The doors began to open and I held my breath. As soon as I could see into the maze, I was stretching, craning my head to look through the concrete doors. Nothing. Nobody. I stopped moving, probably stopped breathing too. My heart sank so low I could feel it in my toes.
"They can't be gone." I murmured. Newt put his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry but I've been trying to tell you." I bit my bottom lip to prevent myself from shouting at him. No. He didn't understand. Thomas was the end game. He was supposed to save everyone. Newt's hand fell from my shoulder as he began to walk away. I refused to look away from the entrance of the maze. If I looked away, if I even blinked, I might miss something. Some sign or some clue that would tell me they were still alive.
Tears were welling up at the corners of my eyes, I could feel it. I didn't dare blink to try to wipe the, away though. That might just make them fall. I wanted them to dry out and..
A flash of movement caught my eye. I stared at the right corner of the maze where the corridor turned off. Something had moved. I had seen it. My stomach churned at the thought of a Griever rolling out of the maze and into the Glade but it wasn't a Griever it was..
"Minho?" I shouted my heart was pounding now as two ragged figures walked slowly out of the maze towards the doors. "Minho!" I shouted louder. Then, "Thomas! Newt! Guys! They're back!" Newt turned immediately and ran towards me and the doors but I was running to them. They were just about to cross back into the Glade. "Minho." My heart dropped when I saw the look on his face. He was covered in dirt and looked like he had just fought and won a thousand battles.
I couldn't help myself as I ran towards him, I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He seemed confused by the contact, as if he had never been hugged before and maybe he hadn't, at least not by a girl anyways. "I can't believe you're alive." I chocked out, burying my head in his shoulder. His arms came around my waist slowly but he held onto me tight.
"It's gonna take a lot more than some Grievers to get rid of me cupcake." I pulled back and rolled my eyes at him before hugging Thomas in the same way I had hugged Minho.
"I thought you guys were dead." I said lowly.
"We're fine but we have to.." I pushed back and hit Thomas shoulder. "Ow!" He cried out.
"What the hell were you thinking!" I shouted, gesturing towards the maze. "Why did you run in there! That was a stupid, boneheaded move." I hit his arm again.
"Ow! Jesus Mallory I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."
"Well don't do something like that again." I commanded. Minho snickered next to us and Newt looked amused as well. By then more people were gathering, amazed to see Minho and Thomas alive. Nobody mentioned Alby. If he didn't walk out with them, that must have meant something happened to him and even though a lump formed in my throat thinking about it I was just glad to have Thomas and Minho alive and well.
"I'll try not to." Thomas said, rolling his eyes at me. "In the meantime, we should get Alby down." I gave him a startled look.
"You have to what? Get Alby down?" I demanded. Thomas nodded.
"Minho knows. He's just tied to the wall over there. I think he's still alive." Thomas said, scratching his head and glancing back at the Maze. I glanced over his shoulder and then looked over at Minho who shrugged.
"Yeah, he's up there. Our fearless leader. Where's the damn Medjacks. He's been stung. If he's not dead, he's going to need some of that Grief Serum." Minho grumbled gesturing up with his hand, though I didn't know what he meant. I frowned and grabbed both of their wrists.
"I am a Medjack and I need to check you two out." I began, pulling on their arms. Minho shook my hand off of him.
"We're fine women. Just go help them get Alby down." I punched his arm, glaring at him.
"Don't call me women and don't say you're fine. If you're not injured, I'll hurt you myself. Now come on. We're going to the Homestead." Newt started chuckling as he sent in several of the runners to the maze to find Alby.
"You two better do as she says. She means business." I nodded my head in an affirmative at Newt's cocky smile. Minho sighed but stopped putting up a fight.
"Your arm is bleeding." I told Thomas. He winced as I touched the cut as if he just realized he had it. "You guys also stink by the way."
"Thanks for ruining my self esteem princess." Minho said, knocking his shoulder against mine. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.
"I couldn't put a damper on your self esteem even if I tried." Minho smirked and Thomas looked a little uncomfortable, like he was a third wheel or something. I pursed my lips and said nothing the rest of the walk to the house. I noticed all the stares we received, or rather, they received. It was like they had been brought back from the dead. Minho seemed to love the attention though.
I took them upstairs, past the room we had placed Teresa in. I popped my head in to see Jeff trying to feed her. "Hey Jeff need any help? Is Clint out there?" I asked him. Jeff glanced back at me and nearly fell out of his chair upon seeing Thomas and Minho.
"Guys! You're okay I heard but I didn't think.. It's great to see you." Jeff said enthusiastically, standing and smiling.
"I'm going to check them out and then put them to bed, is she okay?" I asked, gesturing towards Teresa. Jeff glanced back at her and nodded.
"Yeah, still knocked out. Still muttering his... I mean still saying things under her breath." I rolled my eyes at him when he almost spilled that Teresa was saying Thomas' name.
"Okay, we'll just be over here. Toss me that roll of bandages will ya." He grabbed them off the table and threw them in an arc towards me. Catching them, I smirked and waved goodbye heading into a different room.
"You're going to put us to bed? You gonna tuck us in and kiss us goodnight while you're at it?" Minho joked. I glared at him.
"Keep going and I'll probably just punch you in the face." Minho grinned. I checked them all over for cuts and bruises and made sure that nothing hurt like their ribs or their arms and legs. Minho grumbled the entire time that I was being too thorough and I kept telling him to shut up and sit still.
It was a great excuse to poke and prod them and I particularly liked the part where I got Minho to take his shirt off. He was cocky about it and said I just wanted to see his muscles which was kind of true but I made Thomas do the same thing which he was all blushy and awkward about. I managed to keep a straight face and not get all flustered and they had their shirts back on a minute after they took them off.
"Want us to strip at the waist too Malls." I glared at Minho as he spoke and shook my head.
"No, go to shucking bed." I commanded, rolling my eyes. "Hey, hey! Take your shoes off." I shouted as Minho put his feet up on the sheets. He grinned like the only reason he had done it was so I would yell at him.
"Hey, Mallory." Thomas called out as I was about to head out of the room. I glanced back at him. "Is that other girl okay?"
"Yeah I think she's fine." I smiled warily. "Goodnight guys." I said softly. They were asleep before I even closed the door to the room.
Back in the Glade, I ran towards the doors where Newt was standing just on the outskirts of the entrance. I glanced inside and saw several people off to the side struggling to do something with the vines and the wall. "Are they okay." Newt asked, arching an eyebrow at me. I nodded.
"Thomas had a cut on his arm but Minho was fine. What are they doing in there?" I questioned, gesturing to the boys.
"Apparently Alby is tied to the wall with vines." I arched my eyebrows, surprised.
"They did that? And the Grievers left him alone?" I questioned. Newt shrugged.
"Apparently." I frowned. That was unlike Wicked.
"Did they say anything about how they survived?" I shook my head.
"And they're asleep right now. I don't want to bother them until later." Newt nodded in understanding.
"Well, as soon a s they finish getting Alby down, and get the Grief Serum into him, we should try to have a Gathering."
"Are you telling me because I'm invited?" I questioned smiling broadly. Newt sighed.
"I'm telling you because you'd worm your way in anyways." My smiled broadened.
"Well, you're not wrong." Newt laughed lightly.