The Maze In Her Heart (Newt, Minho ::The Maze Runner.) ✔

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Slammin' Time.

SAMMANTHA

After my lovely chat with Tom, I was led into a large house made completely of wood. The air had the heavy aroma of cooking stew hanging, the smell making my nose quiver in anticipation. I looked around, shrinking into myself whenever I saw eyes glued onto me. I didn't want to make a scene, or be the center of attention, but I couldn't help but feel like every single pair of eyes in this room were looking at me as if trying to decode me. 

Like I was the Maze.

I glance over at Thomas, watching his thick brown hair blowing in the breeze, to reveal two perfectly brown eyes. His square jaw is set, determined, and sweat glistened right below his hairline.

"After you." He says to me, but he sounds vacant. Like his mind is on other matters. I pause, and look over at him, before continuing up the stairs. I took each step carefully, afraid they would break under my feet. 

I straighten up at the top of the stairs, about to ask Thomas where to go, when I hear whimpers and sounds from one of the rooms. 

"But I don't remember! It's all going away!" A voice shouts and I hear rustling. It stops. 

I'm led farther down the hall by Thomas, whose face was grim once more. Finally we reach the last room and I step in. It smells of fresh wood. The noises from outside are muted as I take a seat at the edge of a chair, which was by the window. I glance outside and see Gladers milling about, uneasily doing tasks. 

Tom sits across from me and clasps his hands together in his lap, expectant. 

I open my mouth, and it all comes spilling out. 

~

I look up at the boy. He had tied together my hands around the trunk of the nearest tree with some vines he had in his big pockets. He is pacing, cupping his chin. His eyebrows, already angular, are pinched together, making him look like a cartoon villain.

"I'm not letting you go until you spill what you know. You know stuff, and I know it. Why else would you wake up, saying Thomas's name, with a note and serum with you?" says the boy, his small eyes glaring at me.

"I don't know. I really don't know. Please... let me go. We can talk about this like regular humans." I shout, each word ripping my lungs into quarters. The boy chuckles, shaking his head as I continue, "I have no memory except of Tom, who should help!" I shout the word now, hoping anybody nearby would hear.

The boy, Gally, looks around. "Oh really? Where's your knight in shining armour now?" He leans down, smirking to be level with me, so I can take in his whole smug expression. "He's no knight. He's just an idiot in tin foil."

I glare up at the Gally, sticking my lip out. He gives another chuckle, brushes off his shoulders, and starts to straighten out. But as soon as he does, I threw my head back, then forward, launching spit right into his eyes. 

He utters a piercing scream, and jumps up. He covers his face with his hands, trying to wipe the saliva from his eyes. "Ah, you slinthead! That's disgusting!" 

"Let me go!" I shout. Stumbling up, try to move forward, but my hands tug back. Groaning in pain and frustration, I look to see Gally wiping his eyes. I only had a few seconds to act. I backed up against rhe tree, pressing my back all the way against it until I began to stand on them.

I inched up, slowly at first, but then as Gally began to notice, I sped up. My back raked against rhe bark, and every time I scooted my legs up, in a squatting motion, I grimaced. My muscles stretched, but I had to keep going up the tree to get away from this moron.

I lifted my arms, the bark pricking into my bare arms. I scooted farther up the tree, breathing heavily. Soon, I was able to see the leaves surrounding my eyesight. I hadn't realized how far up I was until Gally laughed from below.

Gally was watching the whole thing. "How are you gonna get down?" He walked up to the tree, just as I start to push myself up onto a branch. He grasps the trunk in both hands, and shakes it madly. Leaves scatter to the ground and I can hear cracking. 

I yelp, and slip. Before I can crumple to the ground, I turn quickly, and use my rope to snag onto a branch. I dangle, screaming in fear. My wrists chafe under the vine, and I grab it with my hands, trying to hoist myself up. I can feel Gally jumping and reaching for my feet, his fingertips barely brushing my heels.

"Help!" I shout again, tugging at the vines. As I stay there, dangling, I think back on what I can remember. In this short amount of time awake- this short, terrifying time- I had almost forgot what I remembered. 

The Maze was code. 

I had to keep it in mind, or I'd be swept away for good in the madness of this Glade.

"Get down here, you shank!" Gally shouts, about to grasp my foot. I gasp, and use all my upper body strength to pull myself up. As soon as I see the edge of the branch pass my view, the rope- and branch- give a snap, and I go tumbling down right on top of Gally. 

Breathing heavily, smacking away spare limbs, and ignoring the yells of shock and anger from Gally, I scramble to my feet. I feel him grab my ankle and try to yank me back, but I'm kicking now, kicking and screaming like a manic. 

"Let go of me!" I scream, rearing my foot back. It slams square into Gally's face. Blood squirt form his nose and lip, staining my boot. I don't have enough time to feel bad- I only have enough time to register that he had let go, and that I was running now.

Running, running for dear life. Ignoring the crunch of twigs and bushes under my feet, ignoring the stitch in my side, ignoring the sheer panic in my lungs, ignoring everything until finally- I burst into light. 

I look around to see boys staring at me, for a few milliseconds of peace. Then they start to break into a panic, a panic I knew had existed way before I showed up. 

The one who reaches me first is the blonde British dude, who looks like he just ran a marathon. He was breathing heavily, and bags were under his eyes. For some reason, all I can go is stare, until I'm suddnly pushed forward. 

"Oi, Gally!" The boy yells, waving out his hands to stop the crazed male. Gally runs up and pushes his thin body to the ground. 

In only a few short seconds though, a few short seconds of fighting and struggling and punching, Gally is retained. He starts raining down curse words, and one boy punches him, effectively knocking him out. Blood oozes from his nose slowly, joining the already there blood from my self defense. 

I stand there, shaking, quaking, folding my arms across my chest and biting my lip. Boys come to me, to try and comfort me and coax out answers, and some even look just as angry as Gally, but only one thought was clear at the time. 

I needed Thomas.

~

I stop talking, staring at my feet. I shifted my left foot. Gally's blood was dried now. 

I look up to see Thomas's reaction, but stop when seeing two Gladers walk in, standing side by side like body guards.

I stand suddenly, reaching for my pocket, as if there was a weapon there, or something. "Thomas, what's happening?"

"I'm sorry, but Newt says you have to remain in the Slammer until things settle out." Thomas had a far away look in his eyes, that suggested he half way wasn't here. He was thinking, and I knew he was dwelling on it. My words. 

The Maze was a code.

"What?" I say, backing up as the two Gladers walk over. The look on their faces suggest that I had to oblige, or they'd lift me up themselves and make me.

"I don't agree with it either." Thomas rubbed his jaw, an exhausted look on his face. 

I glance at the two Gladers, then back to Tom. I slowly begin to walk, obliging to the orders given by what I could only assume was the leader. The last thing I see before I leave the room is Tom's eyes. 

"I'm sorry."