Disclaimer: I do not own The Maze Runner Series, any characters(besides my own), or any of the ideas. All rights belong to James Dashner.
Fair warning: This chapter will have a few quotes from the book. I'm sorry, please don't sue me!
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I felt a swift kick to my leg and my eyes quickly shot open, widening at the scene I was greeted with. My heart began to pound against my rib cage as I looked up at the gray, hazy sky. The sun was gone, no where to be found and panic rose to my throat. Shouts could be heard throughout the Glade. At least I'm not the only one panicking. I quickly locked eyes with Thomas, my eyes still wide with horror.
"What the klunk happened to the sky?"
"I don't know. Just get up and come with me."
I nodded and quickly rose to my feet, grabbing Thomas' hand and following him to the Box where mostly everyone else was. I don't know why I grabbed his hand, but it made me feel better. I glanced at the watch on my wrist, realizing that it was well past time for breakfast to be served and work to start. I suppose everyone is too preoccupied with the sun just vanishing out of the sky like it had never even been there in the first place. I narrowed my eyes at the thought as I felt something click into place inside my head. I stared up at the sky for a long time before I noticed Chuck walk up. He looked absolutely terrified as tremors wracked his pudgy frame.
"What do you think happened? Looks like a big gray ceiling. Close enough you could almost touch it."
I let go of Thomas' hand and quickly wrapped my arms around the younger boy. I smiled gently as I felt his tense muscles relax. I ruffled his hair once I let go before turning my attention back to the scene above me.
"You're a smart kid, you know that?"
Thomas observed us for a moment before finally speaking.
"Makes you wonder about this place, huh? Maybe something's broken. I mean, maybe it'll be back."
Chuck tore his eyes away from the sky and focused his attention on Thomas.
"Broken? What's that supposed to mean?"
Thomas seemed to be lost in a daze, so I decided to answer the boy instead.
"I have no idea what he is going on about. But, my best guess is that the sun won't be coming back anytime soon, if ever."
A soft sigh escaped my lips as I finally turned my full attention to Thomas, who was still lost in a daze. I waved my hand in front of his face.
"Tommy? What's goin' on in that thick skull of yours?"
He finally snapped out of it and looked me in the eyes.
"Huh? Oh, nothing. But, I'm sure Alby and Newt will figure out what's going on."
I nodded as I spotted Minho running up.
"Thomas! Quit your leisure time with Chucky and Clara here and let's get going. We're already late."
I blinked in surprise. Chuck opened his mouth and asked the same question that was running through my mind.
"You're still going out there?"
"Of course we are, shank. Don't you two have some sloppin' to do? If anything, it gives us even more reason to get our butts out there. If the sun's really gone it won't be long before plants and animals drop dead too. I think the desperation level just went up a notch."
"You mean we're going to stay out there overnight? Explore the walls a little more closely?"
"No, not yet. Maybe soon though. Man, what a way to wake up. Come on, let's go."
I finally spoke up without even thinking.
"Wait! Let me come with ya'll."
The boys turned and stared at me like I had lost my mind. I probably did. Going out into the Maze was the last thing I wanted to do after what happened last time, but I had to. I needed to help do something that was actually useful. It seemed pointless to stay around the Glade and clean after the turn of events. Besides, I wanted to try to look for Gally while we were in there. All I wanted was to find him and make sure he was alright and try to convince him to help us find a way out before we all dropped dead. I clenched my fists at my sides as I stared them down, showing that I didn't have a sudden change of heart. Minho studied me for a long moment before nodding and turning to jog off.
"Okay, come on. We don't have time to get you any running shoes, so you'll just have to deal with it."
"Fine with me. Chucky, you're in charge. Make sure everyone works hard!"
Once Chuck left to get to work, the boys ran off and quickly got ready. They came running back out and slung me a pack before heading to the kitchen to get breakfast. As we ate as quickly as possible, I noticed that Thomas was lost in thought once again. I knew whatever he was thinking about had to be important. So, I quickly grabbed his hand underneath the table and began to write letter after letter with my index finger. He was smart, so I knew that he would understand.
Tell me.
He hastily wrote something into my palm.
It's nothing.
I rolled my eyes and gave him a stern look before grabbing his palm once more.
Don't lie to me.
He gave me a defeated look before finally giving in.
She said something to me in my head again last night.
My eyebrow raised in curiosity.
Well?
She said she had just triggered the Ending.
I let go of his hand when I noticed Minho was done with his breakfast. I quickly gave Thomas a look, showing him that I wanted to talk more about it later. We all stood up and quickly made our way into the Maze. We hadn't gotten far into the Maze when we saw it. A Griever. My breath caught in my throat as I planted my feet firmly on the ground to stop myself from running away. Thomas and I pressed ourselves against the wall as we waited for Minho to peek around the corner. I ignored what Minho was saying as I franitcally tried to calm my racing heart. Before I knew it, they were running around the corner, leaving me behind.
I forced my legs to stop shaking as I turned the corner and sprinted after them. I couldn't help wishing that Gally was here. He always seemed to make me feel safe. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I followed behind Minho and Thomas. Why are we chasing a Griever anyway? Do these shanks have a death wish?! I ran right into Thomas' back and fell onto my butt. I gave him a glare and started to ask why he had stopped so suddenly when I caught sight of the end of the corridor. It was the Cliff.
I watched in amazement as the Griever ran right toward it, leaping out into the gray sky and disappearing. Minho and Thomas inched toward the edge of the Cliff, staring down into the gray abyss. Finally, Minho spoke.
"That settles it."
Thomas glanced at him before turning his attention back to the Cliff.
"Settles what?"
"We've seen it three times now. Something's up."
Finally, I pulled myself off the ground before walking over and standing behind them, curiosity overcoming my previous terror.
"Three times?"
"That dead Griever we saw ran this way and then Thomas and I tricked some Grievers into diving off the Cliff the other night when we were all trapped in here."
"Oh."
Thomas spoke up.
"Tricked? Maybe not such a trick."
Minho studied him for a moment before slightly nodding.
"Hmm. Anyway, then this. Not much doubt anymore. Somehow the Grievers can leave the Maze this way. looks like magic, but so does the sun disappearing."
Thomas decided to add on to Minho's previous statement as I listened intently.
"If they can leave this way so could we."
A surge of excitement shot through my body at his words and I was almost positive that my eyes lit up with happiness. Finally! A way out!
"There's your death wish again. Wanna hang out with the Grievers, have a sandwich, maybe?"
I pouted at Minho's words as Thomas retorted.
"Got any better ideas?"
"One thing at a time Greenie. Lets get some rocks and test this place out. There has to be some kind of hidden exit."
I immediately turned and ran off in a random direction, picking up as many loose stones as I could find. I searched for any sign of my missing friend as well, but unfortunately I found nothing. I gathered up as many rocks as I could find and made my way back to the Cliff, spotting the two boys instantly. They were already throwing rocks over the edge, trying to find a spot where they would disappear instead of just falling. I stood beside them and tossed a rock a little ways out, watching curiously as it disappeared.
"I think I found the spot."
"Oh? So you are actually good for something, then."
I rolled my eyes and punched Minho in the arm as he snickered a bit. I memorized the place quickly, realizing it wasn't very big at all. If someone just barely misses that they'll be done for. Minho shot me a look.
"Why are you just standing there? Write down dimensions and draw a diagram so that we can remember where the spot is."
"I already memorized it."
Thomas looked at me curiously as Minho spoke.
"What, you got some kind of shuck photographic memory or something?"
I rolled my eyes and tossed another rock in the exact same spot as last time, watching triumphantly as it disappeared.
"Dunno. Just shut your hole and be thankful that you don't have to spend too much time trying to memorize where it is. I don't think your tiny brain would be able to handle it, Min-Min."
"Haha, very funny. And Min-Min? Really, Clara? What are you, five?"
"I might be."
Minho rolled his eyes and stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothes.
"Let's get back."
Thomas and I nodded before following behind Minho as we headed back to the Glade.
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When we jogged into the Glade, Minho went straight for the map room, surprising me and Thomas.
"Aren't you dying to tell Newt and Alby about the Griver Hole?"
I giggled at Thomas' new name for the Cliff.
"Griever Hole? Cute. How long did it take you to come up with that one, Tommy?"
Thomas' face turned a bright shade of red and I playfully winked at him as we stepped into the map room.
"Hey, we're still Runners and we have a job. But, yeah. We'll do it quick so we can talk to them."
I looked around at the other Runners milling about. No one said anything as Thomas sat down and began to draw his map for the day. Minho stood over his shoulder the entire time, correcting him and helping him. An idea popped into my head as Thomas worked and I decided to ask Minho about it.
"Hey, Minho? Have ya'll ever compared different sections before?"
"Are you stupid? No, that would be a waste of time. We are trying to find a way out, Clara. Not waste time comparing the pretty pictures."
My jaw clamped shut as I restrained myself from snapping at him. After a moment, I calmed myself and spoke.
"That's probably why ya'll still haven't found a way out, Slinthead."
Thomas finally finished and we walked out of the map room, instantly spotting Newt and Alby walking up. They didn't look very happy. I drowned out the conversation as Minho tried to figure out what was wrong. I couldn't help but notice an almost disappointed look in Alby's eyes when Minho informed them that we had found something. Do you not want us to leave, Alby? I snapped back to reality as Newt explained the reason for their bad mood.
"Bloody supplies didn't come today. Come every week for two years, same time, same day. But not today."
I rolled my eyes a bit.
"I could've told you that. What part of that note did you guys not understand?"
Alby glared at me as he spoke.
"Slim it, Clara! We thought that they wouldn't send us anymore Greenies! We didn't think that they would stop sending supplies, too!"
Minho finally spoke, his voice a mere whisper.
"Oh, we're shucked for good now."
"No sun for the plants, no supplies from the bloody Box..yeah, I'd say we're shucked alright."
Minho finally changed the topic, beginning to explain what we had found today. Before he could explain it in detail, we all heard a commotion outside the Homestead. A group of Gladers were shouting excitedly about something. I spotted Chuck in the crowd and he quickly made his way over to our group, a thin layer of sweat covering his face from the effort. Newt spoke first.
"What's going on?"
"She's awake! The girl's awake!"
Mixed emotions swirled through my entire body at the news. I didn't know whether to be excited or worried. Something about that girl gave me a bad feeling. I guess I'm just being paranoid..
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A/N: Here's Chapter Fourteen! Hope everyone enjoys it! Things are about to get real and if you've read the book, I'm sure you know what's coming next! :( I've decided to shorten the chapters from now on to prolong the ending. Hope everyone's okay with that! Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated! Please don't be a ghost reader! It makes me really sad when I don't get any kind of feedback :( If you like this story, please tell your friends about it so they can read it too! Thank you so much for sticking with this story!
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