caution, the maze runner

two.

"HAVING FUN UP HERE?" the british accent pulled scout out of her thoughts and she turned, seeing newt climbing up to the watch tower with her.

she looked back to where the concrete wall stood. "just... looking at the maze."

"so alby told you about the maze?" newt asked, following her gaze.

scout shrugged nonchalantly. "eh, i figured it out." she looked at the vines. "it has to be the way out, don't you think?" she looked back over her shoulder at the boy. "why would there be a maze if we're not meant to investigate it?"

newt raised a brow, intrigued. "what is it you're suggesting?"

"what if someone went into the maze. made some sort of chart or log, came back here and then.. shared their findings. if we make a map, we'll know if there's a way out." she reasoned.

he chuckled. "you're clever, you know that? it's good!" he shook his head. "but alby isn't going to support that."

scout sighed. "yeah, i was afraid of that."

"but," newt said, looking over at her, "maybe the others will."

the girl raised a brow, a smile spreading across her lips. "i like your thinking, newt."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"why is there a girl here?" george asked, confused about the whole situation.

minho shrugged. "who knows."

the group of boys were all seated on a log, pretending that they weren't just staring at her in the watch tower. she had an intense look in her eyes, and her curiosity was admirable.

"i wonder how she is. like if she'll be nice." frypan wondered aloud.

"i'm sure she's nice." minho replied, realizing for a moment that they were definitely all stalking her at that moment. he hoped she couldn't feel their intense gazes.

"so.. who is she?" george asked.

minho watched as newt made some joke or another, seeing the way scout let down her resolve and laughed. then he noticed the boy grin. minho smiled cheekily. "newt's girlfriend."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

sure enough, when the sun went down, the maze doors closed. scout didn't think alby was lying, but still didn't expect it. she jumped a little at the sound the walls made as they molded back together, effectively trapping the gladers. while the boys were all seated around a small campfire, scout was leaned against a log, her back facing the fire. her gaze remained intently on the maze.

"are you still thinking about that maze?" newt asked, plopping onto the grass next to her.

scout shook her head, shifting to look at the boy beside her. "i just don't get it! it closes at night, and then the monsters come out?" she had yet to hear a monster, but alby had no reason to lie about that.

"we've started calling them grievers." newt said. "just to give them a name. they start howling around.. now." he lifted a finger, and, sure enough, scout heard a screeching from within the maze.