the fan runner ⇒ the maze runner fanfic

five - new revival

[ The end or the beginning? ]

^'°

dedicated to em! ( pixelbrad )

Allie still couldn't believe she was in the Maze.

The looming stone prison surrounded her, surrounded everything.  Beyond those walls were dangers that the Gladers lived in fear of and Allie hoped to never come in contact with. The Grievers' metallic buzz could be heard from all parts of the Glade, it was a constant annoyance, but the boys seemed to be used to it. And in the morning, when the Runners left for the day, she decided to investigate a little.  After all, it was the Glade, the setting of her favorite books.

Allie jogged over to the immense wall that towered way above her head.  She put her hand to the surface of the stone. It was surprisingly smooth, but worn. She slowly walked a little farther down the wall to one of the doors, gaping wide open.  Turning her head to meet the ivy-covered corridor of the Maze, she gasped in wonder. It was exactly how she pictured it, old and crumbling gray stone walls with strands of ivy climbing up their surfaces. If only she could go in, just step one foot within the very place she read about all those years ago...

Allie shook her head. She wouldn't make Thomas's mistake.

But... Allie thought. I know more about the Maze than Thomas.

And once her left foot touched the floor of the Maze, she instantly regretted it.

A sharp pain pierced her chest, like a punch to the ribs, and it sent her flying backwards. The pain continued, spreading from her upper body to her throat, the air suddenly removed from her windpipe.  She coughed and sputtered, lying on the ground, writhing in pain. Allie's hands clutched her throat, the pain unbearable.

"Help..." she choked. "Somebody... help..."

Her vision was fading, and there was no going back.  Allie's ribs were being crushed by an unseen enemy, her lungs and throat screaming for air. She rolled over, desperate for a solution, or something that could help her, and that's when she realized.

All the Gladers were either sleeping or in the Maze.

"Shuck." she whispered horsely, and promptly blacked out.

-

"Hello? Allie?"

The first thing she noticed was how uncomfortable she was, the second thing was that someone was leaning over her, calling her name.

"Allie?"

"Ugh, more people here? I thought I knew everyone." Allie groaned.

"Oh. I'm new." Allie squinted at the face for a few seconds before realizing it was a girl. A girl? Allie thought. I thought I was the only...

"Not anymore." the girl laughed warily.

Allie cocked her head. "You read my mind."

"Like Thomas and Teresa?" she smiled.

"A fangirl." Allie grinned. "Yay."

The girl returned the grin.

"What's your name?" Allie asked her.

"I'm Emily, but you can call me Em."

"I'm Allie. Wait, you know that." Allie sighed. "I'm sorry. I just woke up from a faint or something and I'm out of it."

"I can see that." Em said and Allie rolled her eyes. "Here, let me help you up and you can tell me what happened."

"Okay." Allie took Em's hand and took a good look at the new girl.  She had long, chestnut brown hair and shiny blue eyes.  A spray of freckled dotted her nose. 

"Are you excited to be here?" Em questioned.

"Yes!  It's exactly how I imagined.  In the books, to be precise." Allie told her. "I literally can't even. I hugged Newt. How many people get a chance to do that?"

Em chuckled. "The books are life. I remember when I read them, I thought I'd never read a book as good as them ever again." She paused. "Where are Thomas and Teresa?"

"My theory is that we came before they did, maybe around the same time that Newt jumped off of the Maze wall." Allie explained, and Em cringed. "Because he doesn't have his limp yet."

"Oh, that makes sense." Em agreed.

They stood in silence for a moment, and Allie looked around at where she was. The floors were made of wood, and an old, sagging mattress was slumped in the corner of the room.

"Homestead?" Allie asked.

"Yeah." Em responded.

"Have you met Evan yet?" Allie smirked. "He's so rude to me, you have to see him. And he's a movie fan."

"Met him?" Em looked confused. "He's my brother."

Just then, the door slammed open and two Gladers walked in, haste in their stride.  It was Newt and Alby, and their faces were scrunched up in mirroring anger. Newt spoke first.

"Are you jacked in the bloody head?"

"Newt..." Allie whispered.

"First you wake up early with the shuck Runners. Then, you go in the bloody Maze, which is against every rule there is." he spat.

"Sorry, bae." she whimpered.

"What does that even mean? Why are you even here? Three Greenies in three days, how is that even possible?" Newt yelled. He grabbed Em's arm, his grip tight. "You shouldn't be hanging out with this shank, she's a bad influence."

Newt stormed out with Em. The girl looked back at Allie, her face full of worry, but Allie shook her head and waved her away.

"Allie. I expected more from someone like you." Alby told her firmly.

"I know, Alby." Allie sighed. "I've learned my lesson."

"How come we found you half-dead? What happened before that?" Alby asked her.

"I'm not sure, I just felt this chest pain and like someone was throwing me away from the Maze, keeping me from going in."

"Wait." Alby scrunched his eyebrows. "What's that on your neck?"

He moved closer to Allie, his fingers grazing her lower neck, his eyes concentrating on something she couldn't see.

"What is it?" asked Allie.

"It's a tattoo." he clarified. "It says, 'Don't you dare. –WICKED.' WICKED is in all capital letters."

"Nope." Allie closed her eyes, taking it in. "Are they serious?"

"They?"

"We have a lot to talk about, Alby."