To Die For (Newt//Maze Runner)

6) Fellow Gladers

A million thoughts run through my head as we pace ourselves back through the Maze. In a short period of time, it has gone from a place that I feared to a place that I loathed, a place that had taken everything I'd ever known away from me, and left with almost as barren a landscape in my mind as I had had when I was first sent up into the Field.

===============================[Flashback]=======================================

I awaken to a darkness more daunting than death itself. I can feel the rattling of levers and chains, tugging upwards, and below me through the criss-crossed iron grate, I can see the blank, metal floor slowly slide apart to reveal an unimaginably huge chasm.

Without any warning, red sirens begin to blaze and the shrieking consumes my brain, sending me stumbling towards one of the four, metal walls of this box that encases me. Moments later, I'm jolted forwards and in a desperate attempt to stay balanced, I send boxes crashing to the ground before gripping, knuckles white with effort, to the opposite wall.

Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing here? Why am I here? The questions begin to build up in my mind, pushing the boundaries of how much stress one human can hold. I let out a sigh of frustration as I rack my rapidly shrinking list of memories I can still grasp, hoping to recall anything. 

I can remember forests, beaches, lakes, fields; but as soon as I try to match up a place with a time or a person or even a reason, I am greeted by nothing but foggy silhouettes. I look wildly around but I see nothing but the blaring sirens and the huge abyss below me. Hello! Anyone? Hello? Help me! Help me please! HELLO, IS ANYONE THERE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELP! HELP ME! Please...Please help...someone. Anyone" 

A dizziness overcomes me and I tip sideways to the ground and hear a cold thud as my head collides with the cold, hard floor. The whole world spins and I slump to my knee, and sit against a wooden box that seems to contain sheep. What do these people need with sheep? I wonder, but I'm less worried about the sheep and more worried about me. About the fact I don't remember anything. And most importantly, about my uncontrollable ascent into the endless unknown.

=================================[Flashback end]==================================

It's the same feeling of complete lack of knowing where you're going that reminds me of that event. If I was suddenly transported back to then, would I - 3 months on - go into the Maze yesterday morning like I did, if I knew this would happen? 

Doubtful.

I mean scratch that, no. No way would I have ever chosen to leave them all behind.

"Hey, love. You okay?" It's only then I realise the boys have stopped to eat and drink, and I am now right the way down the end of the corridor. Newt looks at me pleadingly, and I can tell he thinks I'm going to run. It takes every inch of my being not to do just that.

The only thing that stops me is that I know inside there's nowhere left to go. At least not today. Maybe tomorrow, or the day after, the Openings would open and the tunnel would be there to let me go back. But I know, in my heart or soul or whatever, that there isn't anyway of getting home today.

So I stop, and I walk back to where they are resting before sitting next to Minho and leaning my head back against the stone. I take my pack off and pull out my sandwich and start to eat it. We sit in silence, just quietly existing in each other's presence. 

"So. Looks like I'm coming back with you. How much, on a scale of one to ten, do you reckon the chance is of Alby banishing me as soon as we get back?" It's a feeble aim of a joke, but saying it out loud makes me realise just how serious it is. What if he decides I can't be trusted? I mean, if a boy had turned up in the Field we would have been completely on edge.

"Don't be daft love, he won't banish you. We already explained that... don't worry" Newt flushes red which makes me suspicious.

"Explained what Newt?"

"Explained, explained that well.." He gets even redder and starts to stutter, throwing me of guard because usually he's so calm.

Minho finishes for him, his blunt mannerisms toned down "Look Emmeline, we told him we didn't think that tunnel was going to open. Told him that we were pretty sure you'd be back. That's why you had a room last night. They're expecting you to come back. They think you're a Glader now."

The fact that not even Minho and Newt believed I'd be able to go home is crushing, but the thought that at least I'm not going to be chucked to the Creatures reassures me slightly. "Oh. Okay. Good to know you had faith in me." I start to put my stuff in my pack and without saying a word to each other, we begin to run back towards the Glade.

We get back, and the cluster of boys is back at the Opening. It's earlier this time and so thy all seem to be far more energised. Just like Minho said, they all seem to be expecting me and after we've settled back in, they each come up to me one by one to introduce themselves.

Frypan gives me a hug and tells me that it will be okay; the one that had Rosa's sharp eyebrows is called Gally; Harriet's counterpart is called Winston and the one who reminded me of Vicky is called George.

Suddenly remembering that I don't seem to have anyone to parallel me, I head over to where Newt is standing alone in the Gardens. "Hey Newt, all of the boys here look like one of the girls from the Field right? But there's no-one who looks like me. Any idea why?" 

He takes a deep breath and furrows his eyebrows, his sandy hair falling into his eyes. "There was one more boy. His name was Joe. He was pretty much our leader I guess, we never elected a leader but everyone, y'know, listened to him. Trusted him too. He was a Runner as well. One morning he went into the Maze and never came back. Me and Minho looked every day for a good 3 weeks, but we couldn't find a thing. He looked just like you, acted like you too. British accent, fastest runner I'd ever seen, selfless too. Only cared about his friends. That collar you found, he had taken it with him in case he ran into any trouble. And that blood on it, George tested it and reckons it was his."

"So what does that mean? Was that supposed to happen to me too? What the shuck, how sick are the Makers? I mean, I knew there were Creatures and all that klunk, but someone dying. I didn't think they'd do that." I start to ramble, and I stand up and pace about until Newt pulls me back down by the shoulders.

"Hey. Em" the nickname startles me, I haven't heard it since I last saw Beth. But if anyone was going to call me Em, I'm glad it's Newt. "You'll be okay. We'll be okay. I won't let anything happen to you, or any of us. Gladers or Fielders." His chocolate-brown eyes lock onto mine and for a split second I swear I've never felt safer.

"Promise?" I hold out my pinky finger, feeling about 5 but it's the only way I'll know he's telling the complete truth.

"Promise." He hooks his pinky around mine and grins lopsidedly. For a moment we just sit, fingers connected, staring into oblivion. Until we hear a shout from Minho calling us over to the others. 

My fellow Gladers.