( 23. close call )

trigger warning: attempted SA
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THE ABANDONED convenience store loomed before them, its cracked sign swaying slightly in the breeze. The windows were coated in grime, and shards of glass littered the entrance, a stark reminder of the chaos that had once swept through this place. Ellie exchanged a wary glance with Brenda and Harriet before they approached, weapons raised and steps careful. They had been running supply missions like this for months now, but every trip felt like walking into a lion's den.

"Remember," Harriet whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind. "In and out. We don't know who else might be thinking the same thing."

Ellie gave a curt nod, adjusting her grip on her knife. Brenda took point, her gun held steady as she signaled for them to follow. The crunch of shattered glass beneath their boots as they entered the building.

"Check the aisles. Take only what we need," Brenda instructed, her tone brisk.

Ellie scanned the interior, her gaze darting to every corner. The silence was unnerving, broken only by their footsteps. "I'll check the back," she offered, already moving toward the storage area.

"Be careful," Brenda called after her, her voice tinged with concern.

The storage room was darker, the only light coming from the faint beams spilling through cracks in the walls. Ellie flicked on her flashlight, the narrow beam cutting through the shadows as she swept it across the shelves.

She was just about to move to the next shelf when a noise made her freeze. It was faint—a scuff of a boot against the floor, barely audible over her own breathing. Her instincts kicked in, and she killed the flashlight, pressing herself against the cold metal shelving. Her heart thundered in her chest as the sound grew louder: footsteps, heavy and deliberate, moving toward her.

"Well, well," a rough voice drawled, breaking the silence. "What do we have here?"

Ellie spun, knife raised, but the man was quicker than she'd anticipated. His hand clamped down on her wrist with a vice-like grip, twisting until the blade fell from her grasp and clattered to the floor.

"Looks like we found ourselves a pretty one, boys," he called out, his voice filled with a sickening glee. The answering chuckles from deeper in the shadows sent a chill down Ellie's spine. The man's grip tightened painfully as he yanked her closer. "You're coming with us, sweetheart."

His words ignited a fire inside her. She remembered the maze, the nights when she'd had to fend off unwanted advances, the reason why Minho had stood guard outside her room. Not again.

"No!" she snarled, driving her knee up with all her strength. The man doubled over with a grunt of pain, loosening his grip just enough for Ellie to twist free. Without hesitation, she slammed her elbow into his face, the satisfying crack of his nose echoing in the confined space.

But more footsteps were approaching. She could hear them now, the shuffle of boots and low murmurs. There were too many. In the darkness, she couldn't see how many were coming.

A gunshot shattered the tension, the deafening sound making her duck instinctively.

"Get away from her!" Brenda's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

Ellie scrambled for her knife, her fingers brushing against the hilt just as another figure lunged at her. She slashed out blindly, feeling the blade connect with flesh. A scream tore through the air as the man stumbled back, clutching his arm.

"Ellie!" Harriet appeared out of the gloom, her hand gripping Ellie's arm. "Come on, we need to move!"

Together, they fought their way back to Brenda, who was holding the remaining men at bay with her gun. The three of them retreated quickly, their breaths ragged as they sprinted away from the store and the dangers lurking within.

They didn't stop running until they were far enough from the building, the adrenaline finally giving way to exhaustion. Brenda turned to Ellie immediately, her eyes scanning for injuries.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softer now. "Did they hurt you?"

Ellie shook her head, but her hands trembled uncontrollably. "I'm fine. I just..." The words caught in her throat, the weight of what had almost happened pressing down on her.

"Hey," Harriet said gently, her tone free of judgment. "You don't have to explain."

But Ellie couldn't stop the memories from resurfacing. They clawed their way to the surface, vivid and relentless. Her breaths came in shallow gasps as her legs threatened to give out beneath her.

"Let's get you back to camp," Brenda said firmly, wrapping an arm around Ellie's shoulders. Her voice was steady, an anchor in the storm of Ellie's emotions.

୨ৎ

That evening, Ellie sat alone by the fire, the flames flickering in the night air. She hugged her knees to her chest, her mind replaying the events of the day over and over.

The sound of approaching footsteps made her tense, but she relaxed slightly when Brenda sat down beside her, her expression kind.

"Want to talk about it?" Brenda asked quietly.

Ellie hesitated, staring into the fire. "It reminded me of the maze," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Brenda didn't interrupt, waiting patiently as Ellie found the courage to continue.

"Most of the boys were good," Ellie began, her voice trembling. "Newt, Minho... they looked out for me. But some of them..." She trailed off, swallowing hard. "Some of them didn't handle having a girl in the Glade very well. One night, after Gally's moonshine got passed around, a few of them... tried something."

Brenda's eyes darkened. "Did they...?"

"No," Ellie said quickly. "Minho stopped them before it got that far. That's why we were so close—because he protected me when no one else did. After that, they gave me my own room in the Homestead. Minho even stood guard sometimes to make sure no one tried anything again."

Her hands clenched into fists. "I hate that I froze today. I thought I was past this."

"Freezing doesn't make you weak," Brenda said, her voice filled with conviction. "It makes you human."

Before Ellie could respond, another pair of footsteps approached. She turned to see Thomas standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

"Harriet told me what happened," he said softly.

Ellie bristled instinctively. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice sharper than intended.

"You don't have to be," Thomas said, his voice unwavering. "Not with me."

Something in his words broke through Ellie's defenses. The tears she'd been holding back all day finally spilled over, and before she knew it, Thomas had pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"You don't have to apologize," Thomas said gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you, but i'm here now."

For the first time in a long time, Ellie let herself believe that she wasn't alone.

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