The brothers followed Minho through the woods until they came to a huge hut which they entered. In the centre was a table covered with a giant white cloth. On the walls were wooden maps of the maze along with numbers in the centre. For some reason, the brothers noticed that the wooden maps showed the maze but with different line markings.
Minho pulled the cloth of the table revealing a giant model made out of sticks and with a huge square of green in the centre: the Glade.
The brother's bent down.
"It's the Maze," Minho said. "All of it,"
"What do you mean all of it?" Thomas asked.
"Are you still still mapping it?" questioned Edward.
"There's nothing left to map," Minho said, a little sadly. "I've run every inch of it myself, every cycle, every pattern. If there was a way out, we would have found out by now,"
"Why haven't you told anyone this?" Thomas asked.
"It was Alby's call. People needed to believe that we had a chance of getting out,"
"There is a chance," Edward remained optimistic despite the revelation. "Those gates would keep opening to let you all look if there wasn't a way out,"
"I'm starting to think there is a real chance," Minho said giving the device they found inside the Griever to Thomas. "About a year we started exploring these outer sections and we found these numbers, printed on the walls,"
On the outskirts of the maze model were 8 pebbles each marked with a number from 1 to 8.
"Sections 1 through 8. See, the way it works, is every night, when the Maze changes, it opens up a new section. So today, section 6 was open. Tomorrow, there'll be 4, and 8, and 3. The pattern always stays the same,"
Thomas looked at the number 7 on the cylinder device. "What's so special about 7?
"I don't know. Last night, when you guys killed that Griever, section 7 was opened. Think it must be where it comes from. Tomorrow, we're gonna take a closer look,"
"What about those maps?" asked Edward as he pointed to the maze drawings on the walls.
"They look...different somehow. Different compared to this model,"
"Sometimes when the Maze changes, the walls seem to change as well," Minho said. "We decided to take note of these in case they gives us clues,"
"How often does this happen?" Thomas asked, taking one off the wall.
"Once every week, the Maze walls change and they stay that way for a whole day before the walls are reset to their original positions which we marked out on this main model. This started happening a year ago.
"What do those coloured lines represent?" Thomas pointed to the map he was holding.
"The red lines represent the raised walls. The yellow lines represent the walls that have lowered,"
Taking a careful look at them, the brothers seemed to notice something. "There's something strange about this," Edward said.
"I think you're right Ed," Thomas agreed.
"What do you guys mean?" asked Minho.
Before any of them could answer, the Med Jacks came charging to the door.
"Hey! What are you guys doing? You're not allowed in here," Minho said.
"It's the girl!" Clint alerted.
"Is she awake?" asked Edward.
"You could say that," Jeff answered.
The group rushed out towards the large open green space. Chuck was nearby giggling.
"Chuck, what's going on?" asked Thomas.
"Girls are awesome!" Chuck pointed upwards.
The group turned to see a group of boys standing at the bottom of the wooden tower with pans and pots over their heads as showers of rocks were being thrown on them by a girl that shouted:
"Leave me alone!" It was her.
Quickly they dashed over, just as Gally's face was hit with a rock.
"Go away!" the girl cried out.
"What happened?!" Edward asked.
"She just woke up and the first thing she did was dash out to the tower!" Frypan cried. "She even snatched my knife!"
"I don't think she likes us very much," Newt said under his shield which he shared with Winston.
The rocks kept raining down on them.
"Hey! Look we just wanna talk!" Thomas cried up to the girl.
"We mean you no harm!" shouted Edward.
But still the girl didn't stop. "I'm warming you!" she threw down some more rocks. One of them almost hit Thomas but Newt pulled him away.
"Take cover! Take cover!" Frypan dragged Edward under his huge pot.
The rocks kept coming down faster that the boys were finding it harder to dodge. Edward knew there was only one option.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop! It's me! It's Edward! It's Edward!"
Just to his relief, the rock shower stopped. Looking up he saw the girl stand up and peer over down on him.
"It's alright. You're not in danger!" Edward assured.
The girl didn't respond back. But still Edward could see a pair of dark eyes.
"I'm goanna come up!" he announced next. "Okay?"
The girl pulled her head back. Edward took it as a sign of 'yes. "Just me," he announced to the boys. Thomas walked forward. "That includes you Tom,"
"Edward, I'm not letting you going back up there. We don't who this girl is or why she knows you. For all we know this could be a trap,"
"If I handle a night in the Maze, I can handle a girl,"
Still Thomas remained stubborn.
"Just trust him," Newt said. "I'm sure Ed knows what he's doing,"
"Okay," Thomas accepted. "Just be careful,"
Edward nodded and made his way up the ladder. "I'm coming up down!"
Thomas watched tensely as he climbed up. Newt clasped his shoulder. "He'll be fine,"
"Doesn't mean I shouldn't worry," Thomas kept his eyes glued to his little brother who was right at the top.
Edward pushed open the door to the balcony. The moment he opened it and reached his head up, he saw the girl glaring at him, pointing a machete right at his face. "Woah! Woah! Woah!" he gasped. "I'm not goanna hurt you! Just..." he raised a hand. "Easy. Please?!"
"Where am I?" the girl demanded. "What is this place?! Why can't I remember anything?! Who are you all?!"
"Just calm down," Edward pleaded softly once he climbed up and he crouched a few feet away from her. "It's normal. We've all been through this," his words weren't enough to sway the girl. "Your name! That'll come back to you. It's the one thing they..."
"Teresa," the girl blabbered.
Edward paused and stared at him. "What did you just say?"
"My name. It's Teresa," Teresa still kept her weapon which was actually Frypan's pointed at him.
"Okay," Edward did his best to remain calm. "Well Teresa..I'm Edward. But...you know that. I guess,"
Teresa relaxed a little. "The boys in that medical hut said I kept saying your name in my sleep. I remember you were right near me when I woke up and I shouted out your name before I lost conscious again. Who are you?"
Edward struggled to think of an answer. "I...I can't remember. I can't remember anything other than my name and my brother Thomas who came up with me. None of us here can remember anything other than our names. Everything else we know, we learnt here. We all woke up in the box, just like you did,"
Teresa lowered the knife a bit.
"I promise you...we're not going to harm you. You're as much as victim of the people who put here like we are. I promise," he held out a gentle hand and touched the tip of the knife. "Okay. I'm just going to take this. And you're not going to freak out anymore. Is that okay?"
Teresa nodded. She allowed Edward to take the knife.
"Okay," he breathed. "There," he placed the knife down. "You see? Nothing to worry about,"
Teresa remained speechless. But still...Edward's words held a comforting influence over her.
"Everything okay up there?!" Edward heard his brother's voice. He walked over to the balcony and saw him, Newt, Gally and the others still down there.
"Everyone's alright guys! I've calmed her down!"
"Is she coming down?!" Newt asked.
Edward look back to Teresa who was still sitting down. "Umm...I think we just need some time alone,"
"Time alone for what?" Gally demanded, earning an elbow in the side from Thomas.
"We just need a second. Could we have some space please?" Edward requested.
The Gladers nodded and walked way. Edward frowned at one of the two people who was still standing down. "That includes you Thomas,"
Thomas didn't want to move.
"Come on," Newt swung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him away. "He can handle himself,"
As he allowed Newt to pull him away, Thomas took a look back up to Edward and he gave him a smile that said, I'll be fine.
Edward and Teresa both sat on the top platform with their legs over the edge.
"Teresa, this piece of paper came up with you when you arrived," Edward handed her the piece of people.
Teresa took it and stared at it with shock. "'She's the last one.'" What does that mean?
"I'm not sure. Ever since you came up, that Box hasn't gone back down," he pointed to the Box.
"It's how we get all of our supplies every month along with a new Greenie. I just think it's got everyone a little worried. Especially Gally,"
They looked down and saw Gally frowning at him.
"Is he always like this?" Teresa asked.
"With me he is. He really hates me and Thomas," Edward said.
"He thinks it's my fault,"
"It's not your fault," Edward said. "You're not responsible for what happened to you,"
"You know your brother's still staring towards us," Teresa pointed to Thomas in the far distance. Newt was nearby. "Is he always like this?"
"He's just being protective," Edward said. "And it's not the first time. Are you sure you don't remember anything else other than your name...and mine?"
"I remember water, feeling like I was drowning. These faces staring at me. And this voice, this woman's voice saying the same thing over and over,"
"'WICKED is good'" Edward breathed. Teresa stared at him. "Are you okay?"
Teresa held up her arm and pulled back a sleeve. "This was written on my arm when I came up,"
Edward stared at the words, WICKED IS GOOD, written on her hand.
"How did you know that?" Teresa asked.
"Ever since my brother and arrived here, we've had these dreams. Well, we thought they were dreams. In one of my dreams, you– you were there. You were there, and you told me that everything was gonna change,"
Teresa blinked at her. "What does it mean?"
"I don't know. I– I just always get pieces,"
"And the others don't remember anything?"
"No. Why are we different?" Edward wondered.
Teresa was lost for words. She reached into her pocket and took out two vials of serum. "These were in my pocket when I came up," she gave them to Edward.
Examining them closely, Edward saw WICKED stamped at the end. "W.I.C.K.E.D. WICKED is good."
"What if we and your brother were sent here for a reason?" Teresa wondered.
Just then Edward remembered someone. "Alby,"
Thomas remained still in his position keeping on an eye on the girl who knew his brother's name.
"You don't have to keep worrying about him you know," Newt said.
"He's my brother. I have to be worried for him,"
"He's more capable than you think," Newt made Thomas turn to him.
"I know. I just...I feel responsible for him. We don't even know if our parents are alive or whether leaving this Maze means escaping the people who put us here," Thomas paused in his speaking when he noticed Newt looked rather...thoughtful. "Are you okay?"
"You know Tommy...you're quite lucky," Newt pulled him into a walk.
"Lucky? Lucky how?"
"That you got sent here with a loved one and that you can remember him,"
Thomas slowed down. "So you have a brother too?"
"In my case...I think it's a sister,"
"How do you know you have a sister?"
Newt paused in his footsteps and looked down sighing sadly. Thomas hated seeing him so upset. "Because of this," he reached behind his collar and pulled out the golden heart charm which he never took off. "This was around my neck when I came up. I know for a fact the other side must say SISTER. I don't know whether to be grateful to the people who put us for letting this charm come with me or not. For a long time since I came up, I always hoped that one day my sister would come up. But...when it seemed like old boys would be coming until...this strange girl who knows your brother's name came along...I gave up hope. I realised that the only way to find my sister again was to escape this maze,"
Thomas felt his heart falter hearing such a sad story. He noticed another pendent hidden behind Newt's collar. "What about your other necklace?" he asked.
Newt pulled it out. Thomas admired the blue donut-shaped pendant with the letters N + T engraved on it. For some reason...he looked rather curious.
"Who gave that to you?" he asked.
"Probably someone I loved before the Maze," Newt said. "I just wish I knew who she...or he was,"
"Hear this Newt," Thomas earned his attention. "Tomorrow Minho, Ed and I are going to check out Section 7 in the Maze tomorrow. And when we do, we're going to find a way out. And you're going to be reunited with your sister and your beloved when we do. I promise,"
Newt was both surprised and touched by his oath. "How do you do that?" he asked.
"Do what?"
"Keeping having hope?"
"I don't know," Thomas confessed. "All I know is that we can't stay here forever. We all have to keep trying. We all have loved ones waiting for us out there. And I know in my heart that there is a way out. I promise you Newt that we are going to get out of here,"
Newt didn't know what to say. He was about to say something when they heard the shriek of Edward screaming, "Thomas!"
They turned to see him and the girl jogging over to them.
Thomas noticed a change of colour in his little brother's face. "What is it Ed?"
"I think we might have a way to cure Alby," Edward noticed his respond bringing confusion to the two teens in front of him. "Okay. Guys...this is Teresa," he turned to Teresa. "Teresa, this is my brother Thomas and Newt the second in command of the Glade,"
"Hi strange girl who know Edward's name," Newt jokingly addressed.
"You alright now?" Thomas asked Teresa. "Not feeling nervous anymore,"
"I'm not scared anymore," she said. "Sorry for how I reacted,"
"What's that in your hand Edward?" Newt pointed to the vials in Edward's hands.
"These came up with Teresa. They could be a cure for Alby's condition," Edward's face was flooding with hope. "We may not have to banish him after all,"
Another chapter done. I must warn you all that I am starting University lectures next week so I will be preocupied with studying and clubs but I will try to update whenever I can. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought. I would love to hear your opinions. Hope you're all enjoying the start of this new school/college/university year.