LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

24

The Slammer stood in an obscure place between the Homestead and the North Glade wall, hidden between thorny, ragged bushes that looked like they hadn't been trimmed in ages.

The Slammer was a big block of roughly cut concrete, with one, tiny, barred window and a wooden door that was locked with a metal latch.

Newt took out a key and opened it up, then motioned for Thomas and Clara to enter. "There's only a chair in there and nothin' at all for ya two to do. Enjoy yourselves."

Thomas and Clara stepped inside the run-down building, grumbling as they did so.

"Have fun,"Newt sarcastically said before slamming the door shut, closing the latch and locking the door.

Newt's head appeared at the ltitle glassless window, looking through the bars with a smirk on his face. "Nice reward for breakin' the rules. You saved some lives, but ya two still need to learn-"

"Yeah, we know,"Thomas interrupted him.

"Order,"Clara sighed, finishing Newt's sentence for him.

Newt smiled, and looked at Thomas, then Clara. "You're not half bad, shank. But friends or not, gotta run things properly, keep us buggers alive. Think about that while ya sit here and stare at the bloody walls."

And then Newt was gone.

❀✿❀

At around 10, Archie decided to visit Clara, his best friend, in the Slammer.

"Claaaaaara!"Archie said, stretching out the first a in her name.

Jumping off the old chair in the Slammer, Clara raced to the door, where she saw Archie from behind the bars of the window.

"Archie, thank God you're here. Honestly, I'm going to shucking die of boredom in here,"Clara said. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Everything's just been so crazy and I-"

Archie laughed. "Yeah, I know. And for the record, I missed you too."

Clara felt her lips spread into a smile. "I really did miss you, Archie."

"So, you're a Runner now, huh?"Archie said, then chuckled. "Honestly, never thought this day would shucking come. I seem to remember something like 'Archie, I'm dying!' after one day of running."

"Oh, shut up,"Clara told him, but still laughed. "I wasn't that bad of a Runner, right?"

Archie raised his eyebrows. "You want the truth, right?"

"Yeah."

"You were a shit Runner."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence,"Clara laughed.

"Hey, you were the one who asked for the truth,"Archie 'defended' himself, raising his hands in fake surrender.

"Well, I didn't mean it like that."

"God, women are confusing,"Archie muttered.

"Speaking of which, has the girl woken up?"Clara asked Archie.

"Nah, not yet,"Archie said. "But, when she does, I'll be there to comfort her."

"Oh my God, Archie,"Clara said. "Let me guess... you need a girlfriend?"

Archie smirked. "You know me too well, Clara. But, seriously, though."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't count on it,"Clara told him. "I mean, when she wakes up, the last thing she's gonna wanna do is shuck you."