Crossing the threshold into the Glade was like being drenched instantly in a layer of thick, sweltering humidity. The sun seemed to be especially bright, beating down onto the grass in heavy waves of gold. It seemed to be getting hotter too, Emis thought, though again, she could only feel it distantly. But the others were especially breathless, sweat shining off their red, sunburnt skin.
Her veins were singing with leftover adrenaline. As they emerged from the Maze, a cluster of Gladers seemed to have collected on the other side, and almost automatically she felt herself stepping into Newt's arms. Even if she did smell like sweat and running and the lingering, familiar scent of gasoline. He held her to his side, dark eyes glinting with worry━and ... pride? He gave her shoulders an encouraging squeeze, eyes shifting to Thomas as he waited, expectantly, for an answer.
"What the hell you done now, Thomas?" Gally's voice came up from the back of the group, filled with venom, but Thomas ignored him, looking Newt straight in the eye.
"We found something," he said. The group had begun to move forwards, stringing along behind him. Everyone was craning their neck to get a good look, trying to hear what he had to say. Emis felt herself shrink a little into Newt's shoulders, relieved that Thomas seemed to be shouldering all the attention for a change. "A new passage. We think it could be a way out."
"Wait━Really?" Newt's voice was a mixture of apprehension and shock. Thomas nodded, as Minho spoke.
"It's true," he said, breathless. "We opened a door. Something I've never seen before." He gave Newt a firm nod, as if confirming it.
"We think it might be where the Grievers go during the day." Ed added, in a voice thrilled and breathless from both the excitement, and the running.
"Wait, woah-woah-woah━" Chuck darted in between them. He was staring at Thomas with wide eyes filled with shock. "Wait━you're saying you found the Grievers' home?" He sounded as incredulous as Emis had felt.
As the hot air kicked up the grass around them, Thomas recounted what had happened in a frantic, excited voice. He described the huge, towering Blades that seemed to pierce like flat needles against the sky; he described the massive concrete cavern, the wide bridge over what seemed a huge, plunging void of darkness. The Griever key triggering something, opening the wide cement door. Chains and pulleys, the Blades almost trapping them in, barely missing being squashed into pieces between the sliding walls.
