maze to her heart ~ newt¹✓

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟 | awake

AWAKE

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That night, Rae went to bed at peace for once. Although her nightmares didn't normally faze her, there was some relief when she didn't have one that night. Instead, she dreamt about the blonde boy who managed to capture her heart.

She didn't want to wake up from that dream because she knew it was only a dream and not a reality. However, by the time she did wake up, it was already past sunrise and well into the day. Scrambling out of her hammock, Rae was greeted by Chuck.

"Hey, Chuck," Rae grinned as she ruffled the boy's curly hair. "Did Newt send off Minho and Thomas?"

"Yeah. He was actually looking for you."

Rae stared at the young boy for a second. Maybe this was the time to finally tell Newt how she felt. But, realization struck the redhead. "He'll find me. The Glade's not that big. Do you mind helping me out with the animals?"

The two headed to the animal pens where the cows, pigs, and chickens were held. Normally, the box would send up some new animals each month, but nothing else had come up since Thomas, except Teresa. Rae had no idea how long these animals would keep them alive for, which only made the need to get out of the maze more urgent.

Still, Rae needed help feeding the animals, the one job she hated doing. The cows ate the grass, but the pigs and chickens needed food pellets. The shed behind the animal pens where the food was kept was where Rae and Chuck headed. Inside, Rae picked up the pigs' food and Chuck picked up the bag of chicken food. They headed back outside and Rae stepped into the pig pen. The chubby pink animals didn't mind Rae at first, but once she started pouring the food into the wooden tub, all the pigs rushed her way, almost knocking her over.

Obviously fed up, Rae was glad when she saw Teresa walking towards them. She threw the empty bag into the bin as Teresa stopped in front of the pen.

"It's Alby. He's awake," Rae turned to Chuck and told the boy to inform Newt to go to the medbay. Together, the redhead and the dark-haired girl walked to the medbay. When Rae stepped inside, she noticed right away that Alby was sitting up on his cot, staring in front of him, his expression blank. Rae slowly approached her true second-in-command and sat down next to him on the cot. For some reason, Alby looked... distraught. His eyes were plain brown orbs, with no emotion to them, his face fell to a downcast.

"Alby, it's me." Rae spoke softly as to not frighten him. God only knew what Alby had endured to make him silent. He continued to stare at the cot in front of him as if it was a big dark void. Before Rae could get anything out of him, the door to the medbay swung open and in rushed in some Gladers. Newt was the first one in, so he sat on the other side of Alby.

For the first time in a long time, well, what seemed like a long time to Rae, she and the blonde made eye contact. "Has he said anything?"

Rae shook her head. With their many attempts, the blonde and the redhead couldn't pry a word out of Alby until Thomas tried. 

"Alby, we might have just found a way out of the maze," Thomas whispered, Rae immediately turning his way. A way out? "Do you hear me? We could be getting out of here."

After a few seconds, Alby stammered, "We can't. We can't leave. They won't let us." He was shivering, goosebumps appearing all over his arms as the memories flooded his brain once again. "I remember."

"What do you remember?" Thomas asked again.

This time, Alby turned to the Greenie and responded with a simple, "You."

Rae had no idea what Alby meant by that, but what she did remember is that Ben had said a similar thing. He's the reason. Was she supposed to trust the word of Alby and Ben?

"What about me?"

"You were always their favorite, Thomas. Always. Why did you do this? Why did you come here? Why did you do that to your own sister?"

Sister? Maybe Alby was telling the truth. He couldn't have made all that stuff up and matched it with Ben's story. Rae was split on who to trust. On one hand, Thomas had gotten the Gladers so far in their mission to find an exit in just a few days, but on the other hand, his and Teresa's timing for coming into the maze was rather weird.

From outside the hut, some of the Gladers were shouting and barking orders, which was odd. The Gladers inside the hut ran outside only to see the rest of the boys in complete chaos. Many of them were running around carrying torches, while others carried long wooden spears.

"Winston," Rae stopped the Keeper in his tracks. "What's going on?"

"It's the doors. They aren't closing."

~~~

a/n

i promise they'll be some rae and newt interaction in the next chapter. i know y'all are dying for it.

xoxo meg