Disconnection • Newt • Maze Runner

7 - Petrified

Dreams of tortuous places and a restless night was all Aspen experienced. After having woken up cured from the Flare, he'd tried his best to actually sleep well for the first time since the Changing.

That hadn't gone so well. He was haunted with wretched nightmares of himself after the Changing, hurting people. Specifically he'd dreamed of him hurting Newt, which pained him so much to the point where he awoke with glassy eyes.

He wiped them with his sleeve, ignoring the burning sensation of fabric against raw skin, before getting up and glancing out at the Glade.

He stood up, walking out into the grassy field and admiring the simplicity of it all. A grassy field, trees, buildings, and all encased among the concrete walls.

He trekked towards the garden, where he eyes Newt already hard at work. He admired the boys ability to be so focused yet still alert, at all times.

He slowly walked over to the boy, before leaning against a wooden pole, saying nothing. Newt didn't look up at him, merely smirked. "You seem rather upbeat, all things considered."

Aspen scoffed, crossing his arms. "You haven't even looked at me, how would you think I'm upbeat."

Newt smiled slyly before finally glancing up at the boy, and his smile dropped. Aspen had dark bags under his eyes, Red outer corners, the skin raw, and tired eyes filled with a light red tinge, likely from crying. "Shit."

"I'm fine." He rolled his eyes before beginning to join Newt as he began gardening himself, going to grab some fertilizer when he heard loud bangs and clattering from beyond, in the Maze.

Him and Newt, along with others, quickly ran over to the opening in the concrete walls as they waited frantically for Thomas and Minho to return.

"Now what the hell was going on out there?" The British boy exclaimed as the two boys came jogging out of the Maze.

"The hell you done now, Thomas." Gally said, annoyance lacing his words, as usual.

"We found something, a new passage, we think it could be a way out." Thomas said between heaving breaths and Aspen and Newt walked alongside Thomas and Minho.

"Really?"

Minho nodded. "It's true. We opened a door, something I've never seen before. I think it must be where the Grievers go during the day."

"How the Grievers get in, could be a way out. But it could also just be an easier route to getting murdered by those fucking things." Aspen spoke with a curious yet slightly worried expression on his features.

Chuck seemed to get it. "Wait, you're saying you found the Grievers's home? And you want us to go in?"

"Their way in could be our way out, Chuck." Thomas explained.

Aspen wasn't so on board. "It could also lead us to all being killed. Do you really want to take that chance?"

"Yeah, there could a dozen Grievers on the other side. The truth is, Thomas doesn't know what he's done, as usual." Gally yelled with a matter-of-fact tone.

Thomas turned, anger racing through his veins. "Yeah, well at least I did something, Gally. I mean, what have you done? Huh? Aside from hide behind these walls all the time."

"Let me tell you something, Greenie. You've been here three days, all right? I've been here three years."

Rage was bubbling to the surface, evident through Thomas' words. "Yeah you've been here three years, and you're still here, Gally. What does that tell you?"

"Thomas, he has a point. I mean do you really think you're so much better than him just because you found one thing he didn't? I mean he's been helping keeping things running for years, we've been here for three days and yet you seem to think you're so much better than everyone else." Aspen voiced as his own anger was coming on.

"Your supposed to be on my side."

"Says who?"

"Guys!" Teresa exclaimed. The group turned their attention to her. "It's Alby. He's awake."

Aspen waited outside as the others went in to talk to Alby. He didn't know if Alby would remember, and he didn't want to be there if he did. Aspen felt guilty for what he'd done, though he knew it wasn't his fault. Working for W.C.K.D meant you were being manipulated, constantly. It wasn't Thomas' or Aspen's fault that they were there, but Aspen felt guilt and shame bubbling in his stomach nonetheless. His train of thought was interrupted by the frantic and unhinged worried voices of the Gladers.

Aspen realized one thing, and it terrified him. The doors weren't closing. He stood there, staring out at the walls that spanned their way around the Glade, as Newt grasped his wrist and he looked up at the boy. Newt swallowed, fear present in his eyes as Aspen attempted to put up a strong front for the boy.

The doors not closing meant the Grievers could enter the Glade, which essentially meant they were all going to die. And by the looks of things, by the looks of the other doors also opening, that was well on its way to happening.

Death was certain, life was not. And in this instance, though Aspen preferred to go with certainty, he was utterly terrified of the uncertainly of the sanctity of his life right now.

Petrified.

A/N,
Sorry for a short chapter, im just getting back into the groove of writing again, im going to try and get another one out tomorrow, but i'm thinking about switching from a chapter a day to two or three chapters a week, that way I have more time and it's not as stressful. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter. <3