The Link // Maze Runner Fanfiction // Book 1

chapter twenty-one

I refused to open my eyes as I plummeted, knowing full well that if I missed the tunnel, I'd die. Darkness settled around me. I thought for a second that I had already died, but the hard contact I made confirmed otherwise. My hand hit the concrete first, followed by my head and the rest of my body. I forced my eyes open and rolled over onto my back.

The tunnel was dingy and wet, but it was well-lit. A face popped into my view. Thomas stared down at me with a crack of a smile on his face.

"Nice to see you again," I joked.

He laughed and held out his hand to me. I took it and helped myself up. Bruises were already forming from the disaster landing, but I couldn't have cared less. Now that I wasn't crashing into the wall, I could see the silhouettes of Teresa and Chuck at the end of the tunnel.

"How many people are left?" Thomas asked.

I couldn't help but notice how his hand rested on my lower back and guided me forwards. "I don't really know. It's chaos up there. It wasn't pretty, either. At least a quarter of us were taken out, if not more. Have you got the code figured out?"

Thomas shook his head. "Not yet. It won't let us insert the last word."

As if on cue, Chuck called out that he got it. Apparently, you had to push a button. Thomas and I both turned around and watched the entrance to the tunnel anxiously. When nobody appeared within a minute, I reached down and grabbed Thomas' hand. He squeezed my hand back as we held our breath in anticipation.

Finally, after a minute, someone appeared. He was covered in blood and Griever guts, but generally uninjured. I recognized his windswept blonde hair and sprinted towards him. He turned and opened his arms.

"Are you hurt?" Newt asked as we embraced tightly.

"Not really. Few scratches here and there, but I'm good. How many others?"

I pulled back and searched his face for injuries. It was flushed, but I saw no major injuries. He glanced down at the floor in shame and announced that only around 20 or so Gladers survived. Half of us were left. Half. That's how many were killed by the Creators.

A wave of rage rushed over me. I took a deep breath, walked over to the side of the tunnel, and punched it as hard as I could. I heard my knuckles in my left hand hit the wall with a sickening crack, but I had no will left to care.

Minho and Frypan came down the tunnel next, followed by the rest of the surviving Gladers. Minho walked over unexpectedly and hugged me.

"Thanks, Ellie. You saved my life."

I rested my head on his shoulder and hugged him back tightly. After a minute or so, I let go and walked back over to Newt.

"Is this bad?" I asked, pulled off my jacket so that the cut in my arm was exposed.

Newt brushed it with his fingertips and whistled under his breath. "It looks pretty bad, El. Looks deep. Want me to bandage it?"

I nodded and looked down at my left hand. It was bloody and deep purple, especially where my fingers met my knuckles. I hissed in pain as Newt wrapped my arm and my knuckles. Just as he finished the work and kissed my temple, the entrance to the tunnel slid shut and engulfed us all in darkness.

It took a minute of shuffling until someone turned on a torch. Chuck, Teresa, and Thomas led the way through the tunnel, followed closely by Newt, Minho, and me. A doorway had opened up where they entered the code. Thomas led the way through it and disappeared. I figured it was a slide as Teresa and Chuck went next.

Finally, it was my turn. I crossed my arms over my chest and slid down head-first on my back. I tumbled out of it and landed on top of Newt. He groaned and glared at me as I choked back laughter.

"Where do we go now?" somebody asked from the back.

"Feel around for a lightswitch or an exit," Thomas instructed.

More shuffling could be heard. Somebody called out and the lights flickered on. The slide had brought us to some white room surrounded by glass windows. People in white coats with clipboards observed us from the other side of the glass. They all looked lifeless, pale and thin with hollow eyes. I instantly knew who they were. The Creators.

A woman with brown hair entered the same room as us, accompanied by a boy. His face was covered by an oversized hood, but something about him seemed familiar.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" Newt demanded.

The woman turned her head to look at him and smiled. "Ah, Mr. Newton. You will find out very, very soon."

"After the hell you just put us through, you better start talking lady," I warned.

She raised her thin eyebrows and looked at us over her glasses. "Miss Eleanor, you of all people should understand that we are unauthorized to give you any information. Or should I call you Mrs. Eleanor? Congratulations on the engagement."

I lunged at her, but Newt's arm held me in place. If looks could kill, she'd be six feet under by now. The woman's overly cheery smile didn't fade as she turned to the anonymous guy and pulled down his hood. He looked up, tears brimming in his eyes. Everyone let out a breath of surprise. It was Gally.

"What is he doing here?" Minho demanded.

I grabbed his forearm. "Dude, shut up. I know what these people are capable of, I've been part of it before. You don't want to make them angry, so shut your hole, ok?"

Minho glared at me and yanked his arm out of my hold. I turned to face the woman and Gally and felt my heart sink down to my chest. I felt like I knew the woman, but her name was a blurry mass that I couldn't quite clarify. My attention turned back to Gally as Newt asked him what was going on.

The woman smiled even wider and nodded at Gally. "One day, you'll all be grateful for what we did. I can only promise this and hope that you will accept it. If you don't, then this whole operation would be wasted. These are dark times that call for drastic measures. Dark times indeed. Now, we have one Variable left."