WHATEVER IT TAKES • THE MAZE RUNNER

o11 , (stone walls.)

"I mean, it can't have been easy, Arthur was out running the Maze all day and helped out where he could afterwards but it was only the two of them. But when those other boys started coming up, one the other..." Newt swung his axe at the tree root again, releasing tension. "They saw the truth. He learned that the most important thing is that we all have each other. Because we're all in this together.

With a small moment of silence between the two, Thomas nodded and stood moving to grab an axe. "Yeah. There you go, Greenie." Clouds started the thunder above them and Newt wondered with a creeping sense of dread, what this meant for his friends.

Newt bit his nails as he looked at the Maze from under the shelter. They should be out by now. He could feel Thomas's eyes boring into him as he leaned against the pole, his arms crossed. The blonde could only think of the way he had held Arthur last night, completely unaware that, that may have been the last time he would have seen him.

"They should be back by now." The onslaught of rain didn't cease and instead fell harder, obscuring the Maze doors from view. They were going to make it. He hoped they would, but he knew better than to hope because most of the time hope was fruitless.

It was quiet apart from the muttering of the gladers around him. After a moment, Thomas spoke up, his voice nearly mute from the harsh rain. "What if they don't make it?"

"They're gonna make it." Saying it aloud didn't make it feel any more true than saying it in his head. He could only hope that he would see them run through the misty sky, safe in the glade.

The dark-haired boy finally spoke the question everyone avoided. "What happens if they don't?"

"They're gonna make it."

Newt's mouth was dry.

His eyes stared directly down into the Maze, not even daring to blink in case he missed them stumbling down the hallway. They were cutting it close. Too close for comfort. This was worse than Arthur coming back late like he did years ago.

"Come on, guys, can't we send someone after them?" Thomas looked between Newt and Gally who stood right at the front, either side of him. Gally let out a minimal shake of his head.

"That's against the rules. Either they make it back or they don't." Newt wanted to run into there and find Arthur. He was alone in there. Alby and Minho had each other but Arthur had no one to help him if something happened. Suddenly he regretted not putting up a bigger fight to keep Arthur in the glade.

"We can't risk losing anyone else." Newt glanced at Thomas when he spoke. The maze doors sounded and his heart dropped. Wind gushed into his face, but he refused to look away and risk not seeing them.

"There!" Newt started, his eyes rapidly searching for the figures and hope-filled him when he saw the two stumbling figures approaching. Then he clocked it. Two.

"Wait, something's wrong," Newt spoke. His voice carved the way for the realisation. Arthur wasn't there. The lack of Arthur caused Newt's heart to plummet. He noticed Minho supporting all of Alby's weight next, and Newt knew that must have been no easy feat.

"Come on, Minho, you can do it!" The group cheered on the boy, multiple voices yelling at him but it all headed downhill when

Gally leans forward and yells, "Minho, you gotta leave him!" All of them prayed that they would not lose both of their friends.

Newt had the same realisation. His face dropped more, if that was even possible as he stared unblinking at the stumbling figure of Minho and the limp figure of Alby. "They're not gonna make it."