Shadow of the Maze | Maze Runner [1]

TWELVE

[ MINHO ]

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When Minho returned to the Glade after hiding the maps and the device his home in front of him was eerily silent. Slipping past some makeshift barricades that had been made during his absence, his eyes focused on the Homestead.

The last few Gladers were shuffling into the door while Newt beckoned them all inside. Minho ran over and entered the doorway right after Thomas. He knew the Greenie must've been visiting Teresa in the Slammer – where she'd been sentenced for the night – and Minho was surprised Thomas hadn't begged to stay in there with her.

Most of the Gladers normally slept outside so fitting them all into the Homestead was downright painful. All the other rooms were full so Minho settled down alone in the Council Hall without any supplies besides his Runner gear.

He was soon joined by Newt and Thomas. The two entered the room, one of them carrying an old lamp and setting it down on one of the chairs. Chuck snuck in soon after, sitting down in the chair next to Thomas, his tiny eyes wide and his breathing shallow. Chuck had never been particularly good at anything in the Glade, but he was the youngest out of all of them and that did cause Minho to pity the boy a little bit.

Someone knocked on the door very faintly. Newt got up to let whoever it was in and a handful of Gladers crashed into the room, causing more noise than Minho would've liked. Minho held back a glare when Gally was among the boys who entered the room. Fortunately, Gally either didn't notice or purposefully avoided eye contact with Minho and chose to sit in a spot far away from him.

When everything was settled, Minho heard whispering from the corner of the Council Hall. He turned to see Thomas speaking to Newt in hushed tones, their eye contact unwavering. Minho tilted his head at the fact before deciding to join the two boys.

"What are you two whispering about?" Minho asked, also in a whisper, sitting down on the floor next to the other two.

Newt and Thomas looked toward Minho before sharing eye contact with each other, as if debating whether or not they should tell him. Minho furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the two boys but unfortunately another perfectly timed knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

This time the knocking was forceful and loud. All the boys in the room froze for a few seconds as the knocking continued, none of them wanting to volunteer to investigate the sound. Eventually, Frypan got up and answered the door and Alby strode into the room, immediately finding Newt and heading towards the group at the back of the room.

"This is crazy. I ain't ever have suspected the shuckin' Doors themselves refusing to work," Alby spoke loudly, earning himself worried shushes from a few of the Gladers in the room. Alby took in a deep breath before sitting down on the floor beside Minho. He looked down at the wooden floor. His breathing remained loud and forced.

"Alby?" Newt asked, in a whisper. "What do you suggest we do?"

Alby hung his head low, his eyes not leaving the floor. "I don't know. Those things can just waltz right in whenever they feel like it. Nothin' we really can do, is there?"

Minho caught an eye roll from Thomas and it was easy to tell what the Greenie must've been thinking. Alby was giving up, believing that no one could ever survive living alongside the Grievers. But someone had. Electra. Minho wondered if Thomas felt just as tempted to reveal the truth.