The Girl with the Secrets

028: Poor Alby

The next day I woke up 30 minutes before I was supposed to wake up, but it was better if I woke up earlier- I wouldn't have to see Minho until we entered the maze. But that was not a big problem because Alby would run with us today, we should retrace Ben's footsteps. That sounded creepy but it was our job so I had to deal with it. I just hope there is not much blood because I don't want to throw up again.

I made myself ready and then walked over to the kitchen, I took some vegetables and sat down on an empty table. I ate quickly and ran towards the doors, they were still closed and even if they were open, I wasn't allowed in because Alby and Minho weren't there. So I just started warming myself up, I did some squats, push-ups, and sit-ups.

"Warming yourself up?" Alby asked when he got closer to me, Minho was behind Alby. "Yes, you should also do that, well because you are not running every day so you need to get yourself warm." I was assuming. "Thanks but I already did that in my hut." I nodded and we ran inside the maze.

Alby was a good runner and I suggested that he has done that often because he was really good. Minho was on my left but we didn't talk. I could see him glance at me but whenever I turned my head at him he just turned around or rolled his eyes at me. Childish. I understand that it's hard for Minho to talk about his feelings but he had no right to make a fire, he knew that I was scared of the fire since the fire in the forest. I never really thought about the fire, after I woke up everything was normal, the deadheads were like before the fire but how was that possible? There were no sights of fire, burned trees, or anything. Some Gladers say it was magic some say we all hallucinated the same fire and some say the creators did that and they and they could fix it fast.

"Alisha?" Alby shook me out of my thoughts. "What's wrong Alby?" I looked back at the boy who was behind us. "I just asked you something, is everything okay?" We were still running so Alby had it hard to talk. "Yeah I'm fine, was that the question?"

"No, I asked how the Greenie is doing, because you share a room with him."

"He's fine I guess, he got many questions either he's just bored or he is really interested. I think he's also scared of everything, it's just his second day and so much already happened," I started saying. "Also he wants to become a runner, he is talking about it nonstop," I added. "Really? Why does he want to be a runner?" Alby questioned. "I don't know, must have his reasons."

"Is he going to be a runner?" I asked. "No,"

"But he has the speed for it, he is pretty fast, and he could be a good runner."

"We don't need a new runner." Minho interrupted me. "That's true, we still have left some. Also, have you seen him falling? What if that also happens in the maze when a Griever is running after him?" Alby explained. "He's not in the maze at night." I didn't know why I even helped Thomas to become a runner. "They started appearing more and more at day, I don't know what is happening but it gets more dangerous." Minho worried. He was right the Grievers started coming out at daylight too, was that a good sign? "You two are quiet today, something happened?" Alby asked. "No why? We're just sad because of Ben, that's all." I quickly answered. "Yeah she's right, we're just sad," Minho added. Alby didn't answer. "Shorty we need to map together today." Minho suddenly spoke, I looked at him and he gave me a sign to pretend like everything was fine. "Yes, okay but don't laugh about my drawing like you always do." I let my inner thoughts play. "It's not my fault that you are bad at drawing." I thought about what I could say that would make Alby believe us. "Gel-freak." I then decided to say, Alby knew we were calling each other like that for fun. "Shorty." He played with me. "Dingleberry-" Minho was about to say something but Alby interrupted him. "Guys stop, you might think it's funny but it's not funny for everyone." I giggled at his reaction. "Oh no poor Alby is annoyed of us." I joked. "Should we help him?" Minho joked.

"Everyone stop!" Minho ordered. I looked around but there was nothing else other, than stones, walls, earth, and Ivy. "What's wrong?" I asked. Alby also looked around. "Have you heard that sound?" Minho asked. We all got quiet and listened but all I heard was just the wind. "There's nothing." Alby broke the silence. "But there was a sound of a Griever."

"A Griever?" I looked around once again to make sure there was no Griever behind us. "Maybe I just convinced myself that I heard that, let's move on." Minho started running again and so did Alby and I.

A loud scream from behind us shrilled and we all turned back. There was a Griever who was running towards us. We ran away but the Griever still followed us, I saw Alby getting slower and slower until he had to stop to get some air. "Alby don't stop!" I yelled, but it was too late- the Griever attacked Alby, and a loud scream left Alby's throat. Alby threw his backpack towards me.

I opened it to see if there was anything useful, there was a gun, my gun. I took it and shot at the Griever, the Griever soon fell and you could hear loud metal falling. When I made sure that the Griever was really dead I ran to Alby.

Minho pointed at a black hole, he got stung. Poor Alby he didn't deserve it at all. "Alby can you try to walk?" Minho asked.

"Help him up," I suggested. Minho and I lifted Alby and- he elbowed us which made us stumble away. He then jumped at me and we both fell, he punched my face until he suddenly fell. Minho was standing there with a big rock in his hands. He held out his hand for me and helped me up.

"We need another plan and we need to hurry up." Minho worried. "Maybe you can hold his shoulders and I can carry his legs?"

"Let's try." And we lifted the sleeping Alby. We were walking for thirty minutes when I let go of him. "I can't do that, do we have another plan?"

"Yeah, I also can't do that anymore, let's just try to hold him by his hands around our head and carry him with us." Minho suggested. And we did as Minho said. It was much easier and faster but not fast enough.

"The doors will close in one hour, are we gonna make it?" I worried. "I hope so." Minho wasn't a big encouragement. "Then let's try faster."

I couldn't believe my eyes, we turned around a corner and there were the doors to the Glade, all the boys were standing in front of the doors yelling to us 'to leave Alby alone' or 'be faster' we could make it. But of course, something had to happen- Minho stumbled and we all fell to the ground. Alby fell at me and I pushed him away, the ground started shaking and we knew what that meant. The doors were closing, we couldn't make it.

I looked at the boys in the Glade, Chuck, Winston, Gally, Frypan, and THOMAS!! Thomas was running into the maze, he squeezed himself through the walls. Why would he do that? He knew it was dangerous.

The boy fell to the ground as soon as he passed the closing walls which closed right after he got out.