Gladiolus ~ The Maze Runner

2~6: Not Much Has Changed but We're Upside Down Now

(this was not edited beforehand pls don't bully me

... also TW!!!: just a guy being creepy to the girls. nothing bad happens to anybody, but I know that some stuff can be triggering for people. it's not graphic or anything, the guy just makes a disgusting comment like the pig he is)

***

We all quiet down and turn to face the direction from which the voice came. To our right side, a short figure stands in an open doorway, illuminated by a single lightbulb. The figure starts for us, weaving through the snarling Cranks, unbothered by flailing claws and gnashing fangs.

She stops in front of us, pursing her lips at the sight of our condition. The girl has dark hair, cut very short into a pixie cut. She also looks pretty clean in spite of her raggedly clothes. Maybe they have showers or something.

"You guys look like shit," she finally says.

Don't I feel like it.

"Come on," she motions like an exasperated mother. "Follow me."

When none of us move, she raises her eyebrows. "Unless you wanna stay here with them."

"C'mon guys," I mutter, taking the lead.

New Girl leads us out of Crank Central into a hallway. She turns and leads us up a staircase. Leaving the Cranks, I almost feel sorry for them. They're still human beings. My stomach churns at how sick it is to leave them chained up, insane and feral, to be used as "guards." My sickness is replaced by anger. Those Cranks were once sane people; if they try to eat you, kill them, but don't chain them up like animals.

New Girl reaches the top of the stairs and pushes open a sliding door. "Come on, keep up," she orders, leading us through a large warehouse. People are clustered around in small groups spread throughout the room. All eyes are on us as we pass by.

"Jorge wants to meet you," New Girl says. She takes us up another staircase. Thomas and I share a look. "Who's Jorge?" Thomas asks the girl.

"You'll see," she smirks. "No one's come out of the Scorch in a long time. You've just got him curious." She pauses and looks sideways at Thomas. "And me too."

Bitch. You better back the fuck up.

Thomas looks at me, confused. I shrug. Yes, she could be flirting with you. As long as you don't flirt back, I won't gut you.

Thomas glances behind us and immediately draws closer to me, putting a hand on my back. Curious, I turn my head to check out what's going on. A group of scruffy-looking men have fallen into step behind us. One of them catches me looking and gives me a creepy sneer. I turn back around, drawing closer to Thomas.

"I don't like this," I mutter.

"Me neither," he replies. "Stay close to me. I gotcha."

If I wasn't so on edge, I probably would be a blushing mess.

"Anyone else starting to get a bad feeling about this place?" Newt asks.

"Let's just hear him out. See what he has to say," Thomas suggests.

"If we don't like him, let's kill these guys and run," I mumble. Thomas chuckles as New Girl takes us up into the loft of the warehouse, where an older man sits, back turned.

"Jorge, they're here," New Girl announces. She flops down on a couch. The man, Jorge, shushes her, listening intently on a radio. He fiddles with the machine and receives static. Smacking it, he grumbles. "Damn it."

Flipping off the radio, he exhales sharply and turns around to face us. "Do you ever get the feeling that the whole world's against you?"

I roll my eyes. Obviously, we do.