Escape The Maze (A Maze Runner Story)

4. Hope Still Here

Screams....oh the screams were horrific. The scene before me was horrific. People were running, screaming. Others lay on the ground, their bodies blackened and still. Fires burned all over the place. People cried out for help, but there was no way to help. You can't do anything Makena.....this is just like what happened before.....none of it is real....

" Daddy, what's happening?" A young boy's voice rang out above the screaming.

" No asking questions and hurry Thomas."

Thomas....Thomas! I quickly started pushing through the crowd of screaming people. After a bit of struggling, I caught sight of the boy holding hands with an older man, presumably his father. I watched as they slowly disappeared as my vision became a foggy haze and suddenly I'm in the corner of a room.

" Tommy...what's wrong with Mommy and Daddy?" a little girl asked as she snuggled next to her older brother. What does she mean? What's wrong....

I watched little Thomas, who looked to be 5 years of age, shake his head. " Nothing is wrong with Mommy and Daddy, Makena. Why are you asking?"

Makena.....i-is this me as a little girl!? My eyes widened as I went to her side of the bed. The moonlight that seeped through the curtains showed that she had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. If she is me then she, or erm me, has to be somewhere around 3.

" They're more angry now.....yelling more...." The little girl began to cry. Little Thomas brought her closer to him and quietly shushed her.

" No no Makena. It's just hard for them now. With the Flare problem and stuff. Don't be scared, everything will be okay." He reassured her. Makena gave a small smile, holding up her pinky.

" Pinky promise?"

Little Thomas smiled and hooked his pinky with her's. " Pinky promise"

My head swam as I sat up, my vision blurry as I opened them. I brought my hand to my head, feeling a small bandage on it. Ugh....what happened....

" Oh you're awake." I looked over to see a boy around 18 who was short and actually had gray hair already conquering the black on the sides of his head. Once my vision cleared I looked at my surroundings. I was lying on one of several beds in a dimly lit room since it seems the sun has gone down. On the bed next to me was the other girl who was in the Box with me.

" H-how long have I been out?" I groaned as I sat on the edge of the bed. I saw the man arranging bottles of what could only be medicines and other stuff for healing and grabbed a cloth and a large bottle of alcohol. He pulled a chair over to my bed and sat down.

" For a few hours at the most." He replied as he lightly damped a piece of cloth with the said alcohol. " Stay still. This may or may not sting." He said as he took off the bandage and lightly tapped the cloth on the wound. I hissed as it indeed sting. He carefully cleaned the wound and stood up and grabbed some cream and rubbed it over the cut.

" Let it sit in for a few minutes and then you'll be free to go."

I gave a small smile. " Thank you...um?"

" Clint."

" Thank you Clint." He gave a small nod. We sat in silence for a few minutes until a knock came to the door.

" Come on in." Clint called. The door opened to reveal a boy around the same age as Clint. He was tall with a buzz cut. He was about to say something till he noticed me.

" Awake now huh Greenie?" I nod my head and look down at my lap. " Clint it's almost suppertime."

" Good that. I'll finish this up and go Jeff." He replied. Jeff closed the door. He quickly put away all the stuff and turned to me. " Well let's get going."

I stand up and follow Clint down the stairs and out the door. Soon as the door was open I heard people talking and laughing. Clint motioned me to follow him and I did. The sounds became louder as we got closer till I saw boys around a bonfire. Some were talking and laughing while others were getting food.

I followed Clint as we went to get food. A boy who was surprisingly hairy handed me a bowl of what appeared to be stew. I quietly uttered a thank you and turned around. Now where to sit....

Slowly I walked past the boys, making my way to a fallen tree log and rested my back against it. I dipped my spoon into the bowl of stew and brought the spoon to my lips. My eyes widened as a burst of flavor filled my mouth. I tasted the meat, potatoes, carrots, and much more. The warm broth trickled down my throat, bring a good warmth to my stomach.

" Bloody good isn't it." I stopped eating the stew and looked up to see the blonde boy with the accent. Newt.

" Yeah. It's amazing actually." Newt chuckled as he plopped down next to me.

" Everyone says that about Frypan's cooking."

For a good few minutes we just sat silently in each other's company. As I finished my stew and set it aside I looked over at him with a frown. " Can I ask you a few questions?"

" Go ahead."

" Where are we?"

He shifted a bit. " You want it specifically or Generally?"

" Newt...." I narrowed my eyes.

" The Glade."

" Glade? Where is that?" I asked confused.

He shrugged. " We don't know."

My frowned deepened as I looked down at my lap. Face it Makena.....they're just as clueless as we are about everything. I looked up at the walls towering us. " Is this prison....did we do something in the past to get us here?"

Newt studied me for a second before replying, " Tommy asked the same thing when he got here."

" He did?"

" Yeah. He's a curious one I got to tell ya." Newt chuckled to himself as he leaned his head against the log. " But to tell ya....I don't Bloody know anything. No one does. We all came here like that. Knowing nothing about our past or anything. We don't have the answers. We're still looking for em."

He was right. No one knew. Everyone came up with blank memories. Blank everything. Sighing, I did what Newt did by resting my head on the log instead of my back. " Why do you think we're here?"

Newt looked a bit taken back by what I said. " Oh well Greenie I don't know. I've had so many bloody ideas of why we could be here that it's so shucking hard to remember them all."

I paused before asking. " How long have you been here?"

" 2 something years...."

" 2 years?! Like um.....that Asian guy with the buffed arms?" Newt chuckled to my descriptions of his best friend.

" That shank would be Minho. Yes."

" Oh." I laughed. Wow did it feel good to laugh. Even if it was a small laugh it made me feel better. This place wasn't really that bad so far. The boys still laughed, played around, and basically still had a bright side to this horrible nightmare. Each of them have held onto the hope of getting out.....but also to enjoy their time here. To know that even though this situation really sucks, they can still make the best of it.

I smiled at that thought. The thought that there was still hope here. That not everything was completely hopeless. Just that single thought gave me hope that we'll find a way out. That we'll fix this. That we all will remember.

" Well c'mon shank. This bondfire is for ya since you're the new Greenie. And tomorrow in the morning we'll be giving you a tour of the Glade." He explained as he stood up and held out his hand. I smiled as I took it, him pulling me up. I walked behind Newt. This is my new home for now. Let's make the best of it.