" WHITE BLOOD " T. MAZE RUNNER¹

twenty-two.

[CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO]

~

The low sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the Glade, coming from somewhere deep inside the Maze. It was a sound that Eleanor still hadn't gotten used to- a sound that still sent shivers down her spine as she thought about the monsters within the Maze.

As she headed towards the Homestead, more than ready to collapse into her comfortable bed, she looked around at the towering stone walls that surrounded the Glade, and she couldn't help but feel miniscule compared to the world around her. It was a small world, she was well aware of that- but it was a world that she knew little to nothing about, and that made it even more scary.

Just as Eleanor was about to reach the Homestead, she noticed Nick making his way over to her. She stopped walking, letting out a quick sigh of exasperation before the leader came into earshot- she knew exactly what he was there to talk to her about, and she didn't look forward to it.

"I need to talk to you," Nick said to her once he reached her. Eleanor was tempted to say some sarcastic retort, though he was already dragging her away from the Homestead and the questioning gazes of the other Gladers. Once out of earshot, the boy turned to look at her, looking rather nervous.

Eleanor rolled her eyes at his hesitance, crossing her arms over his chest and looking at him expectantly. "Spit it out, Nick. I know what you want to talk about, so you might as well get it over with," she grumbled, feeling rather annoyed that he was keeping her from her bed that seemed to be calling her name from inside the Homestead.

"We can't just keep ignoring this, Eleanor," Nick began, then paused once more. Shifting her weight between her feet impatiently, Eleanor gestured for him to continue. "You see people- who?"

The girl pursed her lips, debating on whether or not she should mention the fact that it was normal for her to see people and to reiterate that she actually saw people that weren't real. In the end, she decided against it. "Only two people, really..." she mumbled, feeling rather awkward to be talking to the boy about the subject. "Some boy and then... I see George, as well."

Nick recoiled at the mention of his dead friend, and fresh grief flashed behind his warm eyes. The boy's death obviously still bothered him, and it was quite evident that he was doing his best to not blame Eleanor.

But he should, she thought with a scowl. After all, it was her fault. She had been the one to drive the stick into his throat; he may have been the one who attacked her, but she was the one who ended his life. And she would never forget the fact that she watched the life drain from his once-warm eyes.

"He was your friend," she murmured, grief evident in her voice as she glanced up at the suddenly-quiet Nick. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I did what I had to do-"

"Or he was going to kill you, or Newt, or any other Glader- I know," Nick cut her off with a sigh, nodding his head slowly. "What about the other boy? Do you recognize him?"

It was obvious that wanted to stop talking about the death of his old friend, and Eleanor hapilly obliged. "I only see his figure and hear his voice," she told him with a shake of her head.

"This is only going to stay between you, me, Alby, and Newt, okay? I don't want this getting around the Glade just as much as you," Nick told her, which only made Eleanor look up at him with an eyebrow raised in question. "Okay, maybe not as much as you- but you get what I mean. We can't ignore the fact that you're seeing shucking dead people, Eleanor. It has to mean something."