CHEATING DEATH - A Maze Runners' Tale • 001

CHAPTER 28

We made it back to the glade a little over twenty-four hours later. Everyone was reinforcing the homestead that looked even worse than it did before. Alby was overseeing everything and we ran over to him to see who had been taken.

"Who'd they take this time?" Minho asked.

"Adam and zart." He answered with a sigh.

"Oh no." I said before I could stop myself.

"Let's go check on Teresa." Thomas said and Minho and I imedeately looked at eachother with goofy grins on our faces.

We went to the map room to check on her and newt. When we got in they imedeately laid out what they had done and showed us six words.

FLOAT

CATCH

BLEED

DEATH

STIFF

PUSH

"well what the shuck is that supposed to mean?" I asked and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. "Seriously? We were all thinking it what did you expect me to say?"

"Margo someone's got to get you a bloody filter cause you can't just go 'round sayin' dumb Klunk like that expecting us to brush it off." Newt reprimanded as he pointed his finger at me.

"Why am I getting berated for this and don't give me the mom finger." I said as I slapped his hand away.

"You're acting like a child." He continued to parent me.

"Maybe that's because I am one. Loosen up a bit newt I'm not your perfect little Glader who does no wrong. I may have saved your life but that doesn't mean you can expect me to act like the hero." I said harshly before I could stop myself.

"You promised you wouldn't-"

"I'm sorry. I'm not perfect." I said as I walked out.

"Margo where are you going?" Minho asked as he went after me.

"Shuck. I gave away his buggin' secret and now he's mad at me." I said as I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"It's not your fault." He tried to touch me as he said it but I shoved him away.

"Those words came out of my mouth Minho. My mouth. No one can stop me from saying things and I can't even stop myself. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut for a while and see where that gets me." I said as I stormed off in the direction of the deadheads.

I wasn't planning on getting angry and storming off but it was probably just lack of sleep. When I got into the thick forest I went far back almost to the wall and I just leaned against a tree. I could hear distant shouts from glasses but that couldn't stop me from falling asleep against the comfortable trunk of the large shady tree.

When I woke up and checked my watch it read two am. I heard growling and clicks from the maze and saw that someone was getting dragged around by the grievers. I could have totally gotten eaten up by those things if they had gotten me but it looked like this person had run out to the grievers.

The moment I heard someone call out Thomas' name I knew he had run out on purpose. As dumb as I made myself look I could pick up hints faster than everyone here. I ran as fast as I could to join the group of people who were dragging Thomas out. He was absolutely covered in stings and the grievers were retreating.

Someone ran over and gave Thomas the serum causing him to black out and become dead weight. I let some of the other gladers carry him in while Minho came over to me looking terrified.

"Where the shuck were you!?" He said freaking out as he crushed me in a giant hug.

"I was in the back corner of the deadheads. No one could have seen me." I answered as I hugged him back.

"I don't want to let you go. I'm tired of sending you off not knowing if you'll come back." He said as he pulled me even closer which I didn't think was possible.

"Don't let me go." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Are you crying?" He asked softly as he pulled away slightly so he could see my face.

"I'm sorry." I said as another tear rolled down my cheek.

"Nothing is your fault." He said continuing his soft voice as he pulled me close again.

"Is newt mad at me?" I asked.

"No? I mean...yea he's kinda mad at you." He said hesitantly.

"It's probably not because I gave away his secret." I said as we pulled away and started walking.

"They don't know you gave away his- hold on did you just say it's probably not?" He questioned.

"Yeah. He's probably mad I didn't come back." I said with a laugh as I pushed the door open.

"Were all mad at you for that." He said.

"Oh I know." I replied as I pushed past everyone going up to my room and falling back asleep.

Just a few short hours later I was awoken and dragged down to the main room of the homestead where Thomas was standing in the middle of everyone who were all sitting around him.

"Great were all hear now. I wanted to say that me and Teresa know something you don't. Somehow we helped create this whole thing but I promise we didn't do it by choice. We have a connection that no one else has, it's hard to explain but you have to trust us. Were telepathic."

The room erupted in indistinguishable voices until newt told everyone to shut up. Them being telepathic came as a shock to me but I didn't let it show as I figured there was more Thomas wanted to say.

"We figured out the maze is a code. We've gotta go through the maze to the griever hole and put a code in and we're going tonight. If you'd rather stay here and live your days out in the glade until the grievers pick every last one of you off that's fine by me but everyone who wants to come should go to Minho and Margo to get ready to fight." He finished and the room erupted into cheers. There were a few who wanted to stay behind but for the most part all the keepers and leaders were going with Thomas. Except Alby.

"Alby get it together man." I said as I pulled him out of the homestead. Thomas frypan Minho and newt all followed after to see what was up with him.

"I did it. I didn't want to leave so I burned the map room. I smacked my head on the table to make it seem like someone else did it." He confessed.

"Alby you didn't burn the maps. We got them out before you got there. You warned us earlier." Minho said as Alby looked at him fearfully.

"We've lived here since we can remember! Why do you want to leave if there just going to kill us again?" He shouted and many of us backed away.

"He hasn't told us something." Newt whispered in my ear.

"It's nothing we don't already know. We have to go through with the plan. We will get out of here." I said.

"Good that." He said and looked out at Minho frypan and Thomas who all repeated the phrase to let me know they heard my every word.

"Frypan, make sure everyone's fed. We're gonna need the energy. Newt, Alby's clearly shucked in the head so you take first in command, I'll take second. Thomas, go make sure your girlfriend is comin', we need her."

"...okay." he said simply and left.

"Minho, he didn't deny it." I started and Minho reluctantly handed me a disc of wood carved with  both our names. We had made it as a form of betting currency between the two of us since we didn't have money here.

"Let's go get everyone some knives."