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

End Game

Mal's POV

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!" I yelled at the gladers behind me, finally fed up with the pointless arguments. We had been walking for about five hours, and were quickly nearing the safe haven. Or at least where it should be. We had just made our way over a ridge on the mountain, and were weaving our way back down towards an empty plain in the center of the valley. I was near the front, with Newt and Minho, while the rest of the gladers trailed behind, arguing and bickering about every insignificant problem imaginable. Newt and Minho were far too distracted to notice. I however was not, and was beginning to get seriously annoyed.

"Sorry." One of the boys I had yelled at says, looking up at me in surprise. I almost never yelled at anyone, that was Newt, Minho and Skylar's job. They were always the ones running around screaming their heads off at someone doing something they shouldn't be. It's rare for me to get that angry, but everyone has their breaking points. I dismiss the boy with a quick wave of my hand.

Suddenly, I spot something sticking out of the ground in the center of the field.
"What's that?" I ask newt, pointing to the little flicker of white sticking up from the ground.

"It looks like some kind of flag." Newt answers, instantly picking up his pace down the mountain.

"Newt wait!" I yell, trying to keep up with him whilst avoiding breaking one of my ankles. I feel a rock start to slide out from under my foot as my body tips backwards. Oh no. Seconds later, I'm sliding down the mountain on my butt. Which works surprisingly well if you don't mind getting poked with two-hundred tiny, jagged rocks.

"Oww." I mumble, standing up once I've finally reached the bottom and quit sliding. I brush off the dirt and debris, and wait for the others to make their way down to me. "That shucking hurt." I mutter, inspecting one of the cuts running down the side of my leg. No doubt I've had worse, but that doesn't change the fact that it hurts.

"You ok?" Newt asks breathlessly, when he finally reaches the bottom of the mountain.

"I got scraped up, but I'll be ok." I sigh, starting to look for the object we'd seen earlier. I spin in circles until I spot it, sticking up about fifty yards from where we stand. Newt was right, it appears to be some kind of flag.

"Let's go see what it is." Newt sighs, taking my hand before beginning to walk towards the flag. Minho has joined us by now, and eagerly takes his spot in front. I'm worried now, about whether or not WICKED will keep its promise to give us Skylar back. The more I think about it, the more I doubt that they will.

"Really?" I say flatly, upon reaching the flag. Printed in large black letters, across a small banner tied to a stick, are the words: Congratulations you have reached the Safe Haven

"This is the safe haven?" Newt asks, incredulous. I couldn't agree more. I was expecting something more... Safe? I don't know, like a building or maybe even a compound? But no, as usual WICKED is full of disappointments, so we get a stick. Typical.

"We still have an hour left." Minho announces, "maybe something will happen when time gets closer."

We wait around for nearly half an hour, before spotting something on the horizon. Group B to be exact. Nervously, we pack closer together; last time we met, wasn't a friendly occasion. At least now we have weapons to defend ourselves with. My stomach drops as I consider the possibility that this is our final test, a battle to the death between the groups. I certainly hope not. I notice however, that this time, Teresa is not leading the group, in fact, I don't see her at all. I also don't see Aris or Thomas. Which isn't exactly a good sign.

"Hey!" One of the girls in front, a blond with light brown eyes yells. She looks enough like Newt to be his sister. The more I study them, I notice that almost every single glader has a double in group B. It's strange.

"Send out your leaders! We just want to talk!" Another girl, this one with dark skin and hair, yells. Newt and Minho exchange glances, before stepping forward to go and meet the girls.

"Newt!" I hiss, not wanting him to leave.

"Just stay here." He answers quickly, before beginning to move forwards again. I watch helplessly as he and Minho go out to meet the girls from group B. I don't know what we would do if something happened to the two of them. Who would lead us?

They talk out of earshot for what feels like hours, though according to my watch, it only takes about ten minutes, before coming back to our group. Questions fill the air the instant they get back.

"Where's Teresa?!"

"What do they want!"

"What happened to Thomas?"

"Everybody calm down!!" Minho yells eventually, fed up with all the questions. I've noticed group B has resumed walking toward us. "They aren't going to do anything, they're just looking for the safe haven like us."

"Unfortunately, they don't know where Thomas is, Teresa went Psycho and ran off with him and Aris." Newt adds.

"What now?" I ask, just as group B reaches us and begins to mix with our group. Happy reunions between them and the Group B boys play out under the wary glances of the nervous gladers. We still don't trust them fully.

"Now we wait." Minho says, loud enough to be heard over all the chatter. I hate waiting. sometimes it's almost the worst part, knowing something is  going to happen, but not what or when, and having absolutely nothing to do about it.

"This is Sonya and Harriet." Newt says, introducing me to the two girls I had seen earlier. Apparently, they are the leaders of group B.

"Nice to meet you." The blonde one, Sonya, says reaching out to shake my hand.

"You too." I say taking her hand and shaking it. Suddenly, I'm distracted by something behind her.

"Guys Look!!!"