The Maze Runner

Chapter Thirteen

"Chuck? Chuck! What are you doing over here?" I whisper-shout to the boy across from me, sitting on a stump in the deadheads. "We all split up and have been looking for you for almost an hour!" I tell him. He looks up at me with tear stained cheeks. I sigh and put my lantern by my feet, kneeling across from him on the dirt floor. I tilt his chin up to look at me.

"They can't really be gone, can they?" He asks me quietly. I wipe a tear off of his cheek.

"We'll be okay, Chuck. We always are," I remind him. He's only been here a month, but it was enough time to lose at least one boy. He shakes his head.

"I can't believe they didn't make it out. First Ben, and now Alby, Minho, and Thomas? All three of them? I just can't believe it," He tells me.

"I know. Minho's my best friend-" I have to take a deep breath so I don't start crying. I have to hold it together for Chuck. With Alby gone, I'm the unofficial second in command. According to Newt at least. Definitely not according to Alby, but when he's not here he can't object so here I am. "But that's just how life is here. It sucks but it goes on," I say. He looks down and I sigh before taking a seat next to him on the stump. I put my hand on his shoulder and he turns to face me.

"Thomas was barely here a few days, and now he's gone. I just, I don't know..." He trails off. I squeeze his shoulder.

"Hey. It's alright. We still have all of us here. I'm still here, Newt's still here, Frypan and Clint are still here, Winston's still here, and that's just to name a few. We'll be okay. Again, we always are. Trust me, I've been through this many, many times. Unfortunately," I slightly waiver at my last word.

"How could they get stuck out there? Especially Minho, I mean, he's the Keeper," He tries to understand. I nod.

"I know. Something must've happened to Alby. That's what it looked like, anyways. And Minho couldn't just leave our leader out there for dead. But I don't know what the hell Thomas was thinking, he's a shucking idiot," I explain to Chuck. He looks at me. "Sorry... I just meant that I think his curiosity got the better of him."

"You tried to run out there too, Beth," He points out. I open my mouth but nothing comes out for a second.

"That's very true, but I have terrible judgement sometimes. I was scared of losing Minho, and I thought maybe I could help Alby. You know, like, medically. But Newt was right to hold me back. We can't afford to lose anyone else."

"I guess you're right. Maybe Thomas just hasn't- hadn't, learned that yet," Chuck thinks about it. I nod.

"Maybe. Now come on, let's head back to the hammocks. We've still got a full day tomorrow."