Variables (The Maze Runner) WATTYS2016

Chapter 4

Chaos. The first few days were chaos. Nobody knew what was going on, but everyone assumed they were right. My mind was blank. I remembered my name by sundown the first day, but nothing else came with it.

The boy Leo's theory is the most popular as of right now; he thinks we are in prison. So of course that led to everyone accusing each other of being horrible people. The girl Margaret says maybe this is how its always been, she doesn't think there is anything beyond the walls. The group that agreed with her started setting up buildings; they don't care about a way out. Then there are the Gally's who think we were put in here for a reason and the outside isn't safe. He is trying to create rules and systems, but with this many people with clashing opinions that sounds like a lost cause.

I just want to find a way out. I'm with the group started by this kid George. With this many of us we can find a way out within a few days. There is no point in arguing over opinions we will never be able to determine as facts. Time is valuable.

As the days turned into weeks these separate groups founded on different theories eventually merged to one, to the dismay of some. Fights broke out, but those who were involved began to get punished. Majority rules in these situations and those too stubborn to follow them, like me, are simply stuck.

"Maybe if we dig through-" George piped up as a group of us are stacking wood to set up a center building.

"Why cant you just do what your supposed to do?" One of the group appointed leaders, Gally, glares at him.

"How is this what im supposed to do? Just because some fuck-"

"Hey language!" Gally raises a fist at George.

George rolls his eyes, "-some shucking little shank told me what to do?"

"What did you just call him," Alby, one of Gally's friends stifles a laugh.

"A shank," George shrugs.

"I like that, we're keeping that," Alby nudges Gally who rolls his eyes. "Anyway, just do your share and get these walls up."

I bite my tongue, knowing better than to test the group leaders. It wasn't worth the fight- for now. As I walk over to the woodpile I can't help but notice how calm the kid Newt looks.

"How can you just sit there and accept this?" I glare at him.

"Because fighting it will cause problems and anxiety and there is no need to create any more fear and no need to give anyone false hope," he says matter-of-factly. I could punch him.

"You must live a sad life to be okay will being a prisoner in a cement cell and not even wonder why."

"I wouldn't know if my life was sad. Whether it was or it wasn't doesn't effect me now does it? So like I said, it's not worth the worry."

"Well im not giving in that easily," I frown. Something about this kid, maybe how calm and secure he seems when my mind is full of chaos, irked me more and more each day.

"Good that," he rolls his eyes and walks away.

-

During our down time George and I explore possible ways out. So far everything has been unsuccessful. I would like to go out past the walls, but no one is allowed until we determine the patterns of when they open and close.

"Rosie what about the box?" George grabs my arm, pulling me towards
The center of the glade.

"What comes up must go back down," I mutter to myself. "The box is supposed to go down at sunset, which is any minute."

George and I reach down towards the metal gates and open the box, both of us jumping in. I take a seat on a crate as George shuts us in. Now it is just a waiting game.

"Do you ever get scared of what might be waiting for us if we find a way out?" George glances up at the sky; waiting.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it is better than the civil war going on out there. At least if we get out we are in control of our own lives." I shrug. "Shouldn't this thing have gone down by now?"

"Just give it a little longer," he rests against the metal wall.

So we wait. Waiting is the safe limbo between what you hope will happen and the truth of the reality to come. We wait and we hope.

Time passes until the glade is lit solely by torches and bonfires. Someone opens the top of the box, peering down at us, it was Alby. "It is time to get out, this thing ain't going down. We need supplies and your little experiments aren't gonna screw that up."

I climb out, reaching down to George who hesitates before frustratingly taking my hand. The second his body is fully on the grass there is a clanking of metal and the box lowers itself down.

When the sound of clanking is far gone George turns to me, "What if we jump down?"

"We don't know how long the drop is, you could die."

"Yeah I could," he shrugs, "Or I can be stuck in a brick prison with strangers and no memory for the rest of my life. I'll take my chances. Will you?"

I look around the glade of half built huts and on-edge people. "I'll take my chances."

With that George jumped.

My heart was beating so loud I couldn't hear myself taking the steps towards the edge. Maybe this was my way out. I close my eyes, bending my knees ready to jump, as I lift off the ground an arm grabs my waist and pins me to the ground.

"What is your problem?" I yell, squinting up at Newt whose body was crushing mine, his eyebrows furrowed, I can feel his heavy breaths against my skin.

"Are you bloody insane? Did you not hear the scrape of the metal?"

"What?"

"Exactly." Newt pushes himself off of me, sitting up. "He got sliced in half and you were too stuck in your stubborn head to notice."

I open my mouth for a comeback, but I have nothing to fight him on. He did save me. "Thanks," I mutter.

He raises his eyebrows in shock, "Try not to be so careless next time." He stands up, brushing the dirt off of himself and walking away without a glance back.

Despite my new found hatred for the boy Newt, he saved me. Little did I know, I would save him too.

-

Nightmares wake me up yet again. The clenching fear trapped inside my mind as I thrash and struggle to open my eyes. When I finally do force myself awake and slow my breathing, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and look around the sleeping glade.
In the distance there is a torch nearing the wall, but by the dim light of dawn it is clear the runners had already gone in hours ago, everyone else is still asleep.

Too terrified to fall back asleep and facing the nightmares controlling my mind, I push myself off my grass bed and walk over.

As I near the silhouette, the flicker from the torch reveals who it is; Newt. He pauses outside the opening of the maze, adjusting his shirt before entering. Trying to stay as silent as my half asleep body would let me, I trail behind him. I pause at the entrance to the maze, looking up at the towering cement enclosing me in. Entering the maze sent a chill of anxiety down my spine, my body shivering with the fear of the unknown.

Newt walks with head his down, slugging his feet against the pavement as if walking is a punishment to him. His usual calm and collected demeanor is gone, his unsteady breathing echoing through the empty walkways. As I peer around the corner to stay out of his sight, he halts.

I hold my breath, hiding behind the moss as my eyes stay on him. He doesn't turn around. He doesn't notice me.

He starts to climb the wall.