Runners' Romance (A SkyBop Maze Runner fanfic)

Chapter 16: We HAVE to Make It!

(Mar. 6 2016)

Hey, look! I told you I'd be faster this time! 

Fair warning, there's a massive author's note at the end of the chapter, but it's a pretty exciting and cool announcement, so check it out :)

I have a brief announcement here, too: 50 followers! 50! Thank you so much for all the support; and in celebration, I've started a Q&A book that you can find on my Wattpad! Ask me anything you've been wondering about me, and I'll be answering on there ;D

Without further ado, I present Chapter 16!

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Chapter 16: We HAVE to Make It!

Jin's POV:

"I can't believe she just ran into the Maze like this!" I huff, not slowing my pace through the Maze. This is bad. Really bad. We've already been running for several hours with no sign of her; we don't have much time left!

"I really messed up, Jin. I'm so sorry!" Sky's voice calls from behind me, a little out of breath.

I pause at another crossroads, looking down both pathways and vainly trying to figure out which way she went, "It's not your fault Sky. In all my time here, I've never seen a Greenie this unstable. Did you say anything to set her off?"

"I-I wasn't trying to!" He says helplessly, following me as I choose the left pathway. "I couldn't lie to her, but she was asking lots of questions about the Glade and... I told her about the Maze. Not anything specific though! And she just booked it out of there." That would do it. "I never should have said anything; all I did was screw everything up!"

Sky's voice wavers, and I stop in my tracks and turn to face him. "Sky, look at me," he does. "I understand what it's like to be a Greenie and feel so scared you can't be reasoned with; I've been that Greenie." I sigh, "What I'm trying to say is, sometimes these things can't be prevented. If she was scared enough to make a mad dash for the Maze, I doubt there was anything we could've done to stop her."

Sky is silent for a moment, then takes a deep breath, "Thank you, Jin." He smiles gratefully.

I allow a small smile in return before turning and continuing our trek through the stony passages, "Come on, we need to keep looking. She could be anywhere in here."

We continue winding our way through the Maze, our hopes of finding her sinking with each step. We've almost reached the Outer Rim, and if we don't find her soon we'll have no choice but to leave her here. The thought of abandoning the Greenie in the Maze pains me, but we're so far from the Glade now that we'd barely have enough time to make it back before the door closes, and that's if we turned around and started heading back right now. We're no good to anyone dead.

I glance worriedly at the afternoon sky, and Sky seems to share my worries as he starts frantically shouting, "Hey, Greenie! Can you hear us? Hello?!"

"Greenie!" I join in as well, "Greenie, where are you?"

No response. Figures; even if she's close enough to hear us, she probably wouldn't bother replying. "We're almost at the Outer Rim. We're too far from the Glade now..." I take a deep breath, "I hope she's there, otherwise..."