Into the Maze

Chapter 19

I looked over to Teresa, and finally realized why she looked so confused. She had no where to go, no one had given her a hammock, or told her anything.

"Teresa." I called to her, patting the bench beside me. She walked over, hesitating slightly, before sitting down. "The place we're in, I told you, it's the Glade."

She adjusted slightly, nodding. "Okay. But why? Why are we here?" She asked quickly, happy to have her questions be entertained slightly.

"I dunno. But right now, it's leaning more towards some sick game." I looked over to Alby, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around my legs. "But the doors, they're to the maze. If Thomas didn't tell you. Alby's here because he got stung, and Thomas and I ran after him. And he killed a Griever."

"Is that why the boy, Gally, is so angry with him?" Teresa asked innocently, as I nodded slowly. He was mad because things were changing, and he was scared. We all were, but I guess he could find someone other than a few letters, W.C.K.D, to blame.

"Yeah." I nodded, resting my chin on my knees. I looked up to Newt, who adverted his gaze as I found his eyes. "Are you tired?"

"A little." She nodded, as I put my legs down, looking to her. She did seem tired, but we all were. I could at least get her hammock set up.

"They sleep in hammocks. I could help you set up yours." I stood up, as she slowly followed. "I can also show you where Thomas is, incase you want to talk to him."

We walked out, and I went to where the extra hammocks were, finding a spot away from all the other boys. I quietly set it up, and then led her to Thomas. Gally couldn't get mad if Gally didn't know.

Chuck was just leaving, and Thomas had just handed him back the little wooden man he had been working on.

"Hey, Chuck." I smiled, as he nodded to me. "Get some rest, okay?" He agreed, leaving quietly, entering a deep thought.

I noticed how I was sort of acting like a mother. Helping everyone. I wasn't complaining, thought. It was a bit therapeutic.

"Parker, Teresa." Thomas greeted us, as Teresa walked over, sitting down on the grass beside his pit. Teresa didn't seem to care that he said my name, which meant he had at least told her it. I hadn't told her myself. "Hey, how come you're not in here with me?"

"Because boys are sexist." I frowned, as Teresa looked to me, raising an eyebrow. I turned to her, scoffing. "Don't trust them."

"What happened?" She asked, looking back to Thomas's face questioningly. He sighed, sticking his arms out of the door and folding his hands.

"Newt told her she couldn't be a runner." He said simply, as I shook my head. I could have gotten madder, but I decided not to do it now. No one would like it if I kept them up with viscous wood chopping.

"But he let you do it." Teresa seemed just as confused as to why I couldn't do it if Thomas could, and for that, I was happy.

"Yeah, well, there's two of you. And about 50 of us." Thomas nodded, as I frowned, shaking my head even more.

"Don't switch up on me." I told him, suppressing a smile as he put his hands up. Teresa looked at our faces, and smiled. But I could tell by the look on her face that she had some things she wanted to talk to him about. "Alright, I'm gonna go. Watch Alby or something."

"Alright." Thomas nodded, as I turned, walking back over to where Alby was. The fact that I would be in there alone with Newt didn't register until I had already walked in.

He looked over to me as I entered. I stopped, and hesitated, debating on just turning and walking right back out. I told myself no, and awkwardly walked over to where I had been sitting before.

"You didn't think I'd let you watch over him all by yourself, did you?" I sort of joked, leaning my back against the side wall and putting my feet up on the bench.

"No. I just didn't think you'd even want to be near me alone ever again." He stated, still in the same position he had been in before.

"Maybe not ever again." I smiled slightly, almost forgetting I was supposed to be mad at him. It was easy to not be mad at him, and it was almost exhausting trying to make myself hate him. There was a small silence, as my eyes lingered to the floor.

"If it matters any, I think you'd be a great runner. I just don't want to be told that some Griever carried you away." He said after a while. My heart jumped, but I was still trying to be angry. The butterflies uselessly helped push away the anger, though. "I can't put you in that kind of danger."

"You had an easy time doing it to Thomas." I looked over, as he glanced to the ground, his fingers pulling at the skin on his lips.

"That was different."

"How was that-" I started to raise my voice, but stopped as Alby stirred lightly, before falling back unconscious.

I looked to him, as he eyed the door. He didn't tell me to talk quieter, he didn't try and tell me not to argue, he just wanted us to move for Alby.

We walked outside, just out the door. I didn't even think to see if anyone else was around, I just picked up where I left off.

"How was that any different?" I asked, quieter this time. I could have been loud if I wanted, but I didn't.

"Because-" He started, struggling a little bit to form his words the way he wanted. "Because I don't- He doesn't- I-"

I sat silent, watching him as he fought himself. He was debating on telling me something, and I was hoping he would just spit it out.

"Because I don't bloody feel something towards Thomas." He got it out, and then looked to me, as the light from the torch danced across his face. "I can't explain it. But, it's there."

He felt it too. What I had called from day one, what I had been fighting the feelings for, he felt too.

He looked to me, both of us silent. I sort of just watched his face, there was no tough mask, there was no sympathetic look. It was just so real. His eyes flicked across my face, as I bit my lip, debating on doing something.

I leant forward, slowly, seeing if he would back out of it. But he didn't, and he was the one to push in, kissing me. I kissed back, almost feeling as if this was normal, like I'd done it before. It was so natural, but I sort of... remembered.

I remembered seeing him before the maze, and watching him through the maze, and I remembered hating it. And it sort of opened this whole new feeling in my chest, which was what I had felt for him before, times 20.

I pulled back, searching his face. His cheeks were a bit pink, but he had the same look across his face. Like kissing me had literally sparked something deep in his brain, memories.

I didn't have any time to say anything about it, because beside us someone cleared their throat. We turned, and I wasn't surprised to see Gally.

"Wow, okay. This place is just turning completely upside down." He glared at us, but I was too focused on trying to remember. It's like it had opened a small little hole, and if I could just tear it more, and open up more memories, then it would rip open. But I had no clue how to tear it. "I came to check on Alby and I- gosh, Newt. What the hell is happening. And honestly, I'm just more worried on your sense of taste. Her?"

It was clear he had just insulted me, but neither of us said anything. Gally watched us, confused at why we were just blankly staring back at him.

"Oh my god." He shook his head, pushing past the both of us and inside. I stumbled, but caught myself, looking back to Newt. He was trying to remember, he had this look, the same one I was wearing.

"Did you-" I started to ask, wondering how on Earth to even start to explain what had happened. It sounded like something a child would make up.

'She kissed him, and then suddenly, the world around her shifted, revealing things she didn't know before.' Honestly? What is that, a story that ends with 'true love?'

"Yeah." He nodded, assuming what I had been thinking. We had done something, broke something.

And I had a feeling that whoever W.C.K.D was, they were pretty pissed at us right now.