From The WICKED Start | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

10. The box

"And you think that's a good idea?" Thomas asked Teresa as we all left the lab together that evening and went to the dining room.
Newt had taken my hand and so we walked alongside the other two. I looked over at him and completely blanked out Thomas and Teresa's discussion. I had made my decision. About everything. As I looked at him, I realised once again how much I felt for him. My heart felt huge at that moment, a feeling that you can only understand if you have felt it yourself. I just wanted to take him in my arms and not let go. And I knew that I had to let him go. We both knew it.
Three more weeks and two more days. Then they would take him too and erase his memory. And all I could do was hope that he could remember too and that Teresa would keep our agreement.
And then there was one more thing. Would I remember him? Would I remember Gally? Was I strong enough for that? I did not know.
I squeezed Newt's hand a little harder, as if I could hold him like that forever. Then we reached the dining hall. Thomas and Teresa probably hadn't agreed, because she turned off and disappeared in the direction of the sleeping quarters. I looked after her and then looked at Thomas questioningly. He seemed anything but happy.
When we had gone to get our food he wanted to go to his regulars' table alone out of habit, but I held him by the arm and pointed my head towards my friends. He raised an eyebrow as if he wasn't sure if he was wanted there, but then he followed Newt and I.
We sat down opposite Minho and Ben. No one said anything about bringing Thomas with us and Minho even greeted him. I sensed that Thomas hadn't expected it at all and I had to smile. He seemed to enjoy sitting here with us and it didn't take long before he was talking to Minho and Ben as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
After I finished my meal I leaned back in my chair and listened to the conversation. Meanwhile, Newt was talking to Zart about his life outside and was describing a very real crank he had once seen with his sister. I shivered when I thought that he hadn't seen her since he had arrived here. I wondered what they had done to her?
Minho, Ben and Thomas talked about the sports checks that the former two often had to undergo, as they were particularly athletic, according to WICKED. Thomas was just explaining to them what they were doing with their data, while Minho and Ben listened intently.
As I let my eyes wander through the room to see who else was there, I discovered some faces that looked familiar to me, but none of which I could identify. Suddenly my gaze caught on Teresa, who had apparently decided to come for dinner after all. She sat all alone at her regulars' table and looked directly at me. At first I thought she was angry with me for sitting here next to Thomas and taking him to my friends, but then I realised she didn't look angry at all. She just looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to notice her and come to her.
I stood up and took my tray. When I saw that Newt also wanted to get up immediately when I got up, I waved away.
"Stay seated."
He looked at me with raised eyebrows and immediately asked: "Is something wrong?"
I just shook my head and then smiled at him.
"Everything's fine. Go ahead and talk. I was gonna take a shower anyway."
A few metres away from the table I heard Zart ask aloud: "And you're not taking him with you?"
I turned to him, stuck out my tongue and laughed out loud. Then I took my tray away and turned towards Teresa's table. But it was empty. I cut. Had I misinterpreted her look? Then I saw her waiting for me in the doorway and going out as I walked in her direction.
What the...?
I followed her into the corridor, then down one staircase and along three more corridors, all the time keeping a safe distance. When she finally stopped we were somewhere I had never been before.
I reached her out of breath and asked: "Where are we?"
She did not answer me, but looked around again to make sure we were alone. Then she opened a small inconspicuous door by her card through a terminal. She stopped it and waited until I was inside to close it again.
"This is the box. From here it goes up into the maze. This is where all the test subjects and all the supplies are brought before going up to the glade in the morning. It is always prepared the day before and loaded with everything that needs to be up. They always check it for the last time at about 18 o'clock. So this has already happened. If no test person goes up, nothing happens here tomorrow, except that it is sent up. We will hide your message for Gally at the building material, as you suggested. You have observed well that he was appointed to be the keeper of the builders. No one but him should find it here," she said, while she now took the note out of her trouser pocket and hid it well between two boards.
"Wow, Teresa, thanks...," I said hesitantly.
"No problem. It's the right thing to do. I am happy to help you. Now it remains to be seen how he will react."
With these words she pushed me back out the door, when I actually wanted to have a closer look at what was sent so high to the boys in the maze.
"Come, we must hurry. No one must catch us here. Actually I should not even know that the box is going up from here. We'd better let them think I'm not."
Quickly we moved towards the sleeping quarters and when we arrived hers I couldn't help but hug her.
"I thank you for your help, Teresa. I know you didn't have to do this and I know it's not safe for you."
She was a little scared at first, but then returned my hug.
"There is something else I have to tell you, Anna. It's about Newt's sister..."
She hesitated and I held my breath. What would she tell me now?
"I know where they put her. I've done some research. She's in side wing C with some other girls her age." She held me by the arm as if she wanted to make her words even stronger. "I think I know how Newt can see her again. But that's a bit difficult, because he won't be able to talk to her. But I know of a plan of the air shafts, and there is a connection between those here and those in Wing C. I don't know if that helps him and if it would be good for him to look after her, but if you think he should get the chance - then I can get you that plan."
With these words she let me go and I nodded silently. Without another word she disappeared into her room. I walked the last few metres to mine and then immediately locked myself in the bathroom. Newt was not back yet and I wanted to use the time to think.
I quickly undressed and got into the shower, where I let the pleasant water run over my head. I knew that Newt missed his sister very much, but I also knew that it would hurt him just as much not to be able to reach her. Nevertheless I had to tell him about it. I knew that because I immediately had to think of Gally. Didn't it help me a little bit to see that he was well and above all alive?
Yes, I would tell Newt and we would get this plan from Teresa. And then he could at least see his sister if he wanted to.
When I heard someone open the door, I turned off the water and dried myself quickly. Only now did I realise that I had not taken any fresh clothes with me. So I tied my hair into a turban on my head and wrapped my towel around my body before carefully opening the door and slipping out. Newt sat on his bed and looked at me curiously.
"Hey," I whispered, well aware of how I was walking around.
"Hey," he replied and stared at me.
"I had forgotten to take fresh clothes with me...," I explained and blushed a little.
I quickly opened one of my drawers and took out some sleeping things before scurrying back into the bathroom. I felt his look on me all the time and even if I was uncomfortable with the way I looked, I liked it when he looked at me like that. I was quickly drawn in and brushed my wet hair before I left it open to dry.
After brushing my teeth I went back to Newt and sat down on my bed opposite him. He looked at me with an unwavering gaze and I saw another smile spread across his face that I could only return.
Asking for it, he reached out a hand to me and I stood up and sat down next to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him. He pressed me firmly against himself and kissed my hair. I would have loved to let this moment pass and fall asleep in his arms, but I had to talk to him first. He deserved that.
"Newt?" I asked quietly and he answered with a "Hmm?", his face still in my hair.
"I have to talk to you," I noted and he now detached himself a little from me to be able to look at me.
"It's about your sister... Lizzy, right? - You said her name in your sleep," I explained as he raised one eyebrow because I knew her name.
Now that he knew what it was about, he sat up straight and looked at me curiously and a little suspiciously.
"Teresa knows where she is. She had an idea how you might be able to see her again. She spoke of an air shaft system that leads from here to her wing. You wouldn't be able to talk to her, but you could at least see her, see that she's all right..."
I held my breath, curious about his reaction. What would he say?
He said nothing at first. He just looked at me, completely calm, as if he had to process what he heard first. After what felt like an eternity he finally began to speak, still so calm.
"Yes, I'd like to do that. I'd like to check on her."
And that was it. That was all he said. He didn't ask questions or urge me to act or anything.
Instead, he spread his arms and said: "But now I'd like you to come over here. You've had an unsettling day. And I just want to be with you right now."
Silently and again with tears in my eyes I let him take me in his arms and closed my eyes. What was that between us?
As if he could read my thoughts, Newt whispered: "I want to spend all the time - no matter how short - that we have with you. I don't know how you see all this... But I'm sure now what it is I feel for you."
I held my breath.
"I love you."              
And he kissed me again, just like he did the first time. My feelings ran over me and I kissed him back with joy. It did not matter how long we had known each other or under what circumstances we had met. What mattered was how we felt about each other and that we were together right now. Because I too knew now what it was that I felt for him.
I loved Newt.
Overwhelmed by my feelings for him, I buried my hand in his soft hair and wished that this moment, this kiss, would last forever.