Stolen [The Maze Runner Fanfiction]

XXIX. Hopeless

I sit on the grass in the clearing, my back against a fallen tree, the warm sunshine glistening on my skin. The clearing has become my haven, a quiet place to rest from the chaos of the glade. Usually I have it to myself, but from the sound of the crunching leaves, not today. Suddenly Minho materializes from behind a tree, looking tired and worn out, as he slowly saunters towards me.

"I give up." He says sitting beside me, his eyes are glazed over, a far away look replacing their usual brightness. "There's no way out, we're all going to die in this shuck maze, it's all pointless." He mumbles absently. He doesn't yell, although I would have actually preferred that. It is not uncommon for him to get frustrated and yell about how unsolvable the maze is. Yelling Minho, I know how to deal with, but this? This is something new. "I'm so done, think I'm gonna kiss a griever goodnight." He says, his voice completely empty. Just the thought of him dying is enough to make me shudder. I've never seen him like this, and to be honest I'm a little scared.

"Hey, it's going to be ok." I say. If Minho gives up, the rest of us are doomed. He doesn't respond, just keeps staring across the meadow. "Minho look at me!" I yell putting a hand to his cheek and forcing him to face my direction. That gets his attention.

"You can't give up, there is a way out, there has to be. We'll find it, you'll see." I tell him staring directly into his eyes, we can't lose hope now, hope is the only thing that keeps us alive, keeps us moving. I can't lose him, not now. It's hard enough for me to get out of bed every morning as it is.

"Minho, you can't give up, the glade needs you...and I... I can't lose you." I whisper, terror filling me at the thought. I've seen grievers up close, and picturing him dying that way is just awful. His eyes soften for a second before he pulls me into a hug, burying his face in my neck.

"Ok." He whispers into my hair.

"Ok what?"

"I won't give up, I'll get us out of here, for you. Sky, you're the only reason I even try anymore, without you I'd have given up weeks ago." He mumbles, his lips brushing across my skin as he speaks.

"At least if we're stuck, we're stuck together." I say weakly as he lays down on the grass with his head in my lap. I sit there running my hand back and forth through his soft, black hair, messing it up before smoothing it out again. Calming myself as much as him. After a while, he looks up at me and smiles lazily, looking a lot more like himself now. "I promised ya know."

"Promised what?" I ask, confused, but relieved at his mood change.

"That I would get you out of here." He answers the corner of his lips turning up in a smile, "the day you first ran with me, that night I promised myself I would get you out." This is news to me, I thought he'd been ignoring me that day.

"Why?"

"Because I decided something that beautiful doesn't belong in a place like this." He says giving me that heart-stopping smile before reaching up to push the hair away from my face. I blush giving him a quick kiss, before hiding my face in my hands.

"You get embarrassed so easily." He says laughing at me.

"I know shut up!!" I yell covering my face with my hands, as it is now even more red than before.

"It's adorable." He chuckles, pulling my hands away from my face. I give him a dirty look, trying to stay mad at him. It doesn't work, and soon my frown melts into a smile. Life is too short for pointless anger. He kisses me again, slowly, his hands cupping my face. His kisses are intent and needy, and I let my mind go blank.

After he pulls away, we sit there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company. "We'll be ok." I whisper, when I notice his eyes are closed.

"Mhmm." He mumbles never opening his eyes. I laugh quietly, confident now that everything is going to turn out ok. He is not going to leave me alone in this prison. Within minutes, Minho is asleep in my lap. He looks much younger when he sleeps, reminding me of the creators and their stupid game. We could be normal kids, living normal lives, but no, instead we're stuck in a giant maze. I vow to make them pay, to stop this sick experiment as soon as we get out of this place.