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

into the black

decided to update early cause I COULDN'T WAIT

NEWT

Two years ago, I never thought I would be in a chopper, being flown away to my safety. If someone would've asked me where I thought I would be, I'd probably say somewhere within the four concrete walls of the bloody Glade, pulling up weeds until I become an old, sentimental geezer. Never once in my miserable years that I've remembered would I guess that I would be holding onto a beautiful girl as she slept away her sorrows, clutching to my white sweater as I ran my fingers through her hair.

But that's what life does I guess. Throws surprises at you until you have no more energy to continue taking the hits. And then, just when you think that you've gotten all the bloody surprises you can take, life manages to throw another one at you. Just when you think that you've started to gain the smallest amount of luck, it suddenly all disappears. I'm not saying that's what's happening to us now...hell, this is the most relieved I've felt in a long time. I was sick of surprises. Now, we were on the road to freedom. If these guys are who they seem to be, then I'll take what I can get. Maybe they were going to lead us home. Or to a new home, where we could restart. That's all I really wished for.

   Mae stopped crying a few minutes ago. She wasn't weeping like she was when she held onto Chuck, but they were silent tears. Ones that made her chest heave up and down with every sob she tried to contain. I wish I could tell her to let it all out, but I knew she wouldn't listen to me. She kept wiping away the water that leaked from the corners of her eyes as soon as they fell, trying to contain herself from the emotion that was pouring out with no intention to stop. So, I just did what I could. I held onto her and tried my best to shield her from the others who gave her sympathetic looks. That's not what she needed right now. She needed to feel comfort. If I were her, I would probably feel worse if people felt sorry for me.

   As hard as I tried, sleep wouldn't come. I just stared out the window and focused on the shallow breathing of Mae as I watched the world fly by. I had watched the sun set behind the clouds, and that might've been the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The way the sky turned all sorts of different colors...the sun never set like that in the Glade. But it all seemed different. Some of the guards were watching it as well, but they didn't have the same awestruck reaction that I did. One of them even shook their heads. I thought about asking them what was so wrong about the sun setting, but then I realized how orange everything was. Despite being beautiful, I don't think a proper sunset was supposed to look like that. It's not like I would ever know...I couldn't remember.

Eventually, the light started to fade and everything around us became dark. The sun disappeared behind the clouds, and all that I could really hear were the sounds of Mae's calm, steady breath against my chest, and the muffled words that the guard occasionally spoke to the pilot. I had asked him where we were going multiple times, but they all ended in the same way. "Away from WICKED," or "Somewhere safe." That's all I really needed to hear.

"Shit!" He suddenly yelled, making some of the other Gladers, including me, jump out of my thoughts. The guard turned to face the pilot, "We've got some company!"

"What's goin' on?" I asked out of curiosity. He turned back around and gave me a smirk. A creepy smirk, "We've got some Cranks on the loose. Don't worry, we'll make sure you guys get inside safely. You're just gonna have to run."

The last few words repeated in my mind a few times before I nodded to him. I didn't have time to ask what the hell Cranks were before I gently moved my arm off of Mae's back and patted Minho on the arm. He nodded towards me, silently letting me know that he heard the guard.

When I felt the helicopter jolt, and my body lifted off of the ground for a few moments, I knew it was time for us to go. I gently shook Mae awake, and I watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open, "Hey. Hey, we gotta go, okay?"