T R U S T [The Maze Runner || Newt || Book 2]

Chapter 4

Flashback

"Come on Raz, hit harder!"

Clara was 11 now, sweat ran down her face, her cheeks were red and puffy and she was out of breath, her lungs ached and she could feel bruises forming on her knuckles from the punching bag,

"I'm tired Jorge, can we take a break? Please?"

The man sighed but nodded, picking up a bottle of water and tossing it at her, she caught it and gulped it down, grateful for the cold liquid. They sat in silence as she recovered, breathing deeply.

"What's going on Raz?" He asked out of nowhere, catching Clara off guard.

"What?" She asked,

"You're acting weird, kid. You're pulling punches, missing targets. Is something going on?"

"I'm just tired, that's all. Mom has me doing training and classes every day, plus now we have to start getting ready to work on the maze. It's just a lot to deal with."

"I thought she was going to slow down your classes so you kids could focus on that maze thing?"

"She did, for Theodore at least. Not for me. She still doesn't think I'm as good as him, she never will." Clara scoffed, taking another sip of the water.

"You don't want to help with the maze, do you?"

Clara shook her head at him, "No, I think it's going to be horrible. They're gonna torture everyone they put inside them. Theodore even came up with these creepy monster things called Grievers to scare the subjects. It's just..." She trailed off, trying to come up with the word,

"Cruel." Jorge finished for her.

"That. And of course, because I don't want to help, my mother thinks I'm some sort of deviant, her words, not mine. She thinks I'm dumb because I refuse to do their stupid puzzles like her precious angel Theodore."

"Don't listen to her, Raz. She's wrong about you, just because your brother is some sort of freaky genius doesn't mean you're not smart too. Plus you could kick his ass in a fight, we both know that." He chuckled, nudging the girl's shoulder with his and she smiled up at him,

"Yeah." She giggled.

"Clarissa?" A voice called from the door and the pair turned to see one of the scientists from the board meeting the week before, Katie McVoy, standing at the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but you're needed for a meeting."

Clara nodded and passed the bottle back to Jorge, unwrapping the bandages from her hand and tossing them aside. The man winked at her, smiling widely before they said their goodbyes and she joined the woman at the door.

"What's this about?" Clara questioned as the two of them quickly walked through the building,

"The maze, you'll be meeting the other children that you and Theodore will be working with. Chancellor Anderson wants to explain everything to them."

A glimmer of excitement bubbled inside Clara at the prospect of meeting more kids her age, up until now she'd only known her brother. She had never interacted with any other kids and she'd only seen two other immunes around Wicked, a blonde boy with big brown eyes lying in one of the hospital beds and an Asian boy who, when Clara had seen him, was screaming about something and fighting the guards that were holding him. The idea that she would actually be able to interact with more people filled her with joy and she felt a small bounce in her step.