I Know Places [Thomas The Maze Runner]

[18: The Answers]

Elle barely got any sleep that night. Being locked in the Pit with only Thomas to keep her company was gruelling, and her body's exhaustion from the Griever attack made it easy to drift in and out of slumber. Each time she woke, Elle jerked up and checked Thomas's vitals, relaxing once she realised he was responding well to the Griever serum.

The next morning, when the sun rose, Elle awoke to whispers hissing above her. She opened her eyes and winced from the back spasm her awkward position had given her. Thomas remained unconscious, with his head safely nestled on her lap.

"You're awake," Newt called when he spotted her shifting.

"I'm awake," she confirmed, smiling up at Newt, Minho, and Chuck as they sat by the gate of the Pit. "Are you guys okay? What happened?"

Newt rubbed his face tiredly. "I wouldn't even know where to start," he said. "It's complete chaos up here. I don't know how we're going to fix this." The responsibility of being the leader didn't seem to weigh so heavily on his shoulders now that he had been usurped. He honestly felt a little relieved that he wouldn't have to take over Alby's duties; at least this way, nobody would touch his legacy.

"Tell me about it," Minho agreed with a scoff. He had spent most of the evening arguing with Gally and was furious about the way Gally treated Elle and Thomas. At one point, he tried to punch Gally when the Builder spoke badly about Elle. "Gally's got the whole Glade thinking you and Thomas had something to do with us being here."

Elle's heart sank. "Yeah...I was worried he might do that." She tenderly picked up Thomas's head so she could cross her legs, returning his head to its previous place on her lap.

Thomas was lying on his back, stretched out in front of Elle. She was carefully monitoring his condition to make sure he didn't have a bad reaction to the serum. Thankfully, she had administered the serum only moments after he was stung, so he never had to experience the painful physical effects of the Changing. Unlike Alby and Ben, who had warped veins and sallow skin, Thomas looked the same, if only a little paler than usual.

Elle watched his eyelids flutter as he dreamed, regaining his memories from his life before the Maze. As she watched him, she wondered if she would fully recover her memories. Although more memories and images had resurfaced since her version of the Changing occurred, it didn't seem to have the details of the world outside the Maze that Alby had recalled.

Instead of any of those details coming to light, Elle was plagued by the memories of the evening before. Her chest felt hollow and dull when she recalled how her friends were taken from her. Zart, Alby, and countless other Gladers were gone. She would never see them again. The grief was like a dull weight in her heart, aching for people she knew and people she never got the chance to. It gnawed at her.

She wished she could pretend none of this was happening. In another universe, this was a dream, a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. Her regular life could be happier and normal. She would be studying medicine, seeking to help other people, or spending every waking hour reading for fun. That sounded nice.

Chuck, who had been busy observing how Elle gently carded her hands through Thomas's hair, couldn't help but wonder about their connection. "What does it feel like?" he asked. Elle glanced up at her friend, tilting her head curiously. "Loving somebody?" Chuck explained.

Elle smiled. It was such an innocent, warm question. She hadn't expected it. "I love many people, Chuck," she pointed out. "You, Thomas, Minho, and Newt. Don't forget Frypan and Alby. I love all of you guys. Don't you love them too?"

"Sure," Chuck shrugged. "But you don't love Thomas the same way you love me," he challenged.

Newt chuckled. "I don't think she does, either," he teased, ruffling Chuck's hair.