The New Horizon ~ A Maze Runner Story

- 35 -

After Thomas had stuffed every possible clothing and toiletry item he could into his large sack bag, he left his apartment behind and met May at her room, which was a couple floors above his. Her eyes were glistening with the sort of twinkle that only alluded to excitement, though her expression was calm. She eyed the cumbersome bag Thomas held in his hand, so crammed-full with bundled clothes that parts of it bulged out farther than the rest.
"I hope you have everything you need," May said, then gestured back at the backpack she carried behind her. "I think you packed more than me."

"Not so much of a light traveler, am I?"
"Well, at least your clothes will last longer than mine." May replied. Thomas realized her lips were colored now. Some shade pink between and red, ever so faint. And glossy, too. In a weird but invigorating way, they looked inviting. Thomas snapped out of his thoughts to realize May was lightly gripping his arm. Her smile curious, her rosy lips closer to him than they ever had been.
"Are you there?"

"Yeah--sorry, I was . . . thinking." Thomas felt that his cheeks were no doubt matching the color of her lipstick. Thankfully, May didn't ask what he was thinking about. Maybe because it was obvious enough. He hoped not.
Thomas followed May to the elevator bank, grasping hold of her hand before he'd even registered it. She looked to him, but he'd already broken away. "Can we stop by and talk to Doctor Owens first? I promised I would tell her when I leave AFA."
They stepped inside the chiming elevator. May nodded, then pressed one of the buttons on the elevator panel. "Lobby it is."

Doctor Owens had just gotten out of a meeting by the time May and Thomas reached her office. She was hurriedly collecting strewn papers from her desk, as if embarrassed that her workplace wasn't as tidy as usual.
"Sorry, the last meeting was a little bit of a contract fiasco. But at least my associates and I agreed on testing five more subjects for the vaccine. Corporate, as I suspected, wouldn't allow only one test, even though May showed to be a perfect result."
"When will that test take place, Doctor?" May asked. Thomas wondered the same thing.
Owens looked up from her paper-collecting. "Tomorrow. I'll brief you two when the results are conclusive."

Thomas stepped forward, clutching his luggage bag, "That's what I wanted to tell you about--May and I are leaving for the city. Right now, actually."
He didn't know how Owens would react, but her smile washed assurance through him.
"That's wonderful, Thomas. You both deserve something new. Whenever you like to come back, give us a call, we'll let you through."
Thomas nodded, "Will do."
She stood taller and tucked the stack of papers under her arm. "Safe travels, you two."
Thomas could only nod, feeling the excitement coursing through him: the city was only minutes away now.

***

Thomas could've sworn he'd never been more thrilled and impatient in his whole life as he waited in line, watching in the distance as mammoth metallic doors, the same towering size as the iron walls, slid open and closed as people stepped through them one by one. Thomas sighed; it would take some time. And there were still fifty-or-so others in front of him and May. She didn't seem to mind the wait at all.
"So," Thomas began, stirring up some conversation while they waited outside, under the blaring sun, "past those doors, the city is really right there?"

May shrugged, shielding her eyes as she strained to examine the doors. "That's what I've heard from people I've talked to. They've also said that once you get inside you should go job-hunting right away. Things fill up fast."
Jobs. Thomas had no idea what that would feel like--communing to a workplace. He'd never even considered that. But he'd think about jobs later.
"What's the first thing you want to do?" Thomas asked May. A smile instantly cracked on her face.
"Eat. At a really fancy restaurant."
Thomas could only imagine the foods inside that city. "Nice, but we don't have the money for that yet."

May sucked her teeth. "I know, but we could get a crummy job right away, for a few hours, quit, and then use that money for dinner?"
Thomas snorted, catching May's attention instantly. "Crummy jobs equal extravagant dinners, so they say."
"We'd be set for life."
"As long as we alternate who gets to pick the restaurants," Thomas said, holding his hand out for May to shake. "Deal?"
May grabbed his hand through a laugh and shook it. "Deal."

Once the line in front of them completely dwindled, the massive doors opened, inviting May in, who Thomas insisted should have the first look at the city. He watched her walk into the artificially lit space that was no larger than the interior of an elevator, nestled in between the behemoth walls. His eyes locked on May's the entire time. And for that tiny moment before the walls closed her off from him, staring at her was so beautiful. Not just because she was beautiful, but because she was staring back, just as intently as he was. There was something so pure and energizing about it.

Thomas watched as the walls closed with barely a sound. They stayed closed for an entire minute before they opened again, the room empty, welcoming its next occupant. Thomas strode forward into the chamber, buzzing with elation to not only see May, but to also see the wondrous city on the other side.