The New Beginnings (The Maze Runner)

Chapter 1

It was then when Thomas heard a deafening crack in the ceiling, as if an iceberg was breaking apart. With a sudden jolt, a rock-like structure broke apart from above the room, and was making its way towards him.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Teresa's body, her figure like a dashing light.

"Thomas!" she yelled, and he felt her body shove against his, causing him to crash into the wall.

The sudden tackle shocked Thomas, and he rubbed his head with the heels of his palms after the encounter with the wall.

"Thomas!" He heard her cry again, sending him back to the present.

His eyes shifted to where Teresa was, her foot caught under the huge stone. Blood was trolling down the sides, but he could help her. He could still save her. With a dash he ran to Teresa, ignoring all the pain from his back. He knelt down and once he got to her, he clearly saw that her blue eyes were watery, filled with tears.

Another explosion rang, even closer this time, and a another piece of the WICKED headquarters fell right in front of Thomas and Teresa, just before he could see two bodies standing there, approaching to help him. But it was too late, the boulder had made its way.

"Thomas..." She repeated and he drew his attention back to her, his hand on her shoulder.

"Teresa, I'll get you out of there, okay? I'll get you out. Don't worry," he said.

Thomas stood, pushing the piece off of Teresa's leg. But with every move, she screamed in pain, a sound that hurt him inside.

Half of her foot was free, and he saw a great amount of crimson liquid. Thomas knew that if ever he and Teresa could escape, Teresa wouldn't be able to walk for months. Her foot wasn't entirely crushed, probably just some broken bones and tons of scars.

He suddenly felt a soft hand on his arm and looked down to see it was Teresa.

"Tom... Just let me go," Teresa cried in her loudest whisper. Though he could barely hear her through the earthquake, he understood every word.

"No! I'm not going to do that!"

"Thomas, you're not going to make it with me. Go through the Flat Trans. Leave me here."

Thomas ignored every word she said. Though it did make him angry that she actually thought leaving her was an option. He used that anger to make one final push, one final screech from Teresa, and she was free.

The walls continued to collapse. But the boulder that dropped in front of them was slowly moving and from the corner he saw Brenda and Minho.

"Thomas c'mon!" Brenda shouted.

Thomas leaned down to carry Teresa in any way possible, which he ended up doing in a way that his hand was between the bottom her knees, and the other under her neck. As he carried her, he tried to ignore her fatal injury on her foot.

Thomas squeezed through the small opening in which Brenda and Minho have made, and made sure that Teresa was with him through every step. She didn't talk, but she kept her hands against her chest to make herself smaller and leaned closer and tighter against Thomas's chest. Her face held every inch of pain.

He glanced a look at the Flat Trans to see that Brenda was making her way through and it was just him and Minho left to enter, with Teresa in his arms.

Minho placed a hand on Thomas's shoulder. "I don't know how you managed to save her after all she's done to you." He was referring to Teresa. "But I guess love is love, right?"

Thomas rolled his eyes and Minho gave him a heavy slap on the back. "Ready to go leave the Crank World?"

Thomas sneaked one last look at the broken walls and ceilings. Holes and cracks leading to other rooms, that he immediately saw were just as ruined as the one they were in.

He nodded without looking at Minho. From the corner of his eye, he knew he was staring at him.

And then they walked into the Flat Trans together, holding Teresa tight in his hands.