First Light- Maze Runner (OC/Newt)

Dead Griever

I was awakened by a quick knock at my door. I cracked my eyes open; it wasn't even dawn.

"Frick off," I mumbled.

"I'm going into the Maze with Minho," Alby said wearily.

That woke me up. I crossed the room quickly and threw open the door. Alby was dressed for running, so he definitely wasn't lying. What I really wanted to know was why.

"What?"

"He found a dead Griever; we're going to check it out. Do you mind watching out for the Greenie?"

"A dead Griever?" I asked, desperately trying to get clarification to for muddled mind.

He nodded.

"And you want me to stay with the Greenie?" I said slowly.

"Yep."

"The most interesting thing to happen in the whole time I've been here, and you want me to stay here and watch Thomas? The Greenie, the new guy."

"That about sums it up."

I groaned, "You're no fun. I want to see a dead Griever. This is super lame and you know it." I knew I was coming off as whiny, but he was making me deal with thousand question Thomas, I deserved to whine a bit.

"Well, I would send you, but I think Minho would kill me. Also, Thomas asks too many questions. I need a break."

I rolled my eyes, "So you're foisting him off on me? Don't the hard jobs come with being the leader?"

"A leader knows how to delegate. Besides, you haven't gotten to meet him. You might actually like him, you might be surprised by how much you have in common."

"I don't dislike him," I stood slowly and followed after him. "And what do we have in common? Huh? I may be inquisitive, but I don't think I'm anything like him."

"You've been avoiding him." He was clearly avoiding the other question I had asked.

"I have not, I was 'delegated' other tasks that impeded me from becoming acquaintances. Besides, other people can show him around, why does it always have to be me? It's bullshit!"

He ignored me as we walked across the Glade to the doors. Minho waited impatiently, constantly checking his watch as we approached. He was always antsy to start the day while the rest of us dreaded what each day would bring.

"A dead Griever? You didn't think to mention that?" I asked Minho as we approached.

"Didn't have time," he said, rolling his shoulders. He swung his arms back and forth, prepping for his outing into the Maze.

I clenched my jaw, it wasn't worth the fight. Especially not this early in the morning. Before, he had promised that I would always be in the know, but apparently that only applied some of the time.

"Fine. Good luck," I gave Minho a short nod.

I turned around to go and find Thomas so we could properly start the day. Before I could run off, I slammed straight into Newt. We bounced off each other. He had snuck up on us, or at the very least, me because I was the only one facing away from him.

"Christ," I swore as I backed up a few steps. I turned around to face the others and Alby gave me a knowing look. I rolled my eyes and subtlety flipped him off.

"Sorry," Newt mumbled to me before addressing the others. "I just came to see you guys off."

He turned to Alby and Minho and began to talk to them. If it didn't apply to me, I was not gonna stick around.

I began to jog off up the hill.

—

"But, where are they going?" Thomas asked.

I sighed and wiped the sweat off my forehead. We had been working for all of twenty minutes, and he had already asked so many questions. It seemed like the only thing that came out of his mouth was a stream of never-ending questions.

"There's a dead Griever. They're going to check it out, that's all. Nothing that you need to be worrying about," I gestured for him to help, but he ignored me.

I swung my axe. Today, I was chopping wood, and Thomas did not seem inclined to help. He stood with his arm on the handle of his axe and didn't move.

"But Alby's not a runner. Why's he allowed to go in there?" He stared off towards the doors in deep contemplation. Honestly, I was surprised he could think of anything other than the questions his brain kept cooking up. The guy rarely made a statement but if he did, it was inevitably sandwiched between two questions.

With a heaving swing, I chopped another piece of wood in half. The pieces sailed in opposite directions, one landing at Thomas's feet.

"You gonna help?" I asked when he didn't move. He just stared at me blankly and I could see another damn question percolating inside the deep, dark recesses of his brain.

"Why did Alby go in?"

I threw my head back and silently cursed Alby. I should have been more aggressive when flipping him off in the morning. As soon as he got back, I was setting Thomas loose on him.

"He knows the Maze just as much as the Runners. He was the first one here, he was all alone for a month. When others came, he stepped up. Now will you please help?"

Finally, he picked up his axe and began to chop.

—

"Shouldn't they be back by now?"

Thomas's question echoed what we all had been thinking, for once his question pertinent and relevant. There was no way Minho had lost track of time. Even though Alby wasn't a Runner, there was no way he would slow Minho down that much.

"They'll be back," Newt said.

"What if they don't make it?"

"They'll make it," Newt said with a confidence that I could tell he didn't feel.

—

Minho stumbled down the last alley of the Maze with Alby in tow. The doors slowly shut as Minho frantically pulled Alby's unconscious body. 

"You gotta leave him Minho!"

"Come on!"

"You're almost there!"

Shouts echoed up from the Gladers but no one moved to help them. We all were torn between wanting to help our friends, or survival.

"They're not gonna make it," Newt said, barely audible. His voice was laced with helplessness and devastation, we all knew he was right.

Within the blink of an eye, Thomas pushed through the crowd and dove into the Maze. No matter how much everyone yelled, he was undeterred. The doors closed and they were lost to the Maze.