THE MAZE RUNNER • labyrinth

14 : i can barely breathe

"our love has grown a garden inside my rib cage,
and sometimes i can barely breathe."

☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒

he began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.

metal ground against metal; a lurching shudder shook the floor beneath him. he fell down at the sudden movement and shuffled backward on his hands and feet, drops of sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air.

his back struck a hard metal wall; he slid along it until he hit the corner of the room. sinking to the floor, he pulled his legs up tight against his body, hoping his eyes would soon adjust to the darkness.

with another jolt, the room jerked upward like an old lift in a mine shaft.

his mind swarmed with blurry memories. he remembered a girl with silvery blonde hair and wide grey eyes. but they were slipping away with every second that ticked by. the girl in his head said the same thing over and over, we'll find a way.

he fought to keep the memory, her voice, her face, but like a cloud, it kept floating further and further away. he hit his head with his hand and screamed, "who are you?!"

he froze.

hayley.

it was hayley. his stomach dropped at the fact that he nearly forgotten her. he didn't even know her name. "no," he growled. "i won't forget her!"

"hayley!" he screamed in agony. she was drifting further and further away no matter how hard her tried to fight it. his screams echoed down the elevator shaft and increased its volume.

"thomas..."

again, he froze. that didn't come from him. it came from the girl in his head. "hayley," he repeated angrily to himself, hating himself for forgetting again. he could hear her coughing out what sounded like water. he moved closer and reached her.

"it's-it's me," he stammered. "it's thomas."

"thomas..." he heard her whisper. she sounded scared and he could hear her fast breathing. she was having a panic attack. "thomas, i-i can't- i can't breathe."

"it's going to be okay," he said, sitting down in front of her. "remember your promise. focus on the sound of my voice."

"thomas something's happening," she whimpered. "i can't remember anything, it's slipping away."

thomas knew it was only a matter of minutes before they lost everything. tears formed in his eyes, he had to tell her everything before the memories were gone forever; before she was gone forever.

"hayley," his voice came out shaky and scared. "it's going to be okay, i promise. remember what i told you."

he grabbed her hand and lifted it up so she could see the red ribbon. "remember the ribbon wrapped around your wrist. you won't remember what i told you in the closet but you might be able to feel what it symbolizes."

she reached out and grabbed ahold of his hand. "i will."

thomas held onto her hand tightly, like if he held hard enough he won't forget, but like everyone else sent up into the maze, they won't remember anything.

he stared into her deep grey eyes with his blood-shot ones. "hayley, i love you," he said quietly.

they paused, looking into each other's eyes. thomas swallowed and held his breath. his eyes searched hers and he leaned into her, his lips drawing nearer. he stopped inches away, his eyes drifted down to her lips, savoring the moment until finally his lips locked with hers.

after a few moments, their lips parted.

"i had to do that," he whispered. "even if it is only once."

she leaned her forehead against his. "i love you too, thomas."

and that was the last thing either of them heard and said, because a split second later their bodies fell to the floor and every memory they had slipped away into the void.

if i can't find a gif for the beginning of the chapter, i'll add a quote (:

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