𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄 | 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬. 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒

ː࿓ ˚ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 7

previously on 'escape'

"Did you see a griever?" A boy asked

"Yeah" Amelia said

"They didn't only see it but she killed it too" Minho told the others. A proud smirk was plastered on his face.

Everyone looked at Amelia, shocked.

"Staring is rude" Amelia said to all the boys who were looking at her dumbfounded

"Okay, come on. Get back to work." Newt Commanded. One thing about him was that he was second-in-command. Whenever Alby wasn't around, he'd give the orders.

Not long after, All the boys left. As soon as they did, Newt engulfed the three in a hug. "Bloody hell! What was that?" He asked them.

"I'm not too sure either" Minho said, chuckling at the end.

Amelia sighed and lied down on the grass. It felt like heaven after what she had just experienced.

"Don't get so cozy. By the look on Gally's face, It looked like we are going to have a gathering"

Amelia looked at Newt from her position on the ground and asked, "Wait, what's a gathering?"

None of the boys replied. They just got up and left for the gathering area.

Amelia quickly got up and ran in order to catch up with them

She then asked, "Hey! Who's Gally"

Still no reply

She groaned and followed the boys like a 3-year-old who just had to do something against their own will.

The Gathering

"Things are changing" Gally began, "There's no denying that. First Ben gets stung in broad daylight, and then Alby... Now are greenies have taken it upon themselves to go into the maze, which is a clear violation of our rules here." Amelia instantly hated the guy and from the looks of it, Thomas did too.

"Yeah but they saved Alby's life" Frypan says

"Did they?" Gally asks. "For 3 years we have co-existed with these things. And now, they have killed one of them. Who knows what that could mean for us?"

Newt then stood up and asks, "What do you suggest we do?"

"They have to be punished"

Everyone starts opposing to Gally's statement.

"Minho" Newt began, "You were there with him, what do you think?"

Minho got up from the place he was sitting in and said, "I think that in all the time we have been here, no one has ever killed a griever before. When I turned tail and ran, these dumb shanks stood behind to help Alby. Look, I don't know if they are brave or stupid, but whatever it is, we need more of it".

He took a pause and said, "I say we make them runners".

"A runner?!" Frypan exclaimed. Amelia had been quite shocked herself at his statement. Everyone starts talking in murmurs, discussing with one another. Amelia looked at Thomas and noticed he was just as shocked. She then saw Newt smiling. He seemed to be agreeing with Minho's decision.

"Minho, let's not jump the gun here" Frypan says. Everyone started talking louder. Just then, Chuck started chanting, "Thomas! Amelia! Thomas! Amelia!" But when no one joined him, he stopped.

"If you want to throw the newbies a parade, that's fine." Gally said angrily. O ahead. But if there is one thing I know about the maze is that you do not-"

Gally was cut off by the door of the gathering room opening. There stood a boy, looking as insane as a psychopath. He seemed to be consumed by bloodlust. He was looking directly at Thomas. Not long after, He jumped at Thomas and saying things like "It's all your fault".

Amelia was lost. It all happened so fast. She hadn't even gotten the time to take it all in when suddenly the boys head snapped towards Amelia. He had the same bloodlust look on his face. "And you" he said, getting off Thomas so he could go after the girl.

Right when he was about to attack Amelia, it was as if a switch clicked in him. He suddenly stopped what he was doing and fell to the ground. Newt kneeled beside him and lifted his shirt to reveal that he too, had been stung. Just like Alby.

"How..." Minho began, "How did he get stung in broad daylight"

Newt got up and looked at Minho. "I have no shucking clue" he answered.

The boy was whimpering on the floor. Begging for them to let him live. Amelia was beyond confused. She had only been here for a few days and already so much has happened. Minho looked at Newt, already knowing what needed to be done. Newt nodded at his look. Somehow telling him through his eyes that what he thinks needs to be done, is correct. "Take him to the slammers, he will be banished at sundown." He ordered. A few boys quickly got to work.

Amelia turned to Newt and was just about to ask him what happened but before she could, he told her, "Go get some rest. You must be exhausted". Amelia didn't have the energy to protest, so she just nodded and went to take a nap in her hammock.

Time skip to sundown

Amelia woke up to a few boys shouting. She got out of her hammock to see what the chaos was about. She saw Minho dragging the stung boy to the closing doors of the glade and then he joined a circle of boys holding sticks to keep the boy from escaping. Amelia ran up to the spot. It didn't take her long to find Thomas. She went over to him and asked, "What's happening?". Thomas just shrug in response as he too, didn't have any idea of what was going on.

The boys holding sticks, then started to inch closer and closer to the boy. All pointing their sticks at him. The infected boy kept begging, but to no avail. The circle of boys pushed him into the maze just as the walls closed, and then, he was gone.

All boys sighed. Some even cried. Newt sighed and said, "He belongs to the maze now." And with that, he left.