The Maze Within {Book 1}

Chapter 38

I followed Minho and everybody into the Council Hall where we saw Clint and Jeff making their way out. I looked towards the middle of the hall where I saw Gally and a distressed looking Newt.

"Nice of you guys to join us. Did you all enjoy your little field trip?" Gally sneered, turning towards us.

I shut the door just as Minho answered back. "What the hell Gally? You think you can just call a Keeper meeting without us?"

"Last time I checked the Greenie and Elizabeth weren't Keepers. Do you mind waiting outside?" He ordered us.

"They stay," Minho growled, defending us.

I held back a smile as the Runner went on. "What's the point of all this?"

"We've got 2 hours until sundown. We gotta figure out what to do with Alby," Newt explained.

"You wanna banish him?" Winston questioned.

Gally shook his head. "No, no one wants to banish anyone all right? But he's stung, we don't have a choice."

"Yes we do," Thomas spoke up.

Gally raised his eyebrows. "You say something Newbie?"

"Oh for god sakes. Let him get a word in Gally," I spat.

Everyone suddenly went silent and I sighed. Gally was really beginning to get on my last nerve.

"Go on Thomas," I encourage my friend.

"Yeah, we have a choice. We don't have to banish Alby," He told him.

"Right, and how's that?" Gally questioned.

Thomas took the device out of Minho's hand and held it up before handing it to my brother. "We found this on our 'field trip.'"

"It was inside a Griever," He explained.

"These are the same letters that we get on our supplies," Newt gave us a confused look.

"Yeah, whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers. Now, this is the first clue, the first anything you've found in over 3 years. Right Minho?" He turned to face the Keeper of the Runners.

"Right," Minho confirmed.

"Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us," Thomas suggested.

My brother turned to Gally, looking for his opinion.

"You see what he's doing right?" He asked.

"First he breaks our rules and then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally. On top of that Elizabeth suddenly seems to be doing the same thing. You do know she went out there again, right?" Gally asked.

Newt's head spun towards me. "Did you?"

Of course Gally would rat me out.

"Yes, I did because I believe Thomas is right. We might finally have a chance at getting out of here," I nodded.

"We are going to talk about this later," He scolded me.

I rolled my eyes at him before Gally started ranting again.

"The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that? If Alby was here you know he'd agree with me. These Shanks need to be punished," He pointed to us.

Newt thought about it for a moment before handing Minho back the device. "You're right."

He couldn't be serious.

"Thomas and Elizabeth broke the rules. One night in the pit, and no food," He commanded us.

"Come on, Newt!" Gally lost his temper.

"One night in the pit. You think that's going to stop them from going into the Maze?" He frowned.

"No, and we can't just have non-Runners running in and out of the Maze whenever they feel like it," newt told everyone.

"So, let's just make this official. Starting from tomorrow, Thomas, you're a Runner," He made things very clear.

"What?!" I was fuming now.

Newt looked at me. "Lizzy, I said we would talk about this."

I clenched my jaw and glared at him before turning my back and storming out of the Hall.

"Lizzy!" I heard my brother call out to me, but I didn't turn back.

I couldn't believe him. He knew how much I wanted to get out of this place. Yet, still he keeps me here where I am 'safe'.

I can't do this anymore. I don't care about what Newt thinks of me anymore.

I'm going out there tomorrow and no one's stopping me.

Not even Newt.

Word Count: 696

Edited: 23/6/2017