Mother of The Glades

_four_

Before I knew it, Chuck had come to get me. We walked out, he was holding my hand for comfort. I probably looked like a mess but I didn't care. Someone I cared about was being banished for something he couldn't control.

Alby gave me my stick and I stood next to him. I could see Minho in the distance coming with Ben who was tied up. "Please. Listen to me. Just listen! Please Minho!" They came closer to us. "Alby. Lydia! Mother please." He pleaded. I turned my head away. Tears were blurting my vision. Minho cut the ropes tying Ben's hands together. He fell to the floor and Minho walked up to the doors of the maze. Ben started crying and I wanted to help him but I knew I couldn't.

"Oh, no please no. Please don't do it. Please no. Please." Alby nodded his head to Minho and he threw out a bag for Ben into the maze incase he actually survived. The wind came and the doors began to close, "Poles!" We all held our poles out in front of us. Only the keepers had actual poles while other gladers had what should be spears.

The seven of us began to move in and push Ben into the maze. It broke my heart to see the doors close with him on the other side. We stood in silence for a moment before Alby spoke, "He belongs to the maze now." I threw my pole to the ground making everyone look at me. I took off running back into the Forest

Night came again and I walked out and over to the list of names we had. Gally was crossing Ben's out and I stood just watching him. I walked over to where Alby sleeps and sat with him. He pulled me into his chest and I sat in silence with him. At first everyone thought we were a couple but then Minho came and then Newt. I had to keep telling everyone that Alby and I came up together and there was nothing Romantic between us. It got tiring after the first 20 times.

"I'm going into the maze tomorrow. I'm gonna go find the griever that stung Ben." I cringed at the sound of his name.

"I'm going to." I cut him off before he could protest, "I won't go the same way as you I promise. I just want to clear my head. I know the maze like the back of my hand. I'll be fine." He nodded and we laid down in silence until we fell asleep.

.

Newt, Minho, Alby and I stood at the doors of the Maze. They opened and I hugged Minho and Alby as they left. "Good luck. Be careful." Newt said to me.

"Always am. I promise." He grabbed my hand and played with it for a few seconds. "I'll be back. I'm the best runner there ever was." He laughed. "Don't tell Minho I said that of course." I hugged him and ran into the maze going the opposite way of the others.

Thomas' pov

"Alright but why would Alby and Lydia go into the maze?" I asked thinking about what I saw this morning. "I mean, they're not runners."

"Things are different now. Alby went to retrace Ben's footsteps before sundown. Lydia went in to clear her head. She's just checking to see if Ben survived though. Look are you gonna help?" Newt became slightly annoyed.

"Okay, he's gonna go back to where Ben was just stung? And like everyone has said, No One Survives a night in the maze."

"Alby knows what he's doing. Alright. They both do. They know better than any of us."

"What does that mean?"

"Alright, it's like you've heard right? Every month, the box sends up a new arrival. But someone had to be first right? Someone had to have spent a whole month here. That was Alby and Lydia. It can't have been easy. But when those other boys started coming up one after the other, they saw the truth. And they learned that the most important thing is that we all have each other. 'Cause we're all in this together."

I got up from where I was sitting and went to do my work. I heard rumbles in the distance and saw clouds rolling over us. Everyone walked over to the sleeping place and stood under there.

Lydia's pov

I came back to the glades when I heard the first roll of Thunder. It was getting late anyways. I ran over to the guys hiding in shelter. "Where's Alby and Minho?" I asked.

"They're not back yet." Chuck said.

"They should be back by now." I said taking of my pack.

"What happens if they don't make it?" Thomas asked no one In Particular. I leaned on the tree next to Newt.

"They're gonna make it." He said. He didn't sound so sure.

"But what happens if they don't?" Thomas walked over to us.

"They're gonna make it." He looked at me because in my head, I was thinking the same thing. The rain finally stopped and everyone made their way over to the Open doors.

"Come on guys, can't we send someone after them." Thomas suggested breaking the silence. I started taking steps forward but Newt and Gally pulled me back.

"It's against the rules." Gally stated keeping me in a tight grip. "Either they make it back or they don't." I started taking deep breaths. They're gonna make it back. They're gonna make it back. I know they will.

"Can't risk losing anyone else." The wind blew in our faces letting us know the doors were going to close. I leaned into Newt.

"There!" We all turned around and saw Minho carrying Alby on his back.

"Somethings wrong." I tried to go forward to help them but newt held me back. We started shouting to Minho. "Come on Minho!"

"They're not gonna make it." Newt said in realization. I kept trying to get out of his grip but I couldn't.

"Minho!" Just then Thomas ran in to help them. "Thomas!" I screamed hitting the gates. "No! No! No! Alby, Minho and Thomas. What happened to Alby." I fell to the ground crying and Newt came to my rescue.

"We'll come back, bright and early. We'll search the maze." I was still crying as he picked me up and carried me to my hut. I knew the boys were looking at me. Alby and I were always together. The first gladers. The first two to arrive. My best friend. I was not losing him today. Not now. Not ever.