Ooh, ooh
Maybe we can try it if you let me
Take you by the hand
You're the only one who understands
—Keshi

When Devils Cry
Written by Karissa / 2023

friends—strangers—frenemies—lovers!

Stars tangled in her hair while she played in the sky. She felt like if she jumped high enough she could touch the moon. Her giggles gave the air sweet kisses as her mom watched from the lawn chair in a distance. She seemed like a happy girl but deep down she was suffering and crying to God every night—asking him to save her. Asking him to rip her from her mother's cruel, blood-curdling embrace. And she got what she wanted. He answered her prayers. That was the only time Lottie believed that God was real.

     The outbreak of what they called the Flare was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she no longer had to listen to her mother's insults. But a curse because now she was being taken advantage of.

     Lottie was no longer as sweet as she was when she was a little girl. Or maybe it was all an act to begin with. Since mama didn't feed her love on a silver spoon like the other little girls—she had to learn to lick it off of knives. Rusty ones at that.

     The last thing Lottie had on her mind before all of her memory was stripped away from her was a boy. She was hugging him tightly like he would slip so easily out of her arms. Then her lips pressed against his cheek and burned him. It was like she wanted to bruise him and leave him with a scar so maybe he would remember her.

     Maybe Lottie's powers worked because years passed and Minho still felt Lottie's touch. Though she no longer knew who he was, when she opened her eyes from a deep slumber and observed the new world around her she couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. And he couldn't stop looking at her. They felt a burning sense of familiarity that they didn't understand.

     For whatever reason, Minho wanted Lottie to split him open. He wanted her to devour him and she wanted the same. They could see it in each other's eyes. But they never admitted it because Lottie was a stubborn girl who held her trust back and she pushed everyone who touched her to the ground. She was protective over her heart and she had an attitude that could cut skin. Minho would say that he hated that about her but in all reality he loved the marks she left on him.

     Her touch was heavenly. She was a fallen angel.

MADELYN CLINE ... Lottie
[XVII, Angel with black wings, Virgo]

"You expect me to wake up surrounded by a bunch of boys who smell like shit and have a smile on my face?"

KI HONG LEE ... Minho
[XVII, Keeper of the runners, Capricorn]

"Lottie, I get that you don't like me. But could you shut up and listen to me for two seconds?"

Warnings and disclaimers:
This book will contain topics such as violence, manipulation, strong language, gore, disturbing descriptions, etc. There will be trigger warnings in each chapter.

I do not own the Maze Runner or and of its characters I only own Lottie or any future oc's. All rights go to the rightful owners.

Dedications:
satirestiles crosstears dollprtz lovewraths rottend4vil rageslut loverwasabtme -lcvrpottrsvnk-

A/n:
—One quick thing, I have not read any of the maze runner books so literally all of my knowledge comes from the movies. There will be a prologue that shows Lottie and Minho pre-maze but that's basically just my own interpretation of what I think life would've been like for them before their insertion into the maze.

—This is my first time writing dystopian/apocalyptic stuff so let's hope I'm not horrible at it (:

—This is a slowburn...sorry😐

—Lottie: "I couldn't care less about Minho."
Also Lottie: Casually sacrifices herself for him
Scorch Trials Lottie: "I'd kill everyone in there for him."

—Chuck is actually Lottie's child🤷🏽‍♀️

—Baby Ki Hong Lee is the cutest thing in the entire world