2 | The Survivor | The Maze Runner

three

"Thomas, what was I like before this? Before all of this?"

"You were always happy. Smart, too. Always knew what you were talking about and enjoyed proving people wrong. You held your friends close to your heart, never left them go if they even seemed sad. You kept your emotions to yourself, more concerned about other people. Never let others know when you were hurting, but I could see through all of it. I knew my sister, not even she could hide something from me. And she still can't."

Rachel smiled, tears dotting her eyes. The happy smile soon faded. "Thomas, I killed someone."

"I know." He didn't sound disgusted, or happy, or even disappointed.

"I ended his life."

"I know that."

"His blood is on my hands."

"Rachel, I know that."

She turned her head to look at him. "Then why do you still care about me? He had friends, people who cared about him. I'm the reason they'll never see him again."

"And was he a good person?" Thomas asked, already well aware of his own opinion.

Rachel shook her head. "He- he killed Nick," she whispered. "He killed him."

Thomas wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulder and pulled her into a hug. "He was a danger to you and the others. If you didn't do it, someone else might've. It would've happened no matter what. It isn't your fault. Okay?"

Rachel nodded her head against his chest.

"You know I have to go back in a few days, right?"

Thomas held back tears of his own. "I know that. Let's just enjoy this, okay?"

Rachel sniffled, squeezing her brother tighter. "Can you tell me more? About me before the maze?"

Thomas was in no state of mind to deny.

...

Rachel waited behind the wall as her brother helped the next subject into the elevator that would take him to the maze. She couldn't stay locked up in one of W.I.C.K.E.Ds storage rooms forever, she had to go back. The time for that was now.

Rachel closed her eyes. She didn't want to leave her brother and memories he held, but she knew she had to go back to her friends. She could only imagine how bad Alby was feeling and how much Minho was hiding his emotions and Newt being so hurt to barley help his friends. She knew she needed to go back to the Maze. The Glade, the only home she could remember, was falling from grief.

Rachel wondered about Thomas and how he was going to be when she left again. Hurt, sad, worried? Yes. But how would Rachel feel? The last few days she had been worried about her friends and her brother, but nobody ever seemed to worry about her. Sure, Thomas worried about her enough to save her life and hide her from WICKED so they wouldn't hurt her. But when he asked if she was 'okay' it seemed to be physically. Everyone always meant in physical terms. They always expect you to be mentally 'okay' as long as you're alive. That's klunk.

Rachel never felt okay. Never feeling right was her okay. Everyone else seemed so content... Maybe it was all in her head.

Thomas then appeared around the corner and tapped Rachel's shoulder. He jerked his head and the direction of the box, signalling for Rachel to follow. She did.

They were careful as they rounded the corner to the elevator shaft. Nobody was around, all waiting for Thomas to send the next kid into the Maze. Unconsciously, how could he? rippled through Rachel's mind. She pushed the negative thought away when Thomas pulled a small syringe out of his jacket pocket. It was much smaller than the one he injected the other kid with.

He noticed Rachels questioning gaze. "If I took too much they would notice. This'll have to do."

Rachel nodded and held out her arm. Thomas secured her elbow and looked at his little sister.

"We're not doing this again. Alright?"

He didn't give her time to answer before he injected the serum. Seconds later, Rachel blacked out.

When she woke up, she knew her name. She recognised her surroundings. The scratchy moans and groans of the chains didn't scare her. But she was confused. She was supposed to be in the Maze running from Grievers, why was she in the Box?

And why was there someone else in there with her?

Rachel crawled over to the other being. In the small space, that meant only going a foot or two. She immediately put her ear to his chest. His heart was beating. Good. Her work was done. Now she just had to figure out how she got there.

How did she get out of the Maze? When did she get out of the Maze? Why would someone help save her? How were her friends?

One of those questions were answered not long after the bright white light of the sun penetrated the space and a long cursed gasp was released from a familiar face.

"Shucking klunk. Rachel?"