Captivated (The Maze Runner - Newt)

Twenty three - search

Alby looked down at her, his eyes narrowing and the corner of his lips curving downwards into a frown.

"Then that's what we'll do."

***

Thomas watched as the sun sank down below the Maze walls. 

Despite the fact  that the Doors would be closing soon, runners were jogging back out into the Maze, all on a hunt for this missing kid.

All of them except for Lily.

She and Newt stood at the South Doors, staring into the blackness that lay beyond. Newt was shaking, his hand clutching hers tightly as it trembled with fear. Thomas wondered why they would force him to go back into the Maze when his leg was so messed up? Wouldn't it make sense for Lily to go instead?

Lily wrapped her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She looked scared as well, even though she wasn't the one going back in. Newt continued to gawp at the ghostly mist that poured out between the Maze Doors.

Alby strode up behind them, slapping Newt on the back and nodding towards the Maze. Leading the way, he sprinted into the shadows. 

Newt ran a nervous hand through his hair.

Lily spoke to him softly, but Thomas couldn't catch what she was saying above all the commotion. He guessed that they were words of comfort.

A few minutes later, Newt was gone. He had jogged into the Maze among a group of runners, leaving Lily standing alone, hugging her jacket to her small body. She looked sad - more than sad. She looked heartbroken.

She must really care about Newt.

Thomas wondered why they had sent out a search party for this kid,Oliver. Wasn't that against the rules? No matter what the circumstances, no one but the runners go into the Maze, right?

Perhaps he was valuable.

When Thomas looked up next, his eyes instantly caught Lily's gaze.

And she was coming his way.

***

"Um...hey." Lily said awkwardly, standing directly before Thomas. She needed to distract herself from worrying about Newt - and Thomas was still on her list of things to work out.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, twiddling his thumbs in his lap and watching the final runners go back into the Maze.

"Hi." he replied, his tone flat. He couldn't meet her eye.

None the less, Lily took this as her invitation to sit down. 

Up close, she was able to take in all of Thomas' features - his sandy hair, his bright eyes, the faint freckles along his cheekbones. He was definitely the same boy from her memory-dream.

And now she had to find out why she'd remembered him above all else. 

But first things first.

"Enjoyed your first few days in the Glade, Thomas?" she asked, trying to sound as bright and friendly as possible.

Thomas shook his head, his eyes scanning her face briefly before returning to the ground.

"It sucks. I don't remember anything."

Lily chuckled lightly. "Don't worry about it, that's completely normal. My first few days sucked too."

Thomas was quiet for a while, cautious in her presence. He still couldn't bring himself to make eye contact.

"How come everyone's going out to look for that kid?" he asked suddenly, nodding towards the Maze Doors.