[1] Let Me Go ➝ The Maze Runner ✓ (WATTYS 2015 WINNER!)

*Vision*

*Vision*

"What d'you bloody mean they want you back?" Newt growled, his tone laced with anger. "Right, I'm going to find that bloody slinthead and ask him myself."

I had been thinking of doing that, but I didn't know what I would say. Newt had higher authority than me, anyway; he'd probably be able to demand more answers from the shank.

I nodded silently, and he jolted onto his feet, brushing down his trousers. "Don't let anyone find out about this," I whispered, hoarse from crying.

Newt nodded and thundered away, leaving me along in the eerie silence of the forestry.

I leaned my head back, against the tree, sighing. The bark was soft and mossy, and proved somewhat of a comfortable headrest.

Suddenly, a vibration resonated throughout the bark, and the soft click of metal against wood sounded above my head. I jerked forward with a shock and scrambled away from the tree, turning to face it with horror.

A tiny bug, no larger than a leaf, had settled right where my head was. It's cold shell body, gleaming dangerously, was imprinted with WICKED in vivid red letters.

A beetleblade. WICKED was watching me. They wanted me back. But how would they do that? Send someone to fetch me? Will I just fall asleep one day and wake up back in one of WICKED's labs?

Without preamble, a buzzing filled my head and I slowly collapsed onto my side, feeling drowsy and confused.

Then a darkness enveloped me and my head slammed to the ground.

~

I was in the Glade; surrounded by the other boys. They were all staring at me with horror and loathing. And then at the body of the glader before me. Glenn was sprawled along the floor, blood trickling from his mouth. I was stood rigid, clenching my fists and shaking uncontrollably with anger.

Then Zart appeared, pushing through the mob of boys. Incredulity passed through his features, and then anger as he glanced upon the lifeless body of his friend.

"YOU DID THIS?!" He screamed at me, balling his hand into a fist. He slammed it against his side in anger and shook his head. "You shucking FREAK!"

The Gladers echoed his phrase in a unison of voices, each one shrieking the same word. "Freak! Freak! Freak!"

No emotion entered my cold heart, and I grinned triumphantly. They all deserved to die. All of them!

I glared at Jeff, directly in front of me, and he fell to the ground as his knees buckled. He didn't even have time to clutch his head as he was rendered unconscious.

"You little shank! Lock her up."

I emitted a shrill laugh, an unearthly, high-pitched squeal that rolled off my tongue in irrational bouts. Two more gladers fell to the knees, gasping in pain.

Then Newt appeared, staring at me in horror and disappointment, and something in my heart twanged for a brief second. I faltered.

And then something hard collided with me head and everything went dark.