Gladiolus ~ The Maze Runner

1~10: I Wish I Didn't Care But He's So Fine

Shortly after our meeting, Minho asked me to accompany him and Thomas to the Map Room. I obliged, partly because I wanted to avoid an angry Gally and partly because I hadn't been able to talk with Minho or Thomas since our slumber party in the Maze.

We enter and when I make sure no one's followed us, Minho pulls back a sheet that covers a miniature version of the Maze. Thomas looks at it in wonder, his eyes reflecting a thousand different questions.

"It's the Maze," Minho says, resting his hands on the table. "All of it."

"What do you mean all of it?" Thomas inquires. "I thought that you were still mapping it."

"There's nothing left to map," I say quietly. Minho nods, picking up after me claiming, "I've run every inch of it myself. Every cycle. Every pattern. If there was a way out, we would've found it by now."

"Why haven't you told anyone this?" Thomas asks.

"It was my call," I say. "People needed to believe that we actually had a chance of escaping one day. Give them hope."

Thomas nods slowly, understanding. Minho walks over to the side of the table with a stone that reads, '7', and says, "But maybe now... we have a real chance."

Minho takes out the cylinder and hands it to Thomas, then explains.

"Take a look at this. About a year ago, we started exploring these outer sections and we found these numbers printed on the walls. Sections 1 through 8. See the way it works is, every night, when the Maze changes, it opens up a new section. So today, Section 6 was open. Tomorrow it'll be 4, then 8, then 3. The pattern always stays the same."

"Until last night, when 7 was open," I realized. Minho nods.

"What's so special about 7 that it broke the cycle?" Thomas asks.

"I dunno," Minho says. "But last night when you killed that Griever, it sure enough came from Section 7."

"So, if that's where it comes from," I think out loud, "Do you think maybe there's a den in 7 where they all go during the day? We never really found out where Grievers come and go from."

"Very well could be," Minho says. "That's why tomorrow, Thomas and I will be taking a closer look. You want in, Han?"

I hesitate. I was definitely curious and wanted to go. But I knew I couldn't. The girl, Alby, everyone else. I had to take care of things here. "I can't," I say. "There's too much going on in the Glade, I need to stay."

Minho nods, understanding, but Thomas looks disappointed. Before we can continue talking, however, Jeff and Clint come running in.

"What the hell are you guys doing? You're not allowed in here!" exclaims Minho, as we all move to block them from the view of the map.

"The girl," Jeff pants. "She's awake."

Oh. Well, that's pretty important. We all race off.

We make it to the treehouse and see Chuck standing a ways back. "Hey Chuck, what's going on?" I ask.

Chuck is giggling while he says, "Girls are awesome."

"You just now realized?!" I asked incredulously.

"Well, I knew you were awesome but you're the only girl I've met, ya know?"

I laugh. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

We all try to get closer but immediately duck under the makeshift shields that boys are using to avoid launched rocks.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I hear the girl shout.