When We're Older- The Maze Runner (Newt)

alby

It seemed like everyone was running towards the doors with torches, panic being the only emotion that they knew. I was quick to follow after Thomas had started running with them, moving towards the walls to see what laid ahead. As I jogged, my hands started to shake in uncertain anticipation of what laid in the near future.

   Eventually, I stopped running as the tips of my boots met the area where grass turned into cement. I suddenly realized what the non-Runners felt like when they were awaiting for our arrival earlier today. It seemed so long ago that I was waiting for Minho and Alby to return, already preparing myself for the worst. But now I knew how it felt. How Newt felt. It was unsettling. Nerve-wracking. I can't imagine waiting everyday by these walls to see if your friends made it back, or if the walls prevented them from doing so. Everything we did revolved around when these doors opened and when they closed. Now they weren't closing. And everything was a mess.

   I waited for the familiar sound of metal screeching against metal—a sound I didn't think I would ever be grateful to hear. But now that we had stepped into a new kind of uncharted territory, all I wanted to do was go back to the way things were. Of course I wanted to get out, but I didn't know that it would come with all of these hardships.

But instead of the regular metal against metal, a horrendous booming noise sounded throughout the entire Glade, making every single person stop in their tracks and flinch, some even screamed. The girl to my left clutched the sides of her head as though something was hurting her, and I felt my hand fly into Newts. He gripped back immediately, almost like he had the same idea as I did.

The grinding of metal sounded again, but when I looked up at the East doors, they weren't closing. Turning my head to see Newt, I saw that he had his entire body turned towards the west wall.

Oh shit, I thought. I watched the west wall doors open up, something I had no idea they could do. I didn't even have time to panic as two more booming noises sounded exactly like the first one, and the north and south doors began to open. I gulped and opened my mouth to speak, breaking the terrified silence that had bestowed upon all of us.

"Um...well, this is certainly not good. Very very not good," As soon as I got the words out of my mouth, it registered through my mind that all four walls were open, and the Grievers were coming out. But as quickly as the panic seemed through me, it ended, and I suddenly flipped the switch from being a scared little shank to the one who had beaten Minho about five times in one night. I turned to Chuck, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I need you to go to the Council Hall. Okay? Start barricading the doors."

"Winston, you go with him," Newt added. The Slicer nodded and grabbed Chuck as they raced away and to the Council Hall.

Gally turned to some random person, probably his friend, "Get the others. Tell them to go in the forest and go hide, now!"

I turned to Minho and looked into his eyes, "I need you to go and grab every weapon you can find, okay? I'll meet you at Council Hall."

Newt grabbed my side, "I'm not leaving you..."

"It's okay, Mae," Thomas added, pointing to the girl, "Teresa and I'll go and get Alby. You go with Minho."

I didn't have time to nod or to protest before I was being pulled in the opposite direction and back to the Homestead. I followed behind Newt and Minho, who turned around to me, "Hey, shank?"

"What?" I panted.

"Do you remember those fighting moves I taught you after Ben got banished?"

I nodded, recalling the memories of that night. Minho had made me feel so much better about the whole Ben dying situation. But most of all, he made me feel strong. He taught me how to use a spear and he taught me how to not doubt myself. How could I possibly forget that?