Murder In The Maze (Maze Runner Fanfiction)

Chapter 35: A Way Out

     "There's a way out," he mutters almost incoherently.

     "A way out of what?"

     Thomas' eyes shift back to me; his grave stare gives nothing away.  "The Maze."

     A way out - his words echo through my head. After all my time here, I never considered an escape. This place is all I've known. My past life is gone; it was taken the moment I woke up in that elevator.

     I scoff in almost disbelief. "There's no way out, Thomas.  The Runners mapped the Maze - every inch of it - there's no escape."

     His jaw tenses as he shakes his head from side to side.  "No--I remember the way out!"

     "That's not possible: you haven't been here before.  How could you remember?"

     "Because I--" he stutters.  Thomas' eyes sink to the ground; a frown tugs at his lower lip.  He clenches his fists tightly.  In a hushed voice, he continues, "I helped build it.  I worked for the people who put us here: I worked for WICKED."

     "You worked for them?" I question, "Why?"

     "I don't re--"

     "Who cares why?  Did you hear what he just said?"  Gally storms over from behind me, his face fuming with anger.  "He did this; he put us here!"

     "We don't know what he did or why.  He could still be delusional from the Griever!"

     Gally points his finger at Thomas.  "I knew something wasn't right about this Greenie from the minute he showed up in the box."

     "If he worked for them, why did they put him here too?"

     Gally raises one brow.  "Maybe he's still working for them - spying on us!"

     I pause, turning back to Thomas.  He stares blankly at the walls as if in a trance.  His finger taps rhythmically against his arm.  "He said he knows the way out of here - the Maze."

     "And you believe him?" Gally glances over the Glade, then back to me.  "We don't need a way out.  Nothing's waiting for us outside those walls.  Any life we had before is gone.  This is it, this is our life now."

     "We are trapped inside a Maze, surrounded by walls and monsters.  Maybe it's time we tried to leave."

     "Maybe it's time we accepted it - there is no way out."

     Sighing deeply, I point at Thomas.  "What should we do about him, about what he said?"

    Gally shrugs.  "We'll be having a Gathering about Alby in the morning.  Wait 'til that to sort this out.  We should toss him in the slammer 'til then."

     "With Alby?  That's not going to happen," I remark, "I'll watch him tonight at the medbay.  He's not well, and he shouldn't run off again."

     "Have it your way."  Gally scratches his chin, squinting his eyes as he glares at Thomas.  "It's gonna be a long night," he grumbles, already beginning to march back to the Homestead.

     To my surprise, Thomas follows me without complaint.  As we walk, he massages his trembling hands against each other as if in a nervous trance.  Only a mere whisper of indistinct babblings are audible to my ears.  A coat of thick sweat slicks to his forehead despite the harsh chill gnawing at us.

     As we near the med-station, I break the silence, "How are you...alive?  The others said that once you were stung, you never woke up."

     "I-I don't know," he stutters, "I remember the monster and then, nothing, just nothing.  Then I--I woke up, and Teresa was there, just standing over me. I walked here, but I don't--I don't know where she went."

     "Did she say anything?" I question.

     He nods frantically.  "Yeah, yeah, she said that we had to leave, that she came to save me.  I don't know what she meant."

     "She came to save you?" I pause, "what does that mean?"

     Morning draws near swiftly.  Sunlight pours through the open window, shining over the room. The maze doors sound once again.

     Burst blood vessels form dark bruises, covering my neck in crimson stains.  An unsettling fear lurks in my brain.  The events of the previous night cause a knot to twist in my stomach.  My mind runs rampant with questions but no answers.  One question repeats over and over - why?  Why would Alby kill those people?

     The medbay door swings open, and Jeff enters the room.  His cheery whistling echoes off the walls.  His gaze shifts to me.  "What are you doing here so early?  It's not your shift until after lunch."

     "Thomas is awake."

     "What?" he shouts as his eyes widen exponentially, "That's impossible! How?"

     "I don't know," I reply, "he didn't remember.  I found him last night when I was coming back from...he was at the Homestead.  I need you to watch him for a while."

     "Yes, of course!" Jeff approaches the table, picking through the supply box. "Wait, you found him last night? How'd you get out at night? We're on curfew."

     "You'll find out soon enough; just stay with Thomas and make sure he doesn't go anywhere," I state, heading out of the building.

     The Gladers scatter across the area, chattering amongst themselves.  Gally pushes through, stopping by the Keepers. Gradually, the Keepers make their way towards the Homestead, a grave look on each of their faces.  Taking a deep breath, I follow after them.

     The small gathering makes his way towards the Council. Each member flocks to his seat, as do I.  Loud squabbling continues among them.  The centre chair - Alby's chair - remains empty, as does Newt's.  Gally goes to the front of the room, standing before the raised platform.

     "Quiet!" he bellows, his words booming through the room.  The noisy chattering simmers down.

     One voice calls out from the room.  "What's going on?  Where's Alby?"

     Winston rises from his seat, his face contorted in anger.  He slams his fist again the table.  "This is unprecedented! We can't start without Alby! I will not be party to--"

     "Slim it, genius," Minho states sarcastically, "maybe this is about Alby."

     "He's in the slammer."  As if predicting Winston's protests, Gally puts out his hand as if to shush him.  "That's what we're here for.  I saw it, Alby tried to kill Tanya.  I stopped him."

     "Why?" another voice cries out.

     "'Cause," Gally pauses, "he's the killer."