Alex | Maze Runner | Newt

Prologue Rewritten - Part 2

Gah this took way longer to write than I'd have liked. Especially for a rewrite. Anyway enjoy an updated version of basically what you already read lol

***
(About a year later)

It had been a year since. And the atmosphere had grown dark and morbid. No one seemed to smile much anymore, they had all been overcome by the scary amount of names we'd scratched off the wall just to find a way out of here.

The routine was the same. A new boy was sent up with the box and his name was remembered, thats if they did remember their names. We had one unlucky sod go his whole life without knowing his name. We called him No Name. Which evolved to Norman and eventually Normy, which is written on his grave stood askew amid a ring of trees in the forest. There were multiple graves there. All made of sticks and pieces of wood and a stolen nail from the builders' supply. And it had only been a year.

There was some good aswell. The sunny days, the cooked meals made by the cooks, that and a recent 'runner trial'. I had no interest in going out into whatever was out there but some of the shucks did, and thats the ambition we need to get out. Or we'll spend the next year just like the last, stuck like rats in an impossible maze.

In the trials, Runners were chosen by skill. Even though we had many a volunteer to explore the maze, we needed fast people, quick thinkers, major stamina control and agile, like-minded boys.
Stupidly enough, Newt tried out for the team. No matter how many times I told him it was a bad idea, he still tried out. And even stupider, he got in.

Newt seemed lost today. Physically he was here, hugging me as I wished him fair well, mentally it seemed he had been sinking into some sort of thought. What I wasn't sure, but I hoped it wasn't abrasive. Everyday seemed to be more and more for him. When would it be too much?

Soon enough, he let go. He spun on his heel and took off to where Alby and the other runners were meeting. They split, taking themselves off to their designated doors.

All I could think about, in that moment and the rest of the day, was that conversation we'd had the night before.

"I don't know how long I can control it." He'd said, in such a tone that could worry anyone of any nature. I'd remembered the deep set worry I felt in that moment. I wasn't sure what he mean't but it wasn't like I could ask him, as he held his face in his hands, looking very vulnerable, very fragile.

"Well, just focus on tomorrow. Focus on a way out. Then focus on the next day."
I had said with confidence. In hindsight, it was a shit thing to say. And every second ticking by I wish I could've said more.
But I just carried on eating dinner, after his absent minded nod.

It seemed that no matter what I busied myself with in the gardens with, I couldn't get him off my mind. I just hoped he'd come back safe but the feeling in my stomach, this gut feeling was yelling at me different. I'd pause just to glace at the open door everytime this feeling set in.

I hummed quietly to myself. The feeling bubbled up again and I couldn't help myself but to take a look at the Maze's entrance again. As soon as I lifted my head, shovel in hand that lugged down, I heard the loudest, most gut-wrenching scream. Just the one word was all that was needed to discard of my shovel and just run. 'Help!' It was hoarse and scratchy. It had been yelled a countless number of times and I'm sure it hurt to scream anymore.

I threw myself underneath his arm, supporting Newt's otherside.

"What the hell happened?" I asked shakily, stumbling over myself as I tumbled over to the new med jack shack.

"He disappeared half way through, never showed to Meet up. I found him like this; just in time."

There are sections half way between each section where they meet up. Every time without fail, always the same place same directions so it was easy to get to. So I'd been told.