The Maze Runner | BTS AU

20 | Overnight in the Maze

Hopelessness rained down on Jungkook like he was stood outside in a torrential storm, the tears of the gods above spilling down on him in despair, washing away his anger ever so slowly.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to put aside his anger.

Amara sighed loudly. Jungkook's doe eyes drifted over her facial expression, seeing she had her eyes squeezed shut tightly, her eyebrows attempting to touch one another as they furrowed. Two of her fingers pressed forcefully into her forehead, as if she was battling with her own mind— not wanting to see or relive what had happened not long ago.

"Don't wanna talk about it," Jay spoke on behalf of the two of them, checking Namjoon's pulse as he did so and leant forward to listen to his chest having heard his breathing grow quieter in alarm. "Let's just say the grievers can play dead really well."

This statement took Jungkook by surprise. "So he was. . . bitten? Stung, whatever? Is he going through the changing?" He asked.

Amara sighed loudly once more. "I already told you this, Jungkook. Did you not hear me?" . . . he had.

"You've got a lot to learn." Jay added tiredly.

Jungkook wanted to scream. He knew he had a lot to learn— that was why he was asking questions. . . but no one answers. "Is he going to die?" he forced himself to ask, cringing at how shallow and empty it sounded.

"Since we didn't make it back before sunset, probably. Could be dead in an hour— I don't know how long it takes if you don't get the serum. Course, we'll be dead too, so don't get all weepy for him." Jay had said it so matter-of-factly, Jungkook could hardly process the meaning of the words.

"So what shall we do with him, Jay?" Amara turned to the role of asking the questions.

"I don't know," Jay shook his head, his tone of voice weak as he stared down at Namjoon— one of few boys who had been there with him since the very start. "Leave him 'suppose."

The dire reality of the situation finally began to hit Jungkook, and his insides began to churn. "We're really going to leave him?" he asked, unable to accept this harsh fate. "You're telling me we have no chance? We're all just going to die in here?"

"None." Jay affirmed.

Jungkook began to grow annoyed by Jay's constant negativity and lack of hope. "Oh, come on— there has to be something we can do. How many grievers'll come at us?" He peered down the corridor that led deeper into the maze, as if expecting the creatures to arrive then, summoned by the sound of their name alone.

"I don't know." Jay answered, his eyes flickering to Amara who was still staring at Namjoon.

A thought, maybe even a memory, seemed to spring to her mind all of a sudden. The brunette looked up from Namjoon to Jungkook, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Jungkook, do you not remember? You showed me the maze through a screen and you told me that there were so many grievers that walked the maze. . . we stand no chance."

"This when you were dreamin' bout the grievers before you even had Hope show you them?" Jay asked her for confirmation, which he received with a nod.

Jungkook, however, shook his head. His face was contorted into a frown. "No. . . no, I don't remember."

Amara sighed again, probably for what felt like the tenth time in only a few moments. Jungkook may not have remembered, but she sure did, and as clear as day:

"They were created to live in the maze and come out after dark. They are programmed; controlled to harass and even kill any of the boys who venture into the Maze, stopping them from discovering the way out. There's so many of them."