet she wasn't able to tear her eyes away. Despite Ben's protests, Newt did as Alby asked, and the sight Cassie's eyes found was horrible. There was a large hole in his flesh, surrounded by blue and black veins that were quickly spreading across his skin. His stomach moved up and down as he breathed heavily, trying to get them to stop. Cassie's eyes filled with tears at the scene before her.

"He's been stung," Gally confirmed. The others all flinched at his words, even though they were expected.

"In the middle of the day?" Gally asked, looking at Alby.

"Help me, please. Please, just help," Ben whimpered as he began to cry.

Alby got out of his crouched position beside Ben. He closed his eyes in regret before turning his attention to the three teenage boys holding him down. "Put him in the pit."

"Everybody, help. Take him to the pit," Gally ordered. Ben began struggling in their hold, begging them not to do it.

"Med-jack!" Newt yelled, signaling Jeff.

"Please don't do it!" Ben pleaded.

"Calm down, Ben." Gally tried again, but the boy wouldn't stop kicking and screaming.

Cassie watched them drag his body away, the fear and sadness in her body intensifying. She might not have been friends with Ben, but he was a boy with hopes and dreams. Now, all of that was being ripped away from him by the monsters who put them all in there.

Cassie turned her attention to Thomas, who stood all alone, with shock and fear etched onto his features. Everyone else had left, and they were the only ones still there.

His eyes were drawn to her, and he wondered if she had felt his eyes on her when she was wiping her eyes. He was intrigued by her, by the complex nature she had and the hidden secrets she was filled with.

He remembered the girl's name that had been carved next to hers. Anna, which had been scratched out. Maybe they knew one another. However, he had no time to dwell on it before Cassie motioned for him to follow after her. He did so quietly, following her at a distance as he tried gathering his thoughts.

Cassie led him to a small hut the size of her room. It was empty due to the fact that Clint and Jeff were helping with Ben. Cassie pointed Thomas to a chair, and he hesitantly got into the chair.

He watched her rummage through wooden trays filled with plastic bottles and others with naturally grown herbs in makeshift jars. He noticed her hands shaking slightly as she worked, and he could have sworn he heard her sniffle, so he did the only logical thing.

"Are you okay?" Thomas asked her, tilting his head a little to the right.

Cassie quickly wiped her tears away with shaky hands, clearing her throat before replying, "Yeah. I'm okay."

She forced a smile as she turned around, carrying a tray with supplies towards Thomas. The boy could see that her eyes were bloodstained, but he didn't say anything. Cassie set the supplies onto a table next to Thomas, taking a seat in front of him so she could treat him.

She took a cotton pad, poured disinfectant onto it, and gently lifted it to his cheek. He winced as it touched his exposed skin, and she quietly apologized.

Curiosity took over, and the question slipped out before he could help it. "Where did you guys get this stuff? I mean, I'm pretty sure they don't grow this in the garden."

Cassie chuckled quietly and if Thomas weren't in so much pain, he might have felt proud that he'd been able to make her laugh, but he did notice the flutter of his heart at the sound.

"When they send the box down, we leave a paper inside with a list of things we need. I wrote down medical supplies. Besides, I'm pretty sure we can't clean your cuts with tomatoes," Cassie joked.

Thomas laughed quietly at her remark, and his body eased as he grew more comfortable. Some part of him had been skeptical about joining Cassie. He thought she'd be closed off and emotionless, but she was quite the opposite. However, no amount of joking could make Thomas forget what he'd seen outside.

"What happened back there? To Ben?" He asked.

Cassie's small smile faded, and she grew rigid. Her hands paused, and Thomas thought she looked like a statue. "I, um- You'll be seeing Alby after this. He'll be able to explain it all to you," she replied quietly.

Normally, Thomas would have been adamant, angry that yet another person wasn't answering his questions, but he couldn't find it in himself to be. So, he just nodded, letting her finish. They were silent for the rest of his treatment, only speaking when Cassie quietly apologized for hurting him as he winced anytime she touched his bruises.

She handed him a self made salve for his bruises before he left, and Thomas cast one more look at her before leaving. He wondered if he would ever truly be able to figure out the mystery that was Cassie.