The Maze Tributes

Chapter 5

The darkness was bliss.

He felt as though he were floating. Away from worries and away from WICKED. He felt safe, though deep down he knew it was temporary peace.

He jolted as he awoke.

He was back in the lab room, still shackled to the armchair. Panic set in, it was quiet, but outside of the door, there was an eruption of screams and gunfire.

He needed to get out, he had to get out.

Thomas thrashed, pulled, kicked, but the shackles wouldn't release him. Something was wrong. Why was there gunfire? What was happening out there?

With a loud BOOM, the door to the lab opened up, making Thomas jump. But he relaxed, seeing who was behind it.

Newt.

"Newt!" Thomas cried. He was so happy he could've cried, but he didn't want to look like an idiot.

Newt ran up to him, a serious look on his face.

"You alright, Tommy?" Newt asked, quickly getting to work on the shackles.

"Yeah, I think so."

Newt looked at Thomas with a playful smirk.

"They kicked your butt, didn't they?"

"Yep," Thomas said with an embarrassed sigh as the shackles released him.

"Let's get the bloody hell out of here."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Thomas rubbed his wrists, they were red and raw from the shackles. Newt gave him a nod and walked to the door he had come in from.

Something was off about him. He looked pale, his eyes were heavy and bloodshot, and his voice was more tired than usual. How long had Thomas been unconscious for Newt to have deteriorated this much? What was wrong with him?

"Newt," Thomas began, Newt's sickly eyes meeting his. "Are you okay?"

Newt raised an eyebrow with a small chuckle.

"I'm alright, don't worry about me." Newt didn't seem eager to talk, he was hiding something. Thomas didn't question it despite his curiosity and followed Newt out of the room.

The halls were a mess. The floor was littered with broken glass and shards of concrete. Echoes of gunfire and screams filled the halls. It was unnerving, but Newt being in front of him made Thomas feel at ease. His heart fluttered from the presence of his good friend. He had the urge to grab onto Newt's hand and never let go but thought against it, Newt wasn't much of a physical person. Brenda and Teresa were the only people he had ever felt this feeling with, he questioned why Newt was at the center of that affection now. He assumed it was from the relief and gratitude he felt for Newt being there, the feeling would pass once they were safe he was sure of it.

Newt seemed to be gradually walking slower, his hands rubbing his temples gingerly like he was in pain.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Thomas asked.

"I'm fine-" Newt's voice cut off, as he crumpled to the ground with a scream.

"Newt!" Thomas knelt beside Newt, his hand on his shoulder. Newt was trembling and whimpering, his hands clasped on his head. Gunfire caught Thomas's attention, his head shooting up as people ran up and down the halls.

"We can't stay here, come on." Thomas looked around, his eyes landing on a dark room, the door slightly cracked open. He put his arms under Newt's armpits and lifted him as gently as he could, Newt let out an agonized cry of pain; like he would snap in half if he was handled too roughly. "I've got you," Thomas assured him. Thomas dragged Newt into the room and gently laid him to the ground. He peaked his head out of the door to make sure no one saw him and went back to Newt who was still whimpering and had started sobbing.