AFTER SHE AND MINHO had gone to visit thomas and teresa to come up with a plan to save them, lyn began to feel a terrible burning sensation in the back of her head.
she didn't mention it for a few minutes, but soon after it started it became too much to handle. she couldn't form proper sentences and struggled even to piece together the things her friends were saying to her: every word resulted in more excruciating pain. eventually she turned to minho and told him she was just going to get a drink, but would be back in no time at all. she didn't want to worry him by telling her about the agony she was in, and even though she could see concern plastered across his face, he didn't press her to tell him what was wrong.
she walked over to the water tap by the homestead, and tried her best to fill a cup (which proved difficult since now dizziness had been added to her list of symptoms).
then she heard a voice in her head, only this time it wasn't minho's — it was the same one that had told her to run into the maze a few nights prior.
only this time, it threatened both her and minho.
get back in the box you came up in, lyn, or we'll kill you and minho. don't let anybody see you. the monotonous voice instructed.
so she did it. what else was she supposed to do?
she clambered down into the box, her head still in agonising pain, and sat down, hugging her knees just like she had the week before when she'd been sent up in the first place. only now, she had something to lose — minho. and all of her friends. back then, she had nothing.
the doors shut, and she heard shouts up above as boys came running.
"did lyn climb in there?" she heard gally ask.
minho arrived at that point, presumably looking for lyn to make sure she was okay, and heard gally mention her name.
"lyn's in there?" he asked frantically. she could feel him banging on the doors. "lyn!" he cried. "lyn!!!"
she let a tear fall down her face. any second now, the box would begin its journey down, and she might never see minho again.
lyn, where are you? his voice rang in her head. are you in the box?
she didn't know if she'd be allowed to answer, whether the people who told her to get back in the box would punish her or not. but her passion for minho outweighed her worry of the consequences.
yes, i'm in the box. they told me to get in. i think they're taking me away.
i — i don't know what to say. she heard. if this really is goodbye, then... i love —
the agony in lyn's head became too intense for her to maintain contact with minho before he could communicate his final words to her. he screamed and banged on the doors as the box began to travel downwards, and lyn became oblivious to his cries as she drifted into a peaceful slumber.
• • •
END OF BOOK ONE.