Runners' Romance (A SkyBop Maze Runner fanfic)

Chapter 26: The Outer Rim

(Aug. 22 2016)

^^^^ tHiS vIdEo mAdE mE fAnGiRl sO fReAkiNg mUcH!

WHY MUST YOU BE SO PRECIOUS, JIN?

*Ahem* Anyway, uh... Where was I?

...OH, RIGHT. STORY!

Anyway, apologies for the hiatus; I got all four of my wisdom teeth removed at the beginning of this month and I wasn't really in any condition to write or do much of anything while I was recovering from the surgery, but I'm back now! Also, I start college on the 27th so I have been and will be busy with that too.

Hope you enjoy the chapter! (And don't forget to look at the fan arts in the author's note at the end!)

Chapter 26: The Outer Rim

Jin's POV:

"This is really cool!" Sky says, examining his new Runner's vest and putting it on.

"Does it fit okay? Can you move alright in it and everything?"

"Yep."

"And you're sure you've got everything—"

"Jin."

"I'm just checking! We're going to be out there the entire day, so it's probably a good idea to make sure we have everything we need. It would suck if we ran out there and had to come back because one of us decided to leave without checking."

"Alright, alright, I get it."

It's the next morning now, and while Sky says I wasn't too awkward introducing him to the Gladers, I'm glad it's over and we can run the Maze again. I subconsciously move my hand over the pocket in my vest where the map of the Outer Rim is stored: a nervous habit that I seem to get every time
we go there. I have a lot of the inner Maze memorized, but since we rarely venture to the Outer Rim, we mapped it obsessively to keep track of the many traps within it.

Sky doesn't seem to notice the new nervous tic. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, this mechanism has the number four on it, so we should see if it has a connection with Segment Four in the Outer Rim. It's pretty far though, so we don't want to waste too much time on the way there."

Sky nods. "Isn't the Outer Rim dangerous?" He asks with a hint of nervousness.

"Well-er-yeah, but we should be fine as long as we stay alert and stick together. That way we— oh, hey Ross."

"H-He-Hey guys," he says awkwardly, "I was, um... I happened to overhear you guys talking about the Outer Rim..."

"Yeah," Sky confirms.

"I also heard that's a, uh, really dangerous place..."

"Yeah, we're going to be running it today because we believe there may be a hint there as to how to get out of here," I explain.

"Alright, I just— You know, I kinda... get worried.... that you might not come back..."

Sky brushes it off with a laugh, "Pff, don't worry Ross, of course we'll come back!"

"I know it's dangerous, Ross," I reassure him, "but I've been running this maze for nearly two years, and I've even been to the Outer Rim a few times. Sky's in good hands. I'll take care of him."