𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 , thomas

four.

DISTURBANCE!
CHAPTER FOUR.
far from human.

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HAVING BEEN TIED DOWN IN LEATHER STRAPS ONLY A FEW MOMENTS AGO, RITA FOUND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO WADE HER WAY THROUGH THE THICK SAND KNOWN AS THE SCORCH IN THE PITCH BLACK NIGHT AMONGST HER AND HER FLEEING FRIENDS. Her muscles begged for her to stop with every step she would take, her feet tripping underneath her while her hands helped her crawl upwards to keep up.

Despite the struggle every single one of the Gladers felt, they knew that the people of WICKED coming out of the facility to chase after them with their four wheelers outweighed their urge to stop. Every second counted on their chance of escaping  . . . and earning freedom.

They had reached the top of the sand dune hill when the search lights of WICKED floated closer to them, everyone hurriedly ducking low behind the hill. Thomas, pretty much the leader of the situation, cautioned everyone as they started moving again. "Go, go, go. Everybody stay low."

Rita took notice of how fast Teresa was going, sprinting ahead of the group with a certain purpose surging through her as she approached a set of windows sticking out of the sand. One of them was broken, allowing access into the unknown as she jumped inside. The couple's eyes widened at the action, calling the girl's name in worry as Minho called near the back. "Don't go down there!"

"Get down here!" The teenage girl called in the hidden dark, making all the Gladers breathe out a sigh of relief that she was okay. One by one, they began to jump in . . . all except Rita.

The girl was frozen in place, the wind whipping her hair in all directions as she took in the scene all around her. The Scorch . . . it was exactly what WICKED had made her see in her dream. It was exactly how her uncle had described it . . . and it didn't seem to be improving anytime soon.

A hand tugging on hers made the brunette break away and swiftly turn her head in an instant reaction of fear, meeting her boyfriend's wide amber eyes begging her to follow. "Rita, come on!"

Together, the two teens practically slid down the hill the sand had created towards the bottom of the building. The darkness looming around them unnerved Rita as her and her friends gathered round together in a group, Minho grabbing a flashlight to flick it on. "Where the hell are we?"

"We gotta go." Thomas ignored the former Runner by asserting leadership, beginning to walk deeper into the dark building as if he was wasting valuable time by just stopping.

"No." Teresa insisted, speaking up for the first time since they had left. There was a certain hardness in her bright blue eyes, her stand tense.