❝The Maze Runner❞ Thomas

chapter eleven

     It was another day in the Glade. I was situating myself, packing up, and getting ready for a routine run through the Maze. I brought myself over to the Doors of the Maze, fixing my gaze upon Jaxon and Newt. I watched as they gathered their things before finding themselves at my side. 

     "You ready?" Jaxon questioned, his brows raised with amusement. 

      Newt nodded in agreement as the tension towards me became more apparent. He avoided making eye contact, his stature rather tense. Newt was alone for the run this time around. I was paired up with Jaxon, which was ideal for the current set of circumstances. 

      "Let's go," I stated, the three of us now jogging through the maze. Newt found his way to the left as Jaxon and I planted our feet to our right.

     We weaved through the Maze, going in different directions. We found ourselves taking continuous turns. 

     Right, left, straight, left, right, right. 

     I felt the sweat dripping from my forehead, my clothing becoming drenched as my breaths grew heavy. We then came to a stop, filling ourselves with energy as we drank our water and took a couple of bites out of the snacks from our packs. 

     I shoved my pack to the side, now placing myself closer to the floor. I leaned back up against the wall, taking in deep breaths as I closed my eyes.

     "So," Jaxon began, taking a bite out of his loaf of bread.

     "So," I responded with a slight smirk on the corner of my mouth, wondering where this conversation was going. 

      "Where to next?"

     I chuckled. "I really thought we were going to have an engaging conversation."

     "Oh, pardon me." He cleared his throat. "What's your favorite color?"

     "Obviously grey. The lifeless touch of absentee color."

     Jaxon snickered, nodding in agreement. 

     "I-" Jaxon was cut off by a loud grinding noise coming from my right. The ground rumbled ever so slightly as if something was shifting. It grew more apparent. Jaxon and I immediately stood to our feet, throwing our bags over our shoulders.

     "What the klunck," Jaxon paused,  his fists tense at his sides.

      I shifted in my stance, my brows raised with interest. The moving continued, growing more intense. "Only one way to find out." I exhaled, beginning to walk towards the commotion. We took careful watch, our senses on high alert. We slowly turned the corner, noticing a set of thinner walls shifting before they came to a stop. 

     Jaxon and I transfixed our gaze upon the unfamiliarity before our eyes. 

     Jaxon exhaled a deep breath. "This is new."

     I continued to shift my gaze, admiring this new section of the maze before immediately stopping in my tracks. "Jaxon," I whispered, nudging him slightly as we both gazed upon the sight before us. 

WICKED:
WORLD IN CATASTROPHE KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT

     Another WICKED?

     "There it is again," Jaxon slightly shook his head in disbelief. 

     "Experiment?" I added. "Is that what we are? Some experiment in this shucking world?"