THANATOPHOBIA - newt [1]

~ NINE

"No." She told him, "they'll be fine."

Gally scoffed, "oh yeah? Well they're doing a brilliant job of it."

"Oh, slim it, Gally." Newt told him, "if Lela says they'll come back, they will."

The boy huffed before trudging off back into the field, leaving the rest of his Gladers stood staring at the open Maze.

Before anybody could lose hope, figures emerged from the maze, turning the corner towards the exit.

It seemed to be all three of them, but Alby was being pulled along between Thomas and Minho. Something had obviously gone wrong.

"No way." Chuck gasped, seeing them return.

The Gladers cheered and celebrated, "Yeah!" "Yes!"

Meanwhile Lela stood rooted in place. She couldn't believe it. Nobody had ever came back after being trapped in the Maze all night. How had they managed it?

"I got him, I got him, I got him." Minho told Thomas as Alby slumped to the floor outside the Maze. "Watch out. Easy."

"What happened out there?" Newt asked, "How did you guys make it out?"

"You must have saw a Griever." Chuck told Thomas.

He nodded, "Yeah, I saw one."

Minho looked up from Alby, "He didn't just see it. He killed it."

After the safe arrival home, Gally called a meeting at Homestead, an open door meeting - meaning that any Glader could join. He stood at the front, whilst Thomas was sat to the side across from him.

"Things are changing. There's no denying that." He told the Gladers, "First, Ben gets stung in broad daylight. And then Alby. And now our Greenie, here, has taken it upon himself to go into the maze. And Lela tried to follow. Which is a clear violation of our rules here."

"Yeah but he saved Alby's life." Clint spoke up.

Jeff nodded in agreement, "Lela would have helped if she were there!"

"Did he?" Gally asked, "For 3 years, we have coexisted with these things. And now, Thomas has killed one of them. Who knows what that could mean for us."

Newt stood up, abandoning the pole he was rested against, "What do you suggest we do?"

"Punish them both." Gally shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

"Both?!" Lela outburst, "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me."