The Priceless Variable

Maybe He's Right

Things have been changing in the Glade. Thomas and Minho became the first Gladers to survive a night in the Maze, but Alby didn't. He's currently fighting for his life in the med-hut. His life has been in Clint, Jeff, and Mallory's hands.

                         ~~~~~~~~~~

Thomas started his first day as a Runner with Minho. They just ran back into the Glade. A group of Gladers were waiting for them by the doors.

"What happened out there?" Newt asked.

"What did you do now, Thomas?" Gally said.

The Gladers surrounded the two Runners as they were walking into the Glade.

"We found something, a new passage. We think it could be a way out." Thomas said.

"Really?!" Newt questioned.

"It's true. We opened a door, something I've never seen before. We think it might be where the Grievers go during the day." Minho explained.

"Wait! Whoa, whoa! You're saying that you found the Grievers' home, and you want us to go in?" Chuck intervened.

"Their way in could be our way out, Chuck." Thomas said to him.

"Yeah. Or there could be a dozen Grievers on the other side. The truth is Thomas doesn't know what he's done, as usual!" Gally objected.

Thomas turned around and walked up to his nemesis. The other Gladers stopped and surrounded the two boys.

"Well, at least I did something, Gally. I mean what have you done, huh? Except from hide behind these walls all the time." Thomas said.

"Let me tell ya something, greenie. You've been here for three days, alright. You've been here for three years." Gally said.

"Yeah, you've been for three years and you're still here, Gally. Alright, so what does that tell you? Maybe you should start doing things a little differently." Thomas said.

"Maybe you should be in charge? How about that?" Gally said.

"Guys! Hey! Hey! HEY!" Mallory yelled.

All the boys looked at her and Teresa.

"It's Alby. He's awake." Teresa said.

With that, Thomas, Newt, Minho, Frypan, and Gally followed the girls to the med-hut. They all walked in to see their leader sitting up on his bed, but with his back turned away.

"Has he said anything?" Minho asked.

"No." Mallory answered.

Newt sat down on the bed.

"Alby? Alby, are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on his back.

He didn't say anything, but tears were swelling up in his eyes.

Thomas kneeled in front of Alby's bed.

"Hey, Alby. Alby, we might have just found a way out of the Maze. You hear me? We could be getting out of here." Thomas told him.

Finally, words came out of Alby's mouth.

"We can't, we can't leave. They won't let us." he softly said.

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked.

"I remember." Alby said, started to choke up.

The other teens in the room looked at each other, surprised by their leader's words.

"What do you remember?" Thomas asked.

Alby looked over at Thomas. Tears were on the verge of rolling down his face.