𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 / the maze runner

𝟎𝟔

"that wasn't supposed to happen to her!" cried the dark-haired boy, tugging angrily at the ends of his hair.

the blonde woman looked at him with distaste. "we don't tell you all of our methods, thomas," she said coldly. "chelsea has provided us with the most promising patterns ever since we sent-"

"that boy you drove crazy before you even sent him up?" thomas snapped, fury tingling his spine.

the blonde woman nodded. "yes, exactly. everything involving that girl had provided brand new patterns hugely valuable to us. we haven't even had to prompt anything. they just happen, and those are the best patterns we can record. organic, unstimulated."

thomas slammed his fists down on the table that separated them. "that girl is my sister," he snarled. "and you promised me no one would attack her."

the blonde woman looked up at him with a cold smile. "yes, i know. but she just might be the key to finding a cure."

                                     ———

chelsea kept running the dark. alby had shown up seconds after she'd taken off and called the boys back. she didn't know why or what he'd said to them, and she didn't care. she just had to get away. far, far away.

she headed to the first place that called out to her. the wood stood before her, it's shadows beckoning her, offering her refuge from the boys behind her.

"chelsea!" she ignored it and kept running deep into the forest.

it wasn't a large wood, but it would do. all she needed to do was hide. she came across a large tree and without missing a beat, leapt into the lowest-hanging branches. still shaking uncontrollably, she climbed to the top. finally, out of both eyesight and earshot of the boys, she began to slow her breathing and calm her racing heart.

back to where the gladers had gathered, newt turned to the injured boy still lying on the ground. blood covered his face and he was dazed and confused.

"what happened?" newt yelled, a strange rage coming out of no where and blossoming in his chest.

"newt, calm down," alby said sternly. "let me handle this."

newt ignored the leader. "you were hurting her. weren't you?" he spat, taking a few steps towards justin.

"no!" justin defended himself. "she came up to me and was practically asking for it! she begged me for it, and when i started to give it to her, she turned on me."

"liar!" newt snarled. "i heard her yelling for help. you attacked her! she would never ask you for it."

justin fixed his icy blue gaze on newt. "and how would you know? you've hardly been able to keep away from her! you can't keep your hands off her, i've seen you. news flash, newt, she's not all yours. you can't keep her all to yourself."

newt launched himself at justin, tackling him to the ground. before he could even get the first punch in, he felt himself being pulled off.

"that's enough!" alby's commanding tone rang out. his expression was hard. "both of you, in the pit for the night. tomorrow we'll hold a gathering and figure out what happened."

"what about the girl?" asked one boy.

alby looked in the direction the girl had run. the darkness has enveloped her seconds after she'd taken off. "the doors are shut, she won't go anywhere tonight. if she doesn't come back by tomorrow afternoon, we'll send out a search party."

newt and justin were taken to the pit, justin defending himself the entire time and newt practically spitting fire at him. the boys taking them didn't dare put them in cells next to each other, fearing that they'd never get any sleep if the two chose to holler at each other for the entire night.