The First Gladers

Chapter 17: "I'll do it."

 Your eyes peel open slowly revealing the lush green surroundings. Pain aches through your back and there's a sharp pain in your side. Chris lies asleep next to you. After he kissed you up in the tree the two of you spent the rest of the night on the forrest floor star gazing until you feel fast asleep. You smile at Chris as he snores softly. Rustling leaves jerk you away from the peace you felt only seconds before. Newt's face peers around from a tree.

"Oh there you are Y/n... oh, sorry..." Newt's face turns scartlett red.

"No problem Newt, did you need something." You respond completely ignoring the awkwardness in the air.

"um well I... I mean we're supposed to uh, run the Maze." He stutters, not looking you in the eye.

You roll your eyes. "I'm on my way."

"Right. Sorry." He mutters, turning to walk away.

"Newt?" You call.

"Yeah?" He says, back facing you.

Heat rises in your cheeks and all the sudden you wish Newt hadn't seen you with Chris. But why? You have no reason to be embarrassed, yet somehow you are. You like being with Chris, yet you don't want anyone to see you with him, especially Newt.

"Never mind." You say with a sigh, pushing away your thoughts.

Newt nods and treads softly away from you and Chris. Chris shifts awake behind you with a groan. You turn to face him, plastering a fake smile across your face. He doesn't need to know what you're thinking.

"Shuck, this ground is hard." Chris grunts, rising to his feet. "What did Newt want?"

"I'm late to run the Maze." You answer simply.

"Aw yeah, you sure you have to do that today?" He asks poking his bottom lip out.

You shake your head with a laugh. "Yeah, I do."

"Fine. Let's go get some breakfast then."

"Whatever you say."

The two of you walk back to the courtyard slowly, hand in hand. As you emerge from the line of trees, Alby runs straight over to you with panic in his eyes.

"Y/n, we need your help now!" He shouts.

"What's going on?" You respond as you start to run after Alby.

"Minho wants to go down the shaft that the box comes through!"

You nod your head shakily. You have a bad feeling about this idea. It's a clever idea for sure, but something in your gut is telling you that it's a really really bad idea. You arrive at the entrance of the box in a matter of seconds where Minho is tying a rope around himself so he can climb down.

"Minho stop." You command as you catch your breath.

"Seriously Y/n!? I though you would support this idea, this could be our ticket out of here!"

"Or it could be your ticket to death. We can't afford to loose you."

"We may have to take that risk if we ever want to get out of here!" Minho shouts.

Chris speaks up from behind you, "I'll do it."

 You're shocked, beyond shocked, you're astounded.

"Chris no, we can't afford to loose you either." You respond softly, voice shaking.

Why would he even offer to do that? Especially since things are going so well between the two of you.

"Y/n he's right, we have to take risks, but you're right too. Minho knows the Maze better than anyone, if we loose him we loose our best chance at escape. But me? You guys don't need me as much as you need him." Chris explains.

You shake your head. Why do people have to do that, underestimate their worth like that? You grab Chris by the wrist and pull him aside.

"Chris what are you thinking!" You whisper aggressively.

"Look Y/n, we have to take risks, but we can't risk Minho's life. I'm not just going to sit here and appoint someone to rick their life, so I volunteered. You risk your life daily in that Maze, now it's my turn. Don't worry, I've got a good feeling about this. I'll be fine."

"That's just the thing, I have a bad feeling about this! It's not a good idea Chris."

"Someone has to try or we'll always be wondering 'what if'." He responds wisely.

"Why you." You say your voice turning shrill as you hold back tears.

"I already told you why." He says pulling your head to his chest, hugging you close to him.

You hug him tight, listening to the constant thumping of his heart, knowing that this could be the last time you hear his heart beating. Chris pulls away and takes the rope from a grumbling Minho and Gally takes hold of the other end, tying it securely around a metal post. Chris turns to you one more time with a soft smile on his face.

"I'll be right back." He says, kissing you on the forehead.

You nod and give him a weak smile as he starts to descend into the darkness below.

Your breath catches in your throat as the darkness swallows him whole. You grab the hand of whoever is closest to you. Gally slowly lowers the rope and everyone holds their breath. Your whole body is shaking and your heart pounds against your rib cage. When there is only half the rope left, Chris shouts up to you from below.

"I can't see anything, but I feel something... It's like a ridge in the wall. It's like there's something sharp embedded in the wall!"

Your heart beats faster and faster. Fear sends and icy chill down your spine.

"Chris get out of there!" You shout, voice trembling.

"Hold on, there's something else here..."

You peer into the darkness below and a light flickers on. He must have a flashlight.

"There's a message here..." Chris says.

"Well what does it say!?" Gally shouts.

"Nice try." Chris responds solemnly.

"Chris get out of there!!" You scream.

A loud grinding sound emerges from below.

"Y/n!?" Chris shouts. He screams for a split second, but is cut off by a sickening thunk.

"Chris!!" You shriek.