zugswang - the maze runner

| 6 |

When Eliza had woken, brightness filled her eyesight completely. She let out a soft groan before rubbing her eyes, trying to adjust to the sunlight. Eliza felt a throbbing pain in her right thigh. She was covered in a thick blanket, no doubt the best one they had.

''I thought we lost you for good. You looked so pale,'' A voice said, making Eliza turn her head to see who spoke. Newt was sitting in the corner of her room, his eyes slightly bloodshot. Newt came over to Eliza and grabbed her hand. ''You looked dead by the time we brought you here. I can't believe you'd do something so reckless and stupid.''

By hearing Newt speak those words, Eliza hung her head. She was getting the 'disappointment' talk, and she felt guilty for making Newt worry so much. ''I'm sorry,'' Her voice was meek and soft. Eliza didn't know how to make this better for Newt.

''Why would you run into the maze like that? Do you have any idea how worried all of us are? We need you here in the Glade to keep us sane, you are the lighthouse of all of us. You are this light that keeps everyone going, and we thought we lost you.'' Newt continued, his breath starting to shudder.

''I wanted to save them,'' Eliza answered. She looked at Newt and felt her eyes begin to sting. ''They're my friends, I couldn't leave them like that.''

Newt's grip on Eliza's hand tightened. ''Promise me you won't leave me again. I can't have that scare happen anymore.''

Eliza's hand felt so small in Newt's giant one. She stared at their hands being intertwined and smiled at the boy who made her heart flutter. ''I promise. Where is everyone?"

Newt's voice lowered, ''Gally called a meeting upon the new Greenie for runnin' into the maze.''

Eliza's eyes widened, and she removed the blanket and swung her leg over the bed. She saw the make-shift crutches right next to her bed-stand.

''Woah, woah, woah. What ya' think ya' doing?" Newt asked.

''Gally is going to make Tommy look horrible to those Gladers. I need to be there, I was there with him after all.''

Eliza managed to lean over and grab the crutches, placing them on the floor and moving her body up so she would be on them. She needed to know how bad her leg was, so she gently put her leg down and immediantly regretted it. Pain shot up her body, making her gasp loudly. ''Damn it,''

''Shank, have ya' lost your mind?"

She moved towards the window, ignoring Newt, and saw the Glader's rushing into the council room they had built ages ago. Eliza managed to get to the door of her room, and make it downstairs. She was sort-of run limping with her crutches over to the meeting.

She was on a mission, and she refused to let Newt stop her, even with him protesting and telling her to be careful behind her. Eliza was listening in on what Gally had to say, before she made her entrance.

''Things are changing.'' Gally's voice boomed, ''There's no denying that. First, Ben gets stung in broad daylight. And then Alby. And now our Greenie, here, has taken it upon himself to go into the maze. Which is a clear violation of our rules here. He came back with a lifeless Eliza - who might not even live by the way.''