Song - Matilda (Harry Styles)

I slowly followed behind Dr Crawford down the hall, surrounded by four guards. I had asked why that was necessary, but they said it was just a precaution. They didn't answer when I asked what the danger was and why I was the only one who needed it. Dr Crawford said that they needed to move to a different room for blood and other tests. The woman had cleaned up my cuts and other grazes in the other room and was still going when the boys left. I had no idea where they went. A guard said I would meet up with them after. It felt strange to be in this new sterile environment. Everything spotless and artificial. No dirt, grass, or trees. I wasn't a fan.

As we walked further down we passed a cafeteria, the wall turning to glass so I could see everything inside. There were more kids. Kids my age. Boys and girls. Eating food together in table groups. I craned my neck to try and see my boys.

There they were. I saw Newt's blonde mop, and then Thomas, Minho. And if they could sense my presence or something, they all turned to look at me. Their eyes widened at the soldiers around me. I tried to tell them it was okay with a facial expression, but I don't think they understood because in an instant they were on their feet and storming to the closest door, guarded by two soldiers. I heard their faint voices behind the glass,

"Eleanor!"

"Hey! Where are you taking her?"

"Is she okay?"

As we were rounding the corner, I turned back and tried to yell back but a guard grabbed my wrist and pulled me around the corner. I heard their shouts get louder. I tried to look back again but the soldier put his hand on my shoulder roughly and pushed me forward. Soon I couldn't hear them anymore. And then I was led to a rather large operating room.

"Why are we in an operating room?" I asked Dr Crawford, a sick feeling entering my stomach.

"Like I said, we need to run some tests, lie on the bed please," She responded bluntly.

I hesitated before setting myself on the bed. A handful of doctors entered the room and started preparing all sorts of equipment around me.

"What is all this for?" I asked one of the doctors. They didn't respond.

"What's going on?" I started to get out of my bed but a few soldiers gripped my limbs and held me down on the bed.

"Hey! Get off of me! Dr Crawford, what is this?" I yelled as they started to strap me down. I squirmed and kicked but it was no use.

"We just need to take some tests... prepare the anesthesia," She instructed another doctor.

"Anaesthesia! You don't need anesthesia for blood tests!"

Two doctors appeared on either side of me and placed a breathing tube into my nose, even against my violent protests. Immediately I felt lighter. Tired. As if I hadn't slept in weeks.

"Wait. No. Stop. Please," I whispered before my eyes slowly fluttered shut. The last thing I heard before being pulled further into my sleep was Dr Crawford,

"You may begin,"

"Eleanor!" a sing-song voice called from down the hall. I looked up and saw a woman striding towards me. Beautiful, blonde, and tall women. Face round and full. Hazel eyes sparkling like hot chocolate in winter. She towered over me.

"Have you seen your brother?" She asked while squatting down to match my level on the ground.

I shook my head.

"Hmmmm where could he be-"

"RAHHHH!!" Two male voices screamed while jumping out from behind the door. A man and a little blonde boy.

Me and the woman screamed with terror as the other two laughed hysterically.

The woman scooped up the little boy and swung him around in a circle.

"You cheeky boys!" She teased as the boy couldn't stop giggling.

The man hoisted me up in his arms before throwing me up in the air, and catching me again.

I screamed in delight.

"Did we scare you?" He chuckled into my ear. I dropped my smile and nodded with a pout. He moved his mouth to my ear.

"Next time, you can help us scare your mum too," he whispered. I giggled.

"I heard that!" My mother hissed while hugging the little boy tightly. She walked over and kissed me on the top of my head. And then she smacked my father on the back of the head.

"Hey!" He whined while gripping her around the waist and pulling us together, sandwiching us two kids. We shrieked.

My mother pulled away,

"Alright, I better get dinner started-"

An explosion rumbled from somewhere outside, making the ground shake. My father gripped me tighter.

"Get to the basement," He ordered deathly serious, while grabbing my brother out of my mother's arms. We heard gunshots and screams outside.

"Now!"

As my father ran down the hall, everything around me turned to black dust. My mother, father, and brother disappearing from my sight. The house nothing more than black smoke. I stood in the dark abyss I remember all too well from my dreams. I heard voices echoing from somewhere outside my cage.

"The process has begun, it should take a few hours," I recognized the voice as Dr Crawford. "The other girl is in the room across... you may begin on her. And... be careful about her friends. Those boys are persistent,"

I tried screaming. But my mouth just opened, no sound leaving my lips.

And then I was whisked away in a flurry of smoke, dust, and night.

"No! Please leave them!" My mother screeched while holding onto me and my brother's hands. A soldier had both me and him under his arms, pulling us away from her on the cold snow ground, under the pitch-black night. I screamed under his rough grasp.

"Miss let go!" The soldier ordered coldly.

"No!" She screeched, tears running down her face while hanging onto us by our fingers. The soldier kicked at her stomach to try and get her to let go, but she didn't.

"Get the fuck away from her!" A male voice bellowed. My father. A few meters behind. Another soldier appeared and punched him across the face making him collapse to the ground. The soldier pulled out a gun... and shot him in the head. My brother and I screamed. My mother screeched, finally losing our grasp.

"Take care of each other," She wept while crumpling to the ground.

"Mummy!" We both shrieked as the soldier carried us further away from our parents.

We kept screaming and kicking the soldier until he threw us into a train. We softly cried while holding each other in the carriage filled with hundreds of other sobbing children.

Another flurry of smoke and darkness...

I tapped the computer screen in front of me. Hydrogen, helium, lithium, and beryllium. I memorized the periodic table before me.

"Good children," A woman's voice echoed through the room. I recognized this room. The room after the maze.

My eyes naturally flickered up and I caught another boy's eyes. Thomas. Almost exactly how I know him now, except slightly younger. Perhaps fourteen or fifteen. He gave me a soft smile. I returned the favor before returning to my screen. I quickly completed my task and looked up at the woman. I also recognized her. Ava Paige.

"Well done, Eleanor. I always knew you would do better in here, out of the fighting ranks," She congratulated.

I smiled at the praise.

And just like that, this one was over.

"Newt!" I screamed while sprinting out the door, and down the hall. My lab coat flew behind me. I pushed through the double doors, out to the main control center. I saw Newt on the other side being dragged into the operating room. They were going to wipe his memory and put him in.

"Noooooo! Not him!" I screeched while sprinting to the other side of the room.

"Eleanor!" He screamed trying to fight against the soldiers.

"Please leave him!" I begged as I lunged for him, barely skimming his hand before a soldier gripped me around the waist and yanked me back.

"El no!" Newt screamed as he was dragged through the door, and they locked firmly behind him. I collapsed onto the ground as the sobs wrecked my body. I felt a presence sit beside me and wrap me in his arms.

Thomas.

I hugged him tightly as I wept and wept and wept.

Calcium phosphate with nitrogen sulfate should be perfect so why isn't it working?

I thought, while writing it down in my notebook and dropping my pipette into another beaker of brightly colored liquid.

Maybe if I added-

Thomas sprinted into the lab, eyes wide in terror. He shut the door behind him and pushed a metal cabinet in front.

"Tom? What's the mat-"

He gripped my upper arm and pulled me up to my feet. He placed his hand on my shoulders.

"They're coming," He murmured.

"Who's coming?"

"Them! I did it Ella, I sent the information. They're going to put me in the maze-"

Several shouts from soldiers came from the outside of the door. I heard a banging and then a sudden thud as they tried to body their way into the room.

"Tell them I'm in here," He whispered.

"What?"

"Just do it,"

"Uh, he's in here!"

I turned back to him,

"Ella, no matter what happens next, remember, WCKD is evil. They are not good. You were right. About everything. I'm sorry I didn't listen. But I just couldn't bear it anymore. I had to do something! Once they put me in... you're next. They are going to put us all in. You have to run as soon as you can!  Find Teresa, run, and never come back! Okay?"

I shook my head roughly.

"I am not leaving any of you! No way!" I heard the door crack open slightly. They were almost here.

"You have to Ella!"

"If I have to go into the fucking maze to see Newt I will! I am not leaving my brother!"

His face looked terrified, but he nodded and wrapped me in a quick hug. Before taking a step back. The soldiers stormed the room, taking hold of Thomas.

Once again, the room dispersed in a cloud of smoke. And I returned to the world of just black. It was silent for a moment before I heard Thomas screaming from somewhere beyond.

"Where is she?! Where is she!?"

I tried to call his name but not even a whisper came out. I wanted to tell him I was right here but I couldn't. And then I felt a hand graze my face. And I opened my eyes.

I saw Tom first. He brushed some hair off my face. I heard the others screaming to the doctors beside me. I tried to register the blinding lights and sudden rush of sound and color.

Eleanor?" he murmured. "God, what did they do to you?"

"Tom?" I croaked, blinking rapidly to adjust. "What the hell is going on?"

"We gotta leave right now. Come one. Let's get you up," He instructed while gripping my arms and helping me out of the bed. I yanked the breathing tube from my nose.

And then the curtain was pulled back by Minho.

And I saw him.

My brother.

Newt.