Good Grief (TMR fic)

Chapter 25

Thankfully Minho didn't get stung by a Griever. That was my first thought, but he's still bossy enough to send Alby for a glass of water, and doesn't say anything about the Serum.

I've seen Minho when he's tired, but never like this. He's covered in sweat, hardly able to stand. He must have been at a dead sprint for longer than I want to know.

Thomas is with him, and I can tell he's itching with curiosity.

When Alby gets back with water, he gives Thomas a stern look. I can tell Thomas is about to beg to stay and hear what Minho has to say, so I intervene.

"Alby?" They both look at me. "Can we stay?"

He sighs. I'm his favorite and we both know it, so he glares at me a bit and then agrees.

"Fine. But only if Minho's fine with it."

"It's cool," Minho says, still panting but looking better after having drunk some water. "Alby... I found a dead Griever."

Is that... not something they've seen before? I'm painfully aware of how little I know about the Maze, and it grates on my nerves.

Alby frowns intensely. "A dead one? Are you sure?"

"Well, I didn't feel like going and shaking its hand to see, but yeah. It was just laying there, not moving."

"Was the skin still moist? Were the metal appendages in or out of its body? Was it still glowing?"

"Man," Minho says, shaking his head. "I can't describe it. Let me mark down the routes I did get through, and I'll explain what I know, but... you have to see it to believe it, you know?"

"Yeah," Alby answers, still frowning. "I'll talk to you in a bit, then."

"Speaking of talking," Thomas says as Minho heads to the Maproom and Alby starts pacing a short distance away, "are you going to talk to me yet, Ash?"

I glance at him. "No." I'll forgive Thomas later. Right now I'm still mad that he tried to kiss me. 

Without another word, I head towards the Homestead. I'll go find Chuck. I want to know everything he does about Grievers.