𝐓 𝐑 𝐄 𝐀 𝐒 𝐔 𝐑 𝐄 - ᴍᴀᴢᴇ ʀᴜɴɴᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴏᴍᴀꜱ ➀

²², ᶠᵒʳᵍⁱᵛᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶠᵒʳᵍᵉᵗ? ⁿᵒᵖᵉ.

The morning light seeps through the gaps in the wooden walls of my hut, casting long shadows across the floor. It feels like I just closed my eyes, but the day's challenges wait for no one. Every part of me aches from the previous day's run, the tightness in my muscles a constant reminder of just how close we came to disaster.

As I pull myself up, I hear the usual bustle outside—the Gladers preparing for another day, another fight for survival. But there's something different in the air today, a tension that wasn't there before. The Maze is changing, and we all feel it.

I make my way to the Map Room, where Minho is already studying the layout of the Maze. His brow is furrowed in concentration, his fingers tracing over the lines we've drawn a hundred times before. The Maps are a mess of routes, dead ends, and areas that seem to shift with a mind of their own. But now, there's a new section—the one we discovered yesterday, deep within the Maze.

"How's it looking?" I ask, trying to keep the fatigue from my voice.

Minho glances up, his eyes dark with worry. "Not good. Whatever we found yesterday, it's messing with everything. The paths don't line up the way they used to. It's like the Maze is trying to trap us."

I nod, the dread in my stomach twisting tighter. "We need to keep pushing. If we can map out this new section, maybe we'll find something that can help us."

Minho nods in agreement, but there's no confidence in his eyes, only a grim determination. We've been at this for so long, and yet the answers always seem just out of reach.

"Where's Thomas?" I ask, realizing I haven't seen him yet this morning.

"Probably with Newt," Minho replies, his tone neutral. "There's a meeting at the Homestead. You should get over there. Gally's been stirring up trouble again."

I sigh, the prospect of another confrontation with Gally only adding to the weight on my shoulders. Ever since Thomas arrived, Gally's been on edge, and his suspicions are starting to infect the rest of the Gladers.

I head to the Homestead, the air buzzing with unease. The other Gladers are gathered around, their faces tense as they whisper among themselves. When I step inside, I see Newt standing at the head of the room, his expression hard as he addresses the group. Thomas is beside him, his face set in determination, while Gally stands off to the side, his arms crossed and a scowl etched on his face.

"...And that's why we need to keep exploring the new section of the Maze," Newt is saying, his voice steady but firm. "Whatever is out there, it's the key to getting out of here. We have to keep going."

Gally steps forward, his eyes narrowing. "Or it's the key to getting us all killed. You saw what happened yesterday. The Maze is turning on us, and it's because of him." He points at Thomas, his voice dripping with accusation. "Ever since he showed up, things have been going wrong."

A murmur runs through the crowd, some Gladers nodding in agreement, while others shift uncomfortably. I can feel the tension crackling in the air, a storm waiting to break.

Thomas steps forward, his voice calm but resolute. "I didn't ask to come here, and I'm just trying to help us all get out. The Maze was already dangerous before I got here. We all want the same thing—to survive."

"Then why do you keep dragging us deeper into it?" Gally snaps, his anger flaring. "You don't even know what's out there, but you're ready to risk all our lives to find out."

"Because staying here isn't an option!" Thomas retorts, his voice rising with frustration. "We can't just sit around and hope things get better. We have to fight, to keep pushing until we find a way out."