The Last One's Escape

The Bonfire

"Every morning, when those doors open, they run the maze... mapping it, memorizing it, trying to find a way out," Newt said and brought me closer to him. I lied down and placed my head on his lap.

"How long have they been looking?" The boy asked. "Three years," I said blankly. "And they haven't found anything?" He asked. "It's a lot easier said than done. Listen," Newt said.

We got quite and listened. We could hear stone shifting, along with more metal clanking. "Hear that? It's the maze, changing. It changes every night," I explained.

"How is that even possible?" The boy asked. "You can ask the people who put us here, if you ever meet the bastards," Newt answered.

"Listen, the truth is... the runners are the only ones who really know what's out there. They are the strongest and the fastest of us all," Newt said. The boy looked confused.

"And it's a good thing, too... because if we don't make it back before those doors close... then we are stuck out there for the night. And no one has ever survived a night in the maze," I said.

"What happens to them?" The boy asked us. "We call them Grievers. Of course, no one's ever seen one and lived to tell about it. But they're out there," Newt said and slowly began to stand up. I sat up and rested my back against the log.

"Tired, love?" Newt asked me as he held out his hand for me to take. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me to my feet. "Yeah a little. It's been a long day," I said. He smiled at me and pulled me into his arms.

"We'll go to bed soon, sweetheart don't worry." He whispered in my ear as I yawned. He looked at the boy, before he spoke once more. "Right, that's enough questions for one night. Come on," Newt said. The boy stood up and Newt smiled lightly.

"You're supposed to be the guest of honor. No! No, come on. Let us show you around. Come on," Newt said and we began walking. Newt moved his arm to around my shoulder so I could lean on him as we walked.

"Come on. And there we got the builders. They're very good with their hands but not a lot going on upstairs," Newt said and pointed to his head. He tapped it once and I laughed.

"And then we got Winston... he's the Keeper of the Slicers. And we got two med-jacks, Clint and Jeff," I said as they walked by us. "Hey, what's up?" Jeff said. "Yo, Newt, Sam," Clint said.

"They spend most of their time bandaging up the slicers. Sammie here, helps them out on her days off sometimes," Newt said. The boy looked at him.

"What if I want to be a runner?" He asked. I looked at him shocked. I mean sure, I thought the same thing when I first got here but, being a runner is dangerous...

"Have you listened to a word we've just said? No one wants to be a runner," Newt looked as shocked as me. "Hey!" I said offensively. Newt looked at me.

"Sorry, love. No one sane wants to be a runner," He corrected. "Still offensive, but I love you so whatever," I scoffed.

He kissed my forehead. "I love you too, darling." I smiled and hid my face in his chest. "And, besides, you gotta get chosen," I said and looked at the newbie.

"Chosen by who?" The boy asked. Newt was about to respond when suddenly Aiden was thrown into the back of the boy. Gally stood there looking at us. "What do you say, Greenie? Wanna see what you're made of?" He asked the boy. The Gladers started cheering and chanting.

"Greenie! Greenie! Greenie!" The chanted. "Okay. All right," The boy said. "The rules are simple, Greenie," Gally began. "I try to push you out of the circle... you try to last more than five seconds," Gally said.

"Take it easy on the Greenie, Gally," I told him. "Ready?" Gally asked and the boy went at him. Gally simply tossed him to the ground like he had done twice today already.

"Get up, boy," Peter said. "Come on, Greenie. We're not done yet," Gally said. "Stop calling me Greenie," The boy said as he charged at Gally again.

"Stop calling you that? What do you wanna be called? Shank?" Gally said and the Gladers laughed. "What do you think, boys? Does he look like a Shank?" Gally teased.

"Come on!" Gally yelled. "You know what? I think I've settled on Shank," Gally said and the boy ran at him one more time. He switched his position last second and Gally fell to the floor.

"There you go, Greenie!" A Glader yelled. "Not bad for a Greenie, huh?" The boy said. I saw Gally was mad and I saw his next move right away. Gally's leg swiped out and swept the boy off his feet. He hit the ground hard.

"Thomas," The boy whispered. He abruptly stood up and started talking louder. "Thomas. Hey! I remember my name. I'm Thomas!" Thomas yelled excitedly.

"Thomas!" Henry yelled and everybody started cheering. "Welcome home, Thomas," Alby told him.
"Good job... Thomas," Gally said. Suddenly, there was a loud screeching noise.

"What the hell was that?" Thomas asked the question. "That, my friend, was a Griever," Gally said. Thomas looked scared and slightly curious.

"Don't worry, you're safe here with us. Nothing gets through those walls," Gally said to Thomas. "All right, guys. Let's tuck it in for the night. Come on. It was a good night," Alby said as he pat Thomas on the shoulder.

"Good job, man," He said as he walked away.
"You're safe here with us," I told Thomas as he walked to his hammock at the homestead.

I looked up at Newt. "Can we go to bed now?" I asked, my voice coming out in a child like whisper. "Yeah, of course, love. Let's go," He whispered back. "Carry me?" I asked and held out my arms.

He smiled and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. "I'm sorry if I hurt your ankle," I whispered in his neck.

"You're all right, beautiful," He said as we walked into our room. Only Alby and Newt got their own rooms. Since I'm Newt's girlfriend, I share a room with him. We just aren't allowed to share the bed.

Newt set me down on the bed. He began to undress me, I helped him by lifting up my arms and hips. He took off his top sweater and pulled it over my head.

He lifted the covers and I climbed underneath them. He pulled the covers up to my chin and went to walk over to the hammock when I grabbed his hand. "Stay with me?" I asked him.

He looked at me and sighed. "Love, you know I can't. If Alby sees or finds out..." He paused. I pouted at him. "Please Newtie, I just want you to hold me," He looked at me for a second, before sighing.

"Okay, fine. Scoot over," He said. "Yay!" I smiled and cheered like a child, before scooting over. He took off his shoes and undershirt. He climbed under the covers behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him.

I turned over in his arms and rested my head on his chest. I placed a kiss on his chest. "Goodnight, Newtie," I whispered. He kissed my forehead before responding. "Goodnight, love," He whispered back.