To Capture A Heart | The Maze Runner

1.10 Change

I was in a house. It felt familiar but I couldn't pin point where exactly I was. It was only me and an older boy, looked to be maybe five years older, but I couldn't determine his age with confidence. The boy looked like me though, dark skin and darker curled hair. He had a strong jaw and was handsome with a well-muscled build.

His face was filled with worry though.

"Here-" He pushed me into a small room, a closet. "Stay here, little brother, they're coming."

I didn't know I had a brother... "Who's coming?!" I asked, alarmed.

He gave me a sad smile, one that told me I was too innocent to know. "WICKED."

"Stay with me, Calum!" My voice sounded weak... I was weak.

The young man shakes his head, "Someone's gotta distract them, kid. I'll be right back. Shut the door and don't come out."

I nodded my small head.

"Good. I love you, kiddo." He left and I pulled the door close to the latch, but I didn't shut it all the way. I wanted to watch what would happen.

That was a mistake.

Soldiers decked out in futuristic armor and armed with silver blasters entered the room. Calum threw a few punches but they did very little. WICKED tazed him with their blasters. He fell to the floor in pain and I winced when they kicked him in the ribs. Finally, they hit him over the head and knocked him out.

It took everything in me to not cry out.

WICKED dragged Calum out the door by his ankles.

***

Gathered around the door, everyone waited in urgency for them to open. We waited desperately for the fate of our friends to be known.

But they were more than our friends, they were our leaders. Our family.

But who the hell knew.

I was way too hungover for this shit, but I avoided Newt like the plague. If Alby came back, he'd probably go back to normal, but if he didn't...

I didn't know if I could continue with Newt being a Slinthead. Something needed to change if he stayed like this.

I was overthinking things, maybe even overreacting, but I was pissed and in pain. Besides, I knew what I was worth.

If Newt didn't recognize that, it was his..

Tears brimmed in my eyes, I had to stop thinking like this. Losing Newt was too painful to imagine.

I just needed to talk to him.

The issue was that I needed him to want to talk to me.

Finally, the low moan of the doors ringed in all of our ears. Dozens of heads perked and bodies pushed to get a view. Leah was on of the ones in the front.

The doors opened fully and nothing was there. Nothing but an empty stone corridor and thick vines of ivy.

Upon realizing the most predictable outcome came true, most of the Gladers walked away. All but Leah and Newt, who were both still holding out.