𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀 - TMR, Gally ¹

𝟢𝟧𝟢，𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨

CH. FIFTY
┗━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━┛

She did not think that deeply about her broken ankle.

But come on, she's been running around with it for the past days— it can't get any worse now.

Once there's Grievers, she'll do her best to keep Camil safe, and only wheel him toward the exit once there's no Grievers left.

If she's still alive once there's no left, at least.

When she told the other Gladers about their plan, there were still a few boys who didn't agree on leaving. Now, when she's running in the Maze (half hopping), she's a little more relaxed by knowing Fry, Winston, Jeff, and some other boys she has interacted with before have joined.

She didn't want to escape in the past—didn't want them to escape—but if they will, they better do it well.

Thomas and Minho have taken lead, both Runners. Newt gave a little more detailed explanation on how that got decided and the way Teresa came up the Box unconscious, with a note that she's the last one.

So if she would've stayed, she would never get new supplies. Perhaps this indeed is a way better choice.

Anyway— once arrived, they stop. She sees Gally's hand clench around the spear he's holding. Plenty boys are holding weapons, breaths heavy from running.

Thomas peeks around the corner, at the cliff.

"And?" Chuck breathes shakily. "Grievers?"

The brunette turns back. To her surprise, he shakes his head. "None."

Her immediate instincts go to that it's a trap.

"Come on," Thomas orders. "We'll all approach. Slowly."

Joan's heart is beating against her ribs, so hard she's afraid a Griever will hear it and show up anyways. Mentally, she's begging for them to not show up. It would make escaping so much easier.

They reach the end of the cliff. The silence between them, mixing with the tension, sends shivers across her spine. Then, the light on the Key Minho holds turns green, and the round door in front of them opens.

"It can't be that easy," Jeff murmurs.

"Don't say that," she whispers. "Brings bad luck."

Slowly, Thomas steps closer. It's one step, and then there's a movement. The ground grumbles before a red screen appears in front of them. With eight lines.

"Try the sequence to the Maze," Teresa suggests.

Nodding, the boy turns to Minho. "You do it."

"Your homework was to study the sequence." Minho's eyebrows fly up. "Bad Thomas. Detention. You have to stay in the Glade for another hour."

He rolls his eyes with a sigh. "I had other things on my mind. Now hurry."

Minho types the sequence in. It takes a few seconds, but then there's a click. And before she knows it, the ground disappears below them.