Steel and Stone [The Maze Runner (Scorch Trials) Fanfiction]

Oasis

Last night was awkward for everyone, with Minho and I doing our best to avoid each other, Newt was left playing messenger as we tried to decide what to do. Not to mention 'avoid' being a relative word, we couldn't actually get more than ten feet away from each other, which just made it all the worse. James wouldn't stop asking me what was wrong, and I not so nicely told him to leave me alone. I know it isn't really his fault that Minho and I broke up, but I can't help being angry at him. Plus, the last thing I want right now is for Minho to see me talking to him again.

For hours I had laid awake, feeling guilty for not talking to Minho, feeling guilty for surviving when so many others didn't, and just feeling guilty in general. I felt like I had something to be guilty for, I wasn't sure what, but I kinda knew I didn't want to find out.

Eventually, I had fallen asleep on the ground, my kitten curled beside me. Newt had found out about the kitten, but to my surprise he had only laughed and told me not to give it too much of my food. Speaking of food, we had decided to stay in the city for at least another day. The plan was to scout it out and check for food and water, which were both running dangerously low.

"Let's split up and head out." Minho yells, pointing to the different groups of gladers scattered about. Each group had been given a specific section, along with a piece of paper and a pencil to map their area. The paper and pencils had all come from my backpack, left overs from running in the maze.

"Everyone meet back here in two hours, earlier if you find anything." Newt adds, shouting over the noise of the wind. About half the gladers are staying back to watch the camp, and in case one of us gets in trouble. I was partnered with Mal, and we now stood side by side, ready to scout the area near where I had found the kitten. I had made a sling for the kitten out of my jacket, with the sleeves tied around my shoulder and the body making a sort of cradle near my hip. It was light, which was good, considering I was now carrying it along with my backpack. The kitten didn't seem to mind, and was contently peeking out from the sling as I went about my morning.

I had drank the last of my water this morning, after pouring some of it in my palm for the kitten. It had happily lapped it up, pink tongue brushing against my hand. The happiness the kitten gave me more than made up for the small dent it made in my supplies. I had named it Kay, in memory of Kate. It was Mal's idea, and even though it made me sad to think of Kate, I had decided it was a fitting name.

"Let's go." I say, starting to jog towards our assigned area. I want to get all sad thoughts out of my mind as soon as possible, and there's no better way than to distract yourself with a job.

"Good that." Mal replies, following me away from the group. It was a risky decision to split up, but scouting the area as a whole group would have taken forever.

After about an hour of searching empty buildings, I was exhausted and disappointed. We'd found nothing, and we were just about to head back.

"Think we should head back?" Mal asks, leaning against the outside of the building we'd just finished checking.

"Ya, I guess." I reply, still upset that we hadn't found anything. Surely WICKED didn't expect us to go all the way with barely any water? They were cruel, but they didn't want us all dead. We'd just started to head back, when suddenly, my kitten jumps out of the sling and takes off running.

"No! Come back!" I shout, chasing after the kitten as it darts into an empty building I hadn't noticed before. The kitten continues to run as I follow behind, climbing over fallen debris and sliding under low hanging ceiling beams. Finally Kay stops, just outside a room, whose only apparent entrance is a small hole where the door used to be, now surrounded by a collapsed roof and walls.