the scorch trials
chapter seven

❛❛ i miss the glade ❜❜

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The rest of the evening remained silent since they left Winston. Poe could still hear that loud, piercing bang in his ears when Winston pulled the trigger. There wasn't more time to stay any longer, so he left and did what Winston had told him to do.

When it got dark, the Gladers stopped and rest for the night. They found a spot beside an old wrecked ship and couple of containers around. The land they're on might've been used to be a harbour, now it's a dry, wasted, sand land that stretches far from the ruined city to the mountains. Leigh had a fire going while Aris went to get more wood and the Gladers already settled for the night. They haven't said a word all evening and the silence was their way to mourn for the fallen Glader.

The Gladers stared sullenly at the fire, Poe was sitting near Anton who was laying down, using his pack as a pillow, shifted to lay on his side and looked at the fire.

"I thought we were supposed to be immune" Minho is the first of the Gladers to speak since early evening.

"Not all of us, I guess" Teresa said, there were sad and disappointment in her voice.

"If Winston can get infected, we should assume so can the rest of us" Newt added.

It didn't make sense at all, if they were told that they're immune but Winston got infected. It's a frightening thought that some of the Gladers and the Icers may not be immune.

"I'd never thought I'd say it—" Frypan had a trail of wet tear running down his cheek, "I miss the Glade"

Poe hate to admit that he agrees with Frypan. Things may happened in the Glade but hardly something ever happens. Poe was in the Glade for three months and things were fine during those months except the time when they lost Nick. He never thought The Scorch would be a much dangerous place than it was in the Glade. With the giant walls that stood around them made them all safer and helped them sleep at nights.

Poe noticed Teo wasn't in sight. He gazed around for him but he didn't see his friend anywhere in sight. Poe got up, strolled around the area and searched for his friend. He only found him within a minute, just around an old dented container that laid beside the Gladers. Teo was sitting on the ground, his back against the metal wall of a container, his knees up, forearms resting on his knees and holding a gun in his hand. He was staring at nothing.

Poe stared at his friend for a moment, hoping a response from him but there wasn't any, so Poe sat down next to him. They sat quietly for a moment before Poe finally spoke, "Teo?"

"I'll be fine" Teo replied instantly.

He won't be, Poe knew that. To lose a close friend who both have been inseparable for a while is truly hard to imagine, Poe only knew it was difficult. He also felt that he should know what it's like lose someone, but before Nick. He should know what it's like.

"I hope you will" Poe kept his glance on Teo, "I want to let you know that... I'm here for you"

"I know" Teo still haven't shifted his gaze to look at Poe, "... thank you, Poe... thanks for doing something I couldn't do"

Poe lightly pressed his brows together in confusion.

"You stayed with him—" Teo finally looked at him, "Winston said it once that he would be afraid of dying alone, he said it after Nick was banished. How he said he couldn't imagine that those who died in the maze, those who were locked out or banished, they were all alone and scared... today, I walked away because I didn't want to see him go right in front of me... but you, you stayed— so... thanks for that" Teo shifted his gaze back to the ground.

Poe didn't respond. It was the most difficult thing to do when he stayed with Winston until he was gone, he knew that it would probably haunt him for the rest of life.

The half moon peeked between the clouds, still brightening and revealing the long barrens in front of the two boys. Poe hated the silence that the nature makes; no chirps, no croaks, no deep fainted rumblings that he used to hear. He expects any animals that still roams in these wasted lands to make sounds so they can hint that the Gladers aren't alone.

Teo let out a long sigh, like he was longing for something, but then it made sense, "I loved him—" Teo revealed, he heaved another sigh before exhaling sharply, "never told anyone about it until now"

For some reason, it didn't surprise Poe at all, as if he knew, he always thought that Teo and Winston were so close, too close. It was such a rare close friendship like their's he has ever seen. There was a time where he thought they were actually together shortly after he got the job in Slicers. Until Winston mentioned Teo as his best friend.

"I wanted to tell him" Teo went on, he scratched his scalp and leaned back against the metal wall, "I planned that if we ever leave the Glade, I'd tell him... then we did. I tried, I was going to tell him but we found out that we still weren't safe"

WCKD kept Teo from telling Winston. Poe felt sorry and sad for his friend.

"Then I figured it should wait, least until we get to a safe haven or some sort" Teo muttered sullenly, "but... this happened. I don't know why but I think I knew something like this would happen. The longer you wait, it's too late"

"Teo—" Poe sighed, feeling more sorry for his friend. "I'm... sorry" that sounded almost dumb or weak to say. "... I think he would've loved you too" he didn't say that just to try and make him feel better. But because the last thing Winston said was about Teo. "He would've"

"Maybe" Teo weakly nodded, he turned his glance at Poe. "If there's someone, like how it is about me for Winston... don't make the same mistake as I did"

Poe understood where he was going with those words. It made him wonder though. "I'll keep that in mind"

"Once you know, once you feel it for someone, don't hesitate" Teo encouraged.

Poe nodded in response followed by a brief silence. Then Poe announced as he gently nudged Teo's arm with his elbow, "Come on, let's get some rest"

Teo reluctantly agreed. It was time to call it a night and rest for the upcoming long journey in the morning.

In the early morning, the sun barely appeared from the horizon, maybe it's the landscape or mountains that blocked the early sun. One by one, the Gladers and the Icers all woke up. Thomas implied they should get going before it gets hot and maybe if they get lucky, they'll reach the mountains even though everyone doubted that.

They never realized how shortage their water and food became, they must've spend it most of it yesterday during a harsh journey in the city ruins. They had to be careful with water and they implied that they should only take sips during the journey. They hoped to find another place like the one in the abandoned mall except where there are no Cranks.

To walk on the long stretched and flat barrens was worse than yesterday when they travelled across the city. The weather grew humid when the sun rose higher, there was no hiding from the sun, there were no shades to go to, the ground was boiling, when there's wind, there's only heat blowing at the group.

Every time Poe looked ahead at the mountains, they looked to be moving back, getting further and further away. He already ran out of water, the last sip went to Anton, Poe had to lie to the kid saying he already taken a sip so Anton can have the rest.

He, Anton and Teo were walking together, then there was Leigh, Teresa and Aris behind them.

"I feel like this is my punishment" Leigh muttered.

"What are you talking about?" said Aris.

"I complained almost everyday about the cold, about the winter never going away back in the Spring, I always wanted summer to just come already, and this is what I get"

"The Spring?" Teresa was confused, and so was Poe.

The boy replied, "It's what we call the place where we're safe in the maze, you know in the middle of the maze, surrounded by four giant walls. The Icers call it the Spring"

"Icers?" Anton said softly that Aris or Leigh didn't hear.

Poe had a guess, "Gladers" he replied. What else it means anyway? He never thought winter sounded nice until now.

The noon was worse than it was in the morning. It's like every hour, the temperature increases, Poe never realized that the mountains were growing larger and it means that they're getting close. There were hardly any clouds in the sky to block the sun. Most of the water that the group had have run out. It would be a lot easier to travel at night instead, Poe wondered why Thomas never thought of that before they even started walking.

While Anton and Teo walked ahead with Thomas and behind Poe and Teresa was only Aris and Leigh. Those two were inseparable even through this harsh atmosphere. Well, they only have each other meanwhile all of their friends are gone, only very few of them survived their maze. As what they said earlier.

"We haven't talked in a while" said Teresa.

Poe turned his gaze to her, "Oh, yeah, it's been a while I guess" he thought about the last time they had an actual conversation, all he could remember was back in the Glade. "Oh now I feel bad. I've been... I'm sorry if you feel like I've been avoiding you, it's just it's been—"

"It's been a tough few days, I know and it's okay" Teresa assured, "listen, I'm very sorry about Winston... I know you were friends with him"

Poe didn't respond, he'd say he's fine but he'd probably be lying, and yet he didn't say anything except to nod his head weakly. He pulled his jacket over his head to shade himself from the sun.

"Are you okay?" Teresa asked even though she knew it was probably stupid to ask.

"I will be" Poe replied and he was honest.

Teresa went silent for a brief moment. She glanced back over her shoulder, taking a brief look at the girl, Leigh, her hoodie tied around her waist and she looked like she was half asleep. Teresa looked at Poe again. "I think we need to talk" she suddenly said.

Poe met her glance, expressing a slight perplex look, "Sure" he was curious at the same time.

"Well, not now though, maybe once we—" Teresa paused, "once we're alone, you know?"

Poe stared at Teresa. With all the slight redness on her pale skin from the sun, her hair got more messier from the heat and her head slicked with sweat, somehow she was still pretty. "Sure, we will" he promised.

Teresa gave a sad smile.

When night fell, they didn't find shelter in sight, they wanted to keep going until they find one but the night was growing too late and they were getting too exhausted and still sun sick from the all that heat. So they rest in the middle of the flat barrens. All of them managed to fall asleep, all that walk under the heat must've exhausted them.

It was the fainted rumble that woke Thomas up. He was the first to wake up and spotted the lights from a building ahead. His attention never turned to that fainted rumbling, but the lights ahead. "Hey, hey!" Thomas's voice was hoarse, he got onto his knees and hands, blindly reaching for the person near him. He woke up Newt before everyone else, "Get up. Come on, Frypan, Aris, guys, get up! I see something!"

Everyone were disoriented for a quick moment, confused by what's going on. Poe almost feared that it was WCKD who found them but it's not. He got up slowly, quickly adjusting his eyes and saw what Thomas was looking at. Lights, it's lights. There were silhouette of mountains and between the mountains were lights.

"See that? It's lights" Thomas pointed ahead.

"We made it" Anton let out a sharp sigh of relief.

Then an explosion sound-like erupted behind the group, they all snapped their heads around and see a massive storm cloud rolling their way, lightning within the clouds was rapid, showing the size of the storm and how quick they were coming their way.

A lightning bolt crash the ground, making the ground to shake under the group's feet and it startled them.

"We gotta go" Poe uttered as he picked up his pack. Knowing immediately that they shouldn't be caught in this storm.

"Yeah, let's go" There's a hint of panic within Thomas's voice. "Come on, let's go!"

They all grabbed their belongings and began to run towards the lights.

The storms were gaining on the group than they ran quicker. At midways, the storm caught up, lightning began to strike about fifty feet from the group on their sides and behind them. Poe was running behind the group, constantly shifting his gaze left and right to watch where the lightning strikes. Everyone were yelling and urging each to run faster and to hurry.

As they drew close to the building which reveals to be some sort of a large warehouse, the lightnings struck all around the group, even in front of them, it was unpredictable to see where the lightning would hit. One struck about twenty feet from Poe's right, causing him to go left blindly that he tripped and fell forward. Only Nico noticed him because he was the nearest to Poe, the guy made no hesitation as he halted and ran back to Poe to help him get back onto his feet.

"Come on, let's go, let's go!" Nico urged him as he pulled around him to run ahead.

They were within the building's yard, "Hurry! Let's go!" One of the girls shouted.

"Get inside!" Thomas urged them.

Frypan, Anton and Aris were the first few to make it into the building, followed by the girls meanwhile Poe and Nico were still way behind.

Then a lightning struck the vehicle and Minho was closest to the vehicle, the lightning crash exploded, Minho was so close to the blast that it threw him off along with Thomas who wasn't near as Minho. Both Poe and Nico halted for a quick second before they kept running towards Minho and Thomas.

Thomas was slowly getting up, Nico went over Minho who was unconscious while Poe went to Thomas. The boy was screaming out Minho's name as he saw him unconscious. Poe helped Thomas to get while Newt and Aris went to help Nico to carry Minho.

Poe pulled Thomas to keep running as the dozen of lightning began to struck around them all at once. And everyone made it into the building as Frypan closed the door behind him.

Then it was dark. Too dark to see. "Put him down—" Nico was heard, "watch his head"

Poe was unable to see what was going on. "Who's got a light?" Thomas asked. Newt turned his flashlight on, everyone huddled around Minho who was still unconscious. "Minho?!" Thomas shook him.

"Come on, come on, Minho?" Newt had his hand on Minho's chest.

They tried to wake him up for a long moment. There was moment where Poe thought Minho was gone and most of the group already had the fear plastered on their faces. Then Minho stirred, letting out a long soft groan and every let out a sharp sigh of relief. All of them laughed softly in joy under their breaths. "There he is"

"Here you are, you okay?" Thomas asked him.

Minho blinked, "What happened?"

"I think you got struck by a lightning" Nico answered.

Minho blinked again as if he was surprised, "... oh" and everyone chuckled softly.

They helped Minho to get on his feet meanwhile Teresa glanced around their surroundings as she was the first one to notice that awful rotting smell. The flashes from the lightning outside illuminated within the building but Teresa still couldn't see anything.

"Hey" Teresa turned to the nearest person which was Leigh, "What's that smell?"

Leigh blindly reached into her pack until her hand found the flashlight and pulled it out. She pointed it in front of them before clicking it on. The light beamed at the front and a Crank jumped and screamed at them. The girls screamed as they jumped back.

The Crank was stopped by a chain that was wrapped around it's waist, preventing from reaching the group. "Behind you!" Teresa yelled. Another Crank jumped at the group, but it too was being tied by a chain. More Cranks tried to jump and reach the group but all of them were being held back by chains. Ahead of them were at least twenty Cranks being tied, all of them snarling and trying to reach the Gladers and the Icers.

Then there was a new voice that rang from across the room, "I see you've met our guard dogs" the lights clicked on ahead and revealing the figure of a female. As the Gladers and the Icers huddled together away from the Cranks. This young female walked toward their way, walking in between the Cranks as they tried to reach the girl. The girl showed no fear or a single jump by the Cranks trying to reach her. The girl stopped in front of the group, she stared at them for a moment before commenting, "You guys look like shit"

This girl looked younger than Poe. She had a boyish hair cut, like a pixie hairdo, and her skin was olive.

"Come on, follow me" she turned around, she took only couple of steps forward to where she walked from until she stopped and shifted her gaze around at the Gladers and the Icers. They made no movement at all to follow the girl until she said, "Unless you want to stay here with them"

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