| chapter 16: the slammer |

DAWN

'So, Thomas you've killed Gally?' Lisa said with a smirk on her face while Thomas made his way over to our table. Chuck smirked at her and Thomas just frowned. 

Yesterday Thomas had run into the Maze, going all nuts about Teresa talking to him in his head. After that Lisa and I had walked through Deadheads and just talked about things. Lisa had told me about her "punchingsessions" with Minho and I told her about my talk with Newt and that I was excited about being a Runner. When we went to the kitchen to eat our evening meal we heard some of the Gladers talking about Thomas running into the Maze and killing Gally. Who, apparently, was hiding in the Maze. 

I didn't believe one shuck word of it, but let the boys talk.

Thomas sighed. 'I didn't even know he was out there.' 

'Don't worry about it, dude. No one liked him except for his few shuck cronies. They're the ones accusing you of stuff.' Chuck said.

'Ya know, the guy is probably dead. You're talking about him like he went on a vacation.' Thomas broke the silence. 

A contemplative look came over Chuck. 'I don't think he's dead.'

I frowned. 'But those guys said they saw him running into the Maze. Then he has to be dead right?' 

Chuck looked at me. 'That's what I'm saying. I think his buddies are hiding him inside the Glade somewhere. Gally was an idiot, but he couldn't possibly be stupid enough to stay out in the Maze all night. Like you guys did.'

Thomas shook his head. 'Maybe that's exactly why he stayed outside. Wanted to prove he could do anything I can do. The guy hates me.' He paused. 'Hated me.'

I shrugged. 'If he's dead, the Runners will find him. If not, he will get hungry and show up anyway. I don't care.' And it was true, even though I had some pity for him I rather wanted him gone. If he truly was planning on killing us, maybe this would be better.

'I don't get it, he didn't seem that bad to me when I worked with the Builders for a day,' Lisa shrugged.

'Maybe that's only what he wanted you to think,' Chuck said with a small smirk on his lips.

Thomas picked up his sandwitch and took a bite. 'All I want is one normal day, one day to relax,' he sighed.

'Then your bloody wish is granted.' A voice spoke from the kitchen door behind us. I turned around and saw Newt standing there, smiling. 'Come on, ya buggin' jailbirds. You can take it easy while you're hangin' in the Slammer. Chucky'll bring you three some lunch at noon.'

I shared a glare with Thomas before standing up and following the blond boy outside. 

'Have fun!' Lisa called after us. 

I just rolled my eyes at her.

The Slammer stood in an obscure place between the Homestead and the north Glade wall, hidden behind thorny, ragged bushes that looked like they hadn't been trimmed in ages. It was a big block of roughly cut concrete, with one tiny, barred window and a wooden door that was locked with a rusty metal latch. 

I swallowed, that didn't look fancy.

Newt took out a key and opened the door, then montioned for us to enter. 'There's only a chair in there and nothin' at all for ya shanks to do. Enjoy yourselves.'

Thomas was the first to walk inside and I gave Newt one last scowl before following him.

'Have fun.' Newt said and closed the door.

Then his head appeared before the glassless window, looking through the bars with a smirk. 

I put my hands on my hips, looking up at him. 'Can't say goodbye, can you?'

Newt grinned and shook his head.

'Nice reward for breakin' the rules. You three saved some lives, but ya still need to learn -' 'Yeah, I know. Order.' Thomas finished with a roll of his eyes. 

Newt smiled. 'You're not half as bad, shank. But friends or no, gotta run things properly, keep us buggers alive. Think about that while ya sit here and stare at the bloody walls.' And then he was gone.

I let out a huge sigh before I sat down in the corner with my back against the wall and closed my eyes. I sat like that for what seemed like hours. It wasn't too bad, at least it was finally quiet. But the silence was broken when Thomas opened his mouth.

'Dawn?' 

'Mmm?' 

He coughed. 'What do you remember? You know...from the Changing?'

I opened my eyes and stared at him. He looked at me with a burning gaze and I knew something was off. He wasn't just asking out of curiousity. I frowned at him. 'Why do you ask?' 

He shrugged, acting like it was nothing but from the look on his face I could see it was something.

I took a deep breath, almost having to force myself to talk to him. 'You know Thomas, you're one of the worst liars I've ever seen.' 

No matter how ironic that comment was he didn't react to it, just shifted uncomfortable then finally he spoke. 'I've been having these...dreams.' 

I raised my eyebrows but didn't interrupt him. 

'I keep seeing these, visions and I think they're memories. And in one of them-' He cut himself off and swallowed nervously. 'And in one of them I saw you. We were talking about a way to destroy the people we worked for. The people who sent us in here.'

My eyes widened and I felt my heart beating faster. 

Thomas looked at me, uncomfortable but hopeful at the same time.

I nodded slowly. 'I saw it too, in the Changing.' 

He breathed out with relief. 'So, what, do you think we were friends or something?' 

I bit my tongue. 'I'm not sure. We more seemed like partners, colleagues with a common goal.'

Thomas nodded. 'Why do you think we wanted to destroy them so badly?' 

I shook my head, not sure what to answer. 'They must have done something horrible to us...' I mumbled. 

Thomas snickered. 'What could be worse than putting us in a place like this?'

I looked at him, sparks of excitment swimming inside my stomach. 'Well, maybe that exactly the reason we stood up against them.' 

He nodded, seeming excited as well.

The following hours we spend trying to come up with all kinds of theories as to why we did what we both remembered we had done. The longer we went on, the more I realised we were going in circles and that it was actually a huge waste of time. But it wasn't like one of us had something better to do.

We had just ruled out another theory when Chuck's face appeared before window.

'Food!' I cried out and jumped up. 

The little kid grinned and Thomas stood up as well.

After passing some pieces of chicken and glasses of water through the window, he took up his role of talking our ears off. And for today, I was fine with it. 

'Everything's getting back to normal.' Chuck announced. 'The Runners are out in the Maze, everyone's working, maybe we'll survive after all. Still no sign of Gally, Newt told the Runners to come back lickety-splickety if they found his body. And, oh, yeah Alby's up and around. Seems fine and Newt's glad he doesn't have to be the big boss anymore.'

Thomas chocked in his food. 

I sat down against the wall and curious once again. Whatever had happened with our leader, it made both Thomas and Newt nervous.

Suddenly Chuck said something that took me off the guard. 'Guys, I'm kinda messed up. It's weird to feel sad and homesick, but have no idea what it is you wish you could go back to ya know? All I know is I don't want to be here. I want to go back to my family. Whatever's there, whatever I was taken from. I wanna remember.'

'I know what you mean.' Thomas mumbled. 

'Yeah me too.' I added.

It was silence for a couple of seconds.

'I used to cry every night,' Chuck finally mumbled. 'Like a pants-wettin' baby. Almost till the day you got here. Then I got used to it, I guess. This became home, even though we spend every day hoping to get out.'

I swallowed and tried to get the numb feeling that had appeared in my throat, away.

'I've only cried once since showing up, but that was after almost getting eaten alive. I'm probably just a shallow shuck-face.' Thomas said.

'You cried? Then?' Chuck asked and I felt myself growing curious. Being half unconscious I hadn't noticed Thomas crying.

'Yeah. When the last one finally fell over the Cliff, I broke down and sobbed till my chest and throat hurt. Everything crushed in on me at once. Sure made me feel better, don't feel bad about crying. Ever.' Thomas said. 

'Kinda does make ya feel better, hu? Weird how that works.' Chuck added.

Taking a deep breath I tried to calm my racing heart. It was weird how someone expressing they felt the same about you in a certain situation, made you feel so uncomfortable and yet comfortable at the same time. You knew you weren't alone and at the same time you didn't want anyone else to feel that horrible emptiness. Especially not someone as young as Chuck.

'Hey guys?' Chuck asked.

'Still here,' Thomas answered dryly.

'Do you think I have parents? Real parents?'

I couldn't hold back my laugh. It felt good to laugh, a real laugh. Especially after talking about something so raw and sad. 

Thomas laughed as well. 'Of course you do shank. You need me to tell you about the birds and bees?'

A smile appeared on my lips even though it felt weird to smile in a situation like this. 

'That's not what I meant.' Chuck said quietly. 'Most of the guys who've gone through the Changing remember terrible things they won't even talk about, which makes me doubt I have anything good back home. So, I mean, you think it's really possible I have a mom and a dad out in the world somewhere, missing me? Do you think they cry every night?'

Blinking rapidly I tried to get rid of the sudden tears that had gathered in my eyes. It was a topic I hadn't even thought about, being so busy with everything happening now that I hadn't thought about the fact that maybe I used to have a family, parents, maybe a little brother or sister.

'Listen guys, I think that whoever did this to us, seriously underestimated us. I guess they just never realised that taking someone's memories away doesn't make them weaker. It only makes them stronger and more determined. I mean we've been searching for an exit for what, two years now? I think those Creators will be pretty scared once they realised how screwed they are.'

The two boys fell silent after my little speech and I offered them a small smile.

'Don't give up Chuck. We're gonna solve this thing, get out of here. I'm gonna help Dawn, 'cause she is right. I promise on me life I'll get you back to that room of yours. Make your mom quit crying.' Thomas said, sounding genuinly determined.

'Hope you're right.' Chuck said with a shaky voice. He showed a thumbs-up sign in the window, then stood up and walked away. 

'I swear Chuck.' Thomas whispered, making me reach out and put my hand on his shoulder. A sudden determination had taken over me and now I finally realised how important it was to get out of this place and back to our old lives.

| 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁'𝚂 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴 |

Aw poor Chuck, I wanna hug him right now...He deserves so much better than this...What did you guys think about the little conversation between Dawn and Thomas? What did they do to betray Wicked? And why did they do it?

I just wanted to know if you guys were still alive :) Because if you are, please leave a comment, that'd be awesome. Thanks!

Hugs!

xXx

UYM