The Stranger in the Mirror - TMR/TW

Chapter 1 - Disappearances

Thomas breathed in the air with a smile on his face. Something he hadn't done often in quite a while. It was a new feeling, to not have someone who wanted him dead constantly. It was a relaxing feeling. But he kept feeling something off. Like it was just a matter of time before crap hit the fan.

Shaking it off he picked up the firewood. Grabbing the ax with his spare hand he made his way back. The town, if it could be called a town was starting to come together nicely, with homes and lives being made here. Though every single day before dawn Thomas would make his way to the memorial. Run his fingers over Newt's and Theresa's names. Looking at all the names and remembering what he had lost. What they all had lost.

He came back into the village with contentment. Content that his life had finally calmed down to a point where he could enjoy life with his friends. Though he knew it was going to be a long time before he would be able to get over Theresa... part of him didn't want to. She had been his best friend... how was he supposed to just let that go?

"Hey, Thomas!" Minho shouted, waving him over. Thomas nodded back to him and set the firewood down in the stack that had to be refilled daily.

"What's up?" He asked, coming to a stop.

"Just listen to this." He said motioning to one of the girls that had been saved from the WICKED building, Thomas thought her name was Mylee, but he didn't know if he remembered that right. Minho looked at her, and Thomas noticed for the first time how panicked she looked. "Alright, now tell him what you told me."

She breathed deeply and nodded, "Diana and I were picking fruit in the trees nearby. Earlier today she said she was hearing voices, and that her head was hurting. She, uh, her headaches kept getting worse. She said the voices were getting louder. I didn't know what to do, so I just told her to walk it off, that it would be better by tomorrow. Well, I hoped anyway. But, she's my best friend so she believed me, and tried to work through the pain. I was a little ways away from her when I heard her scream..." Mylee dry heaved as small tears slipped down her cheeks.

"What happened?" Thomas asked, getting down on his knees in front of her. Rubbing her arm gently.

She breathed deeply through her nose, nodding again. "I ran to see what had happened... I found her basket, it had spilled... but that was it. She was just gone. Her scream faded out a few seconds before I got to her... but I could've sworn she was right there. Sh-she's gone... there wasn't any blood, there wasn't anything. She was just gone!" She sobbed this time and tears began pouring from her eyes.

Thomas knew they weren't going to get any more help from her at that point. He also knew that she was considerably younger than he was and that this world was hard enough for him as an adult, it would have been absolutely terrifying as a kid. He sighed and pulled her into a hug, picking her up as he did so.

"I'm going to take her back to her hut, can you get someone over there to be with her? I'll stay until they're there, then we have to talk about this..." Minho nodded and went off in a jog.

Thomas was careful with her, ignoring the looks and glances from the gladers, and others that paused to watch him go by with the crying girl in his arms.

Thomas felt protective of everyone that was there, he was their protector. And not even a year into life here he was already letting them down. He brought her into her hut, closing the door with his foot and setting her down on her cot. She was in hysterics by now, and he didn't know how to help her. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, Thomas..." Brenda said, walking into the hut. "I'm taking over." She said, looking at his face. He cleared his throat and nodded, getting up from the chair and walking out the door. Trying to make it look natural.