~𝓐𝓴𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓪~

2.3

     "What the hell happened?" Minho asks, gingerly touching my neck, where I'm sure there's a pretty developed bruise. I wince slightly, causing Minho to retract his hands so fast you'd think the contact burned him. I look over at Clint and mouth 'paper' he nod and turns around grabbing a blank sheet and a pen. "What-" I set the paper on the cot and start to scribble on the sheet.

I can't speak, George lashed out and choked me. Damaged vocal chords

I read my words over, adding another line
I'll be fine

     I give the paper to Ably who reads it aloud. "What- he was perfectly fine when we left!" Minho exclaims. Alby nods with a strange look crossing face, Gally and Zart share a concerned look on either side of me. I grab both of their hands and give a small, hopefully comforting squeeze.

  I'm okay, just a little sore.

  I write looking at Newt with a reassuring smile. He nods with a frown, his eyebrows furrowed. "I don't understand." Alby sighs. "Why would he just go crazy like that? I thought the serum made it better." I shrug just as confused as them. Then it hits me, George. Where is he? What happened to him?

Where is he?

Newt and Alby share a look, Alby nods and my brother turns to me. "He wouldn't get off you- he was going to kill you, At. Alby- he had to um...put him down." I furrow my eyebrows at the boys.

What the hell do you mean 'put him down'

I glare up at my brother knowing I probably don't want this answer.

      Newt sighs and looks at Gally who slumps his shoulders with a why-me? look at him "Alby hit him with a shovel." He puts rather bluntly. Minho elbows him in the ribs. "Dude!" Gally looks at him like he's dumb. "Y'all made me say it! You know I'm not one for sugar coating."

Is he
My hand pauses over the paper not wanting to even think of the possibility that I could be the reason George died.

Gally grabs my hand taking the pen from my shaking grasp and pulling me into his chest. He whispers something that I can't make out into the crown of my head, giving me my answer. He's dead because you had to get him off of me. He said it was always me. Tears fight to spill from behind my eyelids. Not here, you can't cry here. Not in front of Newt. I grab the paper pen from Gally's grasp and shakily put it back on the paper.

I need to go. I'm sorry

I get up and walk out of the hut, hearing Gally stop Zart from coming after me. "She needs to be alone, to sort her emotions the best she can first." He mutters. I make a mental note to thank Gally for knowing what I need, usually before I do. I walk faster, unsure of where of where I'm actually going.

I end up walking past the hut in the woods and towards the north wall of the maze. I let a tear slip down my face as I get to the wall. Hitting the cement as hard as I can with my right hand. Over and over again. Why not me? Punch Why wasn't it me? Another punch. A raspy "Fuck!" Leaves my throat as I punch the wall over and over again. No longer caring about my injured hand or screaming throat and drilling into the wall with both, now freely sobbing.

"What the hell?" Someone drags me away from the wall. "Athena! Hey! Hey, look at me." He cradles my head between his hands, forcing me to look at him. "This was not your fault, okay? This wasn't you." Minho says wrapping his arms around the back of my head, letting me bawl into his chest. "I killed him." I whisper, the tears not ceasing. He smooths the hair on the back of my head, letting us lower to our knees. "You're okay." He shushes me,  holding my form close to him, whispering words of comfort into my hair until I eventually run out the of energy to cry, slipping into a restless sleep.