Blank Spaces (A Maze Runner fanfic)

Chapter 14 (Alice's POV)

Clint and Jeff soon carry out a stretcher. Or a makeshift stretcher, made of two long sticks with a piece of material stretched taught down the middle. To no surprise, Minho steps in before they can lift her on. He quickly clears his throat trying to cover his affection, but it's completely obvious he wants her safe. He picks her up, cradling her, and carries her to the infirmary. Newt and I clasp hands and he turns me back to face him. "I know it's been a hard day and night," he says. I blush, remembering our make out session from the night before. He grins and chuckles. "So, as second in command, I grant you one day off. No more, no less," he wraps his arms around my waist,"I demand it." I nod and give a lopsided grin. He smiles back and puts his hands on the back of my neck, kissing my forehead.

"You still have to go to work," I whisper. He nods.

"We'll have dinner in the Deadheads," he says. I smile.

"That would be fantastic," I say, chuckling. He grins and plants a quick kiss on my lips before he turns and jogs off toward the Gardens. I decide to shower, and begin walking toward the showers. I enter, luckily no one else is in there. They're all at work. I strip down and take a quick shower. Pulling my clothes on, I re-fasten the leather tie around my short hair. On my way out of the showers, I bump into someone.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I say, looking up. It's Minho. Without even thinking, I give him a huge hug. Friendly of course. He responds awkwardly. I pull away.

"Um...sorry," I say, rubbing the back of my neck. He just shrugs.

"Why'd you hug me?" he asks.

"My sister," I say,"you helped her survive."

"Nah," he says,"shuck-face survived on her own. Probably could've survived without me."

I give a dry laugh. "Yeah right, she shucking loves you," I say. He decides to change the subject.

"I could say the same for you and Newt," he smirks. I blush lightly.

"Yeah, I love him. I just don't know if Newty completely feels the same way," I say.

"I'm pretty sure he does. I mean seriou- wait. Did you just call him Newty?!" Minho says, raising his eyebrows.

"Um, psh, no. What're you talking about," I stutter. He smirks.

"You realize I'm never letting this go, right slinthead?" he says. I nod sheepishly.

"Yush," I mumble. He chuckles and brushes past me.

"See ya around, shuck-face," he says. I wave a goodbye and continue walking. I'm heading toward the Deadheads to climb around when someone sets a hand gently on my shoulder.

"Alice?" a voice says. I turn. To my surprise, it's Gally. My face flushes with fear. I shake my head and turn. "Wait!" he says. I turn back to him. His eyes are bloodshot and puffy. He'd been crying? "I'm sorry. That wasn't me. I have no idea what happened, but I would never do something like that. To neither you nor your sister. It was like someone was...controlling me. I swear it wasn-" I cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it Gally. I don't have proof what you did wasn't reflex. All I know now is you're a perv who's trying to get me alone so he can try to shuck me again. Just...leave my sister and I alone," I say. I turn and run, fast. When sensing danger, I can match my sister's fast pace. I take off, ripping through the Deadheads, until I find the tree that Lizzy scaled to try and escape this living hell. I climb the tree easily and perch myself on a high branch. I lean against the trunk, catching my breath. A single tear slides down my face. I want to think he's lying, but I feel like he's telling the truth. I could see it in his eyes. What the hell is this twisted place?!?! I don't even know my personality. All there is is blank spaces, waiting to be filled in. I can't fill them in. All questions, barely any answers. Who am I? Alice. What's my last name? I don't know. Where am I? The Glade. Why am I here? I don't know. Why is this place here? I don't know. What's outside the Maze? I don't know. What's in the Maze? I don't know. I don't know. I DONT KNOW. By this time tears were streaming down my face. Well, there's a part filled in. I have anxiety and, right now, I'm definitely having an attack. My breath quickens. The tears come faster. I need a distraction. I climb down from the tree and take off running deeper into the Deadheads. The world is passing quickly as I run. I close my eyes, taking in the feeling of the wind stinging my face. Then, I trip. I tuck under myself and roll, standing up. I turn quickly to see what I tripped on. A piece of splintered wood is jutting up from the ground. I look at my shin. Sure enough, scratches scatter my shin. They leak blood onto my skin. It doesn't hurt much, so I walk over to the wood. I crouch in front of when I notice something engraved in the top. I brush away pieces of dirt to reveal a name. George. I shift my weight to my uninjured leg when I hear a crunch. I slide my foot away and scream.

"Oh shit!" I yell standing. Where I was crouching, bones poked out of the ground. George was once buried, I'm guessing.

"If that made ya scream then you're better of not looking in that glass case over there," I spin around to see Newt leaning against a tree and smirking. I walk over.

"Well, now I'm curious. Come with me?" I say.

"Fine," he says,"if you have nightmares, though, I'm not helping you." I make a fake sad face. "I'm kidding, love." That simple name he gave me makes my heart flutter. He grasps my hand and walks with me toward the case.

"It can't be that bad," I mutter. When we reach it, I take that all back. The body inside the case was gruesome. An innocent boy hang lifeless in two pieces. Literally. A clean cut through the center left him in half, almost all organs exposed. I spin around, fighting to keep the contents of my stomach in their place.

"Told ya so," Newt whispers. His warm breath tickles my ear. I nod.

"Let's go back," I manage to get out between gags. He scoops me up and begins walking.

"Saw you running earlier, pretty fast. Faster than I've seen you go," he says. I nod.

"I was running from Gally," I whisper. He tenses.

"What's that shank doin now," he asks, anger bridging his voice. I tell him about it and how I want to not believe him, but something is telling me he's telling the truth. I begin to cry again. I swipe it away quickly.

"I shucking hate emotions," I say as another tear slides down my cheek. This time it's Newt to gently wipe it away. I don't notice, but he carries us into the Homestead. Setting me down inside, he kisses me. Slowly and gently at first, but soon becoming more rugged. Our lips move in perfect sync with each other. He wraps his large hands around my neck and I link my thumbs in his back belt loops. He kisses my collar bones and moves back to my lips. He moves his hands to my back pockets and tucks his thumbs into them before I move mine to his neck. Suddenly, I hear slow clapping. I pull away quickly and readjust my shirt. I look. Minho and my sister are standing in the doorway and clapping sarcastically.

"No no, don't let us intrude. You and Newty just keep going at it," Minho says. My face flushes crimson. My sister raises an eyebrow.

"Newty?" she says.

"The shank slipped and called him that in front of me earlier," he smirks. I blush again. Then I adjust to the reality that my sister is there. I run at her and hug her tightly. "You two can have your reunion ceremony later,"Minho says,"Newt, or should I say Newty, come with me. We're having a Gathering. Alice, now ya know your sisters awake. I'll return both the shanks in one piece, don't worry." I chuckle as they disappear out of the Homestead.