𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 / the maze runner

𝟎𝟖

the morning came like any other. chelsea was perched once again in what she named her "lookout tree." she watched with wide, alert eyes as the gladers began to start the day.

newt was the first one up aside from the runners. she saw him go to the gathering hall and knock on the door. after a moment, he opened the door and stuck his head inside. a few moments later, he went all the way in. he soon reappeared, empty-handed. she couldn't make out his expressions and could barely hear anything that might've been said. but if she had to guess, she'd say that newt had been looking for her. newt did a sweep of the forest's edge from where he was stood, but soon made his way over to minho and the other runners, all of them whom were waiting again at the still-closed doors.

she watched, eyes narrowed, as newt spoke to minho. they talked for only a few minutes before newt left. was there going to be a guard? but no, a few minutes later the doors opened, and minho led the way into the maze, running at top speed.

good. she'd wait until mid-morning, when the boys would have immersed themselves into work. she'd sneak along the edge of the wall, hiding in the tall grass until she made it to the gates. then she'd slip away, easy.

she wasn't even worried about surviving the night. newt had made it clear how dangerous the grievers and whatever were, but she didn't care. the grievers were only after her life, after all. the boys here were after something that to her, was more important.

chelsea knew that her continued absence had not gone unnoticed, as several of the boys spent several minutes watching the forest as they emerged from their hammocks. but it was not long before they fell into routine, the slicers heading to the barn, the track-hoes starting in the gardens, the builders picking up their hammers. even then, she waited until she thought they had forgotten about her.

working slowly and quietly, chelsea lowered herself down from the lookout tree. keeping low to the ground and using the bushes that grew scattered around as cover, chelsea headed to her left, towards the wall and away from the gladers. with one hand on the ivy-covered stone wall and the other resting on her leather sack, chelsea began her journey to the doors.

chelsea managed to make it the whole way to the doors without being seen. but before she set her boot onto the stone that marked the entrance to the maze, something made her hesitate, and turned back to look at the glade.

at first she didn't know what she was stopping for. she knew she had to get out of there before she was caught, but then her eyes settled on newt's lanky figure, standing in the gardens. he was leaned over a plant, striped down to his bronze-coloured tank top, but as she watched, he stood and drew his arm over his forehead. then his head turned to the forest, and her body snapped into action as she realised he'd look at the entrance to the maze next.

without a second thought, chelsea turned and plunged into the maze. she didn't know if newt saw her or not, but she just ran. she had only made it about a hundred yards into the maze when she heard a surprised shout to her left.

"hey!"

she turned her head just enough to spot minho, who'd apparently been leaning against the wall just out of sight. waiting for her? she didn't know, she just kicked it into high gear and sped along the corridor to her right, opposite of minho.

"chelsea! come back! justin's banished, he can't hurt you again." minho yelled, but of course she ignored him.

left, right, right, left, dead end.

"shuck shuck shuck," chelsea hissed, flinging her head to either side as she searched for an escape. loud footsteps behind her let her know that minho was hot on her trail. fear and adrenaline making her stomach feel sick, chelsea turned to face the runner, who'd slowed and was now approaching her with his hands raised as though taming a wild animal. but maybe she was a wild animal, one that could not be tamed. his expression was cautious, but she knew he'd grab her in a heartbeat and drag her back to the glade. she remembered what alby said on her first day. if she went into the maze again, she'd be punished.