Into The WICKED Maze | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

49. When everything goes wrong

The next morning, someone knocked on our door. I startled up and found that I was lying diagonally across Minho's bed, he beside me. My neck hurt and my legs were tingling because they had been hanging out of bed all night.
Sleepily, I opened the door and was surprised to see Alby and Newt standing in front of me.
"What's wrong?" I asked, running my fingers through my hair, which was sticking out in all directions. Even though I kept cutting it, it was still chest length and peeking straight out of my braid that had come loose when I slept.
"I'm coming with you today. I want to see where Ben was stung. Is Minho awake?"
I shook my head.
"Then wake him up. Freshen up, get your food from Fry Pan and then come and see me. Hurry up, I want to have enough time." With that, Alby left again.
Newt stood in front of me and looked at me. He seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't know how.
"About Ben... I..."
"It's okay. We'll get over it." I tried a smile, but I didn't quite want to manage it yet.
He nodded in relief.
"Are you leaving your runners here today?" he asked as I changed my trousers, put on a fresh top and tied my hair back together after combing it with the comb Gally had made me.
"They'll never leave the glade again." We both turned to see that Minho had also woken up and was just getting up.
I knew he was right.
"I think the new guy would like to be a runner." Newt watched me as I undid my braid once more and retied it.
"The only question is whether he would be a good one," Minho said before leaving the hut and already heading for the kitchen.
We followed him and somehow no real conversation wanted to develop between us. Ben's banishment hung in the air and could not simply be ignored.
When we said goodbye to Newt in front of the gate, which was just opening, and I gave him a kiss, the other gladers were still asleep and I realised that it had been a long time since we had entered the maze this early.
We began to walk the route we had taken the day before Ben had disappeared. Then we walked back a bit and searched the corridors he might had turned into. Alby still hadn't told us why he wanted to find out where Ben had been stung, but I didn't dare ask either. He would have his reasons, unlike with Nick, I had never doubted him.
Sometime around afternoon he decided that we should split up, because he seemed to notice that Minho and I would be much faster on our own. I didn't like the idea of walking through the corridors alone and immediately thought of Steve, but I didn't say anything, just exchanged a quick glance with Minho. He nodded at me and we obeyed Alby and split up.
It went well for a while and I thought that nothing would happen when I heard someone screaming. I knew immediately that it was Alby, without being able to recognise a voice.
And I was right. As I ran as fast as I could to where the scream had come from, I almost collided with Minho. We approached the corridor where Alby must be and heard the clicking and clacking slowly become quieter. Cautiously, I peeked around the corner and saw - to my relief - an empty corridor.
That meant it was almost empty, at least there was no Griever in it. Only a huddled figure lay on the floor. We rushed towards Alby and immediately realised that he had been stung.
"We have to get him out of here, Minho."
This was actually unnecessary information because Minho had already started to wrap Alby's right arm around his shoulders. I took his left and we made our way back to the glade.
"We're not going to make it at this rate," I called out as rain poured down and we still had way too far to go.
Minho stopped and we lowered Alby for a moment. "Okay, you run and get help now, will you? Get Newt or Gally, anyone who can lend a hand. For Alby's sake, they should get over themselves and enter the maze."
"No, Minho! I'm not leaving you alone!"
"You have to. Now run and get help!"
"No!" Now I shouted, for the rain was getting louder. To emphasise my answer, I put Alby's arm around my shoulders again and looked at Minho promptly.
We walked on and the rain slowly eased again. It was getting later and later and even though I didn't know exactly what time it was, I was sure we wouldn't make it on time.
I had the feeling that Alby was getting heavier and was wondering when he would come to, when suddenly he began to stir and almost knocked me over as he crashed to the ground.
"He's waking up, Minho, he's waking up!" I cried in horror, not knowing what to do.
"I can see that," Minho retorted and took a swing.
He knocked Alby out again and I looked at him in horror.
"What would you have suggested? Would you have liked to be killed?" he grumbled at me.
He really resented me for not keeping myself safe.
We fell silent again and continued to drag our unconscious leader.
At some point, when I had already given up hope, Minho said, "We're almost there!" I looked up and also realised that it was only two more corridors until we could see the glade.
When we had only one turn-off left, we heard it - the gates began to close.
We turned the corner and I saw that the gladers had gathered in front of the gate. Thomas pointed when he saw us and I could see Newt's horrified face.
Minho threw Alby over his back and shouted at me over the din of the gates, "Now run! Go on, get out!"
"No!", I shouted again, now supporting Minho who was threatening to topple over under Alby's weight.
"Why don't you just run? You can still make it!"
"Would you? Would you leave me with him?" I roared as I staggered under their weight.
Minho looked at me, our eyes met and he nodded.
"Go on then! Give it your all, Anna!" he shouted, trying to run even faster.
I felt Alby slide off his back and there was nothing I could do to hold him. The boy hit the ground and lay motionless again. We each grabbed one of his legs and pulled him as fast as we could towards the exit where the gladers stood yelling at us to hurry.
"Minho, Anna, you got to leave him!", I heard Gally shout, but I shook my head and bit my lower lip. No way would I leave anyone here and I knew Minho felt the same way.
"You got to leave him!" Gally's voice sounded desperate.
Minho was screaming with exertion and at that moment I realised we weren't going to make it. I looked at the gladers, at my friends, at Chuck who was screaming and flailing his arms, at Gally who looked at me in panic and kept screaming for us to leave Alby.
And I looked at Newt, the only one not screaming like mad, and I could see pure horror and fear in his eyes. The sight of him tore me apart inside and I felt tears well up in my eyes as I realised that I had just seen him for the last time.
I would never look into his brown eyes again, never feel his warmth, breathe in his smell, never kiss him again.