Arrows // The Maze Runner // Newt Love Story

// Be There to Help \\

I trudged along through the Maze, completely shutting the Grievers out of my little world. I never realized how tall the walls were until I saw them in person. They rose up like skyscrapers on either side of me, making me admire Thomas and Teresa's architecture. Despite my bad opinion of the company, I at least had to admit that WICKED had some skill behind them.

I was going to see her again. I was going to find her and, like my mother, tell her that everything was going to be okay and that everything would go according to plan.

My heart leapt at the mere thought of Teresa. I knew Janson had no sense of friendship or family, but he must've understood that I just had to see her one more time. She was more than his lab rat.

And Thomas would be there, too. It felt like centuries since I'd seen him last, even if it was only about a week. It would feel like centuries even after I'd spoken to him and seen the boy I watched my sister hang around with for all those years. I didn't know if he'd remember me, and I knew the odds were not on my side, but I still had my hopes up and intended to keep them that way.

I suddenly imagined how those at WICKED were thinking of me at that moment. I could see it now: Janson, all red-faced and spluttering out curse words, Chancellor Paige remaining emotionless but mentally smiling...and Wyatt, too, probably laughing at me and calling me stupid. If Thomas and Teresa were beside him, I'm sure they'd have been laughing, too.

A large wall on one of my sides was suddenly splitting up ahead, creating an opening. That's it, I thought to myself anxiously. That's the way into the Glade. I slowed my pace as I approached it, careful not to disturb or alarm anyone.

Then, two athletic-looking teenage boys ran out into the Maze and I gasped in surprise, quickly ducking back to avoid being spotted. One of them, the taller of the two with shaggy dark blonde hair, ran straight past me without casting a glance my way. The other, with dark hair and a tougher-looking build, didn't let me be so lucky. He ran by me, then stopped, as if he heard something I didn't. I froze, hardly daring to breathe.

He stared right at the vines I hid myself in. I heard him mumble something to himself, but could not make out the entirety of what he said.

It was something along the lines of, "This must be where he..."

Go away, Runner, I pleaded in my mind. Find something more fascinating.

Apparently, something more fascinating than the vines was me, because then, to answer my thoughts, his eyes locked with mine. He blinked a few times, as if he were trying to clear his vision to make sure I wasn't really there. Too bad for him, because I was actually there, all right.

"Um," I greeted. "Hi."

"Hi," he returned it awkwardly. "You're a girl?"

"Last time I checked, I'm not a boy, so yes."

"Why are you... Uh...out here?"

"It's a long story."

"Well... Can you come out, or...?"

Hesitantly, I emerged from the plants draped over the walls.

His eyes landed on the Red Cross symbol on my brown sweater almost immediately. The sweater once belonged to Valerie Agnes, my mother, who was a doctor for the Red Cross. It was a bit big on me at the time and had a large rip on the right sleeve, yet I loved it so much, since it was all I had left of her.

I saw the gears turning in his head. Clearly the symbol was familiar to him, despite his memory loss, and it was gradually registering that it had to do with a medical organization. When he finally realized what it meant, his eyes widened.