The gathering lasted longer than most gatherings. Alby came out of the homestead first and after a couple of minutes, so did Thomas. No one else. Alby walked with his head down, to the deadheads, where he would be the most alone. I sat by the hole the griever made last night, waiting. When Thomas came out, it was like he hadn't seen me. Maybe he didn't. He made his way to a bench by the box.
"Hey, Tommy, wait." He stopped and waited for me. "What happened in there? Why did Alby come out alone?"
He sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "A lot. Newt Told me to wait for him by the box." I wasn't sure if it was an invitation for me to go with him, but I went anyway. I was curious.
"What did you remember?" He didn't answer me. "Thomas."
He sat on the bench, his back against the rusted metal. He took a deep breath in. "I have something to tell you."
"Okay." My heart raced. What was it that he saw, hopefully it was what we needed.
"Teresa and I are telepathic."
I laughed. It was so left field and definitely not what I was expecting. "Okay, sure. What did you see?"
He looked at me curiously. "Did you hear what I said?"
"Yes I did. It's a joke right?" I smiled, but the look on his face made it drop. "Oh, you're not joking." I sat heavily on the bench, making it creak. "Wow. So...you can talk to each other...in your heads?"
Thomas nodded. "It took a bit for me to figure it out, but it's kinda easy now."
My mind was racing with the thought that someone can communicate telepathically. I mean, it can't be that shocking, what with WICKED controlling people and their minds. I should have seen it coming. "Okay." I shook my head. "Well, still I want to know what you saw."
He nodded. "Okay, just give me a second." He looked out at the Glade, his eyes blurred over, unfocused. He was like that for a minute or two and then blinked a couple times, looking back at me. "Teresa's coming."
I frowned. "You were speaking to her right now?" He nodded. "God, that is gonna take some getting used to."
"It was weird for me too."
Teresa found us quickly, waving hi to me. She sat down so close to Thomas she was almost sitting on him. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He squeezed it back. I blushed and looked away, almost feeling like I was peeking on something I shouldn't.
"Tell me." She urged and with no hesitation, Thomas did.
He told us everything that happened in the gathering. The code, everything being a test, our names...not being our real names. He had an escape plan, he knew where it was, knew it would work, because he was there when the Maze was built. So was Teresa. They helped. It was the reason Alby left alone. He was scared to leave, and said something about our lives before WICKED. Something about the Flare. Whatever that was. He even admitted to burning the maps. Thomas told us the rest of his escape plan, how planned to be the bait. Even when we protested, he wouldn't hear any of it.
He had made up his mind.
My mind felt like it was on fire after Thomas finished speaking. There was so much going on, too much information, so many lies. I didn't feel like myself. I felt like I was someone else, watching me as I processed this information, as I stood up and left Thomas and Teresa. I had an odd look on my face, it was close to fear and I looked like I was going to cry.
I was brought back to myself when I started to gag, a burning feeling traveling up my throat and the ground swayed. I stumbled to my knees, holding my stomach as bile came up. I hadn't eaten much, and after everything that didn't digest came up I was just heaving now. Then it transformed into sobs. Tears hot and fast as they traveled down my face.
