Fast As A Bullet {Maze Runner}

t h i r t y t w o

"Stop."

•••

IT WAS BRIGHT. The sun was bright and blinding and it pierced Leanne's skin like a blade. When her eyes snapped open, she could only focus on one thing; she was back in the Glade, standing in front of the Maze doors. Everything was sunny, peaceful. It seemed like a happy place, a safe haven.

"You couldn't save me, Leanne." A voice said from behind her. She spun around quickly to find herself face to face with Newt. However it wasn't quite him: his cheeks had hollowed out, his eyes looked blank. He truly looked dead. "You killed me." He snarled. "And you couldn't do anything to stop it." He raised his hand to wrap around her throat.

"Newt..." Tears began to form in her eyes. "I'm so sorry." She choked out as her tears fell down her face. She wasn't crying because she couldn't breath, she was crying because it was her fault. She couldn't save him. He was gone because of her.

"Sorry isn't enough, Lea." He tightened his grip around her neck. "Sorry won't bring me back." He paused before continuing. "Sorry won't bring any of us back."

It was only after those words that Leanne became aware of the people standing behind Newt. First, there was Deedee, beside her was a beautiful woman: their mother. Then, there was Chuck. Beside him stood Alby, and Ben, and Jack, and Zart, and Winston, and every other Glader she behind. One specific person caught her eye. The girl standing in the back of the group, with her long black hair and dark skin: Elliott.

Then, things began to blur. Leanne was dying. Was this was it felt like to die? Was this what every single person standing in front of her went through?

If this is what dying felt like, there was something peaceful about it. It was bittersweet, but there was something about the happiness tinged with sadness that made Leanne feel at home. She couldn't feel the pain of Newt's hands on her neck, she couldn't feel the pain of her cuts and bruises. Her bones didn't even ache from all the running. "Please forgive me." Leanne chokes. If she was dying, she wanted everything resolved. "Please." Her pleading eyes roam over the crowd of people. Eyes soften on her; she was their family. They were hers.

Leanne's eyes focused once, just enough to see Elliott walking up through the crowd of people and towards Newt. Elliott places her hand on Newt's shoulder, and spoke one, soft word. "Stop." And Newt did. He let her go and she fell to the ground. Elliott lowers her chocolate eyes to meet Leanne's. "We forgive you, Leanne." Her voice is soft and sweet. "We'll always forgive you. No matter what."  She smiles softly. "We'll always love you."

"I love you, Lottie." Leanne cries. "And I miss you. So, so much."

Elliott helps Leanne stand up. "You don't have to miss me." Elliott takes her hands in her own. "You don't have to miss any of us, because we will always be with you." Her friends nod behind her. "Always." The word seemed to echo in Leanne's head.

"It's getting so hard to breath, Lottie." Leanne whimpers as she feels the pressure on her chest. "It's so hard to stay strong." And it was. There was a dark feeling that enveloped Leanne, and she wanted to push it away so badly. But she was so tired, and it wrapped itself around her like a thick blanket. She was so tired of running, fighting, and worrying. She was tired of the pain the world placed upon them. It was a cruel world, a merciless one that placed obstacle after obstacle in front of them, and Leanne couldn't help but wonder one thing; was this her last obstacle? Was this her goodbye? If this was her goodbye, she could die happily. She was surrounded by those she loved — those she had lost. The ones that lived would move on, just as Leanne would move on into her next life. A peaceful life.

"You have to fight, Leanne." Elliott takes a few steps back to join Newt's side. He wraps an arm around her shoulder, and she wraps one around his waist. Newt smiles softly at her. Leanne's gaze shifts over to Elliott, who nods. None of the people here wanted Leanne to join them. Not yet. They didn't want this peaceful life for her. They wanted her to fight. "You have to be brave."

"You have to be brave, Leanne." Chuck echoes, stepping forward in the crowd.

"He's right." Alby steps up to join the boy's side. "You were always strong for us. Now, you have to be strong for yourself."

"But what if I can't." Leanne whimpers softly. "What if it's too much."

"Nothing is too much for you." The blue-eyed, brown-haired woman walks to Leanne slowly. Her tan skin glistened as if it was coated with gold, and her brown hair as if gold streamers had been run through it. She glowed. "You've always been a fighter, sweetheart." Her mother places her hand on Leanne's cheek. "You have never once disappointed me." The glowing woman laughs, a smile resting on her face. "You've grown to be a beautiful woman, my dear Isla." The use of her real name sends a shock through Leanne's slowing system. It was so familiar on this woman's lips, and the sound of his tugged at Leanne's heartstrings. She wanted to hear her name on her mother's lips over and over again. It was beautiful. Her mother was beautiful. The touch of her hand on Leanne's cheek was beautiful; it was warm and it sent a tingling feeling through Leanne. The touch of a mother was something Leanne had never forgotten; she had longed for it for so long, and now that she had it, Leanne would let go of everything to keep it.

"I'm scared of dying, momma." Leanne's lip trembles. Everything was peaceful, but there was a fear to it. A fear that maybe it wasn't all sunshine and love once she left Earth.

"Don't be, sweetheart." Her mother takes a few steps back to stand beside Deedee. The two link hands. "Deedee and I will be with you the entire time."

Deedee smiles to Leanne. "Be the fearless girl I know you are, Isla." Deedee's eyes move across the field of the Glade.

The dying girl follows Deedee's gaze. Leanne's eyes focused for a second, and far away, across the Glade, was a figure. They were standing with their hand out, for her to walk over and grab. Like they wanted to bring her home. When the person shifted, and the light hit him right, she recognized the person immediately.

The last thing she remembers, is person's name falling off her lips in a whisper. "Thomas."

Thanks for 12k reads, lovelies<3