control ⇢ the maze runner / thomas [1] ✓

Chapter Thirty

"I'm waking up to ash and dust.
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust."
—Imagine Dragons, Radioactive

CONTROL,
CHAPTER THIRTY

THEY WENT THROUGH the West Door, to Section 8. Ruby was having an easier time keeping up than she thought she would. Her breath was even and steady and she was pacing herself. It almost came naturally to her.

A sharp pain went through her head that had Ruby pausing. And then another. And another. Ruby leaned against the wall for support. Her mother's voice echoed in her head, but she couldn't understand the words.

Thomas slowed down and looked back at her. Worry crossed his features. "Are you okay?" He doubled back, helping her straighten.

Ruby shook him off. "I'm fine. Just a headache. Let's keep moving."

Minho noticed that his two new companions weren't following him, so he stopped. "Ruby, if you need to go back—"

"I'm okay, I swear." Neither boy believed her, but who were they to argue with her? The only person who could truly know Ruby's well being was her, right?

The morning light glinted off the stone around them. It almost gave the Maze new life. And Ruby's skin almost seemed to glow beneath it. The sun wasn't quite high in the sky yet, but it was enough to see by.

Warily, they continued in. Eventually, they made to some type of large doorway. Minho ran straight through, expecting them to follow. "This leads from Section Eight — the middle left square — to Section One — the top left square. Like I said, this passage is always in the same spot, but the route here might be a little different."

They continued down a long ways to the right, never once turning left. Once they reached the end, Minho took out his notepad and jotted a few things down. Proving how experienced he was, never once stopped moving. "I rely mostly on memory", Minho explained between ragged breaths. "At about every fifth turn I try to write something down to help me out later. It's mostly just related to stuff from yesterday. What's different today, y'know? Then I can use yesterday's Map to make today's. Easy-peasy, dude."

"You make it sound way easier than it is for us newbies", Ruby mumbled.

Thomas was still running besides her. He got close enough to nudge her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Ruby bit her lip, glancing at Minho. "I think someone finally figured out that I know too much." She'd said it as a joke, but when the words were out there... Well, it sounded too real to not consider. "Feels like something is attacking my brain from the inside out. It's okay though. Doesn't hurt anymore."

"Let me know if you need anything then, okay? I don't want you to, like, die on me out here or anything", the boy dark haired boy chuckled.

"No promises", Ruby grinned. "Kidding. I'll stay alive."