The Memory Trap

Chapter Four~

Dawn came with a heavy sense of confusion. The smell had grown, waking Gladers with the feeling of nausea. Ivy was somehow unaffected. Appearing to be immune as she watched every Glader she'd come to know, puking vastly.

What's happening?

Fear rushed over her. Newt fell to the ground, Gally and Minho trying to hold themselves up as they tried their best to grab him. Ivy ran, tearing herself from the maze doors that began to ache. Opening for the long day ahead.

She dropped to her knees, Minho and Gally collapsing beside her. Newt was coughing, his eyes squeezing shut as he winced in pain, "what is this?" He asked.

Ivy turned to Minho, his face just as confused as her own. "Last night, when we were talking...near the Deadheads...did you smell anything?" She stuttered, rushing with panic.

"No, why? Ivy what do you know?" Minho replied.

Ivy gulped, her nerves shooting throughout her body with every breath. It had to be the smell she'd worried about the day before. It had to be some sort of disease.

Gally struggled to his feet, Minho's hand gripping onto his arm for support as he too struggled to stand. "I need to warn Alby! He might not be affected yet!" Gally said. Minho glaring at him painfully.

Newt opened his eyes, a familiar noise making Ivy back away quickly. "Are you crazy? You can't warn Alby if you're already infected!" She yelled!

Minho let go of Gally's arm, plopping down harshly upon the grass. He let out a groan before curling in on himself, more moans following silently. "She's right Gally. Let her warn Alby, she's not affected," he whined. His hands fighting against his running gear in attempts to tear it off.

Gally turned to Ivy. His face full of pain and worry. He nodded before kneeling beside Newt, gently taking his head within his hands. "Go! Before I change my mind!" Gally shouted, shaking Ivy as she stared at Newt worriedly.

Something stirred within her. A deep well of guilt starting to drown her, making her legs move quickly to sprint. She was terrified, her mind screaming out thoughts and unanswered questions.

This was all my fault! She screamed internally.

Pushing aside her threatening tears, Ivy sprinted for Alby's room in the back of the Homestead. Hoping he'd still be asleep, unaware of the Gladers present situation. She was wrong.

Alby laid barely visible on the floor. His old leather like blanket still wrapped around his body, he shook slightly. "Ivy? Go...it's not good in here!"

She gulped down tears when his voice struck her ears. "I can't. You're not the only one that's sick. Gally sent me to warn you, but it got you like everybody else." She replied.

A long stretch of silence flooded them. She could feel Alby thinking, though they both sat in silence. The sounds of Gladers getting sick and falling, their bodies making a dreadful noise that both Alby and herself winced at.

"This is all my fault. I should've just told Minho, we could have prepared for this. Why isn't it affecting me?" Her hands flew to her brow. The world seeming to fade away as her mind exploded with panic.

Alby crawled to her. His fingers wrapping around her wrist, he removed her hands gently. "This is not your fault Ivy. You've only been here two month, and you're handling it like every other shank here."

Her voice cracked when she tried to reply. The faint sounds of moans and coughs making Alby's words hard to believe. "What do we do? I'm immune somehow, but I don't know how to help."

Alby smiled surely. He was certain she could help them, he knew she could. She'd trapped Grievers, even killed a few, but the fear he saw wasn't fake. "You care a lot, don't you shank?"

She opened her eyes to see Alby's worried face while he waited on her answer. The thickness in the room had grown, so thick you could swim in it. She was about to answer when she got a sudden blast of confidence, making her fist curl as she leaned back against the closed door.

"What do I have to do?" She replied.

Alby's smile only grew. He could read her expression like a book. She was determined. Every shriek and moan pushing her to her edge, she looked as if she was about to scream. "I knew you cared shank! Now help me up, we've got Gladers to cure."