Chapter 17

 "Newt. Newt. Come on, you have to wake up so we can leave." Someone hissed at him. "Seriously, wake up! I'm not leaving you behind!"

Pain was everywhere, his head throbbed, and his mind was foggier than a blind man's vision; he could just about remember being enveloped by darkness and hitting a hard wall, but after that.. Newt opened his eyes to a shadow looming over him. "Tommy?" The shadow breathed a sigh of relief. "Where are we?"

He sat up and their heads collided. Thomas cried out in surprise and fell back onto his ankles. "Ow.. The WKD swallowed us, but I don't really know how we're alive.."

"You did say WICKED couldn't let you die. How nice of them to spare me too, but its teeth had blood on them so surely other people must be in here too? Even if.. yeah?"

"If they survived, and didn't find a way out, then they probably roasted to death. If this thing is still anything like I remember it, it lies in the sun and cooks the victims inside their body, kind of like how a snake digests its prey." Newt vaguely remembered him suggesting the snake figure, so now he just felt slightly angry at Thomas for being so easily influenced. "Guess I did steal quite a bit of your idea, huh?"

"Stop joking about it! Just tell me how we're getting out of this death trap before I have to think about how horrible being cooked to death is? I don't want to think about Caelan or anyone else right now."

"If we wait for it to lie down-" Newt heard scuffling as Thomas stood up, followed by a thump when he fell back down. "I think I need to lie down too. I can barely stand with his headache let alone walk straight. I don't know what WICKED are getting out of this, I don't see what me being in immense pain does to help them! Maybe they messed up the surgery.."

Newt reached forward and found his elbow, then followed his arm up until he found his face so he could stroke his hair. "I'm not going to leave you in here, nor am I going to let us die in here; Minho is alone out in that scorch and all he has is his sense of direction."

"He had most of the supplies, he'll probably be fine.. If- when, we get out of this thing, it's probably safer to head back. If we keep going forward we might surpass the middle completely."

Newt sighed, they were so screwed. Even if they did get out, who knew where in the desert they were; people who got swallowed by the WKD weren't supposed to survive. Not to mention their water supply was currently less than half a bottle between them, so either Newt squeezed it back or they both died out in the heat.

Thomas felt slightly better and got up to stumble around the place, walking into walls and tapping on them for any platforms or rough edges they could either climb or pull off. "There's a few loose panels here, and it's going to be painful but we'll be able to get out." Thomas spoke, breaking the silence.

"How do we know this thing isn't currently underground?" Newt stood up and felt around the walls to try and find him, but still managed to walk into him.

"I think these panels lead back up to the mouth. Unless WICKED decided to program this thing mathematically and we're actually moving without any acceleration.. we could be stationary anywhere. When it decides to move, or maybe it already is, we just have to wait."

Newt opened his mouth to ask a question but they both heard a male scream and suddenly light flooded where they stood, making both boys squint. The creature roared, making the floor shake. "Newt, you climb first, I'll be right behind you."

He looked cautious, unsure if Thomas would end up staying behind or collapsing halfway up and he wouldn't be able to catch him; but with one hand gripping a curled back panel and a foot resting on a stuck out screw, Newt pushed himself up and began to climb.

The screams of whoever it was outside were extremely distracting, but it gave Newt the time he needed to reach the top. He could hear Thomas below him, boots scraping against the wall and some crashing as his body whacked into the wall. "What now?" Newt called back down.

He'd reached the top and could peer out its mouth, worried that if he touched a tooth then the mouth would clamp shut and he'd be torn in two, or at least lose a limb. "Wait for an opportunity, then push yourself out."

"And if we're high off the ground?"

"It's either jump, or stay in here and wait to be roasted, Newt. It's up to you when and if you go."

Thomas seemed to have dropped any affection for him now that they were up here, no doubt the stress of their situation taking over, distracting him. Despite popular belief, they weren't always on each other's mind.. just mostly.

Newt gripped the base of two of its teeth, and once he made sure the creature wouldn't shut on him, Thomas helped to shove him out, propping him up just long enough to pop out before its body lurched back up into the air.

He landed with a thud in the sand, winding him, but he was otherwise unharmed. Newt rolled onto his back and could see Thomas peering out, barely holding on as the creature turned its head in confusion to find where Newt came from.

Newt suddenly cringed when he looked to his side and saw a mangled body, so mangled he couldn't make out who it was. He tried not to look for too long to try and find out. "Tommy, jump! I'll catch you!" He yelled up at him, grabbing the monster's attention.

Thomas could only groan at him. Did he not listen when he said the monster responded to sound? The monster's mouth widened when it finally laid eyes on him and it thrusts its head forward to get a better look at him. Thomas was thrown forward but got caught on one of the stick legs, crying out in pain at the impact. "Newt, you idiot!" He yelled back at him, gasping at the grip as it cut into his skin. "It's sensitive to sound! You fucking blew it!"

Newt tried to find something that could help, but all he could was watch Thomas struggle; all there was just sand and sand and sand and sand... and a dead body. He watched Thomas writhe around, but something made the monster suddenly jitter and it screeched, dropping Thomas and he screamed as he plummeted to the ground with a much larger thud.

The creature writhed, as if something was making it uncomfortable, and it quickly burrowed back underneath the sand. Thomas wasn't moving very much, but he looked like he was trying. "Tommy! Oh my god Tommy I'm so so sorry! I-I wasn't thinking I just-" Newt was rambling as he ran over to him, but Thomas cut him off.

"Shut up." He wheezed, an arm wrapped around his stomach. "Save the sob story for later."

"Are you hurt?" Newt pulled his arm away and saw his tee had a red band near the bottom, so he pulled it up and saw a thin cut right across Thomas; abdomen. "Tommy you're really hurt! Was that the legs?"

"Yeah.. Guess it's not just the ends that are pointy, the entire thing is just one big knife.." Thomas groaned as he tried to sit up, causing the wound to bleed more. "I'll be fine.. Help me up, we need to keep going, but then again I don't know what way we're facing right now."

"What if I found a stone shack? Does that help?"

"That's.. oddly specific, but it would mean we're pretty close to where they've put our item." Newt helped Thomas to stand up, still clutching to his stomach and making small noises of pain.

"Then I think I found our new refuge for the day; or at least a few hours to gather our bearings and make up a new plan. I'm still buzzing from climbing and falling out a metal death trap." Newt pointed in the distance, "see? Stone shack!"

"Then let's hope it's ours." Newt put Thomas' arms over his shoulders to support and they began to hobble towards it.

"Ours?"

"Everyone has one in their own paths, and if it's our then maybe Minho is still there or he'll leave something to say he was there and we can catch up to him. He can go back with you, so you can finish the next trials yourselves."

"Ourselves? Tommy, what are you talking about?" Thomas hid his face in Newt's neck when the wind blew, feeling the sand pelt against him. "Tommy speak to me."

"I need to sit down. Just get there already."

~*~

The sun was fully risen now, and the two boys hid from its harsh midday rays inside the stone shack. Thomas sat leaning against the back will with his hands clutching to his head and Newt was pacing around. There had been a chest that they opened containing water and a detailed map for the rest of their journey; but nothing for Thomas' headache. "Don't you have a tablet left?"

"I don't know if you remember being eaten and then spat out by a metal death trap, but funnily enough the packet must've fallen out my pocket." Thomas saw Newt's expression, making him feel bad. "Sorry.. I don't know where the packet went."

"Then can you explain what you said earlier?" He asked instead, starting to get rather angry as he squeezed an empty water bottle in his hand.

"Explain what?"

"You said Minho and I would do the next trial by ourselves, what's that all about?"

Thomas let out a small laugh, but it wasn't happy. "I've been eavesdropping, don't trust anyone, okay? Not even yourself." Newt rolled his eyes, that wasn't hard. "Things are going to happen to your brain, there's a little device. Mine was removed, that's why I remember everything, I'm not controlled, but you and everyone else still can. Only trust me, but I don't know if I'm going to be there."

"Tommy, you're worrying me."

"I don't know what to tell you, Newt. You need to take the map and go. I'd rather die here that drag you down and eat away at your resources." Newt looked angry, and Thomas knew he had to make him leave. "Don't you get it? They're not expecting me to come back with you, they knew Caelan was going to die the moment they got him back, he was weak. If they haven't intervened now, I don't think they going to."

"Tommy, you're talking a bunch of nonsense. I'm not just going to-"

"You have to."

... "Tommy, for the love of god I'm not leaving without you!" Newt knelt in front of him, taking Thomas' hands from his head and held them in his own, feeling the fingertips wet. "Hey- you're bleeding..."

"Was I clutching that hard?" Thomas pulled one hand back and felt where he'd been clutching, and there were indeed fingernail shaped holes that hurt to touch. "Newt, I honestly don't have the strength to stand anymore, and I'm either going to bleed out from my stomach or I'll give myself an aneurysm."

"You shouldn't have had that stupid surgery! We could easily have got here without it! I mean we survived getting eaten by a monster that took us right to the middle! You can't just give up now!"

"Newt, don't. If I leave I'll probably get heat stroke. Just go, okay? I know you'll make it, you'll do fine out in the real world. Just get the stupid flower."

The angry in his eyes disappeared, and now he just looked upset and scared. "Tommy, I'm not leaving without you!" He held onto his face, trying to look him in the eyes but Thomas wouldn't look at him. "Look at me, tell me you're lying. Tell me!"

"Why would I lie?" Thomas gave him a short glance, but then quickly looked back at the ground. "Newt... I love you. Just do this for me. Leave me behind and save yourself, do that for me. I care more about keeping you safe."

"I said I'm not leaving without you!" Newt's vision grew blurry from tears and he looked down at the ground. "I can't leave you again. Not after all we've been through together, everything we've done to get here. Out of everyone I've met, I may feel like I've known you the least amount of time but you remember our past together, you remember us before all this hell began! I want to know about it, I want to sit with you on a sofa or in a bed and hear all about it! With you!"

"Newt, don't cry... I'm not worth your tears, I'm really not." Thomas made a noise of pain. "You're going to give yourself a headache."

"Oh just- just stop caring about me! Okay!?" He sniffed. "I want to get through these trials with you, whatever happens afterwards whether we're free or if it never ends or if we're just executed then at least we'll be together! I knew the moment I saw you come up in that box that I couldn't lose you, and I'm not willing to lose you now."

"Maybe WICKED will come get me? I know now that those serums for that Mourner only came up because I was struck, they wouldn't have come otherwise. It's going to apply here, they'll probably come once you leave."

"I'm not willing to take that chance."

"You're going to have to." Thomas groaned and bowed his head, wrapping an arm around his stomach. "I don't want you to see my pain."

"Tommy-"

"Newt, you have to go. If I don't see you again, just remember me from the good old days, yeah? Maybe you'll get memories back, and you'll remember our shared past, and our.." Thomas smiled. "Lost future. Even if you don't the memories are never lost, they're just locked away and that's where you'll find me." Thomas lifted his shaking hands and pulled Newt's head down, kissing his forehead. "In here."

"I love you Tommy... I love you so much." Newt kissed him on the lips instead. "So much.." He was definitely crying now, and he could only kiss so long before he needed to breathe or to sob.

Thomas looked out the window. "The sun is past midday now, it's gonna get easier for you. Get the stupid flower and keep going, it's a straight line. I promise you'll be back in a couple days at most. You can make it."

Newt was quiet, forcing back his cries. "Okay..." He whispered, taking in a shaky breath. "I'll... I'll go."

"Thank you.." They kissed again and Newt stood up. "Remember I'll always love you. I might even see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too." Newt felt something wave over him, something unfamiliar. "I'll miss you." He packed everything he could in his rucksack, leaving a bottle in case Minho hadn't come along yet.

He stood at the doorway, looking back one last time. "Go..." Thomas gave a small smile and closed his eyes, hoping he could go in his sleep.

Newt nodded, his body taking one step outside but his brain looking back. He suddenly ran forward, stopping himself from looking back. All he could was run, run, run. Tears flowed down his cheeks, but he didn't even bother to wipe them off.

He could only presume Thomas went peacefully, but he couldn't shake this current feeling. Something was wrong, he shouldn't have been so willing to leave. Looking back, there was nothing more he could do, the shack was already disappearing from his sight. Thomas was gone.