REDEMPTION.
[ chapter eighteen ]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

EVELYN IS IN AGONY, her side still bleeding through the gaps in her aching fingers, her knuckles bruised and cracked. She slumps against one of the few still intact walls as she watches the staircase towards the roof erupt in flames, causing her to let out a loud yell of anger. She can feel her whole body giving up, her legs very nearly immobile and her breathing patterns going haywire.

She's going to die, and she has no clue on how she's still alive. Ever since she stepped foot in the maze for the first time, she knew she would be dying young. She took that information on when she signed up to be a runner. In all honesty, she had made it further than she expected she ever would. She's been in this situation before. The first time she had been trapped in the maze over night; no way out, a hole in her side and her whole body painted in blood. Maybe there was chance she could make it out of here too, just like she did the maze when she was fifteen.

On the rooftop, Thomas can't tear his crying eyes from the doorway, praying that Evelyn will step through the fire and save them both from this horror. He's seen her kill grievers and dozens of men, surely she couldn't be dead now. Evelyn's too strong to die at the last hurdle, and leave him alone.

Beside him Teresa has no clue what to do, he won't move a muscle and her hand is still pressed against his bleeding side. She knows he won't go anyway without Evelyn at his side, they've always been like that.

"Eve," He whispers for the hundredth time, body shaking with sobs and his eyelids on the brink of fluttering closed.

The sound of a berg grabs Teresa's attention, and she's quick to whip her head over her shoulder, noticing the ship come up into her view, causing her eyes to widen and body to stiffened. Maybe she could still save him. Inside the berg, the group stand huddled around the control panels, staring out into the fire surrounded building at their friends.

"I got them!" Jorge calls, hands on the steering as he points frantically at the rooftop.

Minho leans forward slightly, squinting his eyes before his body stills in realisation. That girl at Thomas' side isn't Evelyn's it's Teresa, "Hey, hey. No. Where's Eve? Where the hell is she?"

"What do you mean?" Gally rushes to his side, eyes widening and his head begins to frantically shake, "She should be with them. Why isn't she with them?"

Back inside the collapsing building, Evelyn slams her boot against the staircase door, causing it to fly open and reveal the steep stairs. She stumbles back, quickly regaining her footing as she pushes forward, squeezing her eyes shut as she steps into the staircase, flames burning around her. Letting out a loud roar as the fire scorched the arm hanging by her side. She continues up the metal stairs, trying her hardest to keep herself straight so she doesn't stumble into the roaring fire.

Teresa shakes Thomas' shoulder gently, finally managing to tear his eyes from the door and over towards the berg, "We can get out of here," She nods, pulling him form the floor and beginning to drag him along the roof with his arm over her shoulder.

Thomas helps her as much as he can, wanting nothing more than to turn and bolt back into that building just to find Evelyn. Because, like she said to him, if he's dying there, so is she. He owed her that. If he was going to die, he wanted to die with her.

In his ear, Teresa is screaming at him to keep fighting and moving. He's trying to follow her commands, as he looks up at his friends hanging from the back end of the berg, waiting for him to get closer. He notices Minho and Gally, causing him to let out another cry for his girl.

As a roar rips at her throat, Evelyn slams her shoulder roughly against the door to the rooftop, her arm nearly shattering at the impact as it flies open, revealing a berg hovering by the building while Teresa and Thomas stumble towards it.

Evelyn begins to limp after them, ignoring her friend's shouts as they realise she's there; alive. With his ears ringing and his body dying, Thomas struggles to make out their words but he can only guess their screaming for Evelyn; asking where she is.

Vince holds out at his arm as far as possible as the Berg edges closer to the building. Thomas raises a shaky hand towards him, but he can't keep his body strong for long enough. A building begins to collapse to the side of them, tearing down the whole city. Teresa let's out a loud scream as she uses all of her strength to throw Thomas towards Vince. Successfully, they catch him and drag him up into the Berg.

"TERESA!" Evelyn throat breaks as she roars for the girl to jump.

At the sound of her voice, Thomas rolls onto his side, raising his head to watch as Evelyn races as fast as she can towards the other girl, motioning wildly for her to move onto the Berg. He cries out her name quietly, his voice making no difference under his friend's booming shouts.

The building to the side of them suddenly falls, it's structure crashing directly down onto the back end of the roof, sending both girls tumbling to the floor. Thomas straightens slightly, fear flowing through him as he roars Evelyn's name, watching as she scrambles back to her feet shakily.

"Eve, go!" Teresa screams, pushing the girl forward slightly, "Jump!"

And Evelyn does, using all of her might to bounce herself from the collapsing floor towards the Berg. It feels like she's in the air for hours, and for a split second she feels like she hasn't made it. Until finally her free hand curls around Vince's forearm, and her legs dangle in the air as he attempts to pull her arm. She twists her body around, looking back at Teresa. Evelyn moves her hand from over her bleeding wound, and reaches out towards the other girl.

"JUMP!" She bellows, but Teresa shakes her head gently, before the ground beneath her gives way, taking her with it.

Thomas' eyes are blurred over with tears as he falls back onto his back, still believing that Evelyn was on that roof with Teresa as it fell. Beside him, Vince is grunting and straining but Thomas doesn't have enough strength to turn to him.

Brenda lands down beside him, hand clamping over his wound as she taps his cheek gently to keep him awake, "Thomas!"

"Eve," He whispers so quietly it's barely audible over the city collapsing and he feels tears roll down his face onto the berg floor. Then his eyes roll back into his head, causing his friend's around him to shout his name.

Evelyn shuffles her body back up against the wall, watching as the group shout over Thomas' limp body. She lets out a sob, shaking her head in denial but she can no longer move a muscle, all of her last strength going into keeping pressure on her own wound.

Gally falls down in front of her, eyes widening as he notices the blood seeping through her own tank top. He calls for someone, throwing his head over his shoulder frantically before turning back to her and whispering quiet words, but she can't make any of it out. Her ears are ringing and her eyes are blurred with tears as she drops her head back against the wall.

"Thomas," She croaks, feeling her eyelids droop until eventually her eyes roll back into her head and her whole body falls limp in Gally's arms.

༒

FLASHBACK.

"Thomas," Evelyn laughs, wiggling out of his grip as his hands tickle her sides. She shoves him away gently, before turning her head to look back out at the horizon while both of their legs hang over the edge of the roof. She bites her lip, "I think I'm going in tomorrow."

His head snaps in her direction, his smile quickly dropping at her words, "What?"

"I think they're putting me in the first trial tomorrow," She shrugs, her hands fiddling in her lap, "It can't be much worse than this place."

His head tilts, "They'll erase your memories, Eve."

She hums gently, "I know."

He stares at her for longer, wondering whether or not she has actually thought about what they will do to her.

"Stop staring at me," She grumbles, still not turning to look at him, "And, yes, I know I'll forget everything about my life now, and you. But, if you get sent down too, I can guarantee we'll remember each other. WCKD can only erase memories, not feelings."

He smiles, "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said. Very cliche."

"Shut up," She rolls her eyes, "Don't ruin our last time sitting here otherwise I'll push you off."

"You wouldn't dare," He winks at her, causing her face to fall flat humorously, "You love me too much."

She peers over at him, raising her brows in questioning, "Look at who's being cliche now. I'm not sure I'll fall in love with you again if you're the same during the trial."

He gasps and gawks at her in surprise while she laughs, now sending him a wink, "You don't mean that," He mutters.

She snorts, "No, obviously I don't mean it. Sarcasm, Thomas."

"You can't just play everything you say off as sarcasm," He shakes his head while a chuckle vibrates through his body.

She shrugs, "Yeah. I can."

"Right," He nods to himself, "so I'm gonna remember you from your shitty sarcasm and constant unreasonable aggression, and—"

"I'll remember you from your shitty cliche words and constant questions," She finishes for him, turning her head to flash him a smirk.

"A true match made in heaven," He laughs.

She motions to him, "There you go again. Honestly, there's just no stopping you."

"Fuck off," He grunts, trying to suppress an embarrassed chuckle.

Her head snaps to him in shock as she gasps, her hand flying to her heart, "Who's the aggressive one now, huh? There was no need to swear at me."

Thomas presses his tongue against the inside of his cheek at her teases while he attempts not to say another stupid comment that will only fuel her further. Noticing his silence and enjoyed expression, she lets out a loud laugh, rolling her eyes but doesn't bother saying anything more, not wanting to embarrass him anymore. The pair fall into a comfortable silence as they await the call through the speakers for them to return to their confined rooms for the night.

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authors note.

obviously she's not dead cause i wanted to write safe haven fluff cause she deserves to be happy so sorry for the people who wanted her to die 😘😘

i'm genuinely not ready for when this book ends like i don't know what i'm gonna do without it tbf