The Link // Maze Runner Fanfiction // Book 1

chapter eleven

The passion and love that crafted the kiss was almost overwhelming, but I lived off of it. I needed him like I needed oxygen. We were forced to pull away when Gally shoved Thomas and sent him flying to the ground. I rolled my eyes and slipped between the two. Gally decided that it was his place to yell at Thomas and shoved me aside. I hit the grass with a rough thud and smacked my head on a rock. I groaned and clutched my temple.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Gally shouted at Thomas.

"Gally, you're out of line!" Newt shouted. Minho bent down and helped me up. I glared at Gally and walked over to help Thomas up.

Gally was livid and demanded that a Gathering was called. It was no secret that Gally didn't like Thomas, but Newt was right. Gally was out of line. Still, his fourth-in-command position held some power over the Gladers. In a few minutes, all the Keepers gathered around the Meeting House. Minho stood in one corner of the room, Thomas and I sat in chairs in the back, and Newt stood in the middle.

"They need to be punished," Gally declared, pointing at Thomas and me.

"Gally, shut your face or I'll call another Banishing to feed your butt to the Grievers. You won't speak until it's your turn, alright?

Gally glared at Newt and huffed. Before Gally could make any more smart remarks, Minho handed Newt a metal canister with wires sprouting like seedlings out of the top. Minho had taken it from the dead Griever's corpse right before we went to get Alby.

"W.I.C.K.E.D. These are the same letters on our supplies," Newt said finally.

"Exactly! Whoever put us here made the Grievers. According to Minho and Ellie, this is the first real clue we have had in three years. We have a chance to escape and we need to go back out there and take it," Thomas pointed out. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back down to the seat.

"Shut your hole, Tommy. Don't speak unless you're spoken to," I warned.

Gally crossed his arms and glared at me before addressing Newt. "You see what she's doing right? She's trying to be the boss and have all the control! Honestly Newt, if Alby were here, you know he would Banish her and Thomas!"

"Enough, Gally! Now that Alby has been stung, she is the leader now. You know well enough that Alby would never Banish her. Now sit down and don't insult Ellie again or I'll have you banished," Newt shouted.

The room went silent. Newt glared at Gally again and asked the Keepers what they thought. Even though Minho wasn't a Keeper, he represented the Runners. Most said we shouldn't be punished, a few said we should. Newt handed the Griever key back to Minho and cleared his throat.

"Ellie doesn't need to be punished. She's Keeper of the Runners, so she didn't break any rules. As for Thomas, he saved Alby's life. Ellie will go without punishment. Thomas did break one of our rules, so he will spend a day in the Slammer."

Gally scoffed. "Come on, Newt! Do you seriously hear yourself? He broke our rules and now he wants us to totally abandon them! The rules are what keep us together. Now that somebody has broken them, you want to give the bare punishment to Thomas and skip out on punishment for your girlfriend? That's it? She should be punished too!"

"Why?" The single word question was the only thing Minho had said during the meeting. Newt looked intrigued and even Gally had shut his big mouth for a second.

"If anything, Ellie deserves a medal! If she wasn't in the maze last night, all of us would be dead. She is the one who carried around a syringe of Grief Serum and saved Alby. She is the one who was brave enough to help her friends. Ellie literally risked her life to protect Thomas and I! Did you lead the Grievers away from us, Gally? Did you run for hours trying to protect your friends? All three of us owe our lives to her. She went into that maze knowing that there was a high chance that she wouldn't make it back," Minho argued.

Thomas agreed with him, showing so by nodding respectfully. Gally looked between Minho, Thomas, and Newt as if to expect that Newt would contradict them. Since no one seemed to be making any decisions, I stood up to make my claim.

"Gally, you're right. We can't have non-Runners going into the maze whenever, but rules won't keep Thomas out. Everything Minho said is true, except for the medal part. Before, we had no chance to escape. Now, we actually have a chance and we need to explore our new options. Which is why I propose that we make Thomas a Runner starting tomorrow."

Everyone nodded except for Gally. Seeing that he was outvoted, he angrily stomped off. Ignoring the immature attitude he had, I turned to Minho.

"Minho, go show him the Map Room."

He nodded and took Thomas out of the Meeting House. The rest of the Keepers were unneeded now, so they left Newt and I alone in the Meeting House. I sighed and sat down. Now that the adrenaline rush was over, pain rushed in. Every muscle in my body felt as though someone lit it on fire and my eyes drooped from exhaustion. I had bruises and scrapes covering my body, but I refused to let my pain show.

Newt allowed me to go to sleep and it wasn't long before I gave in to my exhaustion and slipped into my nightmares. I had just reached the part where a Griever caught me when somebody shook me awake.

"Ellie, get up now. Alby's acting crazy and wants you."

His words killed the groan that had risen in my throat. My eyes shot open and I was on my feet in no time. I must have been sleeping for a few hours. Thomas was standing behind Newt. I raised my eyebrow, but didn't question it as he followed us to the Homestead. Newt led the way to Alby's room and before the door swung open, I braced myself. I knew how bad the Changing was and it would be even worse to see Alby go through it. Newt opened the door and closed it behind Thomas. Alby's eyes shot open at the sound of the chair groaning under Newt's weight.

"Chuck told me you were acting like a loony and wanted to talk to these two," Newt reminded him. Alby's bloodshot eyes flickered between me, Thomas, and Newt and with a groan of pain, he nodded.

Alby croaked out that he saw me, Thomas, and the girl and how he remembered things. Newt began to ask what he meant, but Alby cut him off by shouting that he wanted Newt to leave. I nodded at Newt and watched him leave.

"You know, Ellie. You know about the Flare and- and Thomas and the girl. I saw them. I saw you guys, seen it all. I know who Thomas is. It's not pretty. Why can't we be happy and live here?" he asked. The words registered in my mind and flashes of memory flickered in my brain. I shuddered and looked across the bed at Thomas.

Thomas, who had taken Newt's seat, looked confused. I could tell he was about to question Alby's words, but I shook my head and disappointment washed over his face. Alby began to say more, but he was cut off by an awful choking sound. His legs thrashed every other way and his face had begun to turn purple, contrasting the glistening whites of his eyes. Thomas called for Newt while I dodged Alby's legs and tried to pin his shoulders down.

"Let go, Alby! Freaking let go!" I shouted, jumping on top of him and pinning his shoulders down with my knees. My hands worked at the hands that were clasped around his throat, but he seemed determined to kill himself. His eyes had rolled back in his head and more strangled sounds escaped his mouth.

With the help of Newt, we finally got his hands away from his throat and securely tucked them to his chest. Alby's breathing slowed to a regular pace and his body quit jerking. I hesitantly removed my knees from his shoulders and let go of him. He didn't make any more attempts, luckily, and looked over to give me a pitiful look. Thomas looked horrified, Newt looked angry, and I had no idea what emotion was displayed across my face.

"Sorry, El. Don't know what that was, but it wasn't me. It was like something was controlling me. I think I'm going to rest. I don't feel so good. Be careful with the girl. And Newt?" Alby asked. Newt looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Everything is gonna change. Protect the Maps."

The warning sent chills down my spine. Alby's words echoed in my ears, over and over. Be careful with the girl. Flare. He saw me. What did it all mean?