Free (Maze Runner fanfic Newtmas Newt x Thomas)

Chapter 24

"You ready yet?" Someone asked Newt, trying to make him hurry up.

"He isn't back yet, I have to say goodbye." Newt demanded, looking up and down the corridor. "I can't leave without saying it first."

"Five more minutes and then we really have to go. Otherwise we'll leave you behind."

Five minutes more they waited, but Thomas didn't turn up. Minho offered Newt his rucksack, letting him know it was time to go; and he took it. "I'm sorry, Tommy.." He whispered, even though he knew Thomas couldn't hear him, wherever he was.

None of the boys actually knew what was going to be outside the building, only Thomas had been near the entrance when his mum arrived but he never said what was outside. It could be scorch, it could be a dense forest, they could be on an island for all they knew. What they did know, is that there was a plague.. and that was it.

The first warm breeze of outside made Newt glance back inside, just in case Thomas was following them, but all he could see was the glow of the red lights in the hallway. "Come on, Newt, we need to go he isn't coming." Minho had stopped leading at the front, everyone looking at him. "Remember what's important, you can't let your boyfriend cloud your thoughts."

"That's the problem.. with our memories..." Newt bit his lip and forced himself to look away. "Let's go."

Turns out, there was a field on their doorstep; a field empty of any plant or herb, just grass that was patchy in areas. It was either from what caused the scorch, or it was the summer that caused some areas to be dead and brown, with others being overgrown from where a sprinkler may have been. Who watered grass anyway? Not important, but all the boys were distracted by it.

It did mean that it was hard to hide, so if they were discovered missing it wasn't going to be too difficult to find them. It was like peaceful countryside, just fields as far as the eye could see with no towns in sight. Maybe that was on purpose, to catch them, and then Thomas would be waiting for them to tell them he was right all along. He'd love nothing more than to rub it in, feeling so high and mighty about his whole plan.

Newt trailed behind everyone else, wanting to be alone and his limp slowed him down anyways. He still felt guilty for leaving, and he probably would until they ended up wherever they were trying to go. That part of the plan had never really been discussed, they just wanted to reach a town or city and hope they'd be allowed in, and their deadline was whenever their supplies ran out.

Maybe they really were on an island, one completely deserted except for the WICKED complex.. but Thomas' mother made it there; so maybe they were in mainland US, or Britain, Russia? China? They could absolutely anywhere in the world, WICKED were from all over the world and just by looking at the people or listening to their accents really didn't give much away.

They were travelling south and it was mild, they knew that much. Everyone was knackered from lack of sleep when the sun rose, so Minho called for a rest break and some of the boys were quite happy to collapse where they stood into the grass. Again, Newt stayed away from the main group and Minho came over to try and talk to him. "Still thinking about him?" He asked, offering him a water bottle.

"You're not?" Newt took it and had a couple sips, a scowl on his face. "It's only been seven hours since we left."

"Of course I am, I miss the poor shank too, all alone in that stupid complex. If what he said really turned out to be true with the girls and stuff, then I hope he found them. Yeah? No point in winging about it, you know that."

Newt rolled his eyes. "You really have no bloody sentiment, do you? Or pity for that matter."

"He's my best friend! I'm just saying that it's not like you getting all upset, and you don't want the guys worrying. You don't want Thomas worrying, because we both know he probably is."