▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

THE YOUNG GODS
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

" IT'S OKAY, LITTLE ONE. "
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

"RIGHT THIS WAY!" Thomas yelled as the Gladers followed him inside the maze blindly fully trusting in him that he'd leave them out of this place. Rosie kept up with their pace trying to ignore the feelings she was emitting at the moment.

The girl wiped her tears away looking back slowing down her pace so she could be at the same pace as Newt. The couple glanced at each other grabbing their hands together and squeezing them. "Keep it up guys, we're almost there!" Thomas spoke words of encouragement as a few gladers were already tired from the extensive running they weren't used to.

The Gladers passed through corners, open walls, closed walls. The approximately 10 to 15 minutes that passed by felt rather fast to Rosie as they all stop once they see Thomas bring his finger to his lips and stop around a corner. Rosie could feel what was going to happen already. She knew that at this moment there was a 50/50 chance that she comes out alive today.

Thomas looked over through the passage and turning back swallowing hard in fear. "Is there a Griever?" Chuck asked looking at the boy.

The greenie nodded, "yeah."

"Oh shit." The boy muttered anxiously.

Newt tapped Rosie's arm grabbing her attention as he whispered, "you alright?"

"I'm fine." Rosie responded as it might have been the fifth time he asked her that question today. Her eyes wondered to Teresa who was tying her hair up. Rosie looked down at her own arm realizing she didn't have anything to tie her hair with.

"Here." Teresa handed Rosie a hair tie she had.

Rosie smiled grabbing it, "thank you."

Teresa didn't reply back in words but gave her a soft smile before returning to what Thomas was talking about. Rosie tied her hair up making sure no pieces of hair would get in her face.

"You take this Chuck, and you stay behind us." Minho ordered handing him the metal cylinder that once belonged to a part of a Griever.

Chuck widened his eyes in fear scared that something bad was going to happen to him especially when he had the most valuable thing in his hands. "It's okay, just stick with me." Teresa spoke trying to reassure the young boy.

He nodded glancing over at Rosie knowing about her capabilities in fighting. Rosie spotted him looking at her, "stick with Teresa, okay? I'll watch for both of your backs. I promise."

"Once we're through, it'll activate and the door will open." Thomas started explaining the plan to the Gladers. "Alright we stay close, we stick together, and we'll get through this. We get out now or we die trying." The boy pounded his pole on the floor, "ready?"

Rosie stashed the dagger in her pocket pulling out the six single small knives she used to throw in one hand and the pole in her other hand. The girl's method was to throw them one by one. Rosie sharpened them as best as she could accidentally cutting herself from how sharp they were. She hoped the knife would be sharp enough to cut through.

"Alright, let's go!" Thomas yelled accidentally scaring Rosie making her jump. Everyone erupted into yells starting to run not noticing Rosie's late start. She stood back analyzing the pathway for a few seconds before reaching the group of screaming boys.

Overcoming the fear she had, Rosie reached the group as a Griever that watched over the exit started to charge at them. Rosie tightened her hold on the pole as she did her best to do what Thomas commanded.

Rosie's eyes widen as the griver's claw grabbed a hold of a glader who stood next to Newt. "Watch out!" She saw the boy get thrown across the pathway as he tried to hold onto the ground before falling off the bridge.

Rosie glanced over to see Chuck running for the key he dropped as Teresa rushed over. Rosie sprinted over having a gut feeling that something was going to happen. "Pull me up! Pull me up!"

Pulling out her blade, Rosie threw it once she spotted the Griever coming up right after Teresa pulled Chuck up. "There's more coming!"

The girl could distinguish Newt's voice very clearly from all of them as they yelled her name. "Rosie!" She kept pulling out her star knives that cut through Griever's claws until she realized there was one more crawling up from behind her.

"Oh fuck!" Rosie cursed out knowing what was soon going to happen as she was in the middle of them.

"Get away from there!" The boys rushed in to help the girl once they defeated the first Griever. Newt's eyes widen in fear watching one of the claws wrapping around Rosie's body. "Rosie!"

Rosie kept stabbing the claw with the dagger hurting herself in the process. She could feel herself swinging and her feet leaving the ground. Before she knew it she was swung across like the first glader had been thrown off the pathway.

Rosie let out a scream feeling herself barely holding on to the edge of the pathway not daring to look down. Newt sprinted over kneeling down to grab a hold of the one arm that was holding on to dear life. "Give me your hand!" The boy yelled as Rosie was too scared to be dropped.

Rosie struggled as she used her elbow to support herself as she grabbed ahold of her boyfriend's hand who used his other hand to pull her up by her arm. Newt did his best before Rosie witnessed a claw heading his way. "Let go!"

"What?" Newt questioned shaking his head

"Newt! Watch out!" Rosie exclaimed. Newt felt a claw wrap around his leg but continued to help his girlfriend up. "I said let go!"

"I'm not letting you go!" Newt yelled as he was able to pull Rosie's upper body up to the pathway.

Ander grabbed his pole starting to hit the claw that tried to grab a hold of Newt. Rosie used a lot of strength pulling herself up as Newt held onto her so the Griever wouldn't take him away. Ander was able to break the claw releasing Newt.

"Thank you-"

"Get her out of here." The tall boy let out a yell as Rosie launched herself to try and reach Ander. Instead of a claw it was some sort of blade that passed through Ander's chest. "Please."

Rosie let out another scream as Newt nodded grabbing a hold of Rosie, "I will, I will." Ander's body was dragged away and thrown into the dark abyss. "Stay with Teresa and Chuck. Go!"

The girl was emotionless. The griever murdered her best friend right in front of her. "Minho what's the sequence!"

"Get back, Rosie!" Newt pushed the girl away front the fight as he returned to help the group fight off the Grievers.

"Uh! Six!" Minho yelled as everyone was getting closer together, "four! Eight! Three! You got it!?" Rosie pushed through grabbing the pole she dropped and helped push the grivers away as best as she could.

Teresa imputed the code as quick as she could and soon the screen went pitch black before turning green. Walls started to come down crushing two of the three grievers leaving one left. Thomas threw the spear at the last one as it crushed down with the wall. Rosie reached for her boyfriend's hand making sure he was still alive once the door closed on them.

It was pitched black. Newt and Rosie held their hands together tightly hoping this was the end. No more fighting Grievers. Everyone was silent wondering what to do next. No one could see one another, everyone just waited. Even though it was a total of five seconds, it felt like an eternity to Rosie before the wall in front of them opened automatically.

Light entered in as all the Gladers were able to see one another. Teresa extended her hand opening the door wider bringing in more light as Chuck lifted his hand to cover his eyes from the bright lighting. Rosie let her hand go as she stepped out after Teresa. The group kept quiet watching the lights turn on once the door was shut closed.

It was some sort of tunnel. There were pipes against the walls with water that they could hear running through them. It seemed abandoned. Rosie turned back to look at Newt questioning what to do next. The boy shrugged his shoulders as everyone looked at one another not knowing which direction to go to.

"That way?" Rosie whispered pointing towards the right where Teresa and Chuck stood. Everyone silently agreed walking to what seemed an endless path.

A few rather quick minutes passed by as Thomas stopped in front. Everyone stared at the exit sign above a metal door. "Seriously?" Frypan questioned glancing towards Winston.

Rosie took a step forward but stepped back once Thomas had reached the door slowly as if a bomb would go off if he went to fast. His hand reached the doorknob and pressed down opening the door.

"Oh hell no." Rosie whispered to Frypan as they entered the laboratory.

An emergency alarm was going off with yellow warning lights. People in white lab coats were on the ground dead. Two bodies were covered on separate lab tables. It looked like a surgery room. The transparent glass was shattered. The only thing that came to Rosie's mind was if those covered bodies were any of the Gladers. Newt noticed Minho's attention to the two bodies as he put his hands on his shoulders silently telling him to keep walking. There was a man in black sprawled on the floor a gun next to him.

Rosie kneeled down next to the man after the rest kept walking. Her curiosity won her over as she turned the man's body to see who it was. Her heart felt heavier once she had a good look at the man and she was unsure why. Rosie didn't recognize him but somewhere deep down, her brain and heart did.

Moving her attention elsewhere, Rosie grabbed a hold of the gun next to the dead man. It was freezing and somehow Rosie knew exactly how to check for any bullets. Her right thumb pressed on the side button as her hand catched the magazine. It had one bullet left. Rosie placed the gun back down making sure none of the gladers saw her.

"Rosie."

Her eyes shot up standing up as Newt raised an eyebrow in confusion as to why she was still standing there. "Coming."

Rosie looked around to take in the entire laboratory. The infinite amount of screens displaying information about the Gladers, their health, their brain activities, so much more. Newt, Frypan, and Rosie stood at the left side noticing the screen that showed the entire glade.

"So they were watching us." Newt spoke focusing on other screens as Rosie's attention remained on the glade.

Curiosity struck in her again as she realized the glade was empty. The computer showed no one as if it were deserted. Rosie looked around the desk noticing a mouse connected to a keyboard. Her right hand placed itself on top of it using it to zoom in.

The sticks Gally used to tie up Teresa and Thomas were still placed at the same spot. Meaning the recording was live but Rosie couldn't see anyone. None of the Gladers they left behind inside the Glade. No Gally, no Aidan, no Vince, no one.

Rosie turned to grab Newt's attention who had already wondered off. "Newt, look-"

"Hello." Rosie twirled around noticing a woman on a screen in the middle of the lab. It was a recording. "My name is doctor Ava Paige. I'm director of operations of World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department."

Everyone was startled trying to take in everything the woman was saying. Rosie knew exactly who she was. She remembered her. The woman, herself, was the one to inject Rosie.

"If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the maze trials." Rosie walked over to Newt who stood next to Thomas. "I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you." An alarm in the recording started going off and workers behind the woman started panicking. "But circumstances seemed to have prevented it. I am sure by now you all are very confused. Angry. Frightened. I can only assure you that everything that's happened to you, everything we've done to you, it was all done for a reason."

She wasn't confused. She wasn't frightened. She was angry. Her blood boiled. Rosie wasn't suppose to be a part of the maze, all of those workers and that woman knew. But they wanted her dead and somehow Rosie was still alive. Giving Rosie doubt as they continued to watch the recording.

"You won't remember but the sun has scorched our world." The screen displayed videos of the sun, explosions, fires. "Billions of lives lost to fire, famine, suffering our global scale. The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse. We call it the flare."

The screen displayed a black liquid that oozed out of someone's skin. "A deadly virus that attacks the brain." The screen now showed a brain infected with the dark liquid. "It is violent." The next shot was a person infested with the flare and two people with lab coats looking into what the virus could potentially be. "Unpredictable. Incurable. Or so we thought."

Rosie shifted uncomfortably as she started remembering what she had learned about the virus before getting her memory wiped. "In time a new generation emerged that could survive the virus. Suddenly there was a reason to hope for a cure. But finding it would not be easy."

A quiet sound coming from the path the Gladers took caused Rosie to turn to. Rosie looked around spotting no one or nothing. "The young would have to be tested. Even sacrificed inside harsh environments where their brain activity would be studied. All in an effort to understand what makes them different. What makes you different."

A sense of wrong itched in Rosie's body as she felt something was definitely off. "You may not realize it but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun as you will no doubt soon discover not everyone agrees with our methods. Progress is slow. People are scared. It may be too late for us."

Soldiers with weapons entered in the background of the video. "For me. But not for you. The outside world awaits. Remember," she leans over grabbing an object. Rosie's eyes go wide as she had a gun pointing at herself, "WCKD is good."

The bullet goes off causing everyone but Rosie to flinch. The girl remained composed watching the blood splatter on the screen. It didn't feel terrifying or sad to watch. Rosie didn't really feel anything as if she were used to it.

The girl turned noticing the group head over to the dead body Thomas had spotted. The sound of a metal door scared Rosie as it opened up. Newt glanced over at Rosie who shook her head not feeling great about the situation. His hand reached for hers.

"Is it over?" Chuck asked

Rosie felt it was some sort of dumb question but at the same time, she didn't think the rest of the gladers thought what she thought. "She said we were important." Newt stated, "what are we suppose to do now?"

"I don't know." Footsteps. Rosie clearly heard footsteps behind her. She was the farthest behind, no one else could be behind her. Rosie turned around as her eyes widen in disbelief noticing the boy. She tugged on Newt's arm to grab his attention as he was focused on Thomas, "let's get out of here."

"Newt-"

"No!"

Everyone turned around to notice an infected Gally. Newt's grip tightened on Rosie's hand knowing for a fact that she'd run to help the infected boy. "Gally?" Thomas questioned taking steps further being in the front now.

"Don't!" Teresa stopped Thomas putting a hand on his shoulders, "he's been stung."

Rosie's eyes wonder down and it felt like a blow to the chest when she saw a gun in Gally's hand. The same gun Rosie held and thought to take it with her but decided to put back down.

"You can't leave." Gally stated his eyes turning completely dark. The infection taking over him. The gun shaking in his hand.

"We did. Gally, we're out. We're free." Thomas explained trying to somehow keep everyone safe.

Gally shook his head, "free?" His attention landed on Rosie who took a step forward hoping he'd drop the gun. "You think we're free out there?"

"Gally," Rosie spoke as the Gladers turned to look at her as she grabbed the attention away from Thomas. "Drop the gun."

"No, Rosie!" Gally raised his voice this time pointing the gun at his own best friend. Her heartbeat going up calculating the harm. There was one bullet left in the gun and if it was used on her, the rest could be able to leave.

"Woah! Woah!" Newt let out pulling his girlfriend back trying to shield her but also fearing for his own life.

"No! Why did you leave us? Me! Vince? You let Ander die!" Gally yelled his hand shaking uncontrollably. He didn't have a good grasp on the weapon meaning the bullet could go in any direction if he pressed the trigger.

"It's not my fault." Rosie jerked her hand away as she stood in front of Newt again who kept fighting her. He wanted to protect her from harm just the way she always protected him. But she wouldn't let him. "I tried to save him-"

Gally nodded moving the gun away from Rosie, "you're right. It's not your fault. It's all Thomas' fault." He continued on pointing the gun at Thomas. "There's no escape from this place."

"Gally, listen to me," Thomas spoke with his hands up trying to shield himself as everyone backed up, "you're not thinking straight. You're not. But we can help you, just put down the gun."

The boy shook his head announcing to everyone, "I belong to the maze."

Thomas kept trying, "just put down the gun."

"We all do." Gally stated pressing the trigger as everything happened at once.

Gally pulled the trigger with his shaking hand as Minho threw an arrow at his chest to stop him. Everyone dropped to the floor as Rosie's eyes watered watching her friend fall to the ground bleeding. Everyone stood up making sure the boy was on the ground.

Rosie let out a whimper rushing to the boy with an arrow across his chest. "Rosie!" Newt yelled as he rushed over to the girl. He glanced back as Thomas started to cry for Chuck. "No, c'mon-he, he shot Chuck!" She ignored him as she stood next to Gally. Rosie could feel Newt tugging her arm as he tried pulling her away. "Leave him!"

An argument was created between the only couple. "Let me go!" Rosie pushed her boyfriend away causing him to almost fall to the ground. The girl kneeled down trying to figure out a way to somehow keep him from bleeding.

Newt tried to get sense into his girlfriend's head that Gally had thought about shooting her. "He pointed a gun at you, Rosie! Don't be stupid! He might as well die too-"

The boy's hand flew to his burning cheek as Rosie had slapped him. "He was my friend!" Rosie yelled and pointed at him, "one of my best friend's in that shit hole and you know that!"

"Rosie, he tried to kill you!" Newt explained defeatedly, "do whatever ya' want!"

Rosie turned back kneeling next to Gally as she ignored the argument between her and her boyfriend. Gally couldn't form any sentences as blood poured out of his body. Tears streamed down her face as her closest friend was dying and she let it happen. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Rosie spoke running her hand across Gally's face. "Please forgive me, I'm so sorry."

Before she could say anything else she glanced back to see men in suits hurried inside. She turned back barely able to hear him as he coughed up his last few words to her, "it's okay, little one." Rosie untied the bracelet from his arm and untied hers. She hurriedly tied the bracelet with her name on his wrist. The boy struggled to unclench his hand as it held a letter written to the girl.

"Rosie!"

A soldier grabbed onto her shoulder pulling her away, "No! Let me go! Let me go!" Rosie yelled not wanting to leave him behind. For a split second the girl was able to get out of their grasp and she ran back to him kneeling down. She whispered in his ear one last time crying, "I'll see you again. I promise Gally." Two soldiers this time were now grabbing onto her as she repeated once more, "I promise!"

Her heart shattering as she didn't see any movement coming from her friend. He didn't seem conscious anymore. The little bit of light left in his eyes slowly dimmed. The men struggled taking her away, Rosie pulled and pushed as she saw Thomas crying for Chuck as his body laid lifeless on the floor. "I'm sorry Chuck." Rosie mumbled feeling herself being dragged away.

The men pushed the girl causing her to finally focus on what was happening. A door had been opened and the gladers were following the soldiers into a helicopter. "Rosie!" Newt called out for her as he was being hurried by another soldier.

Rosie wiped her tears away running to the boy being pushed by other soldiers. She nodded her head telling him to keep going. "I'm right behind you."

Newt shrugged the soldier's hand off him waiting for Rosie as she reached him interlacing her fingers with his. Both catching up with the rest of the Gladers, glancing back to see if Thomas was behind them or not. Her free hand reached to cover her eyes from the bright sky. Rosie could hear one of the soldiers ordering them to quickly get inside the helicopter. The girl's eyes wondered around noticing men had been stationed with guns pointed out of a formed circle they made. As if they were ready to shoot anything that appeared in their sight.

The pair reached the helicopter, Rosie taking initiative to help the boy with his leg. She jumped in first offering her hand to Newt, who grabbed onto her hand and Minho's. The rest had already been seated waiting for Thomas who was being carried by two soldiers. Newt sat down pulling Rosie down with him making space as they pushed Thomas inside. The doors were shut and the helicopter started lifting up.

A man across from them took his mask off, "You guys alright?" He asked grabbing a flask from another soldier. The Gladers looked at one another uncertain if to believe the man, "don't worry. You're safe now."

Anxiety started rushing through her veins hoping that this was truly the end of it all. "Look." Newt spoke to her as his eyes looked over what they called home for the past two years. The humongous maze they were trapped in. They were finally out. "We've actually made it out."

She looked down at her wrist fidgeting with the bracelet with her friend's name on it. Images of his death overwhelmed her causing her to let tears fall. A sniffle grabbed Newt's attention turning to her noticing the glossy eyes. His lips pressed themselves on the side of her temple caressing her arms. "We'll be alright, my love."

For the first time she looked down at her hands and felt like throwing up. Blood was smeared on her hands and it didn't belong to her. Her clothes were smudged with his blood and so was her cheek after she had rubbed her face on accident. He was everywhere, already haunting her for leaving him behind. Just like she left her brother and the rest of her friends behind in the dust. The letter he wrote to her that was never received. There's no way back now.

The boys they left behind to die, oh how their blood is now on their hands. The bodies they will now wish they didn't leave behind. How does someone move on from this?

It's only a game of survival now.

PART ONE:
YOUNG GODS
THE MAZE RUNNER
COMPLETED

PART TWO:
GAME OF SURVIVAL
THE SCORCH TRIALS
COMPLETED

PART THREE:
THAT WON'T SAVE US
THE DEATH CURE
IN PROGRESS

go check it out on my page!