To The Shucking End

Chapter 7

"Tanya!" Gally called, his voice being the first she heard once she ran back into the Glade, feeling absolute relief at being back in a place where she felt safe. He instantly pulled her into a hug, having been worried out of his mind after Newt told him where she'd gone, Tanya had told him as a precaution and at the last possible minute so he couldn't stop them. "What the hell were you thinking?! Going into the Maze?! And you didn't even tell me?! What the shucking hell, Tan?"

"Look, Gals, can we have this discussion later? We need to gather the Keepers at Council Hall. We found something that you need to see. Please."

His jaw was tense as he frowned, clearly unhappy with the situation as he huffed, his hands on his hips.

"Way ahead of you. Newt, Flint and Jeff are already waiting," he informed her before getting even closer to her, their noses almost touching. "But this conversation is not over. Not by a long shot."

And with that, he stomped off towards Council Hall.

"He's not very happy," Minho said as he came up to Tanya's side.

"No. So, this better lead us to a way out of this shucking hellhole," she retorted before heading for Council Hall where they presented Newt with the device they found, the slime on it now dried up under his fingers.

"This was inside a Griever," Thomas explained after Tanya and Minho demanded that he stay even though this was a meeting for the Keepers and Leaders. A meeting where they were debating what to do with Alby seeing as he was stung, and they had two hours until sundown.

"Newt, those are the same letters we get on our supplies from the Box," Tanya said as the blonde boy ran his fingers over the letters W.C.K.D.

"Whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers," Thomas added. "Now this is the first real clue, the first anything you guys have found in over three years, right Minho?"

"Right," Minho concurred.

"Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us?" Thomas pointed out and Newt and Tanya's eyes only moved to Gally.

"You see what he's trying to do right?" Gally began. "First he breaks our rules and then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally. The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that?" he exclaimed. "If Alby was here, you know he'd agree with me. This shank needs to be punished."

Newt considered Gally's words as he handed Minho back the device before turning to Tanya.

"You were there. What do you think?"

Tanya leaned to Newt's ear, his head turning to block the movement of her lips from everyone's view.

"He did break the rules and there has to be a consequence for that, but Alby would also want us to take the chance that we could get out of here and Thomas could be the key to getting us out of here. He has to be the one to go back into the Maze," she whispered into his ear and Newt's expression remained blank as he considered what she'd said.

"Gally's right," he said at last, making Gally nod. "Thomas broke the rules. One night in the pit and no food."

"Oh, come on Newt!" Gally bellowed. "One night in the pit? You think that's gonna stop him from going into the Maze?"

"No," Newt said casually before turning to Thomas. "And we can't just have non-Runners running into the Maze whenever they feel like it. So, let's just make this official. Starting from tomorrow, you're a Runner."

Thomas had been nodding, seeming real understanding and remorseful of what he'd done until he heard the part about him becoming a Runner. He looked almost hopeful.