Left Behind//The Maze Runner

F O U R

My legs are going to fall off if I don't take a five-minute break.

We've been walking through this city for almost four hours and yet we haven't reached the break of it. Everywhere we go it looks as if no one has been here for centuries. All of the buildings are decaying away and the roads are nothing but dirt pathways.

I'm still able to admire the beauty of what once was a city, most likely filled with people who didn't have to worry about catching the Flare and could just live normal lives.

"What the hell happened to this place?" Frypan asks the question we're all thinking.

"I don't know," Newt answers, his voice laced with wonder. "But it doesn't look like anyone's been here in a long time."

The sun scorches down on us as we continue to walk, making sweat drip down my back, pooling in places sweat should not be. The wind picks up, not even helping with the heat of the Scorch. My stomach churns as the heat runs down my entire body. My eyes start swirling for a minute or so, causing me to stop walking for a second. I blink rapidly, the swirling stopping for now.

Taking a deep breath, I continue on. I can't stop to rest for long until we get to our campsite for the night. Especially if WICKED is going to be looking for us.

Man the sun better set soon...

"I hope the whole world isn't like this," Aris says, my eyes moving up to him as he looks around at the buildings.

He walks past me, my eyebrows furrowing. Everyone else is ahead of me? I thought I was in front of Newt and Minho, when did they pass me?

My eyes start swirling again, my vision darkening for a moment. I blink rapidly, the feeling going away. Taking a small sip of water, I pick up my pace, catching up with Aris and the others.

Thomas stops in his tracks, his eyes moving to the sky as he tilts his head back. "Guys listen!" He calls, putting his hand out for us all to stop.

My eyebrows furrow as I look up, staring at the bright blue, cloudless sky. Propellers begin whirring in the distance, the aircraft nowhere to be seen as of yet.

But we don't have long till it gets here.

"Everybody hide!" Thomas shouts as he runs and slides under a piece of fallen rubble that is held up by another.

I run after him, sliding down next to Aris and Minho, Newt sitting in front of us, his eyes trained on the sky. A berg and two helicopters fly above us, my eyes widening as a shiver goes down my spine. My heartbeat starts speeding, threatening to beat out of my chest.

"Oh shuck!" Newt whispers, his voice filled with shock.

"They're never gonna stop looking for us." Minho starts, my eyes glued to the berg. "Are they?"

"I doubt it..." I sigh, a frown forming tight on my lips.

"We need to keep moving," Thomas says, climbing out of the rubble and taking off down the path we ran from.

• • •

The hours pass slowly, the sun continuing to beat down on our backs. The whole city is starting to look the same... That building over there? Oh yeah, it's the same one I saw five miles ago. All I want to do is crash down on the floor and sleep.

My stomach has started to churn even more now. It begins to move up to my throat, the feeling beginning to make me nauseous. I've tried to drink enough water, I just don't want to waste any. I ate a packet of crackers a mile back, but it only seemed to make the churning worse.

It moves up to my head, my vision darkening as my eyelids droop, both of them barely even staying open. I keep walking, my steps uneasy as I struggle to keep my balance. Newt comes up behind me and rests his hand on my shoulder, steadying me.