I ran through the Maze, my heart pounding and my adrenaline pumping through my veins. I was behind schedule. Very behind schedule. The doors would close in the next twenty minutes and I was still a good thirty minutes away. I forced myself to run faster when I heard something. I slid to a stop, my heart hammering in my ears. For a moment, I heard nothing. Just as I was about to run, however, I heard it again. I turned my head, searching for the source of the noise.
Finally, I heard it clearly. Something was clicking and whirring, sending chills through my body. My blood ran cold. Around the corner, just fifteen feet away from, came a Griever. I had never seen one, but there was no doubting what it was. It was bulbous and dark, with spikes, shears and rods poking out from far too many places to be safe. I was frozen as it uncurled itself completely, seeming to stretch and turn. First, it looked opposite of me.
That’s when Minho’s words echoed in my head, “The number one Runner rule: ‘Never. Stop. Running.’”
Before I could move, the Griever turned to face me. The world froze. I couldn’t see the creature’s eyes, but it opened its mouth in a metalic like screech that sent my heart pounding. There was no time to think. I ran.
Blood pounded in my ears, but I could still hear the slaps of my feet hitting the concrete ground and the sounds of metallic clicking as the creature followed. I had never ran so fast, never pushed my body so hard - I had never been so afraid.
Newt’s words popped into my head, the same thing he said every morning before I left. “Be careful out there, Y/N. You come back to the Glade.”
I pushed myself harder. Each Glader popped into my head. Alby, Minho, Gally, Scott, Jeff, Winston, Alec, Wyck, Frypan, Doug, Rob, Zart - and so many more. Each Glader brought a new source of why I should run. A new source of why I should push my body past its limits to get away and make it back. If I could manage it.
The sounds of the Griever was growing louder. I took a sharp left turn, my body struggling to keep going at my current pace. I was almost to the Glade. I just needed to do another left turn and then a right turn - and then I would have to hope I could make it before the Glade sealed itself shut for the night.
As I made the final turn, I caught sight of several of the Gladers standing just outside the doors, waiting for me. My eyes landed on Newt.
Before I even realized what had happened, one of the Griever’s appendages reached out and snatched me. I screamed as loudly as I could, fear forcing my heart to beat until it felt like it would explode, and tears blurred my vision. I was going to die.
“Come back to me,” Newt whispered, hugging me. It was my first day running alone and I was a bit nervous. “Come back to me, Y/N. Don’t get stuck out there.”
“I’ll always come back for you, Newt,” I promised. And I meant it.
The Griever unleashed its stinger, aiming it right at me. Just as it sprung its stinger forward, I swung my body up. The Griever missed. I grabbed onto an exposed wire that was in the arm holding me and pulled on it with all my might. The Griever began to shake, twisting this way and that. Over the Griever’s noises, I heard the sounds of the wall beginning to close.
The Griever held me up by its face, screeching. I pulled back and with all my strength slammed my first forward, hitting the creature right in its face. It dropped me. I landed roughly on my back, but didn’t give myself enough time to feel the pain. I rolled over, springing to my feet and forcing myself to run. Everything was hurting. I rounded the corner and noticed the Griever wasn’t after me anymore - but I also noticed that most of the Gladers had left. The only three still there was Clint, Alby and - Newt. His hair was messed up, as if he had been constantly running his fingers through it.
“Y/N!” Newt shouted. He went to step forward, but Alby stopped him.
The doors were almost completely shut by the time I made it to the end. The walls were pressing down on me, uncomfortabley tight. Newt and Alby both grabbed my arm, pulling me through the rest of the way before the walls slammed shut. I fell to the ground between them, gasping for air. My body was covered in sweat and I couldn’t stop the tears from leaking from my eyes.
“Did it sting you?” Alby demanded, crouching down beside me.
Newt wrapped his arms around me. “Y/N, you’re okay. You made it. It’s okay.”
Alby put a hand on my shoulder. “Did it sting you?”
“N-no.”
Clint sat down in front of me. Somehow, I had ended up in Newt’s lap. He was holding me tight and whispering comforting words into my ear.
I was vaguely aware of being told that Clint had to check me out for any injuries, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand. When Newt adjusted me and stood up, I realized that I would not be walking. I would be carried.
______________________________________________________________
Later, I was laying on a cot in the Homestead, still lightly shaking from the incident. Clint had checked me out and said that, minus some bruising around my hips from the Griever grabbing me and a few scrapes here and there, I was perfectly fine. Still, they refused to let me leave the Homestead until tomorrow. I didn’t complain.
Newt sat on a chair beside my cot, never having left my side. He looked tired.
“I was so worried, Y/N. When Minho and the others got back and you hadn’t… I thought you weren’t going to bloody make it, Y/N.” Newt grabbed my hand. “I’ve never been so scared.”
“Newt, don’t leave me tonight. I don’t want to be alone.” I didn’t tell him about how I could still see the Griever. I didn’t tell him that I could still hear it coming after me. I didn’t have to.
“Here, move over. I’ll lay down with you.”
I slid over, lifting the blanket for Newt to slide under. Once he was under the cover, I let it fall on us. He pulled me to his chest, allowing me to rest my head there. Our hands were intertwined.
“I don’t want to run for awhile,” I mumbled.
“No one is going to make you go out there again, Y/N. I promise. I won’t let them.” Newt kissed my head, giving me a comforting squeeze.
We laid in silence for several minutes, just enjoying each other’s presence and the fact that I had made it back. Finally, Newt broke the silence.
“Y/N?”
“Yeah, Newt?”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
I sat up slightly, supporting myself with my elbow so that I could look down at Newt. I gave him a tiny smile. “Me too.”
I leaned down and kissed him. It wasn’t anything passionate - it was just a simple kiss that told him how grateful I was that he was with me.
“Y/N?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.” The blond smiled at me, his hair a mess and his brown eyes full of emotion.
“I love you, too, Newt.”
He pulled me down and kissed me sweetly once more.