Fervency

CHAPTER- T W E N T Y-NINE

The maze became erratic, shifting in several spots it was not supposed to. It creaked and rumbled at an ear-piercing frequency-so loud they couldn't hear each other. That is when it happened.

Thomas and Minho lost Elodie.

"What the hell is goin' on out there?" Newt greeted them as they darted from the maze.

"The hell you doing now Thomas?" Gally added, glaring at him angrily.

"We found a new passage. It might be our way out." Thomas replied.

"Really?" Newt asked Minho for confirmation. Excitement filled his being-he couldn't believe his ears.

"It's true. We opened a door, we think it must be where the grievers go through during the day."

"Wait. woah woah woah!" Chuck pushed his way through the group of gladers that were now surrounding them.

"You're saying you found the grievers home?" he asked, "And you watched it go in?"

"Their way in could be our way out" Thomas told him.

"By the way...where's Elle? Thought she was running today?" Newt scanned the group, but she was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, he felt very uneasy.

"What do you mean, she's-" Thomas turned around. There was no one there.

"She was right behind us!" He finished. Minho and Thomas met eyes.

"Shit!" Immediately, the two of them darted back to the entrance but the gates closed shut right as they approached them. Then they heard it: screams. Elodie's screams.

And for the longest time the two of them just stood there, silent.

"Minho..." Thomas began, but he turned away-walking the opposite direction.

"Just leave me alone"

"Where's Elle?" Newt pressed the runner. Instead, he just walked past him silent. "Minho, where is Elle?" He spoke in a firm voice, following after him. Minho just shook his head-that gave Newt everything he needed to know.

Elodie was gone. The Maze had taken her.

***

It was roughly an hour since they left the maze. The Keepers were in the tent discussing the situation that was at hand. They had found a way out and Elodie was gone.

"I warned you guys! Now Elodie's gone, probably dead. But you just had to go in there" Gally sneered, "Thomas doesn't know what he's done, AS USUAL!"

"Gally" Minho scolded, "Shut. Up."

"At least I did something, Gally. What have you done, besides hide behind these walls, huh?"

The rest of it was a blur to Minho, because he had somehow ended up inside Elodie's treehouse. He sat on her bed, silent. He brought in her scent and a thousand memories flash fired in his mind.

Then he grabbed ahold of anything he could, smashing the objects in a fit of rage.

Why did this happen to her? Why not him?

"Minho...?" a small voice called. He turned to see Thomas's head poking out the hatch. Immediately, he released a deep breath and faced away from him. His honey browns gazed out the window-full of regret.

"I shouldn't have let her run" Minho shook his head. He traveled to her bed and took a seat, resting his forearms on his knees.

"Minho..." Thomas whispered, "It wasn't your fault"

The hatch opened once more, and Newt appeared. Silence filled the room as he did a 360 of his surroundings. His right hand balled into a fist so tight that his knuckles were white. Next he swallowed thickly and turned to the two runners.

"What happened?" he demanded. He looked down fast in order to hide his eyes that were now filled with tears.

"She was right behind us..." Minho threw his head in his palms.

"It's like she just...disappeared" Thomas explained. His expression remained stoic as he desperately tried to search for possibilities that meant she could still be alive.

"So, you didn't hear or see anything happen to her?" Newt reiterated.

"The maze was changing, Newt. We couldn't hear her if we tried..." Thomas whispered in defeat.

"We should have kept a closer eye on her..." Minho croaked.

"Sorry, I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head round this." Newt clenched his jaw. "So, you just lost her? Were you even paying any attention-?"

He cut himself short, not wanting to worsen the situation any further.

"Never mind." He shook his head and then hopped down the hatch.

The following evening, the atmosphere of the glade was thick with grief. The gladers gathered around the opening to the maze, watching in sadness while Minho crossed out Elodie's name.

Yesterday, the girl that appeared out of nowhere-had disappeared out of nowhere. It seemed she was only in their lives for a short amount of time. During that time, she lit their way to hope. She was their fervency. And now that she was gone, they would escape by all means.