WICKED told them the Trial was over -no more tests, no more lies, but Frankie had been deceived enough to know that the statement alone could never be true.
Truthfully, she wanted to die. She wanted to leave this cruel world of being experimented an...
"HEY, MINHO, CAN I borrow Frankie, just for today?"
Minho gripped onto the straps of his bag with raised eyebrows and stared questioningly at the curly haired leader, "What happened to I don't think Runners should run the Maze alone from now on, shuckface?"
"Are you admitting that you can't handle being alone in the Maze?"
Minho laughed, raising his arms in playful surrender, "I'm just saying you shouldn't go against your own words."
Then, a thundering sound of scraping boomed throughout the Glade, signalling the opening of the Doors.
"You better keep an eye on her, Nick."
Nick grinned his signature crooked grin and fixed his black-rimmed glasses, "Yeah, go away now."
Minho patted Frankie's shoulder twice and ruffled the first-in-command's hair with another laugh before jogging towards the door to Section 6.
Despite the small nagging feeling of disappointment (he wanted to savour every moment spent with Frankie), he was eager to let his body loose after a good night rest. The air was crisp and the morning sun was pleasantly warm. Even the grass felt soft under his feet. It was like... Like the Maze was calling him to run.
"Stay safe, shuckface!" He heard Nick yelled behind his back.
Aren't you going to turn around?
No, he had to run. He could see him later tonight.
You're going to regret it, Minho.
As his feet continued to thud against the ground, Minho contemplated. The voice was right. He knew, somehow, deep inside, that he would regret not casting his friend another look.
Whose voice was that, anyway?
But you chose to just run, right?
He wanted to turn around. Nick, he wanted to see him properly one last time.
You did.
Minho raised a thumb-up, and with a balled-up emotion of imperceptible guilt pressing heavily against his chest, continued his run.
He blinked, then he found himself back in the Glade with dark sky painted on the ceiling over his head.
"Nick died," Zart said, "He went into the Box hole and got himself sliced clean in two."
Aren't you his best friend?
Why didn't you turn around and stop him?
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MINHO JOLTED UP on his bed with cold sweats framing his gaunt cheeks. He couldn't decide if he was awaken by his dream or the rapid knocks on the door.
