[under major editing and re-drafting]
The soft pitter-patter of footfalls on damp grass approached. She laid back on the cot, staring at the roof of sticks as she willed her vision to render. She saw the sky through small cracks in the wood. There w...
You could see the sky growing lighter. Desperately running around, a Griever refusing to return to wherever it was supposed to go in the day. It kept on coming. You were so thirsty. You were so tired. You were so hungry.
You tried to remember your love for running, and each time you remembered that if you kept running you'd be able to get back to the glade. Back to Thomas and Newt. Back to Gally and Chuck. They were waiting for you, and counting on your survival. Or maybe, they weren't? No, you couldn't think like that. Just keep running, that's all you can do.
You didn't expect the Griever to still be out in broad daylight. You had to lose it. You spun around, not realizing how close it had gotten in the time you were thinking. You pulled the small knife from your pocket. You had snatched one while cooking with Frypan. For self defense purposes if anyone asked about it.
The Griever let out an awful screech, you cringed but the second it opened its mouth you found your target. There was something in there and you aimed for it. You threw the knife in a split second decision, it being your only defense. The Griever screeched, then let out a painful groan. It scrunched back, confused and eventually fell down like a melted puddle of goo. It was so gross. You decided that it may be best just to leave it, and so you kept running. You stumbled upon a maze section with a number '7'. You ran through hoping this was a way out. You didn't know, and would soon realize that it was a big mistake.
The break of dawn cascaded light over the puddles littering the maze's stone floor. You ran and ran and ran. Until you had to sit down.
It felt good to be running, but you wanted to get back so badly. Everyone was probably so worried.
You finally noticed that the giant door marked with '7' you ran through earlier, was closed.
This was when you realized you might never get out.
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Back at the Glade, Minho refused to go back into the maze until the next day, having had enough of it. His argument was valid after just getting back. He and Thomas would search for you tomorrow.
But he knew that since the maze changed every night, a new section would open tomorrow. And chances are they wouldn't be able to find you.
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The horrors of the maze surpassed your expectations. You had yet to reach your limit. Each day pushing past it. Each day outrunning more grievers until you had lost track of the countless hours you had spent running the exact same corridors. You were beginning to understand how they memorized this. You were beginning to understand how it felt to be a runner. You understood what it was like being a maze runner.
Again and again you passed the same vines. The same cracks on the floor. The same... oh wait- those are new. THOSE ARE NEW.
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After 7 days and... 8 nights since you left. Everyone was in pieces. You don't know how much you can wreck someone until you leave them. And you really broke the Gladers.
"Gally, why is her name not crossed off yet? You know she's probably dead." One of the builders asked.
"Get back to work!" Gally yelled at the curious glances.
He refused to cross your name off the wall. Despite already knowing your fate.
Alby was stuck in the med-jack hut tied to the bed. Clint and Jeff were running around so much now that you weren't there to help. The magnitude of what you did for them was far greater than they thought. They were also having a bit of trouble having to watch Alby too. Girls were really good multitaskers and everyone was starting to realize it. They also realized how much joy you had brought with you.
Everyone was losing any ounce of hope they had left. The courage and cheerfulness of the glade seemed to fade away as an innocent girl and their only hope of things changing and being able to get out, died.
Minho and Thomas were both devastated that they couldn't find you, and felt even more guilty knowing they left you to die.
WCKD was wondering how an insignificant mistake of a girl was wreaking such havoc in the Glade just surviving in the maze by herself. Then again, no one knew how capable WCKD had made her.
Thomas was worried sick and slept by the maze doors every night, then got up to run it looking for you in the morning. At this point he ran every day instead of every other day.
Newt paced around whenever he wasn't ordering gladers to do their jobs right or just working. He even began refusing to eat after the 3rd day they hadn't found you. As the leader now that Alby was out of commission, he had to keep himself together as much as possible though. He swore he'd never forgive himself for letting your hand go if you turned up dead. He nibbled on his food and often was lost in his thoughts.
All the other gladers were worried, yes, but had to continue their jobs. And for 8 days, the Glade fell into a trance of silence. The only thing you could hear was Thomas and Newt arguing and a few orders here and there. It was like you, who hadn't spoken a single word since you got there.
