Sanction -Minho-

Chapter 21

Grace sat on the stump with Thomas and Chuck. Recently, she found herself at the Gardens a lot. Something about Thomas felt familiar, making her want to be around him and get to know him more.

He was nice but curious. Grace thought that his curiosity was a good thing. Most Greenies weren't that way. They did as told without issues. "But why would Alby go into the Maze?" It was the tenth question he asked in the last five minutes. "He's not a Runner." Grace watched as Chuck fiddled with a carving he was making.

"Things are different now," Newt explained. "Alby went with Minho to retrace Ben's footsteps. Are you going to help us?"

Thomas ignored his question. "So, they're going to go back to where Ben was just stung?" It seemed silly to him. Grace hated that she agreed. It could be dangerous.

"Alby knows what he is doing. He knows better than any of us."

Thomas sighed, "what does that mean?"

Newt stopped hacking at the stump. "Okay, you've heard about the box, right? Every month the box sends up a new arrival. Well, someone had to be first. Someone had to have spent an entire month here alone. That was Alby." Grace watched Newt as he spoke. "It wasn't easy, but then one after another, a new Greenie would arrive. He saw this place for what it is." Newt started hitting the stump with his machete again. "He learned that the most important thing was that we all have each other. We are in this together."

Grace had heard this story before. Thomas went silent. He looked at Chuck and then at Grace. He seemed to have a better understanding of what this place is. Thomas grabs his machete and hops off the log to help Newt. He swings his machete on the roots. "There you go, Greenie."

Behind them, grey clouds were approaching. Grace feared it might start raining. Minho and Alby were in the Maze. They should be back soon. She tried not to worry about them. Minho knew what he was doing.

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The rain did not stop. Grace stood with the others under the Homestead as they waited for Minho and Alby to return. They should have been back hours ago. The doors were closing in an hour. They never cut it this close. Grace couldn't stop shaking, both from the cold and her fears. She was terrified. Something must have happened to them.

The thought of it made her nauseous. "They should be back by now," Thomas said. "What happens if they don't make it?"

"They'll make it," Newt said.

Thomas walked towards him. "What happens if they don't?"

Newt looked at him. "They'll make it." He couldn't afford to think differently. Thomas seemed agitated, which Grace didn't understand. It was only his third day in the Glade, and he was acting as if he was best friends with the two missing Gladers. He didn't know them. He didn't know Minho. "Don't worry." Newt now stood beside her. "I'm sure your little boyfriend is just fine." Normally, she would comment about how Minho wasn't her boyfriend and that the joke wasn't funny. But today wasn't a normal day. They should have been back hours ago. She was scared.

"Yeah."

Newt stared at her. He knew instantly she was anxious. There was no sarcastic comment or playful glare. Truthfully, he was just as worried. They should have been back by now. It wasn't like Minho to risk it. The rain continued to fall, but Grace didn't care. She couldn't afford to think about anything but Minho and Alby.

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The doors were going to close any second, and they still weren't back. Grace's hands were trembling. If they didn't get back in the next minute, then they would be stuck in the Maze all night. "Can't we send someone after them?"