Into The WICKED Maze | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

7. Stan

As I left the hut, my thoughts revolved around Alby's words and Newt's story. I could now understand why he had reacted like that. And I decided that I had to talk to him. I wanted to explain to him why I wanted to do this. Maybe he would understand.
For some reason I couldn't have him thinking I was crazy or tired of life.
I let my gaze wander across the glade. The gladers were almost ready to build a campfire and I saw Gally and Minho both helping. Newt did not seem to be there, at least not visible to me.
I didn't want to look for him, because if there was one thing I didn't want to be, it was pushy. Besides, I didn't really know what to say at all.
So I looked for a tree trunk a little aside and sat down. Lost in thought, I watched the boys sitting around the fire that was lit in the meantime and drinking something that didn't look like water from far away. A picture of Gally and Fry Pan standing in the kitchen mixing such stuff formed inside my head, but as quickly as it came, it was gone.
I could feel Gally's look on me, but when I looked up, he didn't come towards me - as I had thought - but just looked at me and then nodded as if he understood that I wanted to be alone right now.
Why am I here?
I looked at the huge walls that completely enclosed us. The four gates were closed and I tried to understand why we had been sent here. Who would do such a thing?
If Minho and I went into the maze tomorrow, what would we see? How long would it take to find an exit? Was there one at all? And if not, what would we do? Would we just stay in here forever? Or would the people who sent us in here get us out at some point?
Had I known these strangers here before? Who had I been before I became Anna, the best friend of a boy who knew as little about the past as I did? I tried to tell myself that it didn't matter. Probably a big part of me had simply been Gally's best friend, because I realised from minute to minute I spent with him that he must have meant a lot to me. Still, there was more to it than that and I wanted to remember. This emptiness in my head drove me crazy.
Far too many questions and thoughts ran through my mind and at first I did not even notice how tears ran down my cheeks. I sobbed softly and wiped them away.
Without really knowing why, I got up and walked towards the sanitary hut.
When I reached it I hesitated for a moment, but then opened the door quietly. I slipped inside and saw nothing at first because the sun had almost completely disappeared behind the walls outside and there was only a small window. During the day this hadn't been a problem because there was enough light through the walls, but now my eyes had to get used to the darkness first.
I felt my way around a bit and could now slowly make out the bed where they had tied Stan up. He lay there motionless and I thought he was dead for a moment, which doubled my heartbeat. But then he suddenly started to rattle and move. I didn't know if he was himself or if the sting was controlling him, but kept walking towards him.
"Stan?" I whispered and felt somehow stupid for speaking so softly. But I didn't want to upset him.
"Hm?" it came back and my heart started beating faster again, this time with excitement.
"My name is Anna and I arrived here today with another boy. How are you?"
He coughed and it sounded terrible. "Shuck. Did I hurt you? If I did, I'm sorry. I wasn't in control. I'm still not, fuck it."
I sat down on a chair that was next to the bed. "No harm, no foul. I just wanted to see how you were..." He had already answered that question, but I just didn't know what else to say.
Suddenly he sobbed. "I'm not gonna make it, right? Damn, I knew that was gonna happen. This maze will kill you." He was coughing again and it sounded like he was spitting something up. Blood.
I didn't know what to say, so I took his hand tied to the couch. The truth was bad, but was a lie better? Would I want to be lied to? Maybe.
"I don't know about this stuff, but you're not to give up on yourself under any circumstances, you hear me? I can't promise you that you'll make it, but I'm not going to tell you now that the best thing for you to do is to hang yourself and wait for death or worse. Try to stay with me, okay?"
He didn't answer me and I thought he had fainted again. But suddenly he breathed in again with a wheezy breath. "I don't know if they told you, but there's an advantage to getting stung. You can remember."
"What do you mean?" I asked in bewilderment.
"I know you. I knew your name was Anna before you told me." - Another terrible cough. - "I knew you, before. But I don't think you knew I existed. At least you never talked to me, but why should you? You were always with Gally."
I stared at him with big eyes, which he couldn't see because it was now almost completely dark and his eyes were closed.
When I said nothing he continued. "I'm sorry that you're in here now, too. Maybe it's really best to die, after all this isn't a real life, is it?"
I wanted to answer him that he wouldn't die, that Clint would fix him, but he suddenly twitched so much that I wanted to jump up and get someone before he loosened up and passed out again. His hand, which had just clung to mine, went limp and he was breathing calmly, moaning in pain every now and then.
Completely horrified I remained seated, resting my elbows on my legs and burying my face in my hands. I cried silently as I wondered what else Stan could have told me. About me, about Gally and about the past. Maybe even about the people who put us in here.