The First Gladers

Chapter 50: Messed up Minds

 "We need to leave the Maze." Minho states, "If Gally was right and those shuck Grievers are going to come back every night, our only hope for survival to to escape."

"Yeah?" Winston says rising to his feet, "and how do you suppose we do that pretty boy? I'm not sure if you guys remember, but we've been in this Maze for two years and still haven't found a way out! I say we build up our defenses and stay. This is the only home we've got so we should fight for it."

"There might be a way." Minho responds calmly. "The cliff, it's weirder than we thought. Things just disappear when they go over it, but only in a certain place. It's how the Grievers enter the Maze, and it could be how we leave it."

Voices roar in your ears as everyone rises to their feet, either scared or angry. You glance at Newt, who's face is sinking with worry and anxiety. You wish more than anything that you could know what's going on in his head.

A single voice rises above the rest, Alby's. "Everyone shut up! No one is going anywhere. Escaping the Maze is impossible. Meeting over. Go find weapons and help in any way you can to defend the Homestead." With that, he storms out of the room leaving only silence in his wake.

Suddenly all eyes are on Newt. This is exactly what Newt was worried about, and what you should've been worried about too. Alby isn't the same. The Changing changed him. And like Newt predicted, they all expect Newt to have the answers. Before anyone can ask him a single question, you stand to your feet, taking control.

"You heard him. Meeting over, scram." You say.

Murmuring fills the room as the boys leave confused. Minho, Newt and Thomas stay behind without you even having to ask them. When the door shuts behind the last Glader you speak.

"Alby obviously isn't the same after going through the changing. Minho, I think you're right, this is our only chance we need to get out of here." You pause to glance at the boys faces. They're afraid. Things are changing so fast. For so long everyone had only dreamed of an escape, but now that it's becoming a reality it's terrifying.

"We just need to convince Alby." You finish.

Almost immediately the door opens and a defeated looking Alby walks in. His eyes find yours and they're filled with remorse and despair.

"I'm sorry Y/n." He pauses, "I don't know what came over me... I just haven't felt like myself ever since, you know. I'm really scared. Minho's right, that's the only way out of the Maze. We have to leave."

Alby has never looked so broken. For the first time since the changing you see him for who he has become. He's just a shell of himself. He's not the Alby you know at all.

You nod, unable to find anything to say.

"We'll leave tomorrow." Alby states. "For now, tell everyone to get ready. I get the feeling we won't be escaping without a fight."

An awkward silence hangs over the room. You glance at the other boys faces to see the same perplexed look on each of their faces. All the same, they do what Alby says, leaving to spread the word. Something tells you to stay. Something just isn't right. First Alby's strange outbreak, demanding that no one leaves the Glade, then his sudden remorse for what he said. Something strange is going inside his head.

"Alby, what's going on?" You ask when you're finally the last ones in the room.

Alby's gaze falls down to his feet. "I don't know." His voice cracks, "Ever since the... you know what... I just haven't felt the same. It's like I'm being possessed. I can't control my thoughts or my actions." He looks back at you, his eyes filled with raw tearful fear. "Y/n I'm scared."

You don't know what to say. Alby has been your best friend since the beginning. It's been you and him, the First Gladers right from the start. Now he's broken, he's not who he was before. Fear clenches at your heart anytime you think of loosing him. It would be devastating. Yet, you can't help but wonder if he's already lost.

"Alby, I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could do."

Alby shakes his head, "It should be me who's apologizing."

"You haven't done anything wrong! You have nothing to apologize for."

"That's not true."

You breath catches in your throat.

"What?" You ask.

"I burned down the Runners shed. I was trying to destroy the maps."

It seems as if all time has stopped. The whole world is crashing down around you, but nothing is moving. It's like the ground is shaking beneath your feet, but you're the only one who can feel it. The past few weeks have taken everything you know to be true, and proved it false.

"Can you control yourself now?" You ask dryly, your voice void of friendliness.

Alby jerks back as if he had just been wounded by your tone, but still he nods his head.

"Yeah, I think I've got enough of a grip on it now." He responds.

"Good." You pause. Carefully, you plan out your next words, "I don't think you should be the leader. You're going to stand with me and Newt as a leader as we escape the Maze tomorrow, but from now on I'm in charge ok? I think this will be best for everyone." You say, forcing back the lump in your throat as your eyes start to water.

Alby nods his head. "You're right." With that, Alby leaves the room, head hung low like a child who had just been scolded by his parents.

The door shuts behind him and you collapse into the hard wooden chair behind you. As you rest your head in the palms of your hands, you force yourself not to cry. You're the leader again. You need to be strong. You should be used to this by now, with everything else that has happened, this should've have been expected. But it wasn't. You never expected anything would happen to Alby. He was your solid ground. The two of you share something the others never will. You were the first. 

As his face is reflected in the water, so the heart reflects the real person. Proverbs 27:19