control ⇢ the maze runner / thomas [1] ✓

Chapter Thirty-Six

"You could never know what it's like.
Your blood, like a winter, freezes
just like ice."
—Taron Egerton

CONTROL,
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

AFTER THE GALLY incident, it seemed impossible for anyone to sleep. Ruby seemed broken. She wouldn't move or anything, just standing there blinking. Thomas had passed her off to Leo, who in turn helped her into bed.

She didn't sleep. Tears wet her pillow. Ruby rolled over onto her back. An hour passed. Two. Leo came back with water. "Shit's really hitting the fan out there, Ru", he muttered.

Ruby rubbed her eyes and forced herself up. "What do you mean? Aside from someone I love like a brother diving out a window to his death, what the hell else could have possibly happened out there?"

Leo sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Apparently someone burned the Maps."

Ruby's eyes widened. "All of them? No way."

"Every single one", Leo nodded. "Gone, just like that. But that's not all. Alby was in there. He claims someone hit him over the head, nasty gash he's got there. Then your lover came and took Minho and Newt to talk to the other girl." He pouted. "Minho wouldn't let me come with him, so I have no idea what happened after that." Ruby stood up quickly, but Leo stood in her way. "And where do you think you're going?"

"You really think I'm gonna stay in here while they're talking about something important?" Ruby scoffed. "You and I are crashing that meeting, sir."

Leo's sure widened. He quickly shook his head. "Nooo way am I getting into trouble."

"Uh-Huh", Ruby said, giving him a flat look. "You just don't want both your boy toys sitting in the same spot."

Leo shoved her from the bed. She took him down with her. "I'm only going with you because I'm nosey", he sniffed.

"Works for me", Ruby shrugged. The two of them got up, trotting over to the Slammer. There was still chaos everywhere. Several of the boys were crying. It made Ruby's heart wrench.

When they made it to the small group, Teresa was out of her cell. They came in on the tail end of the conversation. "A code? How is it a code?", Minho was asking.

"What's a code?", Ruby asked in confusion.

Teresa looked relieved to see her. Ruby was caught off guard by the girl pulling her into a tight embrace. "Ruby, thank God. Why are your friends such idiots? Tell them I'm not dangerous!"

Ruby hated to admit it, but the embrace felt insanely nice. She melted into it. And for once she didn't feel envious of Teresa. She had missed her, weirdly enough. Whatever went wrong with their friendship, she wanted to fix it. "She's not dangerous. Now someone fill me in."