Liar [Maze Runner Fanfiction]

eighteen

"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red?" - Loki, The Avengers

~

The door banged open.

Several figures stood outside it, darkly silhouetted against the hazy afternoon light.

Dead silence descended. It was as if time stood still as the Gladers gaped at the gory scene before them.

"Shucking hell."

There was a moment of terrible silence, a pause in time. A high-pitched scream resonated from a skinny, black-haired boy, and everything fell apart.

Horrified gasps and yells of disbelief were heard from all directions, as everyone scrambled, either for a better look, or to get away from the still-bleeding body.

"W-what the-" Alby was the only one that dared to step into the dim room, "Elizabeth?" His voice was dripping with disbelief.

There was a wet, spattering sound, followed by groans of disgust and dry heaving. Someone had thrown up. A ring cleared out, away from the redheaded culprit.

Shouts erupted from the crowd once again. People began shoving each other, scrambling in order to get a better look.

Alby's eyes hardened. He turned around, and using his loudest, most commanding voice, yelled, "everybody, out! Get in the Homestead. I don't want to see any of you shanks around, got it?" He glared at the Gladers, gesticulating with his right hand.

He looked around the room sternly. "Keepers, stay," he added.

Protests erupted from the crowd of boys. The leader clenched his fist, gritting his teeth.

"GET OUT, KLUNKHEADS. GET OUT!" he roared, "ANYONE THAT STAYS GETS A SHUCKING WEEK IN THE SLAMMER! OUT! NOW!"

There was a mad dash for the Homestead as Alby's threat was issued. His tone was dead serious.

During the chaos, Elizabeth had calmly dressed herself and washed the blood off her hands. Literally, of course. Figuratively, they were anything but clean.

She felt curiously numb. As if she was floating. It was a strange, out-of-body experience that terrified part of her brain and thrilled the other.

"Tie her up," Alby nodded towards Gally and Winston.

She didn't bother protesting. She felt so tired, so, so, tired. The burst of adrenaline from earlier had drained all of her remaining energy, and the days without sleep or food was taking its toll once and for all.

Lightheaded, she barely registered Alby's question: "what happened?" as she stared up dazedly at him.

A shake of her head seemed to make her come to her senses. However, she was barely able to make coherent words as she slurred, "I killed him." Her eyelids were heavy, and the thoughts of closing them and sleeping were deliciously tempting.

The leader shook his head in frustration, but didn't pry any further. "Put her in the Slammer. We'll be having a long talk in the morning."

~

Elizabeth woke up the the loud grinding of the Maze's shifting doors. She slowly blinked in the bright sunlight, a deep ache in her arms. Her mind was buzzing, filled with white noise.

What had happened?

Narrow shafts of sunlight streamed through the rectangular holes above. Several thin wooden poles formed a checkered pattern, its shape slanting a few degrees.

She stared at the dust motes dancing in the morning light. Her head was pounding, a sharp pain at the back of it. Reaching behind to touch it, her elbow connected with cool cement.