The Maze In Her Heart (Newt, Minho ::The Maze Runner.) ✔

CHAPTER FIVE: Interrogating with Thomas.

When Minnie and I are excused from an emotionally unstable Newt, the Glade has fallen dark, except the paths lit up with torches, and a campfire in the distance, where a couple of boys were talking quietly. Firelight lit up their features, and most of them were solemn, sipping on amber drinks. They didn't seem to notice us. That's good. I've had enough suspicious looks to last years.

I saw our little camp, two additional hammocks messily placed up. Chuck was sitting next to a boy, and they looked deep in conversation, until Minnie and I got closer. The boys looked up. 

Minnie walked up quickly, with me in tow. The boys watched up expectantly, the new one watching with alert eyes. Chuck, on the other hand, tilted his head, smiling at us. "Hey twins!" he greeted, rather loudly.

Minnie smiled half-heartily at Chuck. "Who is this?" she asked, jerking her head towards the newcomer. I paused a few feet away, crossing my arms across my chest to watch the scene. 

Was this Thomas?

"The more important question is, who're you?" the boy said in a rather sleepy tone, stretching out his arms. He stopped however, eyes widening as Minnie reared back, full sass.

"Oh I totally forgot! I'm Minnie, nice to meet you! Wish I could've met you earlier but you know, some people." She said over-enthusiastically- sarcastic- shaking his hand. I wanted to tell her to stop, but I found myself cupping my mouth to hide small giggles. It was entertaining to see Thomas's face at the confrontation.

It went from sleepy, to confused, to a flash of anger, than another bigger sweep of utter confusion.

Thomas recovered. "Well, Sorry. I'm Thomas, and I just wanted to know what happened during Alby's escape.. Sounds oddly like Ben's..." He trailed off, biting his bottom lip. I studied his expression, but my own questions began to surface.

"So you're the... shuck who ran into the Maze?" I asked, not exactly sure how to use the word, but finding the situation necessary.

Thomas's eyebrows shot up into his hair in surprise. "How do you know about the Maze? It took me at least a few days to even know my own name!" He sounded defiant, and a bit frustrated.

"The charm." Minnie and I said at the same time, then we both laughed at the unision. 

Thomas frowned, looking at Chuck, who in turn, simply shrugged. Then he turned back to us. "Well, what happened to Alby?" he asks.

"I think you can wait a little longer for answers, it's been a long day." I said, glancing down at Thomas. Chuck stepped between us and Thomas. 

"Guys, can we please get along?" he pleaded playfully, but I saw the ghost of a frown on Thomas's face.

"Look." Thomas said, gently pushing away the young boy. "I just want to find out what happened to Alby. I think I have just as much right to know what happened."

Minnie eyed him, but I sat down in a hammock, leaning my head back. He was right, things were just tense right now. In the morning, I hoped they would be back to normal. 

What is normal around here, though? Is this normal?

"Okay, so I basically was just settling down right here and a bunch of boys started screaming..."

Thomas listened to whole story as I told it, leaning forward in his hammock and clinging to every word. I left out Newt's part. Thomas didn't have to know.  It was personal- it was something shared between Newt and I only, and I wanted to keep it that way. 

As I finished, Thomas seemed to relax, more friendly than before despite the sarcasm he received from Minnie. As I leaned back into my hammock, another giggle came to my lips as I remembered Minnie's reaction to Thomas.

Minnie can tend to be aggressive.

Thomas was a skinny boy, with tousled brown hair that was floppy, much like Chuck's mop only straighter. His face was pretty nice, but it didn't strike my fancy. The farthest I could go would be friends.

I replayed the events of the day in my head while staring up at the stars through the tree branches. The box, stares, Newt, Meeting Chuck, Alby's death, Newt's meltdown. 

As soon as the boy's breathing evens out into the rhythm of sleep, I turned to my sister.

"Are you awake?" I asked.

"No, I'm having vivid daydreams with my eyes closed, Marie." she snaps.

"Sorry," I whispered but she reached out and touched my arm.

"This is crazy.." she said. "Being in this place with a bunch of boys. We are the only girls, after all."

I nod, but I bet she can't tell in the dark. "I just want my memories back." I keep trying to grasp anything in the murky depths of my mind. But all that could be thought of was a blank slate. All I had to cling onto were my memories from today, and that didn't help.

"Oh well." I said after a few minutes, but I realized that she had fallen asleep.

I finally follow in suit with Newt and The Maze swimming around my mind.