The Desolation (The Maze Runner)

24. Letter

The night was fading and the group was asleep on the highest level of a devastated building- except for Salsa and Thomas.

"I need to talk to you about something," whispered Thomas when Salsa sat next to him.

"What is it?" she asked.

Thomas seemed sad.

"Not here," he glanced at Brenda.

They got up and moved one level down. They took place on the edge of the building like always when they wanted to talk.

"So what is it that you don't want them to know?" she asked.

"First thing I want to know... is Brenda right? Do you know something about the tunnels?" asked Thomas.

"My mother tested something in this city. I don't know what it is but she told me never to hide in here because of the tunnels," Salsa shook her head. "Thomas, I'm sorry. For the first time ever, I feel hopeless. I really don't know how to reach the White Tower."

She felt her hands tightened into fists.

"We'll find a way, we're so close," Thomas glanced up at the white building about twenty miles from them.

"Was that all you wanted to talk about?" Salsa looked at him.

"No, there's something else... I don't even know how to express it. I really don't know," he had tears in his eyes. "Here."

He took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

"What is it?" asked Salsa.

"Newt gave it to me in the auditorium, before they took him," Thomas wiped away the tears that rolled down his cheeks.

Salsa trembled. She glanced at the paper, feeling the air press around her and she struggled to breathe.

"What's in it?" she swallowed.

"I... I can't say it. Just read it," Thomas got up and walked to the next wall.

Salsa took a shuddering breath and unfolded the paper. It was a short letter, only a few sentences.

'Thomas, the next time you see me, please kill me. If you're my friend, please kill me. P.S. Take care of Salsa after I'm dead, and tell her that I love her. Newt.'

Salsa stared at the paper, feeling her eyes starting to water but she managed to hold the tears back. Newt was begging for mercy. He had no hope left. Thomas had been walking around with this burden of having his best friend ask him to kill him before he turns into a monster.

"I'm sorry," Thomas came closer.

"Would you do it?" Salsa folded the paper back.

"I don't know. I'm trying to tell myself that I couldn't but the truth is I don't know," his head was down and another tear escaped his eye.

They sat in silence, feeling the heaviness of the situation more than ever.

"What happened between you and Teresa?" asked Salsa, unable to bear the silence.

"She kissed me and then she tried to kill me. After that, she kissed me again. It's confusing," Thomas sighed.

He told her the entire story about Teresa kidnapping him in the Scorch and torturing him with Aris.

"She loves you so much that she does everything WICKED tells her to do to save you. I kind of understand that," Salsa looked at the city in front of them.

"She said WICKED is good," Thomas shook his head.

Salsa stayed quiet, she didn't know what to say, so they sat there. The both of them watched as the sky slowly changed colors above the city.

The dawn was making things more visible and Salsa stood up but immediately felt them go weak.

"What's up?" Thomas asked.

"Oh, no. No, no!" Salsa kicked a stone over the edge.

"What's wrong?" Thomas jumped up and grabbed her arm.

"There's a hole, an abyss. They split the city in half!" she pointed westwards.

Thomas turned around and froze. The buildings about four hundred meters from them ended rapidly on the precipice of a huge chasm. It was about a mile long and the other part of the city with the White Tower was on the other side.

Thomas closed his eyes, the little hope he had slowly fading.

"We're running out of time, and every second... Every second we're wasting, he's turning into a Crank!" Salsa took a deep breath.

"Calm down, there must be a way through. Maybe they left a bridge," whispered Thomas.

"Or a tunnel," Salsa went pale at the realization.

They looked at each other and Salsa managed to get her emotions together.

"Can I have it?" she asked quietly, looking at the letter from Newt that was still in her hands. "If he... I'll only have this one thing left."

"Sure," Thomas nodded.

"Thank you," she tapped his shoulder and hid the piece of paper deep in her pant's pocket. She started towards the staircase. "I'll wake the others up."

"This shanks have got to be kidding me," Minho stood there like the others at the edge of the abyss and looked at the only passage left that was connecting the two parts of the city; a long metal tunnel that was completely bare in the sunlight.

"We have to find the entrance," said Brenda.

"No, we'll climb above it," Salsa took a long rope out of her backpack, looking towards the pilot. "How are you feeling, Jorge?"

"My head is like new," Jorge managed to smile.

He was obviously in a lot of pain but he kept going like rest of them.

"I'm going first. I feel like I haven't been very helpful lately," said Minho.

"Great," Salsa pulled a small bow out and connected the metal end of the rope to it.

The girl shot it across the abyss and it fastened itself on the other side. She pulled hard on the rope but the other end stayed embedded in the stony ground. Salsa connected another metal end to the rope on their side and secured it to the ground.

"Okay, Minho, you just need to hold on to the line and slide to the other end," she looked over at him.

"I thought we would walk over the tunnel?" Jorge raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, and they'll detonate it when we reach the middle. No way," Salsa smiled ironically.

Minho sighed.

"Wish me luck," he said, grabbing the rope with his hands and feet.

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