Admit Defeat (TMR fic 2)

Chapter 6

It takes a minute for everyone to emerge from the room and stare in horror at the bodies that greeted us. I don't have any emotions left. I am blank, merely reaction and choice and survival.

We didn't know them anyway.

Thomas doesn't waste any time. I walk through the room slowly, glancing at the bodies nearby to make sure there's nothing even more strange about them, while he shouts for someone to bring the fire extinguisher so that he can break into Teresa's room. The Gladers are filtering into the room, their faces sickened and nervous.

I reach the door of Teresa's room right after someone hands the fire extinguisher to Thomas, and I stare at a plaque on the wall as he starts slamming it into the handle.

Teresa Agnes, Group A, Subject A1, The Betrayer.

Betrayer. The word makes my blood run cold. I'm beginning to think we're just following the trail of crumbs that was left for us. Someone is controlling us, and they want us to know that Teresa isn't to be trusted.

Are they liars, or is she?

"You're really quiet, Ash, are you okay?" Newt asks.

I glance at him, but only for a moment. "I'm fine."

And I am.

Thomas kicks the door open, and we follow him inside.

One of the beds was clearly slept in, but the room is empty. I can see Thomas panicking until we hear a toilet flush in the bathroom.

"See?" Minho grumbles. "She's fine. You can stop acting like a frantic mother hen."

Thomas is still fidgeting as we wait for her to come out, but he does look calmer. I'm growing more anxious if anything. How do we get out of here? If everyone who tried to rescue us is dead...

At least this room doesn't have windows. I hate how cramped it feels, especially since it's smaller than our room, but the screaming is distant and faint. The rest of the Gladers follow us into the room and shut the door to block out the smell of the bodies in the main room.

The bathroom door opens.

A boy steps out.