The Gladers from the Isle (ABANDONED)

Pet

The Gladers reluctantly washed Cruella's car with Carlos. Mal and Jay had left them to it; the former thinking of a scheme in which they repaid their 'favour' – and the latter brooding on what, and where, The Big Score would be. The boys washed the blood-red Panther De Ville, Carlos being the first one to speak: "What did you guys come here for? Didn't you know my mother is crazy?" He whispered, as if she could hear him from inside the house.

"We came to ask you something," Newt stated, wringing out a sponge a little, before rubbing it thoroughly over the roof of the car.

"Go ahead," Carlos replied. Newt looks over at the leader of the Glade - who nodded curtly.

"Do you wanna visit the Glade, Greenie? Sure, you won't know the Maze like us, but another place for you to be is an offer we can buggin' give for what you did for us yesterday," Newt explains.

"If you want to," Thomas added, hosing down one of the wheels. Carlos smiled warmly, and for a moment Newt thought he could see his brown eyes watering.

"That's..." Carlos began.

"It'll give you a break from your mum-..."

"I'll come!" Carlos spluttered quickly before he could stop himself. He cleared his throat, "when am I coming?"

"As soon as we finish this bloody car," Newt decided. The other Gladers were taken aback by his sudden decision, but there was nothing they could do about it.

~

Once the boys had finished cleaning the car and when Cruella was somewhat appeased, Carlos followed the Gladers through the Isle streets towards the Maze. "It's so complicated," Carlos mentioned, "how have none of you gotten lost?"

"It's in our blood, Greenie. At least, it must be; all Gladers could get through here blindfolded." Alby explained, stepping over a slime trail on the ground. Carlos nodded slowly, taking it all in. Suddenly, a strange, clicking sound resonated from the distance. Carlos jumped, scurrying behind Newt:

"What was that?" He shouted, looking around rapidly.

"Oh, a Griever. They protect us from the VKs," Newt explained, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. Carlos was not assured. "You're with us, though; you're fine." Carlos still held his breath when a large, slimy, metal spider-looking creature crosses in front of them to another corridor of the Maze, its metal appendages stabbing into the stone ground. For a moment, it seemed to point its scorpion-like tail at Carlos, before continuing onward.