A Way Back - The Maze Runner (♡Newt) UNDER EDITING/REWRITE

Chapter 17

Edited: 23-03-25

~.~.~

Cally

Left, right, right, left.
For making my way through the Maze on my own for the first time, I'd been doing pretty good so far. I hadn't taken a wrong turn, noticed some weird scratches on the walls, and wrote some things down. But nothing that rung any alarm bells.
Left, left, straight, left, right- wrong.
A dead end. Of course. I just had to run into a dead end. I wrote it down and turned back, continuing on my way.
At the beginning of the day, I had been nervous. Going into the Maze alone for the first time... definitely terrifying. But about thirty minutes in, after finding my own pace and falling back into the focus required to find my way, all those nerves melted away.
When I reached the spot we usually took a lunch break, I checked my watch while shoving my food down my throat. Somehow I'd managed to run all of that in about ten minuted less then normal. If that was the result of my slightly faster pace than Newt's or of me glancing over things Newt would have noticed with his experience, I did not know. Either way, I didn't want to stand still for all too long now my muscles had been warmed up entirely and the adrenaline from running still filled my blood. So I continued.
"Why don't we take a break at the end of the section?" I'd asked Minho ones. "That's the actual half way point, after all."
Minho had scoffed, rolling his eyes at my apparently ridiculous and amateuristic question. "Sure, if you wanne make it easier for those shuck Grievers to get you by waiting for them backed up in a corner, great idea. Maybe you should also wear a big sign saying 'Free Griever Food!' Great idea, Slinthead, really great."
"You could've just said it's saver not to stand still in a corner for too long."
"And you could've just thought about your question. And yet, you decided to ask the stupid question anyway."
I'd huffed in annoyance, mumbling a "Shuckface." Under my breath while we continued our run.
"What did you just call me?"
"I called you a Shuckface." I called from behind him, earning a laugh from my Keeper.
"That sounds just straight up bugging ridiculous coming from you, Greenie." Which had been the end of it. Since then I'd made a point out of using their words a lot more, especially around Minho. Excessively. Sometimes it made me feel like a toddler who had just learned a bad word and that using it got them attention, but somehow it always ended up with us laughing our assess off, so it definitely was worth it.
Straight, straight, right, straight.....
After hours of running, I reached the end of the section. I looked around a bit to make sure I didn't miss any changes. But it quickly became clear to me that nothing had changed at all, so I started on my way back to the Glade.
It had been weeks since I'd started running, which also meant it had been weeks without anything seeming familiar nor any more memories popping loose. Hell, the only thing in all this time that even felt remotely familiar turned out to be the Cliff. But then again, it basically looked like those pictures of space, so that didn't mean anything either.
Frustration towards myself had taken hold more and more lately, I should remember something more than what I did. In the movie, they ran into the Maze after everything went to shit. Maybe the way out only appeared when that happened? Maybe this is all pointless, and we need to wait until that happens-
Quickly, I shook that thought away. I shouldn't be thinking like that, getting melancholic wouldn't help anyone. Instead, I should be thinking like those Developers. If all we had to do was sit, wait, and make sure we don't die, what would be the point in testing us in the first place? Or an even better question, what would be the point of this giant, absurdly intricate Maze if it didn't serve a purpose? No. There's a purpose for all of this. There just has to be. And I knew more than the others, so I need to use that information to make sure we get out of here. So what if remembering took a little longer than I'd liked? Doesn't mean I should give up hope.
The rattling of stones pulled me from my thoughts. My ear twitching involuntarily as I focused on the sounds around me. One, two, three seconds of dead silence followed. Realizing I probably just had kicked some pebbles while running I shrugged it off, but just to be sure, I wrote down that I heard something that could've been something before putting my notebook away and started to pick up my pace again.
God, I wanted to take a shower so badly. The nerves of running on my own must be getting to me because I could've sworn I normally didn't sweat as much as today. I couldn't wait to be back in the Glade. Although I hated leaving Bark behind every morning, coming back to her adorably happy face every day really made everything so much better. And sure, maybe I shouldn't be so excited to return to what I could only describe as an elaborate prison just because of the dog... But oh well, I have to get my serotonin from somewhere, besides, it beats being stuck inside the Maze by a long shot.
Click, click, click.
My ear twitched again. I didn't imagine it this time. My head jolted back into the direction it had come from, but my eyes couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
Click, click, wheeze, click, click.
Fear tingled down my spine, the clicking noise had become louder, closer, but I still couldn't see anything. I slowed down a little, I know that sound...
A Griever.
Unmistakable. It may have been a while since Newt had showed me the creature behind the glass, it sounded exactly like one of those things when they moved. And if it didn't come from behind me...
I slowed to a stop a few feet away from the next crossroad. I had to turn left to reach the Glade. The clicking sound kept becoming louder and clearer, for some reason it didn't sound like it came from behind the corner, but what other option was there? My heartbeat picked up, I could feel the fear strengthening my fight or flight, telling me to turn and run in the other direction. Trying my best to not give in to the irrational impulses that could end up getting me lost or worse, killed, I forced myself to take a few deep breaths.
Slowly, I moved towards the wall and sneaked closer to the crossroad, hoping that the thing could not hear me. If it could hear at all. Either way, I did not want to find out. Leaning against the wall, the stone cool against my skin, I gathered all my courage and glanced around the corner. I looked straight in front of me, then turned my head to the left and right, expecting to see the big, ugly snail like monster. Only to find nothing there. At first my nerves subsided, but only for a second.
Click, click, click.
The sound crystal clear. My heart pounded against my rib cage, ready to burst out and leave me behind. My head snapped from left to right to behind me and back to the front. I didn't understand. Where the fuck did the sound come from? The only option left-
My eyes widened when a new realization hit me. Slowly, carefully, I started to turn my head, and looked up.
My breath hitched inside my throat. There, between the web of ivy strings, the big, ugly thing hung over my head. A metallic spider watching its prey walk into its trap.
I should have moved, but for a solid moment I stood frozen, unable to look away as it hung there, its pins stuck inside the walls, reaching all the way from one side to the other, making me realize how enormous they actually were. And for that moment, I also wondered if it had even noticed me all the way up there. Maybe if I moved very slowly and very quietly-
The Griever moved, it's multicolored lights shining down on me all at ones. The creature moved slowly, accompanied by a sound I could only describe as the low rumbling of an alligator.
Not wasting another second I snapped out of my frozen state and ran like I'd never ran before. Almost immediately after I'd taken off the ground shook when the Griever hid the ground with a loud and sludgy BANG. I stumbled, but kept balance.
Click, click, wheeeeze, click, click, click.
I didn't need to look back to know the Griever was right behind me. With every pin it jammed onto the ground to push itself forward stones flew up into the air. Some hit my shins, too close, I pushed myself to pick up speed.
Left!
I shouted inside my head while turning the next corner. Repeating the pattern I'd followed to get there in reverse over and over, knowing a mistake right now could lead to a literal dead end.
Right!
The clicking sounds of the metal legs hitting the stone ground made me forcefully clench my jaw shut. Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back. Just run. I had to reach the Glade, reach safety. I tried to focus on my breathing, on the way my body moved. I couldn't risk getting distracted, but I couldn't help my mind going to my last interaction with Newt from this morning. He warned me to be careful and I told him to trust me.
Right!
I promised to help them get out of here. I couldn't let him down. I had to survive this. I had to solve the puzzle. I had to get home. I had to see my family again. This couldn't be where it ends.
Left!
To my relieve I recognized the walls around me. If I would set one foot wrong, just one tiny mistake...
Straight!
There. The Glade. I could see it. Right in front of me, the open doors. Just one more hallway. The sounds of the running Griever advanced. The clang of metal against stone coming closer, awakening more and more terror inside of me with every step.
The Glade kept coming closer, desperate to reach it before the Griever could get to me I forced my feet to move quicker, ignoring the ache in my muscles. I had to make it, I just had to-
My heart dropped. What guarantee did I even have that the Griever would stop it's chase when I entered the Glade? Just because none had ever entered during the day doesn't mean they can't- the door is wide open, it can enter whenever and I just lead one right back to the Glade- to the one safe space- to everyone.
Fuck- I gotta turn around, lead the monster away from everyone- Looking back when running at full speed never is a good idea, but I needed to know how much time I still had to change course. If I even could without it immediately catching-
Stone beneath my feet made place for grass. Too late. I'd reached the Glade, which means so did the Griever. I breathed in to yell at whoever could hear me they needed to run for their lives when instead my scream got cut off when the air got slammed out of my lungs as I crashed into someone. Two more sets of arms and legs flashed by as we tumbled over each other, pain shot through my side as someone's elbow found its way between my ribs and I heard something crack from somewhere else in the heap of limbs.
I didn't have the time to focus on that, the moment we'd collided with the earth I shot to my feet, facing the door, throwing out my arms to keep myself between the two guys still on the ground and the Griever that could be upon us at any moment.
My eyes grew wide and the air got stuck in my throat as I looked up to see the Griever only a few meters away, it had stopped running, it just stood there, right inside the Maze. The creature towered over us, slime dripped from its body, its metal legs pinned into the stone floors and walls. The Griever's red lights twirled until they focused on us.
My entire body shook, I didn't dare to breath or bring out a single sound, let alone move, in case it might provoke the Griever.
I felt a hand on my shoulder from the person behind me, gentle but firm. Part of me wanted to turn around, see who stood with me, but no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't force my body to move. My eyes would not leave the thing that seemed to stare right back at me, almost as if debating if it should cross the line to reach its pray or give up.
A new wave of pure terror crashed into me the moment the Griever started to lift one of its legs, then the other- I tensed, finally able to move I set one step back, pressing the two Gladers further back behind me- the Griever swirled.
It turned around.
And calmly started it's way back into the Maze, all interest in me and the other Gladers lost.
The moment the Griever turned the corner, disappearing from my sight, my legs turned to jelly, dropping me to my knees.
"Cals? Are you okay?" I barely recognized Newt's voice nor felt his hand as he squeezed my shoulder. The boy entered my field of vision, grabbing a hold of my other shoulder now as well. "Cally, are ya okay? Did ya get stung?"
It took me more effort then it should have to focus on him. Worry written all over his features as his eyes scanned my face and body for wounds or any signs of a sting.
I sucked in a breath, but when I spoke I hated how soft and shaky my voice sounded. "N- no." A laugh forced itself passed my lips while tears stung my eyes, heaving as I finally dared to take the deep breaths by body desperately needed. Even though the danger had gone away, the shaking of my body didn't leave with it. "Fuck... that was scary."
A somewhat relieved chuckle came from Newt, "Yeah. Yeah ya could say that."
I laughed, not sure why I did, the sound wrong to my own ears, until my laughs started to turn into sobs. Tears of fear and relieve now flowing freely, I tried to wipe them away, finding my arms moved a little sluggish.
Newt's grip on my shoulders softened, "it's okay, Cals. You're okay, you're save."
"I- I thought-" I didn't know. That it would get to me? Sting me? Rip me to pieces? That I'd never see my family again? That I'd put everyone else in danger?
Newt hadn't hugged me since that time weeks ago when I'd had a breakdown in the Deadheads, but unlike that time, when he'd offered it to me and waited for me to accept, he leaned closer and wrapped his arms around me. Careful at first, then a little firmer when he felt the way my body still shook uncontrollable. "You're okay. Everything's fine."
"I thought- I thought it would follow. I- I should've turned around." I could feel my friend freeze for a split second before hugging me a little tighter again.
"No. Cals, no. Ya did great. Grievers don't enter the Glade. We're fine. Everyone is save in here, you didn't endanger anyone, good that?"
Letting his words sink in, the relieve washing over me feeling better then a hot shower. The tears stopped and a little later, feeling the warmth and comfort of another person, my bodies excessive shaking faded as well.
"What... was that?"
Only then did I realize there had been a third set of limbs that I'd crashed into. I leaned away from Newt to look behind me where a boy from around the age of fifteen stood that I'd never seen before. His black hair messy and short, dark eyes staring into the Maze where the Griever had ones been with a mixture of disbelieve, fear and disgust. Not entirely capable of processing what he'd just seen.
"A Griever." Newt answered as he helped me stand up, holding my elbow for extra support just in case I'd get wobbly again, only letting go of me when he was sure I wouldn't. "And a bloody nasty one at that."
I scoffed, brushing some dirt and leaves from my shirt and pants. "Understatement."
"A Griever? What in the world even is that?"
I squinted my eyes, trying to place the boy's face. I couldn't remember his name or if I'd ever seen him before, normally I would've tried to figure it out without having to admit that I'd forgotten, but at this point I really could not care less. "I'm sorry, I must've forgotten your name. Who are you again?" Unease settled in the guy, he didn't answer, nor looked me in the eye.
"That's Brandon, the new Greenie." Newt answered in his place when Brandon did not. That's right, I thought, during everything I'd totally forgotten a new person would be joining us today.
"Slim it, Newton." I bit at him with mock annoyance, playfully jabbing my elbow in his side. "I asked him, not you." Newt rolled his eyes at me, the hint of a smile tugging on the corner of his lips. But I did not pay it any mind as I turned myself to the new guy again, smiling and trying not to think about how I must look like an absolute mess after all that. "Anyways, my name's Callidora, but you can call me Cally. Everyone does that."
"That's because you tell them to." My blonde friend oh so helpfully commented, letting a hint of the teasing tone shine through the mask of annoyance.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought to make it easy for you guys. I mean, Callidora is a pretty long name. Do you really wanne say that every time you talk to me?"
"Long? Sure. Pretty?"
I gasped, hitting the guy on the shoulder, not having seen an insult like that coming from Newt of all people, Minho? Absolutely, but Newt?
"Says the guy named after a salamander." I managed to shoot back after recovering, but my insult fell to deaf ears as Newt just laughed at my initial reaction. But before I could say or do anything else, three loud barks from my favorite Glader drew my attention. There, from the direction of the Homestead, Bark came running at me at full speed.
"Barky!" I knelt to the ground, letting the brown Labrador jump up against me, paws on my shoulders. Of course I immediately started petting the soft fur on her back and head, her tail waking furiously from left to right. "Oh I missed you too, girly. Did you behave while I was gone?" The dog licked my face, making me giggle before pushing her back, her weight becoming a little too much for me while I sat there kneeling.
"She did spend most of her day near the Door ya left through."
I turned to Newt, "She did?" As I got back up from the ground, stumbling a bit to keep my balance, something in my movement made a jab of pain shoot through the spot I'd been stabbed by someone's elbow in out fall. Apparently this did not go unnoticed by our Second-in-Command.
"You sure y're okay, Cals?"
My hand hovered above the sour spot as I took a deep breath, checking if it would hurt, it didn't. "I'm fine, Newt. Really. Just hit something in our fall."
Newt did not seem convinced, observing me and the way I held my hand to my chest, making me drop it. "Maybe ya should swing by the Med-Room, just to be sure."
"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, don't you have a tour to finish?"
"That I do. Let's continue the tour. Shall we, Newbie?" I had to force myself to keep in my laughter seeing Brandon's face scrunch up at the nickname, clearly already fed up with it, but nodded anyway.
"I'll leave you Shanks to it, see ya later, guys." I waved before setting off towards the Homestead, Bark on my heels again. My leg muscles ached at the movement, protesting to why they had to carry my full weight again after all that.
"Cally." Newt called after me, making me turn back around to face him, my hands clasped behind my back, my ones neatly braided hair falling over my shoulder.
"Newton."
"Aren't ya forgetin' something?"
I crossed my brows in confusion for a moment, not understanding what he meant before the realization dawned on me. I hit myself on the forehead, feeling incredibly embarrassed at how I could've forgotten it. "Of course! The Map room! I should probably..." I bit of an awkward chuckle escaped my lips. "Yeah... Map-room... that's where I'm heading. Obviously." Newt laughed while shaking his head, turning back to Brandon and leaving me to it.
I drew the map, wrote down some things I thought were worth mentioning. Including the phrase: "Grievers can climb walls, good to know." Put it in the box hoping I hadn't missed anything important, and left to quickly shove down some food so I could take a shower and get to the most important part of my day. Collapsing to my bed and not coming out until tomorrow.

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