Trials Together (Book One): The Maze Runner

Chapter 14

They were woken in the morning by Chuck and Flo who told them Gally had ran into the Maze after the Gathering when they must have been with Alby. Beth had shouted after him that if he 'got Stung again she wouldn't bother dragging him back' before disappearing in a foul mood.

"But I think he's hiding in the Glade somewhere, all his cronies will be able to find a place." Chuck speculated. "Harriet said that you're in the Slammer Thomas, all day." Thomas knew better to argue with the punishment, it wasn't like he'd be lonely when he could talk to Rachel.

"Tommy, get over here," Newt called from over by the Gardens, "Rachel can bring ya your meals." She definitely seemed better at staying under the radar than Thomas was, despite being with him almost 24/7 she got less attention from not having run into the Maze and sent four Grievers flying off the Cliff.

Newt led Thomas over to the Slammer, a tiny concrete building hidden behind the Homestead.

"Have fun," the older boy laughed as he locked the door. "You're not half bad, shank. But friends or no, gotta run things properly, keep us buggers alive. Think about that while ya sit here and stare at the bloody walls."

Thomas was left alone until noon when Rachel appeared, she was becoming far more adept at carrying two trays, Thomas noticed. That and a great friend to bother to do as much for him as she did. He had overheard Harriet and Sonya discussing how she had vouched for him after he had returned from the Maze.

Rachel told him about how Alby was up and around again and there was no sign of Gally, everything was 'back to normal' or what passed as normal in the Glade.

Once the doors had closed for the night Alby came to fetch Thomas, looking like himself again.

"About yesterday..." Thomas began, following the other boy into the middle of the Glade. Alby cut him off. "I don't know shank, it was just you four, you helped the Creators, sent us here. It's starting to fade, might not even be real."

"Do you know what choked you?" Thomas inquired, hoping he wouldn't set Alby off again it had taken five people to stop it last time.

"No, and I'm not sayin' what else I saw. Don't wanna strangle myself again." This seemed to be a cue to drop the subject. They stayed silent until they reached the middle of the Glade and Thomas left Alby to look for Rachel.

He found her laughing with Chuck and Flo near to where they slept, a plate Thomas assumed was his on the ground by Rachel's feet.

"Hey, Thomas," Chuck called out to him, "enjoy prison?"

"Most boring day I've ever had." Thomas replied, sitting down by Rachel and starting on his meal. Roast beef, potatoes and cookies, one of the best he'd had here so far.

"Minho told me a story earlier," Rachel looked at him, talking out loud as they had to when others were around. "About a woman trapped in a maze, she escaped by keeping her right hand on the wall so eventually she found the exit."

"Doesn't that work here?" Thomas asked, it was far too simple a solution for them to have been stuck in the Maze two years if the best runner knew such a story.

"Obviously not." Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "All paths lead back to the Glade."