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THE YOUNG GODS
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

" SHE STABBED ME! "
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      PICKING UP HER knife, Rosie knew she was close. All she had to do was to retrace her footsteps. They had made many turns before hanging Alby up. She felt the sun shine on her and it made her body worse. She loved the heat but she hated how dehydrated and tired she felt. Rosie kept going, she did not want to spend another night in the maze.

       She breathed in and out somewhat proud of herself not getting killed yet. Rosie keeps walking at times fearing that she'd get stung. She does her best to remember the path they took. Getting more hope, she realized she had made a turn where they tied Alby up. The boys had probably been able to get out.

She didn't know if to feel good about them getting out or feel betrayed that they left her behind. How no one was sent after her? It was against the rules and she knew that. She just hoped that they'd break the rules for her. But, Rosie asked them to treat her like the boys so they did. No one was sent to look for her. They probably thought she was dead.

Rosie kept going remembering the last few turns they made. Her feet were giving up on her, she wanted to fall on the floor and cry. She knew she was close so she had to push through it all. Hope rose in her chest when she heard familiar voices.

"Stop wasting your time, Jimmy, she's not coming back." Anton spoke hitting the boy on the back of his head. "Get back to work. People are starving."

       Jimmy shook his head rubbing the spot that was hit, "no. Ander has it under control. He told me I could wait here for Rosie."

        "She's dead, shuck-face!" Anton raised his voice, "get it in your small brain."

        "Leave me alone!" Jimmy replied back with a little crack in his voice. "She's not dead!"

        Anton let out a chuckle, "whatever man, waste your time."

       Jimmy could feel his face heat up and tears forming in his eyes as Anton walked away to his station. Jimmy had so much hope for her to be alive. He knew she was. He wouldn't be able to accept the fact if she wasn't alive. The boy sat down crisscrossed as he stared at the ground. Tear drops fell down his face and onto the grass as he kept himself occupied by plucking pieces of grass.

      "Jimmy?" Rosie announced as she couldn't hear arguing anymore. Maybe she took the wrong turn.  Rosie stopped to think it over. It was straight or take a right. She hoped for the best and took the straight path.

       Jimmy's head shot up as he thought he heard his name being called from inside the maze. The boy stood up. "Rosie!" Jimmy called loud enough for a few of the Gladers to hear him. The boy jumped in excitement seeing the girl turn a corner and a breath of relief rushed out of Rosie's lips.

"Jimmy?" Her voice sounded defeated and broken as she struggled to run with her tired feet.

"Yeah!" Jimmy replied excitedly wanting to break the rule to hug her as she slowly reached the end of the maze entrance.

The girl almost lost her balance as she felt the boy hug her tightly. It must've been the most relieved he's ever been in his life. "It's Rosie! She's alive!" A distant yell announced of Rosie's arrival.

Newt heard the distant cheer outside of the Medhut. His eyes glanced up from the girl to Jeff as they both heard what they were thinking. Newt jogged out of the room seeing a group of boys surrounding the entrance.

      "We thought you died!" Jimmy explained, "what happened to you?"

       Newt ran as fast as he could to the group of boys. He pushed a few out of the way realizing Rosie was in the middle of them. He analyzed her entire state noticing the piece of cloth wrapped around her shoulder that wasn't there when she went in.

       Rosie looked up from Jimmy making eye-contact with the boy who had let out a breath of relief. Her eyes flooded with tears as she was relieved she was finally safe. Newt's eyes welled up as he rushed towards her.

"It's you." The boy came up to her his hands reaching her face. They were on the same page. Their lips for the first time met each others. Rosie's hands clung onto the material of Newt's worn down shirt. His lips collided hungrily with Rosie's who out of instinct kissed him back. Rosie felt euphoric. She felt as if she were melting into his kiss.

Newt pulled her in as close as he could. His heart was thumping at what felt like a million miles an hour. He wanted to pinch himself to realize this wasn't a dream. They've waited for this moment since the first time they've laid eyes on each other months ago. The pair could hear cheers from a distance but were so focused on each other.

Rosie pulled away catching her breath. She opened her eyes to see the boy slowly opening his. There was some sort of silence at the beginning neither of them knew what to say. Their foreheads leaned against each other. It felt like a dream until someone brought them back to reality.

"Finally!" Jimmy blurted out disrupting their moment, "it only took eight months for you guys to kiss. Let's see how long it takes you guys to have se—"

"Jimmy, shut up!" Aidan exclaimed covering the young boy's mouth with his large hand.

Rosie let out a soft giggle before turning back to Newt, "you're alive." He spoke before bringing her into his embrace. Rosie held onto him tightly not wanting to let go as she felt so safe and secure with him.

"Is it true?" A voice was heard coming from the keeper of the builders. The boy pushed through the group to see if it was true. Rosie was alive. Gally's heart started to beat fast as he made eye-contact with the tired Rosie who pulled away from Newt to see him.

"Gally?" Her voice sounded defeated once she saw him. All she wanted was him to hold her and make her feel warm like he always did.

"Little One!" Gally let out taking long strides towards her before pulling her up into him and engulfing her into a bear hug. Rosie gripped onto his body her legs wrapping around his torso and her arms around his neck not wanting to let go and trying to calm herself down because she was truly safe now. "Are you okay?"

     Newt stayed quiet because he just had his first kiss with her no less than a few minutes but she was now in the arms of his friend. They embraced each other a little too friendly and a little too long for it to just be friends. The way Gally held her and the way she hugged him—it felt more intimate than what Newt had with her.

    Rosie nodded in the curve of his neck whispering, "I'm okay now. I'm always okay when I'm with you."

     She was in his arms and knew that when she was near him, he'd protect her. Because that's just who Gally was, a protector. The girl could feel the pace of Gally's heart start to quicken but didn't say anything about it. She felt his arms tighten around her before someone interrupted.

"Get her down! It's my turn!" Vincent argued grabbing ahold of Rosie before hugging her unknown relative. "What the hell happened to you, kid?"

"We got separated." Rosie spoke worn out causing the boys to freak out once her knees gave out and she grabbed onto Vincent's arm for support.

"Rosie!" A few of the boys yelled scared as Vincent was able to grab her before she could fall. "Take her to a medjack!"

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      "I'M positive! I'm alright," Rosie spoke trying to convince the two medjacks who didn't believe her words. Clint had just finished stitching and wrapping her bicep up.

      A chuckle left Clint's lips rolling the leftover bandage up, "yeah, and the whole fainting thing didn't happen."

       "You're probably just dehydrated and need food in your system. Ander's almost done." Jeff spoke putting away the materials they had used.

       "So, are we going to avoid the elephant in the room or are one of you going to tell me about the sleeping girl in the corner?" Rosie asked taking a notice of the girl the moment she had walked in but no one said anything about it.

      The two medjacks looked at one another afraid of what to tell her. Especially about the note the girl had come up with. Rosie rolled her eyes standing up taking further steps to take a better look.

       "I don't think you should—"

       Clint stopped midway as Rosie had already reached her. Her mind was struggling but she's seen her before. Rosie's hand reached the girl's chin turning her to look towards her. The girl was almost pale-looking as if she was sick from a flu. The only thing that made Rosie believe she was alive were the girl's slow breaths.

       "How? When did she get here?" Rosie asked quietly trying to respect her sleep even though she had just turned her head.

        "This morning." Jeff answered

        Rosie's left eyebrow went up in curiosity, "this morning? But the box doesn't—"

         Jeff nodded, "yup."

        "A lot of us were worried because of the note she had in her hand." Clint commented sitting down on the chair Rosie had just been on a minute ago. "Newt jumped in and the only thing that was in the box was her with the note."

       "She's the last one. Ever." Jeff added, "that's what it said."

       Clint fiddled with his fingers, "a lot of us assumed it was some sort of replacement. Her coming up made us believe more that you were actually dead."

         Rosie knew these creators wanted her dead. She just had luck. A lot of luck. "How's Alby doing?" Rosie glanced over at him.

        Clint scratched the back of his head, "he's just been getting worse. There's nothing we can do at the moment than just wait it out."

        She turned back to look at the girl again. Trying to memorize all of the details. Rosie felt it in her chest, something was different with this girl. She just didn't know what it was. "I'm going to get changed. I'll be back in a bit."

        The boys silently nodded turning to speak to each other as Rosie walked out of the Medhut. Things were different. People were more on edge since shes arrived. Heading to her own hut, Rosie steps inside noticing nothing had been touched. Meaning Ander didn't sleep here tonight even though it was suppose to be his turn.

Ander hadn't acknowledged her presence yet. She hadn't even seen him at all. Rosie looked around through her pile of clean clothes she washed a few days ago. Rosie grabbed a white t-shirt, khaki pants, and undergarments. She tried her best to change quickly even though she struggled to lift her arm up.

She headed out to look for her best friend. Rosie headed towards the cooking station spotting Ander slicing some vegetables. "Hey stranger." Rosie greeted reaching the kitchen.

"Hi." Ander replied not bothering to look her direction.

Her eyebrow raised up noticing the way he had greeted her. So calm and quiet. Something was wrong with the boy. "Where's Fry?" Rosie asked receiving a simple shrug from the boy. "You good?" Ander nodded his attention on the cutting board even though he had finished. "Obviously not, since you're ignoring me."

Ander looked up from the cutting board but still not making eye-contact with Rosie. "I've been responding haven't I?"

"Not really. I can't do much with a shrug and a nod, Ander. What's wrong?" Rosie implored reaching the boy's vicinity.

"You're selfish, you know that?" Ander questioned ignoring Rosie's question. Her eyebrow shot up once again not understanding where he was coming from. "And stupid."

Rosie's expression hardened, "what is up your ass, Ander? I was stuck in that maze for hours and this is how you're treating me?"

Ander finally turned to look at her. His expression was dull but enough for Rosie, "you think that was okay? Going in the maze?"

"Obviously not—"

"Then why'd you do it?"

Rosie shook her head, "I—I don't know. It was an instinct I guess?"

His eyes rolled in disbelief upsetting Rosie more. "Rosie don't play dumb. You deserve to get a consequence. You broke the rules."

"I was trying to pull Thomas out but he pulled me in instead—"

"You scared all of us." Ander replied, "nobody cares about Thomas, Rosie. Everyone was freaking out about you. You should have seen how terrified Newt was! How Gally and Vince were! How I was! You're my best friend and I couldn't even protect you!"

Now she understood where he came from. Rosie would have given him the same lecture she was receiving at the moment. She risked her life for a stranger. Someone who probably could care less about her.

"I'm really sorry. Promise I won't do it again." Rosie apologized.

Ander shook his head, "damn right you're sorry."

Rosie let out a breath of relief as Ander walked over to hug her. "Trust me. I'm never going in there again." She felt herself being hug tightly and let go of in a few seconds.

"Don't or I'll actually kill you myself."

She let out a chuckle. "I won't. I gotta go though. I told the medjacks I'd be back a few minutes ago. We'll catch up later." Ander agreed waving his hand before Rosie turned around heading towards the Medhut.

Curiosity filled Rosie's body as she heard commotion inside the Med-hut. Rosie could hear sound of metal and objects falling on the ground. Mumbles that weren't clear. She walked in noticing the two medjacks turn towards Rosie fear in their eyes already.

"Rosie!" The boys announce in somewhat relief still panic showing in their faces.

"What's going on—" Rosie stopped mid sentence as she ducked when a mason jar flew over her head. "Woah!" She took a quick glimpse at the shattered mason jar on the floor.

Rosie searched the room figuring out where that jar was thrown from. Rosie spotted the empty bed and the girl with a knife in her hand crouch down. A pocket knife that belong to Rosie herself.

"Get away from me before I do something to you." The girl threatened Rosie who stepped further despite the small fear that she felt. "I said get away!" The girl stood up facing Rosie.

"Drop the knife." Rosie demanded gesturing at the girl, "and that's also my knife by the way so if I can actually have it back that'd be great."

The girl's eyes widen in disbelief with the girl in front of her. "I don't want to hurt you."

A little chuckle left Rosie's lips, "I don't want to hurt you so give me back my knife."

The girl dropped eye-contact with Rosie glancing towards the door trying to figure out how she could outrun the three in the hut. Rosie was already a step ahead putting her left foot out as the girl sprinted. Rosie was easily able to grab a hold of the knife that was in the girl's hand.

Rosie threw the knife far from the girl's reach. Her hand gripped tightly on the wrist of the terrified girl. "We can do this the easy way or my way. Your choice."

Her dark blue eyes were intense. It wasn't a calm color like the other blue eyes Rosie has seen on other gladers. The girl's eyes had darkness roaming in them. Something she'd seen before.

The girl tried once more getting out of Rosie's grip. Sighing, Rosie pushed the girl back on the bed. "Clint! Give her the sleeping pill."

"On it!" Clint stated looking through his bag for the medication Rosie needed as she pinned down the struggling girl.

"Can you stop moving! You're making this a lot harder for yourself." Rosie stated to the girl who kept wiggling and trying to get out of Rosie's grip. "What's taking so long?"

"We can't find it!" Jeff replied looking through the cabinets forgetting where they had put the bottle.

Rosie glanced back at the two boys, "do I have to do this myself? Both of you hold her down—Ow!" Rosie let out a painful scream letting go of the girl beneath her and turning to look at her injured bicep.

Her eyes couldn't believe what she saw. A pair of thin scissors were stabbed into her already injured bicep. Anger ran through Rosie's blood as she pulled the scissors out of her bicep. Rosie let the scissors fall down on the ground as the girl had stood up already sprinting.

"Hell no!" Rosie yelled rushing to stand up as adrenaline replaced the pain in her body as she chased the girl. "Come back here you psychotic bitch!"

Rosie was able to reach the girl the moment she stepped out of the Medhut. Rosie lunged forward grabbing onto the girl's legs. The two of them fall to the dirt as the girl quickly tries to kick Rosie away. "Let me go!"

Gladers looked around trying to figure out where the commotion was coming from. The boys realized it was the only two girls in the glade fighting.

"Newt!"

"Gally!"

"Rosie's fighting the new girl!"

The girl felt herself losing as Rosie was able to pin her down again but not as tight as before. This gave the girl an advantage she used. Rosie felt the girl's thumb press on her wound which Rosie flinched in pain.

"Get off me!"

Before Rosie could even do some damage, Vince was already pulling her away. "Let me fucking go, Vince!" Rosie yelled as the girl stood up in fear. Her eyes widen as she sees boys standing still not knowing what to do. Not knowing what to do the girl ran.

Vince shook his head, "lock it up, kid. You're better than that."

"She fucking stabbed me!" Rosie yelled as she watched the boys let the girl climb up the tower. Rosie's eyes widen as Vince laughs at her. "It's not funny! She stabbed me with a pair of scissors!"

Vince let go of Rosie who walked over to the tower where a few boys were already yelling at the girl to climb down. "Be nice, Rosie." Ander stated arriving with Aidan.

Ignoring Ander's statement Rosie yelled at the girl, "get your ass down here or I'll come up there and finish the job!"

"Easy now. I don't think it's a good idea to scare the poor girl." Newt spoke as he had jogged over from the garden.

Rosie rolled her eyes at the boy's comment as she held onto the bleeding bicep that had been already wrapped up and stitched. "Says the one who wasn't stabbed with scissors."

Newt let out a chuckle just like Vince had done, "she stabbed you with scissors?"

Rosie threw her one working arm up in frustration, "what's so funny about that? I got stabbed! I'm literally bleeding right now!"

"You probably deserved it." Ander blurted out trying to look to try and see the girl who was hidden.

"Excuse me?"

Newt grinned at Rosie's disbelief especially when she turned towards him for answers. "Love, you can be a little hostile sometimes—"

She shook her head, "I am not hostile. I have a right to be mad! That shuckface stabbed me!" Before Rosie could know it, she yelled in pain once more. "Ow!" The boys near her start laughing as a rock had been thrown at her head from up the tower. "That's it! I'm coming up!"

Rosie huffed in stress as she grabs onto the ladder before easily being pulled away by Newt. "Let her calm down, Rosie. She's scared."

"And I'm actually a dude. What's your point?"

Newt gave the girl a deadpan look as he shook his head at her sarcasm. "Let her calm down. I'm serious. That's a command."

"But—"

"Rosie." Newt spoke warning her as she pouted knowing he was right. Rosie let the boys speak trying to convince the girl to come down.

The Latina was covering her head with a pierce of board that Winston held up. "Leave me alone!" The girl yelled throwing rocks at the boys. Rosie grabbed a hold of Newt pulling him under the board with her.

"Hey throw one more of those and I'm coming—" Gally's threat was stopped as a rock felt hard on his head, "ow!"

"I don't think she likes us very much." Newt stated a little smile on his lips glancing back at Rosie who felt butterflies in her stomach. His eyes roamed down her lips for the quickest second before turning back around.

"Look we just want to talk." Thomas yelled covering himself avoiding to get hit.

"I'm warning you!"

More objects fell down as some of them did reach a few gladers. "Take cover guys! Take cover!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! It's Thomas! It's Thomas!"

The rocks stop falling as the girl looked over trying to see if it was actually him. Thomas lifted his hand, "I'm, I'm going to come up, okay?"

Rosie rolled her eyes her tone full of sarcasm, "well that's a shocker."

"Okay." Thomas spoke annoying Gally as he added on, "just me."

Everyone watched Thomas climb the tower up. Newt turned to Rosie as most of the Gladers walked off heading back to their stations. "You need to get checked out again. You're bleeding." Newt stated.

Rosie looked over tilting her head at the boy, "oh really? I hadn't noticed that half of my goddamned blood was flowing out of my arm, but thanks for letting me know."

        A playful and mischievous look was written on Newt's lips, "oh,"  he grabbed the girl by the hips, "you're trying to be a smart arse with me?"

       Rosie let out a giggle shaking her head wrapping her one functioning arm around his neck, "of course not." Her words still full of sarcasm.

         The boy tilted his head down about to press his lips on hers before getting interrupted. "Look, I'm very happy that you guys are finally together but don't kiss! Please I don't want to see that." Rosie turned to glare at Winston who smiled weakly.

       She let out a sigh turning back to the boy who just shook his head trying to hold in his laugh. "No one's telling you to look." Rosie replied before bringing Newt's lips to hers.

       The two felt in sync and she could also feel the boy's smile as he kissed her. Rosie let herself get closer as Newt fumbled with the material of her pants. Rosie pulled away smiling as she opened her eyes to see Newt grinning like an idiot.

       "I gotta go." Rosie stated dropping her hand as Newt let go of her hips. "I'm going to get this re-bandaged."

       Newt replied, "I'll come find you for supper, alright?" Rosie nodded before turning and heading of back to the Medhut as Clint already waited for her there.

       "What's going on up there?" Gally asked

       "Is she coming down?" Newt asked, "Rosie's gone."

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