Two Turtle Doves

Four

A/n (kinda unrelated but oh well): Okay so am I the only one who had no idea that there's another Maze Runner book coming out this fall? And it's from NEWT'S point of view? I mean, I never really wanted to read about that thing that happens to Newt from his pov, but I can't just not read it if it's there.

The cafeteria bustled with conversation. Girls spoke with the girls and boys with the boys -- the two had not gotten a chance to meet each other yet. Frankly, you weren't even sure you wanted to meet them at all. The only thing you had ever known was the Gladers and they had become your family -- they were all you needed.

The slight smile you wore felt heavy. It took all your effort to hide the emotions that you were really feeling, but you knew you couldn't let the Gladers see that side. But you didn't need to smile when Thomas started talking. In fact, you let the worry and confusion wash over your face almost as soon as he started his story.

"I found something last night," he announced bitterly. "I don't think we can stay here."

"What do you mean?" you asked, even though his words echoed your thoughts perfectly.

"I met this kid named Aris," Thomas elaborated. 

"He's not a Glader," Fry commented.

"He was in the Maze with the girls. Came up last, kind of like Teresa did with us. Except for he was the only boy" -- he looked to you when he said that, pointing out the difference between the two groups -- "in the whole place. But he took me out of the room, right?"

You leaned toward Newt and whispered. "I told you he was gone." Newt just nodded and placed a hand around your back, eyes remaining locked on the boy sitting next to him as he spoke.

"And we saw this door, locked with one of those password things. There were two people -- people who work here -- who pushed some kind of table through the door. There was a person on the table, covered in a sheet. But you could see it was a person."

"Thomas, you don't know-" Newt started to counter, but you cut him off. You couldn't miss the fact that he sounded angry, like Thomas had made some impossible proclamation. 

"He's right, Newt." You didn't know why you said it, but if there was going to be an argument you were going to have to take Thomas's side. You too had bad feelings about these people. "We can't stay here. Not if he's telling the truth."

"What do you mean?"

Clint stopped any reply that you were going to give. "Neither of you know what you're talking about. Besides, let's not have an argument right before these people come in and take some of us away."

As if they were cued by his words, the sliding doors at the entrance of the room opened. In walked three men, Janson in between the other two.

You studied him as he walked, trying to figure out what the smirk on his face could possibly be about. But whatever knowledge you imagined you could gain from looking at him stayed hidden.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced. "You all know how this goes."

Some people sat up straighter, waiting for their name to be called and their new life to begin, but you couldn't help slouching down a little more, like it could stop him from calling your name.

Thomas seemed to ignore the names as they were being called. "I want to know what's through that door."

Newt rolled his eyes. He lowered his voice, but it was still audible across the table. "You said they were covered up. You don't know what you saw. Could have been anything out there."