Six Feet Under.

chapter seven

CHAPTER SEVEN: "YOU'RE A RUNNER"

     A portion of the small group now stood in the Council Hall, explaining to Newt and Gally (but mainly Newt) what they had found. "Yeah, we found this." Thomas handed Newt the metal cylinder that was still a mystery. "It was inside a Griever."

     Newt frowned, rubbing his thumb over the device as he listened intently. "These are the same letters we get in our supplies." He realized, looking at the small label that said 'W.C.K.D.'.

     "Yeah." Thomas nodded, "whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers. And this is the first real clue, the first anything, you've found in over three years. Right, Minho?" He turned to the Keeper of the Runners.

     "Right." Minho agreed without hesitation.

     "Newt," Thomas turned back to the blond, "we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us."

     Layla glanced over to Gally, who raised a brow at Newt in disbelief. "You see what he's trying to do, right?" He sighed in annoyance. "First he breaks our rules... and then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally. What— the rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that? If Alby was here, you know he'd agree with me. This shank," He pointed to Thomas with a glare, "needs to be punished."

     Newt glanced up at Thomas, sighing as he pursed his lips with a small nod. He handed the small device back to Minho, before speaking up. "You're right. Thomas broke the rules." Gally nodded in appreciation. "One night in the pit, and no food."

     Gally's mouth dropped wide open, "oh, come on, Newt! One night in the pit? Do you think that's gonna stop him from going into the Maze?"

     Newt shook his head, "no. And we can't just have non-Runners running into the Maze whenever they feel like it. So let's just make this official. Starting from tomorrow, you're a Runner."

Gally stared for a long moment, the silence was tense, and then he scoffed, "wow." He began storming out of the room, his fists clenched at his sides.

     "Gally..." Frypan held out a hand to the boy, but it was slapped away by the Builder.

     "Nah, Fry." Gally didn't bother glancing at him, and despite Gally telling him to leave it, Frypan quickly ran after him.

     Thomas processed what he had heard, his fingers laced together as he slowly nodded before meeting Newt's eyes. He smiled a half smile, "thanks, Newt."

Newt nodded in return, and Layla looked to Thomas before sending him a nod and patting him on the back. "Nice job." She mumbled softly, before making her way towards the doors of the darkened room.

Layla was happy with Newt's decision—because Thomas reminded her of Percy. They were alike, somehow she knew that. And if Thomas was anything like Percy, she knew that he would help push the Gladers further than they've ever gone.

     Now that Thomas was a Runner, Minho decided that it would be best to show him the Map Room—and Layla wholeheartedly agreed.

The model of the Maze was covered up by a thin sheet when they walked in, which was typically there in case any non-Runners decided to go in without permission. Thomas walked around the room, his eyes scanning over every inch of the place with a gleam in them. Curiosity.

When Thomas had his back turned, Minho suddenly yanked the sheet off the Maze model, the light hitting it in an instant. Minho sighed as he rested his hands on the table, eyeing it with disappointment. It was like a constant reminder that they had nothing left, and they would most likely die in the Glade.