27- The Maze of Hope and Despair

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Minho POV
I couldn't sleep that night. The thought of Sage being alone in the maze for days and surviving was driving me crazy.

I only managed to sleep for a few minutes before I awoke again.

It was almost dawn so I decided to get up. I got ready and headed to the bathroom. As I opened the door I saw Newt also heading out.

He looked tired, probably worse than I did.

"Hey, Newt," I called out softly.

He turned to look at me, offering a small smile. "Hey, Minho. Couldn't sleep either?"

I shook my head. "No, I've been thinking about Sage. About what we found yesterday."

"Yeah, me too," Newt said, "It's hard to believe she's been out there for so long."

I nodded in agreement. "We have to find her, Newt. We can't give up hope."

"I know," Newt said, his voice determined. "We'll find her, Minho. We have to."

I nodded. We couldn't let Sage down. We had to find her and bring her back home.

As we made our way out of the Glade, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a warm golden light over the maze.

The air was cool and crisp, and I could feel the anticipation building in my chest.

After I went to the bathroom and packed my bag I rushed to the kitchen to grab something to eat.

On my way, I bumped into Ben, who was also all packed and ready to leave.

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"We should split up," Ben suggested, his voice breaking the silence.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that way we can cover more ground."

"Okay, I'll take the west section," Ben said, pointing in the direction of the maze.

"I'll take the east," I said, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Be careful, Minho," Ben said, his voice filled with concern.

"You too, Ben," I replied, my voice steady.

With that, we parted ways, each of us determined to find Sage. I made my way through the maze, my senses on high alert. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.

Today wasn't about finding any trace of Sage, her belongings, or a clue what might have happened to her like yesterday. It was about actually finding her.

How has she survived for so long? I thought to myself.

I searched every nook and cranny, every corner and crevice, but there was no sign of Sage. The maze seemed endless, its twists and turns stretching out before me like a labyrinth.

I ate my lunch while running, not wanting to stop and waste any time.

I felt frustrated, but I pushed my thoughts aside. I couldn't give up hope. I had to keep searching, keep looking for any sign of Sage.

I turned the corner and then I saw something that looked like someone's leg. I ran as fast as I possibly could.

But it was only a branch.

"Aaahh-" I heard in the distance. It sounded like someone was groaning in pain.

I froze, my heart racing. The groan sounded human, and it was coming from somewhere nearby.

I quickly scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the sound.

Then, I saw her. Sage was lying on the ground, her face contorted in pain. I ran to her side, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Sage!" I called out, kneeling beside her.

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with pain and exhaustion. "I-I twisted my ankle," she gasped out. "I can't walk." She tried to get herself up, "and I probably lost a lot of blood."

I quickly assessed her injury, gently probing her ankle. It was swollen and bruised, but thankfully not broken.

"We need to get you back to the Glade."

"I-" and then she blacked out.

I grabbed her and started running back to the glade.

It wasn't easy, a few times I thought of stopping for me to breathe, but then I looked at pale and bruised-up Sage and I ran even faster.

When we finally arrived, I rushed with her immediately to medical. There were Clint and Jeff inside.

Jeff was helping Carl with a cut, so I placed Sage on the medical bed in front of Clint and begged him to help.

Clint quickly assessed Sage's condition and nodded, understanding the urgency.

Her condition was terrible. I didn't even know where to look. At her closed and beat up eye, at all of the cuts and bruises, at her swollen ankle...

As Clint worked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. Sage was back in the Glade, and she was receiving the medical attention she needed.

But I was also frightened, what if we hadn't found her in time?

After a while, Clint finished treating Sage's injuries. He assured me that she would be okay, but she needed to rest and recover. I nodded, grateful for his help.

As Sage slept, I sat by her side, keeping watch over her. I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at me.

If only we hadn't split that day, if only we had found her sooner, maybe she wouldn't have been injured.

But I pushed those thoughts aside. What mattered now was that Sage was safe and back in the Glade. We would take care of her, and she would recover.

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