LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

31

Most of The Gladers slept outside in normal times, so packing all those bodies into the Homestead made for a tight fight.

The Keepers had organized and distributed the Gladers throughout the rooms, along with blankets and pillows. Despite the number of people and the chaos of such a change, a disturbing silence hung over the activities, as if no one wanted to draw attention to themselves.

When everyone was settled, Clara, Archie and Thomas found themselves upstairs with Newt, Alby and Minho, and the Runners were finally able to finish their conversation from earlier in the courtyard.

Clara, Alby and Newt ended up sitting on the only bed in the room while Thomas and Minho sat next to them on chairs, Archie being forced to sit on the floor because there weren't anymore chairs. The only other furniture was a crooked wooden dresser and a small table, on top of which rested a lamp providing what light they had.

"Closest I've come so far,"Newt was saying,"to hangin' it all up. Shuck it all and kiss a Griever goodnight. Supplies cut, bloody gray skies, walls not closing. But we can't give up, and we all know it. The nuggets who sent us here either want us dead or not dead."

When no one responded, Newt asked,"Alby? Are you gonna pitch in?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Good that. But you've seen what happens at night. Just because the Greenie the freaking superboy made it doesn't mean the rest of us can."

"I'm with Thomas and Newt,"Minho stated. "We gotta quit boohooing and feeling sorry for ourselves. Tomorrow morning, first thing, you guys can assign teams to study the Maps full-time while the Runners go out. We'll pack our stuff, shuck-full so we can stay out there a few days."

"What?"Alby questioned, his voice finally showing some emotion. "What do you mean, days?"

"Days? As in a 24-hour period of time? C'mon, Alby, I'm pretty sure you know what a day is,"Clara replied. "With open Doors and no sunset, there's no point in coming back here, anyway. Time to stay out there and see if anything opens up when the walls move."

"If they still move,"Minho corrected her.

Archie, who didn't know what the hell anyone was talking about, just said,"Good that."

"No way!"Alby said firmly. "We have the Homestead to hide in - and if it ain't workin', the Map Room and the Slammer. We can't freaking ask people to go out there and die, you shanks! Who'd volunteer for that?"

"Me,"Minho replied. "And Thomas and Clara."

"I'll go too,"Archie agreed.

"I will if I have to,"Newt said. "And I'm sure all the Runners'll do it."

"With your bum leg?"Alby asked, a harsh laugh escaping his lips.

"That isn't funny, Alby!"Clara had snapped back before she had even thought about what she was going to say. Hadn't Alby known? Didn't he knew what Newt had been through? Or did he just not care?

"Clara, it's fine,"Newt said, then turned back to Alby. "Well, I don't feel good askin' Gladers to do something if I'm not bloody willing to do it myself."

Alby scooted back on the bed and propped his feet up. "Whatever. Do what you want?"

"Do what I want?"Newt asked, standing up. "What's wrong with you, man? Are you tellin' me we have a choice? Should we just sit around on our buts and wait to be snuffed by the Grievers?"

"Well, it sounds better than running to them."

Newt sat back down. "Alby. You gotta start talkin' reason."