Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Character 52: Don't be selfish

The girls stepped outside and instantly heard yelling and saw a crowd.

Alex nudged her friend, pointing, "Look. Smoke! Come on!"

The girls headed towards the commotion. The pain meds had finally kicked in, making moving around much easier. They were half way across the Glade when Alex realized they were heading to the map room!

"Oh SHUCK!" Alex yelp, and speed up.

She pushed through the crowd to the front, and saw smoke billowing out of the door, Minho yelling and ragging, Newt kneeling on the ground beside Alby.

"What the shuck happened?" She asked as she knelt down beside Newt.

"Minho and Tommy saw smoke from the map room, and found Alby on the ground with a bloody head, the maps on fire! They pulled him out! And with some help put the fire out. I sent Tommy to fetch Jeff."

Alex's stomach dropped. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

Teresa had made her way over too, she put her small hand on Alex's shoulder, "You should go to Minho. I'll take over here." Alex looked up to see Minho by the trees, still yelling and throwing things, and punching the tree. She nodded and got up and cautiously made her way over to Minho.

"Hey, Min?" Alex asked quietly. She hadn't seen this side of him before, so she was a little cautious. He spun on his heel to look at her. His face twisted with rage. And his eyes were dark with anger and heart ache.

"GONE!!! 2 YEARS OF WORKING MY SHUCK ASS OFF AND ALL THE HARD WORK GONE! Burnt to the ground. There is nothing left! Every SHUCK DAY I risk my life to get those Maps! AND ITS GONE!"

His face fell into despair and with one last punch to the tree, splitting his knuckles, he sunk to the ground, his head in his hands. He let out an angry heart breaking sob. Alex crouched down in front of him, wrapping her arms around his large shoulders and pulled him into her chest, squeezing him tight.

"I can't even imagine what you are feeling."

He pulled away aggressively, causing her to fall back onto her butt, "YA YOUR RIGHT! You have NO IDEA! I've been here for 2 SHUCKING YEARS trying to find a way out! You have been here, what? A few months? YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" He yelled at her.

Alex winced, closing her eyes for a second, when she opened them she looked at the ground, she knew he was hurting and angry. But he was right though. She didn't know what being here for 2 years would be like, and that was her fault, he was sent here because of her. But his words were still painful, cutting into her heart. She got up, onto her knees, looking him in the eye.

"You're right. I don't know." He glared at her, but he was listening, she continued, "But what I DO know is that we will find a way out, despite this." She gestured towards the smoking room, "We WILL get out of here, Min. We have that key and it led us to a way out! Yes, those maps are gone and that bloody shuckin' sucks! Your hard work is gone! I don't know the maps or the anger at loosing them. What I do know is you. And YOU know that maze like the back of your hand! You know ever turn and corner. And that griever key might have been an accident... But ANY way out is still a way out. Right?"

Minho was quiet for a while, snapping twigs, grinding his teeth. He threw the last piece of the snapped twig into the trees, he sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry Alex." He said to his knees.

"Min, I'm up here." She said gently, and lifted his chin so he was looking at her. He used the back of his hand to wipe the tears. Alex smiled sadly at him, and cupped his cheek.

"I'm sorry. I was...angry...I didn't mean to take it out on you. It wasn't your fault."

Alex leaned in and kissed him gently. "I know Love, it's all right. But you're right, you have been here so long. And to keep going every single day, to find a way out...that takes so much courage and hope. And stubbornness. SO much stubbornness! " She smiled at him, "You give the rest of the Gladers a reason to keep going. You have done so much for the Glade and the Gladers."