[1] Let Me Go ➝ The Maze Runner ✓ (WATTYS 2015 WINNER!)

*Freedom*

*Freedom*

The Destroyer? They labelled me as the 'Destroyer'? That's what I was designed to do. Kill people?

I choked back a sob and turned to face my friends, all staring solemnly at the ground. I huddled my body closer to the fire, burying my head in my lap. Why is it they want me back? What had I done wrong? Had I not 'destroyed' enough people?

A sudden burst of rage flared through my body, coursing through my veins as a surge of fire. WICKED. They were going to pay for this. I don't care how, but they were.

"Rowan?" I felt an arm on my shoulder, but refused to look up. I knew it was Newt. "Rowan, please."

I slowly inched my head up and stared into Newt's dancing eyes. Minho and Chuck were skulking off in the distance, no doubt sent away by Newt.

"Why do they want me back?"

Newt's shoulders rolled into a shrug as he shuffled to face me. He took my hands in his his and clasped them together. I smiled; being with Newt always made the situation feel better. Nothing had really progressed in our relationship, but he was still always there for me.

"I don't know. But they won't get you; I won't let them."

My smile widened and I chuckled softly. The fire crackled and sparked, the flames coiling about each other in some irrational dance.

Newt slowly leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. A hand detached from mine and brushed back the hair from my face. "Don't worry about WICKED, okay? I'll protect you from them."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

His lips slowly connected with mine, soft and warm. And then I pulled away and leaned my head on his shoulder. He pulled me closer and slung his arm round my waist.

My eyes fluttered closed, and I slowly drifted into the clutches of sleep.

~

I was standing in front of the walls, glancing temptingly at the stretching, narrow passages that led the way through the gigantic labyrinth. Something inside me urged to enter the Maze. Break the rules. Be a runner. Do what I want to do. But another part of my told me not to. It was wrong. And dangerous.

I stared into the gloomy labyrinth for a few more minutes, until I was snapped from my daze by Newt.

"Rowan! What are you doing?" He yelled, running up to me.

"I have to go in," I said, my voice laced with urgency.

"What?" Newt was incredulous. "Why? You can't, Rowan. It's dangerous, and you're not allowed."

"But I need to," I insisted, but I didn't know why. Then I took a step forward and Newt reached out a hand to grab me. I shoved him away and stumbled into the maze, ignoring Newt's groan of pain and plea for me to stop as he tumbled to the ground. I ignored everything, and slowly paced down the corridor, embracing the keen breeze that raked along the passage.

A steady thump of footsteps quickly sounded behind me, and I broke into a sprint, my legs driving me forward with a speed I never knew I possessed.

Then a voice sounded in my head, calm but insistent.

"Keep running... you'll be free! Just keep running!"

I heeded the words with a nod and continued forward, nimbly dodging and skirting round the corners as a wall broke my path.

"Rowan! Rowan, stop!" Newt cried behind me."Please, Rowan!"

But I didn't. Even though some part of me wanted to grind to a halt, I couldn't. And so I didn't.

I kept on running.

And running.

Until I found what I was looking for...

The exit.