Subject A3: The Carrier 》Scorch Trials (TMR)

Thirty-One

"Ok," Teresa started. "Let's tie him to that ugly tree." The tree isn't all that ugly. It just looked like it was dead for a really long time. "And we might as well feed them so they don't moan and groan all day and keep us awake."

I'm really starting to hate her. She kidnapped us. She dragged us away from our friends. She was the one who attacked us. Shuck, she had an arrow go through Tony. What is wrong with her? And what the hell did Thomas ever do to her? If I remember clearly, all that little shuck-face did is like the girl.

Harriet tied Thomas to the tree. I was about to attack Teresa, but Sonya's hand on my arm made me think otherwise. At least she tied him around his torso and not his hands. Sonya sat down, taking me with her, she pulled a few granola bars from her bag and handed them over. Everything went silent after that. No one spoke. No one even looked at each other.

I glanced over at Thomas to see a bruise forming around his cheek. He slowly looked towards me and nodded, telling me that he's ok. That doesn't help me one bit. If he's like this now, I can't imagine how he might end up after Teresa gets her revenge.

This is all WICKED, that much is for sure. It has to be. They placed us in those weird bunks, Rat Man saying saying how this is another one of the trials. How we're Variables. All of this comes back to them and I don't like it. And this silence is killing me.

I looked at Sonya. "What's the Pass?"

"Just eat," she spoke softly. Her tone wasn't ruff or demanding...it sounded more like guilt. Shame. I sighed before standing up and making my way towards Thomas. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To sit with my friend. You know him. The only guy here who's tied to the tree." I motioned to Thomas, who gave a little wave.

Sonya was about to open her mouth, but Harriet beats her to it.

"Let her. It's not like they could do much," she said.

True. They have weapons. Thomas and I have only our hands. I see one of the girls inspecting my bat. If I has my bat, a lot of them might be severely injured. I just hope the Gladers are forming a plan. Maybe we could meet them halfway.

I smirked at Sonya, who just shook her head before getting up and helping Harriet set up some pallets. Thomas's brows furrowed as he looked at the pair.

"Did you see that?" He whispered as I sat next to him.

"See what?" I asked.

He motioned his head towards the girls. "Them. They looked like they didn't want to hurt us. They actually looked like they were ashamed of something. Like if they stole a cookie from the cookie jar."

"Yes, because beating the klunk out of someone and stealing a cookie is totally the same thing."

"Be glad I'm tied up." I rolled my eyes and motioned him to continue. "Think about it, Teresa is the one giving orders. A few of them seemed like they didn't know what to do. Sure, they have weapons, but do they even know how to use it?"

"Maybe not, but it doesn't mean they could start."

"Dan, I just say the way the responded to you. They could have roughen you up," I gave him a look, "which I'm pretty sure you can defend yourself, they didn't. If they were going to kill us, they would have done it by now."

"Technically, they only want to kill you." Thomas's mouth flew open as his eye twitched. "Sorry, it's just...I hate waiting."

Harriet looked towards our direction. "Hey! Hey, what are you talking about?"

"You guys," Thomas said. I gave him a look, which he ignored. "You guys don't really want to kill me, do you? Have you ever even killed anyone before?"

Harriet then laid down, not before she send Thomas a harsh glare. "Based on what Teresa told us, we escaped our Maze three days faster than your group did. Lost fewer people and killed more Grievers to do it. I think knocking off one little insignificant teenage boy won't be too tough."

I followed Thomas's lead. "Insignificant or innocent?" She looked at me. "Look at him, what has he ever done to you guys?" I motioned to myself. "Why am I even with you if you only need him?"

"You're here with us because you weren't suppose to be with them. They said you were punished enough...for the moment. And I'm sure we'll get over killing your friend, so ha!" Harriet actually stuck her tongue at us. Wow, someone's a bit childish. Harriet sighed as she got comfortable and fell asleep. That slinthead!

Sonya looked like she was going to pass out any minute. "We don't have a choice. WICKED said that was our only task. If we don't do it, they won't let us in at the safe haven. We'll die out here in the Scorch."

Thomas shrugged. "Hey, I understand. Sacrifice me to save yourselves. Very noble."

"Just not honorable," I added.

Sonya didn't comment after that. She kept looking towards me and Thomas before laying down with her back towards us. I rolled my eyes when Teresa walked over, her face not hiding the fact that she's annoyed. She? Annoyed? Her? She shouldn't be the one that looks annoyed.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Nothing," Harriet mumbled. "Tell them to shut up."

"Shut up."

"And here I thought you're the leader," I commented. Teresa glared at me.

"And what are you doing to do if we don't, kill us?" Thomas huffed sarcastically. "Why do you hate me all of a sudden? What did I do to you?"

"You know what you did," Teresa sneered. "So does everyone here."

I motioned towards Thomas and myself. "Then maybe you could explain to us. This shank doesn't know what he did. And I want to know why you suddenly became a psychotic bitch."

"You don't need to lie for him." How can I lie if I don't even know what she thinks he did? Her gaze went towards Thomas. "I already told everyone. But even still, I wouldn't have sunk to your level and tried to kill you."

I motioned my hand towards her. "You just tried to kill Tony!"

"Because he was in the way." Teresa kept switching her gaze from me and Thomas. "We're only doing that because we have no choice. Sorry. Life's tough."

I could have sworn I saw something flash in her eyes. Or I'm just imagining it.

"What are you talking about, sink to my level? I'd never kill a friend to save my own butt," Thomas said. "Never."

"Me neither. Which is why I'm glad we're not friends." Teresa stood and started walking away.

"What'd I do to you?" Thomas rushed out. "Sorry, like Dan said, we're in a bit of a memory lapse - ya know, we have those a lot around here. Could you remind us?"

Teresa turned back and glared at Thomas with so much hate. If I wasn't so pissed at her, I might have been scared. Who am I kidding? I still would have beaten the klunk out of her.

"Don't insult me. Don't you dare sit there and act like nothing happened. Now shut up or I'll give you another bruise on that pretty face of yours." Then she stomped away.

"So you admit it's pretty!" I shout after. Sonya and Harriet snorted from their place.

Thomas shook his head as he watched Teresa leave. Then he moved to get more comfortable. His eyes slowly started to flutter close as I laid back.

"Night, Dan."

"Night, Tom Tom."