zugswang - the maze runner

| 7 |

Newt looked at Eliza and saw how stressed she was. Her eyes were tired, and her eyes were dull. They weren't holding the sparkle in them like Newt had noticed.

''Don't stress about things you can't control, otherwise you'll go buggin' insane.''

She leaned his head on his shoulder. ''I just have this feeling.''

* * *

Newt brought Eliza outside to help the tension with everything that has been going on. Soon, Minho, along with Thomas and a few others had returned from the maze, something silver glimmering in Thomas' hands.

''We found this,'' Thomas concluded. ''It was inside a Griever.''

Newt held the device in his hand, examining it. It had dried up Griver blood and guts on it, and the number seven was in the right corner. Newt's thumb ran over the little plague on the device.

''These are the same initials that we get with our supplies.''

''Yeah, whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers. This is the first real clue, the first anything you've found in three years. Right, Minho?" Thomas explained.

Minho nodded. ''Right,''

''Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us.'' Thomas tried convincing.

Gally and Newt looked at eachother, Gally still upset. ''You see what he's trying to do, right? First he breaks our rules, then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally. The rules are the only thing that has held us together. Why now are we questioning it?"

''Because you daft piece of klunk,'' Eliza started. ''Thomas is right, this is a clue. This is the first real thing we have ever found out in that maze.''

Gally glared at Eliza before turning to Newt, ''If Alby were here he'd agree with me. This shank,;; He pointed at Thomas, ''Needs to be punished.''

Newt looked at Thomas before handing back the device to Minho. ''You're right. Thomas broke the rules. One night in the pit, and no food.''

''Oh, come on, Newt! One night in the pit? Do you think that's going to stop him from going into the maze?'' Gally argued, frustrated at Newt.

''No,'' Newt answered. "And we can't just have non-runners running into the maze whenever they feel like it. So let's make it official. Starting from tomorrow, you're a runner.''

Gally had this look of complete disbelief on his face. ''Wow,'' He walked right away from everyone, throwing a temper-tantrum as always.

''Thanks, Newt.'' Thomas said, happy that someone had the belief in him that he could change something.

* * *

Eliza pinched the bridge on her nose and huffed loudly. ''What do you mean she ran away?"

Jeff's eyes were wide and he scrambled to find an answer. But Eliza held her hand up, ''Just . . . go find Minho and Thomas.''

Jeff sprinted out of the room and Eliza rubbed her face. Apparently the girl woke up, freaked out, and escaped. She heard yelling from outside and looked outside, to see all the boys huddled around a tall post. They held boards above their heads and she saw objects flying from above.

Eliza crutched over to the post, hearing the boys say 'take cover' every once a while.

''It's Thomas! It's Thomas!'' Thomas yelled, and immediately the throwing stopped. Eliza rolled her eyes as the girl peeked over the railing. ''I'm gonna come up, okay. Just me.''

With that, Thomas went up the stairs to talk d the girl, and everyone went their separate ways.

* * *

Eliza was watching over Alby, his condition was worsening every minute. His veins were even more dark, if it were possible and his teeth were clenched tightly.

Thomas and the girl, whose name was Teresa, came into the hut with two small vials holding blue liquid.

''We don't even know what this stuff is.'' Newt said. "We don't know who sent it. Or why it came with you. For all we know, this thing could kill him.''

''He's already dying,'' Eliza muttered softly. ''We need to do something now if we want him to live.''

''It's worth a try.''

Eliza nodded towards Thomas and he went on the other side of Alby. Thomas held the vial in his hand for a moment, ''Okay.''

Before Thomas could inject the groaning boy, Alby's eyes shot open and he grabbed Thomas' shirt. ''You shouldn't be here! You shouldn't be here!''

Everyone jumped at Alby and tried to get Alby to release his grip. Eliza was pushing on Alby's chest to push him down, and then Teresa stabbed the needle into Alby's torso, and he calmed down.

''Okay, from now on, someone stays here and watches him around the clock.'' Newt commanded.

Gally came up the stairs quietly, ''Hey.''

Everyone turned to see what he had to say. ''It's sundown, Greenie. Time to go.''

Thomas nodded and left with Gally.

* * *

Sometime later, Eliza managed to distract Frypan and steal a loaf of bread. She wobbled over to the pit, and saw Thomas laying against the wall, his eyes closed.

''I hope you're not asleep, I had to sneak this for you.'' Eliza called out, playfully. She had placed herself carefully on the ground, because of her leg.

Thomas' eyes opened, and he saw the loaf of bread in her small hands. She handed it to him and smiled. ''You can't help get us out of here if you're starving.''

The fire was reflecting against her pale skin, her hazel eyes standing out. She looked beautiful to Thomas. ''Why are you helping me?"

''Because I believe that you will get us out of here.'' Eliza answered simply. She went to stand but Thomas grabbed her arm through the bar softy.

''Can you stay?" Thomas' voice was soft, and it sounded as if he was pleading for her to stay.

Eliza nodded and put her head against the bars. ''Of course,''