Burning; TST ➵ Thomas

T W E N T Y - T W O

Gally had built the Tower since the Keepers had assembled. Amelia looked up at it, Alby was sitting there alone. Smiling to herself, she climbed up the ladder and joined the leader.

"View's nice, huh?" Alby didn't turn around. He continued to oversee the Glade. She sat down beside him, their legs hung. She swung them to and fro as she watched her friends run around.

"Definitely."

Minho and a couple of others weren't around. They were in the Maze, figuring their way out of it. Almost two years now. Newt was helping out the Track-Hoes. Winston was handing Frypan the meat for their next meal. Gally was ordering people around as usual.

"After the chaos, we finally have peace," she said. Alby grinned.

"I know the Banishment yesterday was tough. But you're a tough cookie, Lia. We can make it out of here, alive."

-

Minho was alone, eating. The bonfire seemed to grow larger as he continued to stare at it. The Runner jumped up in fright as someone screamed "BOO!" into his ear. He playfully punched Amelia's shoulder as she sat next to him on the uncomfortable log. she snorted at the reaction while patting his shoulder. "Any updates?"

The Maze she meant. Since the day she stopped being a Runner, she was constantly trying to be updated about the machine that trapped them in. Minho shook his head. He swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and dusted his hands.

"Same old, same old. Seems like this thing can't get us anywhere new."

Amelia sighed upon hearing it. Minho turned to her and let her rest her head on his shoulder. "You're my little sister. If anything happens, you know you're the first to know."

-

"Lizard boy," Amelia called out to Newt. The blond rolled his eyes at the nickname, evidently annoyed.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Don't be so grumpy. We already have Gally." Newt chuckled at the insult towards the Keeper. He wiped his hands on his jeans.

"How's the new Greenie?" he asked. Amelia groaned loudly.

"Just like every other Greenie who came up," she complained. Newt shook his head softly, putting on a pair of dirty gloves. The Creators hadn't sent up new ones for the Track-Hoes.

"You were once a Greenie too. Don't complain," Newt advised. Before he walked away to continue his job, he tapped her nose, leaving a spot of dirt on her face. She yelled at him but he was already far away. Newt chuckled.

-

Alby walked away from the Greenie and into the crowd, calling out for Newt and Amelia. She was intrigued. The Greenie wasn't like others - he ran away and sat by a tree instead of shaking hands with Alby and just went along with how things worked in the Glade.

Newt spoke to the Greenie first. She faked a cough to grab their attention. "Don't forget me, blondie."

She rolled her eyes. Newt moved aside, allowing her to stand in front of the Greenie. She gave him a lopsided grin as she introduced herself. The Greenie looked at her, somewhat recognition sparkled in his eyes.

Those eyes, she thought. Those damn brown eyes. Where and when have I seen them before?

-

Nauseous. Confused. A fucking blinding light was stabbing her eyeballs.

Amelia groaned. Her vision was blurry at first. It cleared soon. The first thing - or people - she saw was Janson and Ava Paige. They grinned at her, like how proud parents would smile at their child.

"What happened?" she asked. Ava opened up a file that was in her hands.

"You just went through the Swipe. You agreed to our plans for the second Trial to get closer to finding a cure for the Flare. Now, as for the plan..."

Ava trailed off. As if on cue, a door opened. Amelia looked to her right to see two more people enter the room. Both wearing ragged, dirty clothing.

"Amelia. Meet Jorge and Brenda, they'll be working with you for the next few weeks for the second Trial."

YALL THOUGHT THE FLASHBACK WAS OVER IN THE LAST CHAPTER BUT NAH. This is the shortest chapter so far in this book istg - strangersquib