Free (Maze Runner fanfic Newtmas Newt x Thomas)

Chapter 8

As Chuck had predicted, the screams started the following day. It seemed people took the change differently, so not everybody started at once, but by the third day everybody was screaming and the remaining gladers felt like ripping their ears off.

They couldn't stay like this though; supplies were gathered and sorted into boxes for temporary storage, the medjacks used moss for earphones to cancel out the sound, and even the runners returned to trying to find the code, though a lot more cautiously.

Thomas mostly stayed by Newt's side, hoping that his presence might ease the pain but it did absolutely nothing but make his hand hurt with how hard Newt squeezed it. He tried to stay distracted by helping around; planting new seeds, feeding the animals, and even cooking a couple mornings. Thankfully the rain had stopped, but now everywhere was as muddy as the pig pen.

Winston was alive too, so every major department had somebody covering it.. Except the gardening, that was always Newt's favourite, but it wasn't too hard of a job to do. Thomas was just glad that everyone that he cared about – except Alby – was still alive. Newt was going to take that news hard when he woke up, and he'd rather someone else told him.

Chuck was like a leach. The poor thing was so shaken by the event that he spent most time right next to Thomas, helping with all his jobs and only leaving him alone when he was with Newt. Despite it getting annoying, Thomas enjoyed the company. Chuck was like a little brother to him, somebody he wanted to protect with his life.

It was just before the walls were closing that Minho returned, running straight for their camp. "Guys! I know where the code is!"

Thomas jumped up from where he was siting beside Newt. "You're pulling my leg."

Minho didn't look happy about it. "Jim died.. the Mourner got to him. He was barely breathing when I found him, but he told me where it is. It's on the Mourner's tail. He tried to push the tail out of him, and he saw numbers printed on each of the little sections. He saw a seven at one end and two at the other, so we know the beginning and end numbers now."

"How is WICKED expecting us to get close enough to that thing to get the code off its tail!? I don't know about you, but I'd rather I nor anyone else got close enough to that thing to read them. We don't exactly have cameras unlike WICKED and these bugs, so pictures aren't an option."

"I'll do it." Chuck said, walking over to them.

"What? Chuck no-" Thomas protested, "we don't even have a strategy yet. I'm sure there's another way- I'm not going to let you strut off to find that thing in the maze and look at its tail. You could get killed! Or be in a coma like everyone around us!"

"Well if I go into a coma, then I'll be alright in the end."

Thomas huffed and was about to continue when Minho put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Now isn't the time to be discussing who's doing what. We're going to derive a strategy first, alright?" Minho said, taking authority and the two boys nodded reluctantly. "Good that. Now let's eat, I'm absolutely starving."

~*~

Thomas was finally running again the next day, leaping into the familiarity of his assigned maze section; but with the fact of knowing where the code was, why were they running when they should be thinking up strategies or looking for the damned thing? Unless they were somehow looking for where the code should be entered, this entire run was pointless.

Either way, Chuck was virtually offering himself as a sacrifice but Thomas was having none of it. He'd promised to protect him, to find his parents for him when they got out the maze, and he still planned on Chuck being there to find them with him. He wouldn't let their youngest member give away their life so carelessly.