Marooned | Maze Runner | Minho

17. 𝐹𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅.

Viya's feet hit the floor of the maze delicately as she ran. Somehow, over time, her footsteps had naturally become quieter, to the point that you'd never hear her coming if you weren't listening for her.

Good thing no one was listening for her.

As Viya ran, she kept her ears alert for any sounds, whether that was the runners or the grievers.
She was closer in the gladers territory than she'd like to be, if she remembered correctly, they'd often head this way to access the outer sections. So she had to be careful if she didn't want to encounter one of them.

As Viya turned the corner, she first glanced at the walls to her right, she could see the blinking red light of a beetle-blade through the ivy.

Then she looked forwards, and there, at the end of the hallway, was a griever.

It was one of the smaller ones, grievers were strange in that way, even though they were man made creatures, they all looked slightly different, as if they were a natural animal.

Viya took a step back, her eyes still fixated on the machine. The griever stared back at her, but oddly enough, it didn't move.

Was it frozen? Stuck?
Viya curiously took a step forwards, the griever didn't even twitch. She cautiously took another step, then another, and another.

She was a little more than ten feet away from the griever. She took one more step, and almost the second her body passed over the invisible line, the griever charged forwards.

Viya let out a little yelp at the sudden attack, she was not expecting it to move.

She immediately started running away, and she didn't have to look back to be able to hear that the griever was fast approaching.

She skidded around corners as the griever screeched behind her. She was slowly losing it, her small size playing a big advantage in her escape.

She drifted another corner and kept running, she expected to hear the griever behind her, but she didn't.

She quickly looked behind her, only to see the grieve standing still at the beginning of the hallway, just like it was doing before.

"You're not tricking me this time..." She muttered as she ran off.

Eventually Viya made it back to her room, it had become her protocol to take the rest of the day off after a griever encounter, for safety reasons.

"You won't believe what I saw." She told Watcher.

Viya reached into her backpack, pulling out the black notebook and pencil.

"There was a griever, but it wasn't acting right, it's hard to explain...but it looked like it was malfunctioning, if they can even do that."

Viya started to write down her notes, she had started to document the behavior of the grievers, she hoped that it might lead her somewhere.

"Yes, I know." Viya said as she rolled her eyes, "I'll be more careful next time, don't ya' worry."
She continued to scribble down her observations, and she was almost done when her pencil broke.

"Fuck..." She muttered.

Viya pulled out her knife and began to sharpen the tip of the pencil, she made sure to cut away from herself so she wouldn't accidentally slice her finger.

"Watcher, I don't know why I walked towards it, I just got curious..." Viya defended, "I know it was stupid! I won't do it again, think of it as...research."
"Don't insult my research!" Viya exclaimed, "Fine, when I get out I'll leave you in here to rot!"

Viya finished sharpening her pencil and swiftly finished the last sentence in her note book.

"Kidding." She said,

Viya closed the book and fell back onto her bed.

"Well I have the rest of the day off, what do you suppose we do? No, I am not playing hide and seek again. Why? Because you always cheat and hide outside!"

—-----

Thomas sat alone in the lab in one of the many pristine white chairs. He was hunched over, his elbow resting on his knee, his same hand covered his mouth.

The boy was deep in thought, there was so much in his mind.

Was it all worth it?
All the suffering and pain?

All of the hurt people just to try and save the world?
What if the world couldn't be saved? Then did they just torture and kill for nothing?
Shouldn't they try and preserve humanity in a paradise or something rather than focus on a cure?

The door clicked open, causing Thomas to look up.

Dr.Paige was there in her familiar lab coat and tight bun.

She looked different than she used to, she was so much more delicate before she became chancellor. Thomas remembered the years she spent teaching him, she'd sneak him lollipops after tests and let him keep books in his room when all the others wouldn't.

He didn't recognize her now, ever since she had become chancellor she had become hyper focused on her work, she lost the kindness in her heart. She treated Thomas differently, she treated him like all the other doctors did. A tool.

"Hello Thomas." She greeted.

Thomas flashed her a fake smile.

Avas gaze softened, and for a moment Thomas could see the old her.

"What's troubling you?" She asked softly, in the same tone she used to comfort him in.

Thomas hesitated, should he even tell her?
He took a deep breath before he spoke, "How do we know it's all worth it?"

Ava smiled, trying to sympathize with the boy, "Is this about George?" She asked.

"Sort of, but it's about all of them, how do we know that we'll even find a cure?"
"We don't, but with that attitude we never will. You have to have hope Thomas."
"But it's so hard."
"I know it is, trust me." Ava said, "But, we have to look at the bigger picture here too."
Thomas looked up at the woman.

"We are actively saving the world Thomas, the entire world will thank us once it's all done." Ava assured. "I know it's hard, and it's unfortunate that there is so much death in these trials, but it's the only way, if there was another way to do, believe me, I'd choose it."
Thomas nodded solemnly, he wanted to believe her words, but it was hard to accept them. How could this all be worth it?
Ava squeezed Thomas' hand, "You can talk to me, my office is always open."
Thomas nodded.

Just then, Ava's pager started to ding, she glanced at it briefly, but had to do a double take and reread it.

"I have to go, sorry Thomas." She said as she stood up. "Come talk to me sometime."
"Alright..." Thomas responded, but she was already gone.