Stay // The Maze Runner

Chapter 15

"Through here," John said pushing back a curtain. He ushered us into a massive room that looked like a makeshift hospital. There were two beds with some sort of a machine between them at the back of the room. There were two other beds on either side of the window. One of them was occupied with a guy that looked badly injured. The white sheets were all red and the woman tending to him looked stressed.

"Maria, come here," John called to the woman. She looked up and slowly a smile creeped across her face. "It's so nice to meet you all again," she said, hugging each of us individual.

"Oh I'm so sorry of course you don't remember me. I used to work with WICKED," she said sadly. "I helped them send the kids into the Maze, but... but I didn't know what they were going to do," she began to choke up.

"It's alright Maria," John said placing a hand on her shoulder. "There's more urgent things we need you to do. Newt here is infected," he gestured toward Newt.

"Oh yes okay," she said, wiping her eyes. "Come with me over here," she walked towards the beds with the machine next to it. "I need one of the others."

"Oh ya," John said. "Rosie are you okay to give a transfusion?" He asked. "A what? Ya sure whatever," I answered making my way over.

I took a quick glance at the boy lying on the bed. His leg was bent in an awkward angle and a piece of bone stuck out. A face was covered in blood that stuck his curls to his forehead. Even under all that he was still handsome.

"Holy shit Isaac," I said rushing over to his side. "What happened?" I grabbed his hand and tried to push his blood soaked hair out of his eyes. He turned his head sideways and gave me his half smile gripping my hand.

"Hey where have you been?" He asked through half shut eyes. "Minho," he whispered looking up briefly at the boy who appeared behind me.

"I'm really sorry," he said to me. "I'm just really tired." His eyes shut again, his grip loosened on my hand. "He's under a lot of meds right now," Maria said, ushering me back over to the bed next to Newt.

"What happened?" I asked her. My head was reeling from what I just saw. "I'm sure John will tell you after," she said fiddling with the machine.

"Where are the others?" I asked. "Later," she said, wiping the inside of my elbow. "First we must do this." She stuck a needle into my arm.

I watched mesmerised as blood flowed through a small narrow tube into the machine and back out the other side into Newt. He smiled at me, his lips strikingly red against his pale skin.

"It'll be better if you laid back," Maria said. "Relax." I lay back. Lucas was still standing at the door, looking more worried than I'd ever seen him yet.

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After just over a litre of blood and a thorough check up by Maria to make sure I'd be okay she let me talk to Lucas.

"You look pale," he said. He was sitting in a yellow arm chair in what must have been the kitchen, although it was hard to tell under all the mess.

"I guess that's what happens when you lose blood," I answered, sitting down opposite him on a brown recliner. "You were pale anyway," he said. "It's scary that you are not much paler." I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about whatever he was leading up to.

"Tea?" He asked, getting up. "You liked it before." "I know what tea is," I answered. "And yes I'll have a cup." He flipped the switch. "So how's Newt?"

"He's sleeping, Maria said he'll be okay in an hour or so," I answered. "That's good, c'est la belle vie, as they say," he said as the kettle boiled.

I snorted. "The little things ma copaine, the little things," he said. "As much as I love your motivational talk, are you gonna tell me what happened to Isaac and the rest of them?" I blurred out.

He grimaced just as the kettle came to a boil. He poured the boiling water into a green cracked mug. "It's shit," he said, mixing the tea bag in the water. "There's no other way to say it."

"Just tell me," I said. He squeezed out the teabag and poured in a drop of milk. "Strong, just as you like," he said handing me the mug and sitting down opposite me.

He sighed. "Everyone else ran from WICKED and came here too. I don't know how or why they know about this place but they ended up here just a day before us."

"Gally found out that they were here because he had been waiting for us to arrive. John, he met with them once to explain all that was happening, and they agree to help."

"They were supposed to come here last night, but nobody came until this morning, Isaac showed up all bloody and beaten. He was shouting about WICKED. He said that they take all your friends."

"That is shit," I answered after a few moments of silence.  "Back to square one. Does Minho know?" "Yes."

"So have they a plan? Or must I throw a tantrum?" I asked. Lucas smiled, "they're in one of the back rooms now."

"What're we waiting for then?" I asked putting down my lukewarm tea. "Lets help them." "Are you sure you are okay? Maybe you need a lie down first?" Lucas said. "No... no... I'll lie down when this is all over."