I Know Places [Thomas The Maze Runner]

[26: The Backup Plan]

The next morning, Elle woke up feeling worse than she did the previous day. Suddenly, she felt groggy and disoriented, even though she was perfectly alert the day before, and both her doctors confirmed she had no symptoms of a severe head injury. The nurse who came in to check on her immediately called for Dr Crawford, concerned that Elle was regressing rather than improving.

"Good morning, Elle. I'm so sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well this morning," Dr Crawford said when she entered Elle's room. "Let's have a look and see what might be wrong." After assessing Elle and doing a series of small exams and tests, Dr Crawford sat by Elle's bed. "Are you feeling any nausea or dizziness?" she asked.

"A little bit," Elle replied tiredly. Her voice came out slightly muffled because it felt like an extraordinary effort was needed to open her mouth to enunciate. "I don't understand what happened, I went to bed feeling totally fine."

"I know it can be disorienting and disheartening, but that's exactly why we wanted to keep you overnight for observation," Dr Crawford reminded her. She had a patient, kind tone that allowed Elle to warm up to the doctor. While Elle was initially worried about all the questions and accusations being thrown around, she knew now that her doctor was only looking out for her. "My guess is that you're still recovering from the severe dehydration you sustained in the Maze. It can take several days for symptoms to go away and for your body to properly acclimate to a fully hydrated, healthy state." Elle nodded. "For now we will keep you on your course of IV fluids and hope that your body absorbs the electrolytes it needs to improve. That being said, I want to continue to observe you in case you exhibit other symptoms such as a fever, which might indicate a viral infection of some sort."

Immediately, Elle began to panic. "No, no! I really have to get out of the med-wing and join my friends as soon as possible," she declared. After her conversation with Teresa yesterday, Elle was desperate to see the Gladers again and be there if Mr Janson decided it was their turn to leave.

"Your friends are totally fine," Dr Crawford assured her, trying to stop her distress. "You don't need to worry for their health or safety. Trust me, they're in very good hands."

"I trust you, I really do, but that's not it," Elle protested. "I want to be there if Mr Janson picks them-- I don't want them to leave me behind! They're my family, I need them and they need me."

Realisation crossed Dr Crawford's expression. "Oh, Elle..." she trailed off, smiling sympathetically at her newest patient. "They aren't going anywhere yet, they've only just arrived," Dr Crawford explained. "Very soon you and your friends will be able to move on to a new location to start your lives, but there are other people who have been here much longer who will be prioritised. You have no reason to fear being abandoned by them, especially so early on." She glanced at the curtain dividing Elle and Teresa's rooms before meeting Elle's eyes again. "What happened to Teresa was unavoidable, but she was in a much worse state than you are, and her friends were here far longer. We don't make a habit of separating you on purpose. It was unfortunate, but we kept everyone's best interest in mind," Dr Crawford said calmly. "You can see your friends when we're sure you've fully recovered."

"I understand that I need to be observed, but what about meal times?" Elle offered an alternate solution. "If I could just eat with them and spend a couple hours a day with them then I would be reassured of your promises," she explained. "And I would certainly get better quicker if I was in the presence of people who make me feel comfortable and safe."

"I have all the sympathy in the world for what you went through, Elle," Dr Crawford replied. "But if we aren't certain your symptoms aren't the result of a viral infection, then we cannot let you dine with the others."

"If I had a viral infection then I caught it in the Maze," Elle pointed out. "Which means that either my friends have it too, or it doesn't affect them." The longer she was awake, the less she let Dr Crawford talk her into things, and the clearer her mind felt. The initial grogginess of waking up had slowly dispersed, and Elle could feel herself getting stronger. The nausea was fading, and it felt like she could stomach anything. "In any case, I have been here all night long and don't have a single symptom of a viral infection. Any of my symptoms could be the result of exhaustion or stress rather than dehydration."