Into The WICKED Maze | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

52. Like a miracle

As we made our way back to the gate, I could hear it opening from far away. I wondered if the gladers were just standing in front of it waiting for us, if they still believed that we could have made it. But I was sure they assumed we were dead. I could just imagine the look on Newt's face when we didn't stand behind the opening gate and come tumbling out.
At the thought of Newt, I quickened my steps, forgetting the weight of Alby's legs on my arms. All I wanted was to turn the next corner and see him, having thought twelve hours ago that I would never look him in the eye again.
Finally we turned the last corner and I saw Chuck, the last one standing in front of the gate, shoulders slumped, looking after the other gladers who had apparently all waited until they saw we weren't there. I saw Newt, who was also walking away, his hands in front of his face as if to hide tears. Gally didn't seem to be there. I could picture very clearly how he had run into his cabin last night, slammed the door behind him and thrown himself on his bed, from which he probably hadn't moved since.
Zart, who was still closest to Chuck, turned around once more with his shoulders slumped and froze when he saw us. He said something and Chuck turned to us too, his mouth hanging open.
Now everyone turned and caught sight of us and I could see the sadness on Newt's face give way to a new emotion - joy, amazement and relief.
"YEAH!" Chuck shouted. And then over and over, "Yes! Yeah! Yeah!" He was jumping up and down with joy.
When we reached the glade Thomas shouted, "Help me!" and we collapsed under Alby's weight at the exact moment Fry Pan shouted, "I got him, I got him, I got him!"
Together with others, including Newt, they carefully laid him down on the grass and gathered around him.
Minho, Thomas and I also dropped to the grass and gasped for breath. The gladers around us bombarded us with questions like "How'd you guys make it out?" and "What happened out there?" but I barely heard them. All I was aware of were the dark brown eyes now looming over me and the warm hands touching my face and stroking through my hair.
Newt was kneeling in front of me and I could see nothing but relief in his eyes. He ran his hands through my hair and over my face as if he was touching me for the first time and needed to savour it. I saw a tear roll down his cheek and brushed it away with trembling hands. Then I straightened up with the last of my strength and wrapped my arms around his neck. Sobbing softly with joy, I clasped him.
"I thought I had lost you..." he whispered in my ear and then kissed me.
I closed my eyes and didn't open them again until Chuck asked right beside me, "You saw a Griever?"
Minho and I exchanged a look.
"Yeah, I saw one," Thomas replied, still out of breath.
"He didn't just see it - he killed it," Minho said, looking meaningfully at the others. Now all eyes were on Thomas and Chuck looked from one to the other, fascinated.
"Come on, let's get Alby out of here," Clint said and together with Jeff, Fry Pan and Winston they carried him into the sani hut where they tied him to the cot.
The two med-jacks examined us and Jeff found that apart from scratches and abrasions there was nothing wrong with me, nor with Minho and Thomas. As I waited for Clint to allow me to go into my own hut where I was just going to lie down, someone yanked the door open and I startled up.
There stood Gally staring at me before he was in front of me in three leaps and pulled me up to him. He hugged me tightly and I could feel his heartbeat going faster than normal. He must have been running.
"Damn, I thought I'd never see you again," he groaned out, still holding me close.
"I also thought we wouldn't make it out alive. But Thomas helped us..." I continued, but he interrupted me.
"That's the cue. We'll all meet at the meeting hut in ten minutes. Can you make it?" he asked, detaching himself from me a little and looking questioningly over at Clint.
He nodded. "What's there to talk about?"
"That should be obvious," Gally said, finally letting go of me and disappearing again before Clint could ask anything else.
Minho and I again exchanged a meaningful look. That couldn't be good, the way he had looked at Thomas.
All of a sudden I was wide awake again.