Shadow of the Maze | Maze Runner [1]

EIGHT

[ MINHO ]

❧

Minho's eyes fluttered open to see Electra learning over him, gently nudging him awake. Her huge hair draped down in front of her, mere inches from his face. He blinked a few times while staring back up at her, his mind completely blank.

Electra lifted herself away from him, making her way over to Thomas who still slept peacefully by the fire. "Maybe you should wake him."

Minho slowly sat up, groaning when his entire body ringed with pain. He raised a hand to his head and felt the pounding just beneath the surface of his forehead. "Ugh, I feel like klunk."

Electra nodded. "Me too."

Minho looked up at Electra. Beyond everything, she was exhausted. Her hair was the frizziest it ever looked, and the bags under her eyes were dark and deep. She was covered in bruises, cuts, and dirt, and her face drooped with tiredness. He'd never seen her in this bad of a state before. He wanted to ask her how she felt, or how last night had gone for her, but he knew he wouldn't get an honest answer from her.

Despite his body screaming for him to stay put, Minho pushed himself up and walked over to Thomas. He grabbed onto the Greenie's shoulder and began shaking him. "Rise and shine, Greenie. Big day ahead of us once we get back to the Glade."

Thomas mumbled a couple of incomprehensible words before his eyes opened, looking up at Minho on top of him. His head craned to see Electra sitting on her bed, before he sat up and placed his head in his hands. "So it's morning? We survived?"

Electra scoffed, "We still gotta get your dangling friend, but yeah. You survived."

"Alby... right," Thomas trailed off, not moving from his spot on the floor. "I hope he's still alive."

No one said anything in response to Thomas. Instead, they all packed their things and left the Cove. Minho noticed Thomas taking one last look at the cave before beginning his descent down the ivy wall.

Their entire journey was silent, as if they were all in pure shock that they'd survived. It didn't take them long to reach the place where they'd tied Alby up. Minho raised a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun as he squinted to try to see Alby somewhere within the ivy mess.

Electra and Thomas only looked up for a split second before making their way to the thick ivy rope tied on some roots. Electra pulled out her knife and began chopping down on the ivy, while Thomas held the rope. Minho and Thomas met eyes and the Greenie motioned with his head for Minho to come and help him.

"I'm surprised those roots held up for the entire night." Minho grabbed onto the rope, cringing when even his fingers felt sore as they tightened around the ivy.

Electra, Thomas, and Minho worked together to slowly drop Alby to the ground, and the boy landed with a thunk on the floor. Minho quickly checked the boy's pulse and let out a breath of relief when one was found. The unconscious boy was freezing cold, however, and Minho hoped Alby wouldn't wake up before they could get him back to the Glade.

Minho lifted Alby's arm over his shoulder, Thomas did the same on the other side, while Electra picked up the boy's legs. They tried to walk at a brisk pace but they were all exhausted and their bodies burned in pain with each step they took. They had to settle for a slow walk and Minho could feel the urgency of wanting to get back to the Glade to have this nightmare of a night behind him.

"Listen, Greenie." Electra broke the silence, her voice weighed down by the boy she was carrying. "Don't tell the Gladers about me."

"So they don't know about you. Why not?" Thomas asked.