the fan runner ⇒ the maze runner fanfic

six - opperation beetle blade

[ People don't change. They unfold. ]

^'°

She couldn't bear to look at the boy who had caused her so much trouble. So much time, and so much effort. But she did anyway, because that was her only option.

"Allie? You okay?"

"Yeah, Evan. I'm fine."

Evan wasn't his usual cocky self. To Allie he seemed distant and lost in thought. He squinted at her, as though looking at her and seeing a deeper meaning.

"How do you see the Glade?"

The words were sudden, and Allie looked at Evan in oblique confusion. But as she thought about the statement, she remembered.

They both saw the Glade differently.

"It's like... I don't know, I can't describe it. It's perfect in every way, but I feel like somethings going on just outside of our reach. We don't fully understand why we're here, but we've been so distracted with our excitement that we haven't looked deeper into the subject." Allie confessed. "Wow. I sounded smart there."

Evan laughed. "You sure did."

The two stood on the floor of the Homestead, just taking it all in, soaking in the reality of the moment. Evan listened to her for once, and Allie was enjoying it. Enjoying myself? In the same room as Evan? she thought. No way.

Allie continued. "Last night, I thought of a plan. It's really good, if I do say so myself."

Evan motioned for her to continue, letting a chuckle slip loose.

"So you know how the beetle blades are here so WICKED can monitor the test subjects?"

"Woah. Hold up. Beetle blades? What are those?"

What are thoooooose, Allie thought to herself and snickered. But then she thought about his comment.

He didn't know what beetle blades were?

"You're... a movie fan. I was about to say an idiot, but that..." she couldn't bear to say it. "Explains it."

"What the shuck are beetle blades?" Evan exclaimed, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Calm yourself. Okay, they're basically little metal bug-things running around. On their bodies it says WICKED in red." Allie explained.

Evan held up his hand, stopping her.

"Just one problem." he said, sighing deeply. "We see different versions of the Glade."

Allie closed her eyes, not believing the words that she knew were true. She stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes at Evan.

"That's not going to help us."

"I know, thank you." she said sarcastically. "Kindly stop talking."

"Yeah, I forgot. You're the one in charge." Evan huffed.

"This is a joint effort! You want to get out of the Glade, don't you?" Allie spat, not surprised that the boy was getting on her nerves. Again.

"Allie..." Evan started. "I don't think you understand."

"What don't I understand?"

Evan bit his lip, tears growing in his eyes, ready to spill down his cheeks. "At home," he began. "Things aren't that great."

"Three days ago, I had a concussion playing football. This is the fourth one I've had in this one spot on my skull. The doctors say the bone is growing weak and it's affecting my brain. Sometimes, I act different because of that. You don't see it now, but it happens. And when it happens, it happens big. Kids in school tease me because I say weird things or act strangely. And the doctors say that if the area gets infected, they're going to have to do surgery on my brain." Evan choked out. "When I came here, I felt needed. I felt like this whole group of boys inducted me into their society, and I wasn't the odd one out anymore. All the issues were gone, and I was a perfected version of my self."

He brushed the tears off of his cheeks but they just kept coming. "I can't leave. As soon as I go back, there's just going to be pain and suffering. That's all I have ever known."

"When I watched The Maze Runner for the first time, I just felt like it contained everything I could ever want in a movie. Drama. Friendship. Thrill. Adventure. Mystery. Then I watched it a second time, and a third... and I got to know the characters more than I will ever know a friend. They seemed real to me, and now they really are."

He took in a shuddering breath, his whole body shaking.

And suddenly, Allie felt the need to wrap her arms around him and give him a hug, and that just what she did. She hating seeing people like this, vulnerable and weak. Her head brushed up against his damp cheek, and she wanted to savor this moment of pure emotion.

"It's going to be okay." Allie told him. "I'll protect you. First things first, wear a helmet at all times."

Evan laughed. "Definitely."

They stayed silent for a moment, and then Evan spoke.

"My sister, Em... she's here. She's the one in school who stands up for me, who wards away anyone who tries to mess with me." Evan smiled. "And she's here. I can't believe she read the books, she never told me."

"Well, book fans and movie fans don't usually have conversations. It's like discussing your war plans with the enemy." Allie explained.

"I guess we're an exception." Evan pulled away from the hug and looked at Allie for a long second, his eyes flashing with trust and hope and forgiving. She returned the look, smiling back at him.

"So," he said. "What your big beetle blade plan?"

"Let's see. So since the beetle blades have cameras to watch over the Glade, I figured I could speak directly to WICKED by finding a beetle blade and recording a video of myself with it. They're like security cameras at a store, and imagine making funny faces in one." Allie said expertly, and Evan nodded. "I'm trying to catch WICKED's attention."

Evan clearly understood the plan, but Allie wanted to stress one more thing.

"But I don't think I'm going home anytime soon." she told him, grinning from ear to ear.