Only Herself to Blame...

Chapter 14 - The Secret

I gasped and sat upright.

I blinked; the sun was blinding.

"Zoe? Can you hear me?" Someone said. I looked up and saw Minho, Ben and another Glader I didn't know, looking at me.

I nodded and laid back down, closing my eyes. I felt sick.

I shouldn't be here. I put myself here. Corby was right, they were trying to kill me.

I gasped again. Corby!

"Zoe?" It was Ben.

I opened my eyes again. "I'm fine." I whispered.

I looked around and saw we were still in the maze.

"Yeah, well. We may not be. The doors close in about ten minutes and we are still out in the maze. We couldn't carry you cus you were thrashing and screaming. Can you run?" The unfamiliar Glader said.

"I guess so." I was still whispering.

I stood up and took off running, the others right behind me.

"What happened?" Minho shouted to me.

I just shook my head. I didn't trust myself to speak. I could already feel the tears in my eyes, blurring my vision.

I blinked them away and ran faster. I started to run right, but Minho grabbed my arm.

"Wrong way!" He shouted, and dragged me left.

"We need to move faster!" Ben yelled, and we all ran faster.

We rounded a corner and could see the doors ahead.

We ran faster still, and over the sound of our thumping footsteps and heavy breathing, the doors started to grind closed.

"RUN!!" A boy screamed from the Glade. I noticed there was a large crowd stood at the doors.

I ran faster and over took the boys. I made it out, and turned to see Minho and Ben running through.

"GEORGE! FASTER!" Ben screamed.

George. That was his name. He pushed himself forward and leapt into the Glade, but he jolted back sharply. His Shirt had gotten caught in the maze doors.

"What the klunk happened!?" Alby shouted. "We heard screaming and nobody came back!"

He glared at me. Guess my screams couldn't be passed off as Minho's or Ben's.

I looked at George's Shirt. The memory I had a while ago was brought into my mind. I still hadn't told anyone about it yet, but I remembered the part where my jacket got caught in the door when we were escaping.

They can control what happens here.

Corby's words rang through my head.

They knew I had had the memory. They made this happen. They made George get stuck to remind me what had happened.

"I need to see Corby."I said, and my knees buckled.

I hit the ground and groaned, but scanned the crowd for Corby. He had been let out of the Slammer this morning, but I didn't see him becasue I was running.

"Corby! Get your shuck butt here now!" Alby shouted.

I saw the crowd part and Corby knelt at my side, holding me hand.

What happened? - Corby.

I had a memory. You were right, they can control what happens. - Me.

Explain. - Corby.

Before I came here, myself and Jason had been kidnapped. When we escaped, my jacket got caught under a door, just like George's.

Corby gasped. Alby cleared his throat.

"Are you two slintheads gonna sit there all day staring at eachother, or are you gonna tell us what happened?" He said.

Shuck. I thought. Alby doesn't know.

We'll tell him. We have to. Corby thought back.

I nodded and sat up. "Alby. We need to talk to you, in private. It's important. I suppose Minho can come too. I know we can trust him."

Minho put a hand on his heart and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "I am honoured!" He said.

I laughed and let him pull me to my feet.

Alby agreed. "But only if Newt can come too."

I sighed. "You two are worse than girls. They always need company where ever they go, even to the bathroom."

Minho laughed. "You speak like you aren't a girl yourself!"

I stuck my tongue out at him and turned back to Alby. "Fine, as long as he doesn't throw anyone else on the floor and make them slice their arm."

Alby frowned and Newt turned bright red.

"I said I was sorry. And anyway, why are you mad. Minho has forgiven me."

"Aahh. In that small shuck brain of yours I thought you may have noticed one thing. I'm not Minho, thanks very much."

I turned to Minho. "My looks are too good for yours."

That is rule number 4 of this place. 'Never insult Minho's looks or hair'.

I ran off before he could rearrange my face for me, with Alby, Newt, Corby and a very angry Minho in tow.