~~~~

It was so dark I couldn't see my own fingers in front of my eyes. It was just like the Box all over again, the first memory I had when I woke up. Just complete and utter darkness like the depths of the ocean. My mind began racing and my heart was pounding. I will admit that after that experience, I've hated the dark. It terrified me. I suddenly felt someone's hand curl around my torso, and it made me even more afraid. But his soft voice speaking in that British accent soothed me back to normal.

"It's okay. It's me, love," he barely whispered.

I used my four other senses beside my eyes, obviously to find his face. It was like a blind person searching for someone they cared about. I put my arms around him, feeling the warmth of his body as I buried my face into his chest. I felt even more safe when he wrapped his strong arms around me, feeling his head rest atop my head. He slowly breathed into my hair, then released it with ease. It was over. We had survived. Though the last of us died trying, we protected each other until the very end. Eight survivors, out of fifty. But what made me feel the happiest was that Newt survived. I didn't know what I would do if he hadn't.

Suddenly, the titanium door behind us opened ajar, letting in a sliver of light. All that's left of us instinctively turned around to face it. Teresa leaned in to push it open further, the small light outside blinding us for a second. We all stepped outside, examining where we were now. It looked like we were in an underground tunnel, as far as I could see. Pipes lead to either ends of the tunnel that seemed to go on forever. We suddenly heard a clicking noise. It came from the right, so we turned toward the sound. It was the sound of lights turning on one by one. It passed over us, then continued down the tunnel to our left. Not knowing what else to do, we followed to where it was leading us.

None of us said anything. Our minds were only focused on what this place is, and where it was taking us. I recognized it the further I walked. I saw it in my dreams, I got pieces of it. I hadn't got a clue as to why this was what I remembered, but this tunnel had to lead us to being free. Maybe the Creators had me do a walkthrough to analyze it, if they thought I was going to survive. So here we were, aimlessly going down some passageway that we've never seen before.

Finally, up ahead, there was another door on the left. It was just a regular door. Above the door was a bright green sign that said exit on it. How accurate, I thought.

"Seriously?" Frypan said.

Questioning if we should open it, Thomas did. He walked forward, taking a short pause before cautiously moving his hand to the door handle. The handle twisted with ease, and the door opened. But what was on the other side was more horrifying than the Maze or Grievers. It made my blood turn to ice as my body went stiff.

When Thomas slowly pushed the door open, we were immediately met to a horrible scene of people lying on the floor, dead. They weren't kids like us, they were the bodies of adults, some young or old. The place looked like it had been ransacked by people. Broken lights were hanging on by wires as occasional sparks fell to the floor, broken glass had been shattered into a million pieces, and a silent alarm was blaring as yellow lights spun around. It was a crime scene.

We cautiously walked in, examining every detail. I couldn't believe my eyes. As we got a closer look at the people, we realized they were dressed as doctors and scientists. We saw the walls painted in their own blood. Bullet holes dried up on their heads. Some held guns in their limp hands. Whatever happened here must've been menacing enough to drive them to take their own lives. That was wrong.

I looked to my right to see two more dead bodies lying on medical tables. White sheets stained with blood covered up their faces so we couldn't see who they were. I couldn't peel my eyes away, but Newt put a hand on my shoulder to push me forward, motioning for me to keep walking. There was another person, a male lying on his stomach, dead like the rest. Minho used his foot to look at the handgun that the man used to take his life, but moved on after.

"What happened here?" Winston asked.

None of us could answer that question.

There were two broken automatic doors that were halfway shut, and beyond that was a large dimly lit room. We walked in, seeing more dead bodies and more broken glass and sparking lights. In the center, there was an oval shaped table that had three stairs leading up to it like a platform of a stage. There were chairs with wheels that scattered on and about. But they seemed to belong at the table, which had holographic computers on them that stretched vertically up to the ceiling. The desktops were still open, which revealed files and information on what I guess was us and the Maze. To finish this room off, there were various computers, security cameras and monitors.

This was it. This is where it all started. I remembered this all like it happened yesterday. I automatically knew every inch of this place like the back of my hand. The dead doctors lying on the floor, I knew them as well. Not well enough that I knew their families and such, but they were fellow employees of mine. They were the people I worked with to monitor the Gladers, the Maze and the Glade.

"So they were watching us," Newt said faintly. "This whole time."

I walked to the oval table, knowing where I was going. I went to a holographic computer, recognizing it. It was my old desktop. The desktop I worked at everyday. Just like in my dreams, I saw two people there. Thomas on my left, Teresa across, perfectly parallel to him. I noticed Thomas slowly raising his hand to touch the tablet in front of him. He pressed a key that was blinking red, which caused it to activate a video on a bigger screen in the room to our left. It glitched and scratched, then the video came into focus and the audio came on, showing the same Woman in White.

"Hello," she greeted calmly, yet naturally. "My name is Dr. Ava Paige. I'm director of operations of the World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department."

World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department. W.I.C.K.E.D. That's what they called themselves. We gathered around the screen, listening to her give her speech.

"If you're watching this, that means you've successfully completed the Maze Trials. I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you... but circumstances seem to have prevented it."

The way this Ava Paige woman spoke was natural like she's done it before. It was a little spooky for me because I've heard her talk like this.

"I'm sure by now you must all be 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. You won't remember, but the sun has scorched our world."

The video showed a satellite feed of the sun burning everything that has ever existed. It cut to showing results of what happened after like buildings that were destroyed or on fire. But what was worse was the people charred to a crisp, their dead faces contorted into fear from them screaming their last breaths. I saw one person that was a mom holding her child close to her chest, protecting him. It was horrible. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Newt was just as terrified as I was.

"Billions of lives lost to fire, famine. Suffering on a global scale. The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse. We called it the Flare. A deadly virus that attacks the brain. It is violent, unpredictable... incurable."

It cut to showing something microscopic on screen, black microorganisms scattering everywhere like a disease. It then showed someone dissecting a brain that had been infected with the virus. It was repulsive to look at. There was a recording of someone infected with the Flare strapped down to a table while two doctors were examining him. The patient had black veins scattered all over his body, violently thrashing around, spitting up black liquid. I couldn't imagine someone going through this type of pain.

"Or so we thought," the woman said. "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. The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed inside harsh environments, where their brain activity could be studied, all in an effort to understand what makes them different... what makes you different. You may not realize it, but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun. As you'll no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods."

I was shocked. Kids. Why kids? Why were we chosen to be a part of this? And our trials just beginning? There was more of this that we have to face? Why were these people so insensitive?

"Progress is slow. People are scared. It may be too late for us, for me... but not for you. The outside world awaits."

In the background of where the woman was, people dressed in full body armor came in and started shooting at the doctors and scientists. They were running away, screaming. The guns the guards were using was destroying everything that they've created. Dr. Paige wasn't moving; she was calm like she had been in my dreams.

"Remember..." She suddenly pulled a gun, probably a 627 magnum and aimed it at her head. I widened my eyes in horror. "W.I.C.K.E.D. is good."

She inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes. I didn't want to see her blow her brains out, so I quickly looked away from the screen before I heard the gun firing. But when I looked away to my left, I saw her dead body on the floor in another room. She still held the gun in her hand.

Thomas brushed past me and slowly walked over to take a closer look, and so did everyone else. Suddenly, there was a low buzzing sound that distracted us. We glanced over to our right and saw two automatic compressed sliding doors slowly opening to reveal a long, narrow hallway. There was a sliver of light shining on the other end under the crack of the door. We all stood there, silent, our hearts thudding out of our chests. Was that the real exit? Were we finally free?

"Is it over?" Chuck asked.

"She said we were important," Newt said. "What are we supposed to do now?"

All of us turned our attention to Thomas, who was keeping his gaze locked on the darkened hallway. He turned his head to Chuck, still not saying anything.

"I don't know," he answered faintly.

But putting on a brave face, he said the words we've all been waiting for.

"Let's get outta here."

We nodded in agreement. Not waiting any further, we pressed forward, taking our first step to move to the door.

"No."

We stopped instantly at the sound of someone's voice. We turned around, wondering who had said that. To our surprise, and horrifying discovery, it was Gally standing there, holding the key we used to escape the Maze.

~~~~

Next chapter will be the last chapter of this book :3