𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑.
[ chapter thirteen ]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF EVE WAS THE LAST THING SHE WANTED TO SEE EVER. She would rather be trapped in the maze for another night than to watch the scene in front of her unfold. She would even rather admit to Thomas that she was jealous of Teresa than to view the place she's been living in for three years be turned to shreds.

Gladers shouted in distress at all four open doors, confusion and terror filling their minds. The other three other doors had never once been opened before, even Evelyn hadn't seen it, so a certain part of her was curious of why they were unlocking, but the thought of what escaped from the maze through them took over any optimistic ideas she had.

Thomas eyes widen at the sight, and immediately he turns to the small boy at his side, hand resting on his shoulder, "Okay, Chuck, I want you to go to the Council Hall and start barricading the doors."

"Winston, you go with him." Eve demands, causing the boy to sprint after the smaller one, torch gripped tightly in his hand.

"Get the others." Gally demands loudly, clapping his hands to grab more people's attention, "Tell them to go to the forest, go hide. Now!"

"Minho, grab every weapon you can find." Thomas says quietly, "I'll meet you at the Council Hall."

"I'll come with." Evelyn declares, taking a step forward to follow the group of her best friends.

A hand wraps around her bicep, pulling her to a stop. Thomas turns her to face him, shaking his head, "You're staying with me."

The girl's face crumples up in disgust at the idea and she leans towards him slightly, his grip on her not loosening as she glares at him, sending shivers down his spine, "And why do you think you can tell me what to do?"

He clenches his jaw, running his tongue over the top set of his teeth, "Eve, please. I need your help with Alby, he trusts you."

Evelyn knew that wasn't the real reason Thomas wanted her to stay with him. He either didn't trust her anywhere else, or he wanted to keep her safe - even though he was fully aware she was more than capable to protect herself. She rolls her shoulders back, snatching her arm from his grasp, "Fine. Let's go."

"Teresa, you're coming with us." Thomas directs.

A shouting causes Eve to dig her heels into the ground, her breath hitching at the Glader's words. Her worst fear was somehow coming true. A loud roar fills the Glade, causing her head to frantically shake in denial. Even after killing a Griever, she didn't feel any better about being around them.

Thomas yelled something but her ears felt blocked, her eyes just stuck onto the four creature's forms at the entrance of the maze, all of them staring her down and deciding who would pounce first.

The dark haired boy noticed the girl's absence and his head whipped back as he ran, his eyes landing on her paralysed form in the middle of the Glade, causing his eyes to widen in fear, "EVE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? EVELYN!"

Shouting her name was no use and the only option he had left was to go and retrieve her himself, risking both of their lives but there was no way in hell he was leaving her to die. His legs carried him over to Eve and he shook her shoulders roughly, "EVELYN!"

He notices something in her eyes flicker and a second later their both sprinting away, his hand rested in hers just in case it happens again. They followed the rest of their group, aiming straight for the corn field in hopes that the large plants would hide them from the nightmare.

Each of them kneel down beside one another and Thomas takes this time to sit in front of Evelyn, his head lowered so their eyes could meet, "Eve, are you okay?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Teresa watching them both, with the same spark of jealousy that Eve had in her eyes the first time the other girl arrived. Evelyn squeezes her eyelids shut for a split second before looking back at Thomas, a single tear running down her cheek, "I'm fine."

"Don't lie—"

Her hand snaps up to his mouth, her palm pressed hard against his lips, silencing him. He nods and she slowly releases him, rolling her eyes at his stupidity, only then realising that their hands were still connected.

Her gaze moves up to the dark sky, noticing a long metal leg reach up, and it's metal claw flick out, aiming right for Zart. She shoots forward in a hurry but Thomas wraps his arm around her waist, yanking her back to his side. In a second, Zart is ripped away, his yells filling all of their ears and immediately everyone jumps up, not wanting to be the next victim.

"Go, Go!" Eve screams, only now releasing Thomas' hand, "Get to the village!"

Eventually, they reach Clint and Jeff with Alby between them, his arms over their shoulders for support. Thomas gets a torch while Eve wipes some sweat from her brows, "They're here." She states.

"Grievers?" Jeff questions in shock.

She nods and whips around at the sound of another scream, only to watch a boy get torn apart. Quickly, she flicks her tank top up, revealing her knives and pulls one out, her knuckles going white as she grips it so tight.

"Everybody go, go, go! Run!" Thomas pushes them all forward.

A Griever slides out in front of them, completely demolishing the hut they were previously aiming for. A few of the boys around her fall to the ground, including Teresa. Many different thoughts roam around in Evelyn's head and she decides on one idea, shrugging Thomas hand off of her that he had placed there in worry.

"Eve?" The boy shouts, reaching for as she steps forward, both of the blades revealed in her hands.

She looks at him over her shoulder, smirking gently, "Finally properly killing one of these motherfuckers."

"EVELYN!" He yells in protest and runs forward, only got Teresa to jump up and stop him, not wanting him to die as well.

In that moment, for once, every Glader watching doubted Evelyn and what she was about to accomplish. And to a certain level, she doubted herself too - she thrown knives at trees and occasionally at people, not Grievers. But, none the less, she had to try.

She could still hear Thomas' panicked screams as she starts to run towards the creature, swiftly skidding to the floor underneath. She saw everything in slow motion, and taking a long breath she brings the knife up, both of her hands wrapped around it, and as she flies across the muddy grass, a long thick slit appears in the belly of the Griever, pouring all of it insides out onto her.

The creature stops still for a moment, it's claw hanging freely in the air before it falls to the ground on top of Eve, more of it's goo spraying all over her, causing her to spit frantically.

"EVE?" Thomas runs around the fallen monster to see her, a wide smile on her face, causing the same one to appear on his, "Jesus christ. You're crazy."

"I fucking did it!" She laughs, holding a hand out to him, "Lil' help?"

He shakes his head at her craziness before lowering down to pull her out, the sloppiness of the blood and guts making it slightly difficult.

"Thanks." She breaths, grimacing down at her bodies before her eyes land on the other Griever right behind him, galloping towards them, "RUN!"

They both whirl around on their heels, instinctively moving their hands together as they sprint behind the rest of the group, shouting at them to hurry as another Glader get's thrown roughly into the forest. Alby tumbles to floor, nearly taking Eve's ankles out but she manages to come to a stop over him, moving her grip on Thomas' hand over to Alby's arm to haul him up.

"Eve, look out!" Thomas screams, pulling the pair behind him, sliding his machete out of his belt and holding it up daringly to the Griever a few metres in front of him, "COME ON!"

Before he get's to attack the creature, a couple spears get lodged in its side, distracting it from the larger group. Newt lets out a small yell of triumph before directing all them over to the Council Hall. Evelyn moved Alby's arm over her shoulder and Thomas took the other side, making it easy to crazy him into the large hut.

Jeff grabs the injured boy and sets him down on a bench, allowing him to get some rest, even though they will all most likely die in a few minutes anyway. The Gladers inside look up to the ceiling, their eyes following the sounds and shadow of the Griever above them, their weapons pointed high.

Evelyn wanted to say something just to fill the silence, but nothing good or helpful came to mind and Minho could notice what she was attempting to do, so he nudged her side gently, shaking his head as if to say it was a bad idea.

"Careful." Teresa whispers, sending the Griever above of them to go crazy, shaking the ceiling slightly and Eve was thankful she decided against speaking.

A claw smashes through the roof, gripping onto a support beam and pulling it roughly out of the floor and flinging it to the side once the creature realised it wasn't a human. But a result of it, meant that the whole roof collapsed, leaving only a small gap for all of them to stand. Thomas made sure that Evelyn was close behind him, his hand once again in hers, both of them squeezing tighter as a way to let out their anxiety.

Another leg shoots through the side wall, causing Evelyn's head to snap towards it, and she jumps towards the small boy it was aiming for, only just catching his hand as the Griever wraps it's claws around his torso, "A LITTLE HELP WOULD BE HELPFUL, SHANKS!" She yells, glaring behind her at all the worried boys.

Thomas and Minho immediately run forward, grasping Chuck's arm as well and they begin to pull harder in an attempt to force the Griever to release, "Chuck, don't let go!" Thomas screams.

"No, shit!" The boy shouts back, letting out a strangled yell as it almost feels like his arm is being pulled out of it's socket.

Alby screams and begins to smash a thick pole into the creature's leg, breaking off all the small parts onto the floor until it finally
let's go of Chuck.

"Are you okay, Chuck?" Evelyn questions, squeezing the boy's shoulder in worry.

He nods, picking the Griever's stinger up off the floor, "Yes. Thanks... thanks Alby."

Evelyn's eyes prick up at the sound of the Griever returning and she shoots up, jumping over some rumble in an attempt to reach Alby, "WATCH OUT!" She screams once she realises she won't be able to reach him in time, "ALBY!"

Just as he turns around, he's snatched up and Evelyn leaps further, her hand grabbing his, "Shit, shit, shit." She curses quietly, "Alby, come on. At least fucking try!"

He shakes his head, a tear running down his cheek, "I'm sorry, Eve. Just get them out."

Her hand slips from his and he's whipped up and out of her sight, causing a loud shout to leave her lips. Thomas jumps up from his seated position and sprints after her as she runs outside in attempt to still be able to get Alby back.

"Eve, don't go out there!" The gladers shout.

"EVE! STOP!" Thomas reaches for her wrist but she comes to a halt just outside the door, watching as the tail of the Griever whips around the maze door, escaping.

"Fuck." She grumbles, more tears now streaming down her face in defeat.

"Who's that over there?" Clint nudges her, motioning into the dark distance at the silhouette of a group of boys marching towards them.

"Here, he comes." Evelyn rolls her eyes, trying her best not to seem upset as the other boy approaches, "Mister Angry has arrive—"

She's cut off as Gally's large hand wraps around her throat, pushing her back against a tree and lifting her off the ground. He wasn't applying enough pressure for it hurt her, but it caused her eyebrows to cease as she stared back into his eyes.

"Gall?" She whispers, seeing only anger in his pupils.

Ever since Gally arrived in the Glade, the two of them got along - more like siblings than friends, but none the less they loved each other, even if they hated to admit it. They'd had some of their best moments together, also some of their most saddening ones.

"PUT HER DOWN, GALLY!" Thomas roars, shoving the boy slightly, causing him to drop Eve, "What is wrong with you?"

Instead of returning to Evelyn, he raises his fist and punches Thomas right across the jaw, sending him flying to the floor. Eve steps in front of him and gently presses her hands to his chest, allowing the other boys to have enough time to restrain him.

"This is all you, Thomas! Huh? Look around." He snarls, "You heard what Alby said. He's one of them! He's one of them, and they sent him here to destroy everything, and now he has."

Evelyn could completely sympathise with Gally. They had worked hard and long for years and years to create such a beautiful haven from scratch. But, in no means was it anyone's fault - they had all arrived them same, without any memory or clue on what was happening.

"Will you shut you mouth, Gally?" Eve snaps, shoving his chest further back, "What can't you understand? Huh? Do you ever think, in that thick skull of yours," She taps her temple aggressively, "that maybe, possibly, Thomas isn't behind it all?"

Thomas was thankful of her words, but it was too late. He had already stuck the needle into his leg and he was already collapsed on the floor, completely blacked out. Fuck.