Serendipity - The maze runner, Newt

Chapter 34 - Absence

Maylin's POV:

The sun had almost completely disappeared, and I was still in Newt's arms. I felt particularly at ease in his embrace, serene, as if nothing could harm me when I was with him. I also had this feeling in my dreams and almost since my arrival at the Glade. I was certain these memories were real. I still felt a bit guilty for not telling him everything in detail, but I think I had told him enough... Talking about "WICKED" would probably only worry him more.

Since it was time for dinner, we broke our embrace and headed to the cafeteria, where Frypan was already serving the Gladers. We joined Minho and Isaac in the line.

"Oh, the lovebirds are back !" Minho exclaimed, hands on his harness.

"We're still not lovebirds, Minho." I replied, chuckling and rolling my eyes.

"I was wondering where you were. I wanted to ask you to watch the sunset together." Isaac said.

"She was watching it with me." Newt replied curtly.

"Good for you." Isaac responded, visibly tired of Newt's incessant comments.

"That's enough, Newt, leave him alone." I said.

He simply sighed in response.

The line finally moved, and we got our plates from Frypan. We sat down at a table, quickly joined by Chuck and Gally.

We chatted in high spirits, and without even realizing it, I finished my entire meal, one of the first times since arriving at the Glade. Talking with Newt today had done me a lot of good, and this meal with the people I care about so much was an added bonus.

After dinner, I said goodbye to Isaac, Minho, Chuck, and Gally. As I was about to say goodnight to Newt, he cut me off.

"You finally ate, good job, Maylin." He said with a kind smile.

I returned his smile before finally saying goodnight to him. He wished me goodnight too, and I headed to my hut while he went to his. I then settled on my bed and fell asleep peacefully, thinking about the good times spent with my friends in the Glade.

"He's not here."

"He's no longer here."

"He's no longer here."

"Maylin, he's no longer here."

"He's not with you."

"He's no longer here."

"You've never been separated from him."

"What will you do without him ?"

"He's no longer here, Maylin."

These voices surrounded me, constantly repeating that "he" was no longer there. I didn't even know who "he" was, but his absence was felt deep within me... I missed "him." I missed "him" terribly.

WICKED's POV:

The brown-haired boy was on watch that night. The night when WICKED had decided to make this absence felt deep in Maylin's heart. He was missing now. She was missing him greatly.
She was missing him terribly. And yet, she didn't remember him. She didn't remember the place he had always had in her life. She didn't remember every moment spent with him, those moments the brown-haired boy cherished deeply in his heart.

That night, he watched her. He watched her tossing and turning in her bed, suffering from these memories, suffering from these voices, suffering from the absence growing within her. He didn't like it. He didn't like seeing her like this. He hated seeing her suffer. He was just waiting for the right moment, the right plan, the perfect opportunity to find her... The perfect opportunity to go into the maze.

Isaac's POV:

The sun was about to rise, so it was time for me to get up and head to the maze. I got up with some effort and made my way to the kitchen, where Minho was already sitting. I sat down at his table, facing him.

"Is Maylin not awake yet ?" I asked.

"Apparently not, I haven't seen her this morning." He replied.

"The doors are open, she might have left already."

"Maybe." He said, shrugging. "I've finished eating. I'll check her hut."

"Okay." I replied, watching him get up and head towards Maylin's hut.

I finished my meal and went to get my sandwich and water bottle from Frypan. I then made my way to the maze doors, where Minho was already waiting.

"So ?" I asked.

"She wasn't in her hut, she must have left earlier." He said.

"Since when is she so early in the morning ?" I said, chuckling.

Minho chuckled as well, and we entered the maze, quickly parting ways since our sections were almost opposite each other.

Maylin's POV:

I ran through the corridors of the maze, memorizing the same sections over and over again. Nothing had changed in three months now. I was still mapping out what I saw, but my drawings were always the same.

I had decided to leave earlier this morning, I was unable to sleep any longer. Something was missing deep inside me. Something, or someone...

I ran without even knowing where I was going, my mind focused only on this absence that was gnawing at me. It was worse than all these memories because this time, I didn't even know what I was missing.

I continued to run endlessly through the maze corridors until it was time to leave. As I emerged, I saw Newt, standing in front of the door with Isaac and Chuck.

"Maylin ! You're finally coming back !" Chuck exclaimed.

"Finally ? What do you mean, finally ?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The doors are about to close, Maylin. You've been in there since they opened." Newt explained.

"You scared us, especially Newt." Isaac added.

"Not true !" Newt said curtly.

"I didn't realize I had stayed so long... Sorry." I said, looking down.

"It's okay, as long as you return before the doors close... but still, be careful." Newt assured.

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Heyyy !! What do you think of the story so far ?

I think there's one more chapter before everything goes down bad 😁

Are you guys alright ? Do you enjoy summer break ?