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Hazel's P.O.V

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    "They're back!"
    I jerk my head up at the sound of my supervisor's voice.
    I turn back to face Nathan, who's lying on the makeshift cot in the sick bay. "Go ahead," he tells me. "I'll be fine."
    Clint nods. "Yeah, don't worry. Jeff and I'll take over your shift."
    "Thanks guys," I say, rushing past Jeff, who's standing by the door.
    I run down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. My eyes dart to my watch as I make it to the first floor. It's been almost twenty-four hours since Thomas and Minho left the Glade to run in the Maze.

    I run towards the West Door, spotting my brother. I cast the duo worried looks as I approach them. The two of them stand side by side, catching their breath.
    "Are you guys alright?" I ask, noticing that Thomas looks like he's about to pass out.
    Thomas waves my hand away. "I'm fine. I... just need to... catch my breath."
    I turn to look over my shoulder as the sound of heavy footfalls fill the air.
    "You're the first to come back," Newt says, making his way towards us. "What happened?"

    The hopeful look on Newt's face almost breaks my heart. I had hoped that he didn't get his hopes up but I guess I should've know that Newt wasn't going to give up anytime soon.
    "Tell me you've got good news," Newt says after a few seconds of silence.
    Minho looked distant as he stared at the grey sky. "Nothing. The Maze is a shucking joke."
    Newt turned to Thomas, confused. "What the bloody hell is that shank talkin' about?"

    "He's just a bit demoralized," Thomas tells us. "We didn't find anything new. The walls haven't moved an inch. No exits, no change. Nothing. Did the Grievers come last night?"
    I nod sadly. "Yeah, they took Adam."
    "They went to the Med-Jacks hut this time," Newt tells them. "Hazel was there. She protected Nathan from them. The bloody buggers would've taken Hazel if Adam hadn't intervened."
    I look away. "He didn't deserve to be taken. He was just someone who was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

    "Hazel, he saved you," Newt states, turning to face me.
    "I know," I say, raking my hand through my hair. "I just wish I could've done something to save him."
    Newt was about to say something when Minho freaked out, scaring my brother and I.
    "I'm sick of this!" he exclaims, causing me to jump. "It's over! It's all over!" He too off his rucksack and threw it on the ground at his feet. "There's no exit, never was, and never will be! We're all shucked for good. We're gonna die here."

    I watch, speechless as Minho storms off towards the Homestead for some much-needed rest. The sight worries me. If Minho, someone who's always persistent, gives up, then we're all in big trouble. Newt then walks away without another word, no doubt making his way back to the weapons room. I glance at him, rushing to catch up with the blonde boy. I slip my hand in his, squeezing his hand comfortingly. "You okay?"

    "Honestly? No. Nothing's changed. In fact, it's gotten worse with everything that's happened. More than half of the Gladers have abandoned their daily jobs, they've all given up hope."
    "What about you?" I ask. "Have you given up hope?"
    "Not yet, but I think I might if things don't get better soon," he admits.
    "Did you get any rest last night?" I ask him as we pass the Homestead.
    Newt's response is quick. "Yeah."
    I stop in my tracks, crossing my arms. "Don't lie to me."

    Newt sighs, running his hand through his hair. "No, I didn't get any sleep. How could I after all that's happened?"
    "Insomnia?" I ask.
    "Yeah."
    "Well, come on," I say, dragging him back to the Homestead.
    "Where are we going?" Newt asks me.
    "You're going to get some rest," I say as we enter the only empty room in the building.
    "But the maps-"

    "Teresa and Nathan will help with the maps," I say. "Right now what you need to be doing is sleeping."
    Newt looks at the door, unsure. I place my hand on his shoulder. "Listen you need to get some rest. You won't be able to function properly if you don't."
    He sighs, knowing that he can't change my mind. "Fine. But just for awhile, wake me up in an hour, alright?"
    I nod as he makes his way to the bed. I sigh, watching as Newt's body go limp when his head touches the pillow.

    He looks so peaceful when he's asleep. Less anxious and more relaxed, like he should be. With that thought in mind, I walk out the room, gently closing the door behind me.

****

    I open the door, letting Thomas into the weapons room.
    "Is Newt here?" he asks, walking past me.
    "No, he's sleeping," I tell him. "He needed to rest."
    Thomas nods in agreement.
    "Any sign of Minho?" he asks, looking at me for an explanation.
    "He still hasn't showed up," I tell him as we walk down the stairs to the basement. "Sometimes that shank can turn into a buggin' hothead."
    "Agreed," Nathan says, sitting up on the chair.

    I watch Thomas's reaction as he takes in the appearance of the once clean and tidy basement. Piles of maps lay scattered on the floor as if a hurricane had been in the room recently. Markers were all over the room, some on the floor and some on the table. Teresa jerks her head up at the sound of our voices. She looks at Thomas, then back down that the piece of parchment in her hands.
    You have to see this, Teresa tells him as I proceed to dismiss the other Gladers.

    I slump against a chair, watching as they trudge out the door, grumbling about doing all this work for nothing. Thomas didn't remove his gaze on Teresa. In fact, he seemed to be staring at her after she spoke in our -his mind.
    Don't talk in our heads when other people are around, Thomas says, looking around to see if anyone's noticed his strange behavior. I don't want anyonw knowing about our... Gift.
    I mentally scoff. Gift? More like mutation.

    Call it whatever you want, it saved your life more than once.
    "Come and check this out," Teresa says aloud, not bothering to hide her smirk.
    "Newt would probably get down on his knees and kiss your feet if you manage to figure this mess out," I comment.
    I turn my body to face the maps as Thomas makes his way towards Teresa, inpatient to see what we had come up with while he was gone.
    "No doubt this is right," Teresa says. "We just don't have a clue what it means."

    Thomas took the thin sheet of paper from her, scanning the six words we had written in big blocky letter.
    FLOAT
    CATCH
    BLEED
    DEATH
    STIFF
    PUSH
    Six words. That's all the maps revealed. I'd taken the time to remember them while Minho and Thomas were out in the Maze. I slump down in my seat as disappointment washed over my brother's face.

    "That's it? Are you sure that's all? Are they in the right order?" Thomas asks, looking from Teresa to me.
    Teresa nods. "The Maze has been repeating those six words for months -we quit when it became clear- Each time after the word PUSH appears, it goes a full week without showing any other words so we figured that FLOAT was the first word in the sequence and PUSH was the last."
    I open my mouth to add on but stop at the sound of the basement door opening.

     I look towards the entrance as the sound of footfalls fill the air. Newt soon emerges from behind the door. He scans the room, probably looking for me.
    "I told you to wake me up after an hour," he says, stepping into the room.
    "I know, but you looked so tired I couldn't bear to wake you up," I say.
    Newt  notices the paper in Thomas's hand and the distraught look on his face. "Real cheerful, don't ya think?"
    "Yeah," Thomas replies, letting out a frustrated groan.

    "We need to find Minho and get him down here. Maybe he knows somethin' we don't. Maybe we missed a clue that-"
    Thomas stops mid-sentence, his face paling. Oh, no. I know that look. It's the look he always gets when he has a bad idea. And those ideas are almost always dangerous and terrible.
    "Tommy? What's wrong with you?" Newt asks, noticing that he's gone silent. "You look like you've seen a bloody ghost."

    Thomas shakes his head, regaining his composure. "Oh, it's nothing, sorry. My eyes hurt," Thomas says. "I think I need some sleep."
    He rubs his face but his act doesn't fool me.
    You okay? Teresa asks telepathically.
    Yeah, seriously. I just need some rest, Thomas relies, assuring her. I'm fine.
    Newt extends his hand out to squeeze my brother's shoulder. "Well, you did spend an entire day runnin' the Maze. Go take a nap."

    Thomas glaces at me, then at the others, then back at me. "Yeah, you're right."
    He then turns on his heel and makes his way out the door. I use all my energy and will power to make sure that Thomas, and only Thomas can hear me.
    Thomas, whatever you're thinking of doing, don't do it, I warn.
    Don't worry about me, sis, he attempts to assure me. I'll be fine.
    I glace back at him skeptically. Thomas, I swear, I'm gonna kill you if you do something stupid.

    When have I ever done anything stupid?

****

    I woke up late in the night at the sound of screaming. Newt glances at me worridly, making sure that I was still in his arms. I squeeze his bicep, assuring him that I'm safe, that I'm still here. We jerk our heads towards the bedroom door as the sound of creeks and groans filled the air, announcing that the Grievers were on the first floor.
    "It's got Dave!" A Glader shouts, his voice high-pitched.
    I could tell that everyone in the room felt guilty that they were relieved that it wasn't them who was taken.

    I flinched in Newt's arms as the sound of wood breaking filled the air, a telltale sign that the Grievers were leaving. My eyes widen as Thomas jumps up, getting to his feet.
    No.
    I stayed, unable to get over the shock as Thomas ran out the door, heading for the Grievers.
    "Tommy!" Newt yelled, causing me to come to my senses and run after him.
    Tom! What are you doing?! Teresa demands as Newt and I run down the stairs.

    Thomas, don't be stupid! I scream in my mind. You're gonna kill yourself!
    Thomas ignored us, refusing to stop to listen to reason. I watch in horror as my brother runs straight towards the retreating Grievers. The next few seconds are a blur of rubber and screams as Thomas gets repeatedly stung by the Grievers. I breathe a sigh of relief as Thomas manages to get out of the slimy monsters' grip. I watch as Thomas collapes on the ground, writhing in pain. Newt was on him in a second, followed by Teresa, Chuck and the others.

    "Grab his legs!" Newt orders, grabbing my brother by the shoulders, lifting him up from the ground.
    "What were you doing?!" Newt demanded. "Do you have a bloody death wish or something?"
    Thomas squints his eyes. "No... Newt... You don't... Understand..."
    "Shut up!" Newt yelled. "Don't waste your energy!"
    I watch, unable to move as Newt rips the clothes off my brother, checking for any injuries. I blink, noticing that Newt had been calling my name repeatedly.

    I shake my head. "Wha- What did you say?"
    "I said, help me check if your brother's been stung," Newt repeats for what I assume is the fourth time.
    I kneel down next to my brother, scanning his body for any indication of puncture marks.
    "H-He's been stung about a dozen times," I say shakily.
    Newt looks down at Thomas, muttering a curse under his breath.
    Teresa makes her way next to him, placing her hand on his ankle. Tom, why would you do that?

    Because... Thomas trails off weakily, slipping in and out of consciousness.
    Newt looks over his shoulder and shouts for the other Med-Jacks. "Clint, we need the Grief Serum!"
    Clint immediately rushes out of the Med-Jacks' hut, handing me the needle.
    "I c-can't," I protest, holding the injection out. "My hands are shaking too much."
    Newt takes the Grief Serum from me. "I'll do it."

    He then lifts Thomas's arm up, injecting the serum into the vein in my brother's arm.
    "Don't worry," Thomas assures us as the serum begins to take effect. "I did it on purpose..."
    His eyes flutter and his head goes limp as he loses consciousness.

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There's only a couple more chapters till I'm done with the first book of the maze runner trilogy. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this book before July bc I won't have time to write anymore.

*sigh* I stop writing for five months and people stop reading it. Oh, well, I just I should've seen that coming. Bye guys

~ Alice xx

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