The Link // Maze Runner Fanfiction // Book 1

chapter five

Minho plopped down next to me and snatched a piece of bacon off my plate. I swatted him and grumbled curse words under my breath.

"Have you seen Newt?" he asked, munching on my breakfast.

"No, I didn't. Ever since I got stung a few weeks ago, he hasn't slept with me since. I figured he didn't want to accidentally hurt me. Maybe he already headed into the maze," I suggested.

Minho shrugged, slung his pack over his back, and waited for me to finish eating. I couldn't help but notice the flash of worry on Minho's face.

As soon as we entered the maze and started our jog, something felt off. When we turned the corner to enter Section 7, I heard a low moaning. It wasn't Grievers, but it wasn't a sound I recognized either. Minho raised his eyebrow at me. I stepped closer to him and grabbed his hand. I already had a bad experience in the maze and I didn't need any more monsters to come across us.

Minho led the way down the alleyway with me following close behind. The low moaning became louder and louder until we saw the thing- or person- making the sound. It was tan mass on the ground and I let out a gasp as we drew nearer. The tan mass was actually Newt lying on the floor of the maze. His body was tangled in thick ropes of ivy and his leg was bent at an odd angle.

I ran over and bent down to place the back of my hand on his forehead. His face had a sheen layer of sweat and his straw colored hair stuck to his forehead.

"Newt," I whimpered. "Oh my god. Hey, don't fall asleep on me," I pleaded, gently patting his cheeks to keep him awake.

Minho wore a horrified expression as he examined Newt's leg and cut the ivy. Newt's eyes fluttered open and a tiny smile was visible on his pale face. I pressed my lips to his forehead and repeated how he was going to be ok.

"El," he muttered. I bent closer to hear him clearer. "Take me home."

"He needs serious medical attention. We need to get him back to the Glade," Minho declared.

Together, we hoisted Newt up by his arms and carried him back to the Glade. My half-healed injuries throbbed with pain at the effort, but I kept up for Newt's sake. Alby jogged up to us and asked what happened as we carried him to the Homestead.

"Griever attack. Broke his leg running from it," I stated. I didn't want to lie to Alby, but I also didn't think twice about it. Alby nodded and took my place carrying Newt up to one of the rooms.

I sat down on the ground outside the Homestead and hung my head in my hands. No Griever attacked him. He had tried to commit suicide. The thought sent a pang of guilt and sadness to my heart and I felt like vomiting. I heard somebody sit down with a thump and looked up at Minho with tear-rimmed eyes.

"Why do you think he did it?" he whispered.

I leaned into his shoulder and heaved a deep sigh. "I don't know. God, I feel so bad."

"Don't. It wasn't your fault that his shuck self decided to jump off the walls. I've seen how you look at him. You like him, don't you?"

Was it really that obvious? Before I could help myself, I spilled out all my feelings for Newt. I poured my heart out to Minho and made myself vulnerable in every way. It felt good to finally tell someone though. Minho pulled me into a brotherly bear hug and reassured me that Newt would come around.

"I hope so. I don't know what happened to us, it's like we just fell apart."

"I know what happened! He got his head on straight and realized he didn't want to be with a cheating, lying piece of klunk anymore," Gally jeered.

He was leaning on the side of the Homestead with his thick arms crossed over his chest and an ugly victorious smirk revealed his slightly yellowed teeth. He kept spitting insults at me until I just snapped.

All I saw was red. One second, I was glaring at Gally with my teeth clenched and my fists curled into tight balls. The next thing I knew, Minho was pulling me away from Gally. I saw blood pouring down from his nose and large purple bruises already forming around his eyes. His nose seemed crooked and I noticed him spit out something white, probably part of a tooth.

"You'll pay for this! You will regret ever laying a hand on me," Gally shouted, storming off with a murderous look on his face.

I gave Minho a sheepish look, but he only grinned and ruffled my hair.

Newt had shattered his leg into 3 pieces. Alby had come out of the Homestead and gave Minho and I the report before disappearing back into the patchy wooden building. Newt appeared back in the Glade after a week on bed-rest. Minho and I visited him as soon as we came back from the maze and made wooden crutches for him. Over the course of three months, his leg had mended as much as possible and he continued work like usual. All of us refused to let him go back into the maze, so he took up a day job as a Gardener.

Over those three months, we got three more Gladers. Frypan, a talented cook, and two others- a Blood-Houser and a Slopper. Minho and I continued running and mapping the maze but with no luck. The Glade had evolved into a beautiful little farm and since he broke his leg, Newt had been his old self. He still had an edge to him, a hidden bitterness, but it stayed locked away from all eyes except mine. I admired our little Glade family and swore to protect them every day.