Pasty's story [The Maze Runner]

19

 Newt was walking fast. Too fast for Pasty. She had to jog to keep up with him as he headed towards the Homestead.

 “Newt, what’s going on?” Pasty asked desperately. Newt stopped, looking at his best friend in worry.

 “Everything’s gone down the klunk hole,” Newt said, breathing hard “Alby. Thomas. Teresa…”

 “Teresa?” Pasty said “Is that definitely her name?”

 “Both you and the Newbie seem to think so. Can’t be a bloody coincidence,” Newt said, starting to walk again “And now Thomas is a bloody mind reader. Or so he claims.”

 “After all we’ve been through, you can’t open your mind to telepathy?” Pasty said, eyebrows raised.

 “I don’t know, Pasty. Right now, my mind’s turned to klunk. Chuck would have a better chance of saying something sensible right now. I just need you to check up on Alby and the girl. Teresa. You have memories, and you knew about Teresa, right? Maybe you can get some sense out of Alby too. He just did that weird possession thing that happened to you. You’re our best hope.”

 “Alright,” Pasty said as they entered the Homestead and headed up the stairs. They stopped outside Alby’s sickroom. Pasty could hear his shallow breathing. She hadn’t been to see him since he went through the Changing, and the thought of seeing him then frightened her. Newt didn’t look comfortable either.

 “I ain’t saying this for nothing…he’s changed, Pasty. He ain’t strong anymore,” Newt said “You came out the Changing better than anyone ever did. You handled it better. The same can’t be said for our man in there. So you and me, and Minho too…we need to be prepared for the worst. He might not be fit to lead anymore. Then it’ll fall to us.”

 “To you, Newt,” Pasty said “But I’ll be right there beside you, OK?”

 “OK,” Newt said, chewing his thumb “Now get in there, you shank. I wanna know what he says.”

 Pasty nodded, taking a deep breath before entering the room. She tried not to wrinkle her nose. The room smelt of sick and sweat. The source, of course, was Alby. He lay in his sickbed, eyes red and raw, his dark skin covered in a sheen of sweat. He looked up as Pasty entered, licking his cracked, dry lips to give them some moisture.

 “You took your time,” Alby said gruffly. Pasty shrugged helplessly.

 “Sorry.”

 “Well you’re here now. Sit.”

 Pasty pulled up a stool and sat beside Alby. His hand rested on his forehead, trying to ease the ache that sat behind his eyes.

 “I…I remember you. And the other girl. And I can’t talk about it, like you couldn’t. I thought you were crazy all this time, but now I know you’re not. Something possessed me too,” Alby said. He shuddered, before muttering something about the Maps. Then he sighed “I don’t want to get out of here. Not ever. We’re OK here, right? We have it good.”

 “Right,” Pasty said dubiously “But Alby…things could’ve changed now. Damn, we could be the only shanks alive. Maybe we’re here for our protection…”

 “Oh yeah? We’re protected by a load of Grievers strolling around the place? No, Pasty. This is a test. And do you honestly think you visioned Teresa and Thomas for no good reason? You said it could be the future. Our future.”

 Pasty didn’t mention that Alby hadn’t been in those visions “Only time will tell, I suppose,” Pasty muttered. Alby wiped his face with his shirt.

 “Look, Pasty. Things are changing. Just like Teresa said. I just want to know you’ll be with me, OK? You and me, we’re the same. There’s no one else been through what we have. We’ve both been possessed. We’ve both spent a night in the Maze. And we’re two of the smartest shucks in this place. We follow our instincts, OK?”

 “OK,” Pasty said, though she wasn’t sure she and Alby were the same at all. They had common links through events, not through personality or views. It wasn’t the same, and Pasty didn’t trust this new Alby enough to make any solid promises. But Alby was looking at her intently.

 “Promise me. Promise we’ll stick together,” he said gruffly. Pasty swallowed and crossed her fingers behind her back.

 “I promise.”

***

 Pasty felt like she was in some sort of madhouse. She quickly repeated what Alby had said to Newt, feeling more and more that Alby might be losing his mind. And now she was going to visit a girl who, whilst in a coma, could apparently simultaneously communicate via telepathy. To add to the insanity, the Glade’s very own village crazy, Gally, was on the run, and no one knew where he was or what he’d do. And on the subject of madness, Pasty could feel her own grip on reality slipping. She thought of Minho to keep her grounded as she entered Teresa’s room. Minho always managed to keep her grounded, even when he wasn’t there.

 Teresa lay in her bed, still motionless. Clint sat by her side, trying to look faintly interested, but the novelty of the girl in a coma had clearly worn off. He dabbed her head absent mindedly with a cloth to bring down her temperature and looked up at Pasty as she entered.

 “Hi, Pasty,” he said “How’s it going?”

 “I came to see Teresa,” Pasty said, skipping the small talk. Clint looked disappointed, and Pasty felt a little bad. It must be awful for him, cooped up in here all day with only an unconscious girl for company, Pasty thought.

 “She’s been talking a bit,” Clint said “Just a few words. And did Newt tell you? Apparantly she communicated with Thomas.”

 “Telepathically?”

 “Yeah, weird, huh?”

 “Yeah,” Pasty agreed, sitting on the stool on the other side of Teresa’s bed. She wondered what exactly Newt was hoping for. Communication? Everyone seemed to think Teresa and Pasty must be linked in some way, but Pasty wasn’t sure why. Perhaps it was because they looked similar. Or because they were both girls. Both anomalies in the system of the Glade. And anomalies in the Glade always stood out.

 Pasty decided to take Teresa’s hand and see what happened. Her hand touched Teresa’s, to no effect at first. But then suddenly, Teresa’s body gave a little shudder. Clint gasped.

 “Is she waking up?” he asked.

 “You’re the Med-Jack, you tell me!” Pasty said in frustration, her eyes never leaving the other girl. Teresa’s eyes rolled back in her head and her face screwed up as though in pain.

 Pasty…

 “Did she just speak?” Pasty asked in alarm. Not me too…

 “No,” Clint said quietly. Pasty closed her eyes. Her head was beginning to hurt.

 Can you hear me? She said silently in her head.

 Yes Teresa replied.

 I don’t understand.

 We don’t have much time. My memories are fading Teresa said But Pasty, there’s one thing I have to tell you. You’re my sister.

 Pasty let go of Teresa’s hand with a gasp and fell backwards to the floor.

 “What? What happened?” Clint asked. Pasty grabbed Teresa’s hand again, but it was too late. Teresa was gone again.