Gladers ran around, the sun now shining, the dead heat returning. Newt sighed, dreading the moment the sun would fall. We sat in the map room surrounded by the Gladers who sat around patiently to hear a plan.
We knew the words- the code. We knew where to go- the cliff. We knew not many would make it.
Newt kept looking at me like it'd be the last time. No one smiled or laughed and with those doors still open it felt like no one ever would.
Minho was still acting strangely. It reminded me of the beef between Newt, Gally, and Ben but they were both gone so there was no way they could be involved. That is unless there was a third partner.
"Nina, can we talk?" Minho asked, approaching while I sat still on a cot. I nodded before following him to the edge of the forest and sitting back down. "Listen, we can't keep waiting for you to get better. It's been, what, three days? Newt is set on getting out with you." I looked down at the ground, wondering what, whoever, had on him. "But I've been thinking," he started. "Wicked didn't let you come in here. If they had you would've come from the box. You were running weren't you?" He asked. "From Wicked?" I nodded. "If you went back, they'd kill you?" I shrugged, unsure. Then I thought to Thomas, wondering if he'd seen something.
Have you seen Minho talking with anyone. . . weird?
What d- mean by weird? Telepath weird?
Anyone suspicious?
Minho began to ramble on about his ideas for leaving me behind, hiding me, with food and water, till I got better. He wouldn't stop.
There is one guy. Seems to be an off and on fight every time.
Who?
I don't know, I'll find him. Meet- washrooms?
Edge of the forest
Okay
"I don't know if you'd be safe there either. Are you even listening?" I shook my head no. He sighed and stood up. "I'll talk to Newt again." With that, he left and I stayed, not wanting to burn the pits of my arms with the godawful crutches.
Soon I spotted him, leading someone towards us. He was a tall, pudgy boy, with dark, long hair. He wore cargo shorts with a light shirt and carried a machete on his belt. A slicer.
He thinks we're getting wood.
Thomas could only talk to me by squinting his eyes and focusing really hard. It was cute the way he scrunched up his face, trying so much harder than necessary.
I could only wonder what he'd done to be sent here. He worked for Wicked. He was one of Ava's favorites- no one really knows why. After all, he might be my brother, and now, thinking about it, he could be the kids I saw in my dream, so I should've been looking into him more than I already was.
"Angelina, this is Wyck." He gave a small wave before slightly rolling his eyes.
Take his knife.
I ordered Thomas. He looked at me strangely, tilting his head in a way of question. I nodded before he asked to borrow it. The kid eyed him but saw a branch in front of Thomas and figured that's why he wanted it. He handed it over and Thomas passed it to me before grabbing him by the shirt and pushing him onto the tree.
Ask him what he has on Minho.
"Thomas! What the hell?" He growled, trying to push him off. I stood beside him, while Wyck's eyes darted between him and the knife in my hand.
"What do you have on Minho?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Thomas grabbed the knife from me and put it to his throat.
"What do you have on Minho!" He snarled again. Minho noticed. He eyed us as soon as the kid came near us so he ran, seeing our interrogation.
"Thomas put down the knife!" He yelled.
Ask Minho
"What's he got on you? Why are you taking orders from him?" Tom yelled, not taking his eyes off of Wyck.
"Why do you think I'm taking orders?" Minho yelled back, looking towards me.
You asked me to give up! To sit here and die while you live!
Thomas winced at my yelling but kept his guard up.
"You asked her to give up," he stared at Wyck. "To stay here and die while we live." Minho sighed.
"I was hoping you'd get the hint." I sighed in relief that I was right. It was unlike his character but I doubted my suspicions while we threatened a random boy with a knife. "This shank's been threatening to kill Newt for weeks. He wanted me to convince you to stay so we could run and leave you behind. He's one of Gally's." Minho spat at him.
"I'll kill her too," He screamed. "Do what Gally never could!" He eyed me up and down as I now stood on the crutches. "But not before I put my di-" Minho smashed his fist into Wyck's face, surprising Thomas, who let go. Wyck fell to the ground unconscious while my eyes watered with anger and fear. I sat back down and put my head in my hands. Every part of me just wanted to give up. Every part of me wanted to listen to Minho.
The only thing we could come up with was leaving me behind to get out when I'm ready but I was ready. Some gladers didn't even want to try. They made a firm decision that they were staying. A stupid idea, of course, but they were just too scared to run the maze. They'd thrown Wyck in the slammer. If they were to let him out and I was still here, there's no way I could fight back. He'd kill me.
But if I escaped the Maze through the door rather than the cliff, WICKED would kill me for running away, knowing too much. There was a slight chance they'd even fix me and try to erase my memory again but I couldn't let that happen. In case the gladers ran into the wrong people I had to be there to warn them.
The gladers jump off the cliff. I'll go through the back door.
Thomas looked towards me. A relaxed face yet a sad one.
Can you hear your own voice?
I shook my head no.
It's so sweet.
His eyes softened, drifting towards the ground and then back up again.
You're my sister. Whether it's true or not that means something to me. I can't leave you and wonder how you'll be every night. You can't do this alone.
I looked at his eyes but he was squeezing them shut trying to focus. Still, he stumbled on certain words but I understood the gist of things.
I can't ask you to stay, Tommy. If I go with you, WICKED will kill me and if you wait for me here the grievers will come back. They'll kill us both.
Don't ask then. I'll stay. I'll stay with you.
Thomas, no. If I've ever been your friend you'd leave me here-
That's not fair, you can't say that.
The Creators have big plans for you, Tommy, all of you. You have to stop them. The gladers need you. I don't.
Minho stared at us. "What's she saying?" He asked. Thomas's face relaxed as he opened his eyes and looked at Minho.
"She wants us to leave her here. She'll escape from the door when she can but it'll be awhile before she'll be able to leave."
"A broken ankle takes weeks to heal," Minho added.
"Six," Clint chimed in. I sighed, before putting my face in my hands and pushing as hard as I could. People began to whisper around us. "She was in the hospital for two weeks and the days before and now would equal a third so she's only got three weeks left."
"She'll be dead by then," Minho snapped as if it were Clint's fault.
"Those who are staying here in the glade can leave. Figure out your plans," Newt order. A few people filed out, others waited for news. "Everyone else, we need ideas."
"We're gonna have to fight. A lot of us will die." Thomas said first.
"Thomas, Chuck, and Teresa have to jump through first. They can put in the code and those who survive can jump through too." Minho added.
"How do we fight them?" Asked Adam, from before. Thomas looked up from his hands.
"With whatever we have."