Jennifer Barrons 7A December 1, 2014

Ok, I reuploaded this and changed the main character's name from Jay to Jess. I am working on Part 2, and ignore the date at the top. I hope you enjoy and I am hoping on finishing Part 2 in a few weeks or days. Review please and check out my other stories (Subject A3, The Temptation, Maze Runner Preferences, The Third Maze Trials, Hunger Games Preferences and The Miracle Odair.)

Entering a World of Mayhem

By Jennifer Barrons

I reached my hand out, touching the smooth cover of The Maze Runner. After hearing about how it was becoming a film, I decided to give it a shot, even if it differed from my usual romance novels. I walked up to the till and paid the 35$ for the book. I walked out of the store holding the book firmly in my hand, heading towards my apartment. "Hey, bookworm! What you reading now to escape your miserable life?" Oh no. It was Ryan, the biggest, most popular guy at school. I barely held back a nasty retort by biting my tongue and just kept walking. Ryan and his friends came running up to me, ripping The Maze Runner from my grasp. Ryan held me back as his friends slipped something into it, before throwing it around and chucking it into the grass. Ryan released his grasp on my arm and shoved me to the ground, my long brown hair flying into my hazel eyes. I ran to the book, glad it wasn't damaged. I sprinted to the apartment, laying down and crying on the couch.

After recovering I opened the book and started reading. After reading the first sentence, I was hooked. I read and read, feeling as if I was in the world of The Maze Runner. Crying when characters died, angry when others were rude, falling in love with a certain blonde British boy, making an enemy in Gally, solving the mystery of the Maze. I reached the end as the clock struck six. When I turned the last page, I saw a note undoubtedly placed by the bullies. The words I read were horrible. The note read:

"People like you should die. Your race doesn't belong on this plant. Go die in a hole. No one will miss you."

It wasn't the first time this had happened. Ever since I moved to San Francisco people had been bugging me about how I am German. It's not my fault Germany decided to try and start World War III. I took one hopeful glance towards the book and made a wish that would come back to bite me. "I wish I could enter the world of The Maze Runner." I made a quick meal of hot dogs and jumped into my bed. My dreams were plagued with The Maze Runner. The scenes of Chuck and Alby's deaths, Thomas and Teresa arriving. Nearing the end of sleep, I felt myself slipping away. Then everything went black.

I shot up, spitting out water. I looked around, sensing I was in a box. "Hello?" I called out cautiously.

"Who's there?" A soft, yet firm, voice said. I could barely make out the limp shape of a girl, lying near the opposite wall.

"Who are you?" I asked noticing the boxes with us were labeled WICKED.

"My name is Teresa. Who are you?" The girl, Teresa, replied.

"I'm Jess. How come I can't remember anything? Do you have something to do with this!?" I started yelling as I panicked.

"Whoa, calm down. I don't remember anything either, so if I did do this I wouldn't remember." Teresa said, trying to calm me. I was about to reply when the Box came to a screeching halt and the top opened, blinding me with a river of light. Once my vision cleared I looked up, seeing a group of boys gawking and Teresa and I.

One tall blonde boy leaped down and spoke with an odd accent. "What's that in your hand?" He pointed to Teresa's right hand, which held a scrunched up piece of paper. Teresa looked at the paper with utter disgust and tossed it to this boy, who seemed oddly familiar to me. His eyes grew wide as he read what was written in big, black letters.

"What does it say, Newt?" A scratchy, irritated voice said from above.

"It says; they're the last ones. Ever. What in bloody jack are the Creators doing now?" Newt softly spoke, almost as if he didn't want the boys above to hear. Newt helped Teresa out and then lifted me out a lot harder than he needed to, making me go flying into him. Our heads rammed together and we both groaned in pain.

By the end of the night I had managed to get the Tour, a hammock and stung by a Griever, the process of which I was currently going through. The first few minutes were excruciating pain, then suddenly as if a flood dam broke; my memories came flooding back: Reading The Maze Runner, Ryan and his friends, my parents and sisters, everything. My eyes opened, seeing Newt looking down at me with a worried expression. "Jess!" He exclaimed, engulfing me in a tight hug. As I wrapped my arms around his neck, I noticed 8 words written on my arm: Get Them Out, Then You Can Go Home. I remembered the exit, the Cliff. I had to tell Thomas! Then I remembered. If I tell him, I change the story. I decided not to tell anyone about the exit. I want the book to stay the same. That decision lasted only until that night, after the Doors closing. I was hiding in a room with Newt, Alby, Thomas and a few others when the crazy boy, Gally, returned. The encounter was mostly a haze for me, especially after Newt was hit in the head with a wooden board after trying to stop Gally from leaving the others to the mercy of the Grievers. The minute Gally was pried from the Homestead, the Griever sounds ceased and we were plunged into an eerie silence.

"Is it safe?" Thomas asked, looking around as if a Griever was going to jump out any second. I nodded as I ripped a piece of Newt's shirt off and pressed it against his wound.

"Go see if anyone else needs help, I'll take care of him." I quickly said as my hands flew over his wound. Thomas and Alby nodded as they jogged out, leaving me with the unconscious Newt. It took a while but I managed to stop the bleeding and wake Newt, which I totally didn't do by slapping him! I ripped off the bottom hem of my shirt and wrapped the entire right side of his head in the cloth. As I let him sleep I continued to think about how I was supposed to get the boys out. I didn't want to change the story but Thomas was going nowhere with the exit. Then it hit me like a wall of bricks. I wasn't in the story; just me being here changed everything. Then it clicked. The note on my arm meant I had taken the spot of Thomas and I was supposed to tell everyone about the exit. I was supposed to get them to the Cliff. Then I could go home.

I didn't notice I was babbling to myself until I heard Newt from his bed, "Uh… Jess? Are-Are you okay?" He asked, looking deeply confused.

I spun my head to look at him and made a decision that would change everything. "Newt, I have to tell you something." I told him everything, finding I could tell him about anything and everything. I told him about the book, Ryan and his friends, my wish, waking up in the Box, the not on my arm, the plan to escape. Newt listened intently and didn't say anything through my entire tale. "So, do you believe me?" I questioned after letting it soak in.

"This is crazy. But know what's funny Greenie?" He laughed out.

"No." I nervously whispered.

"I believe you. There isn't an ounce of lying in your eyes." Newt smiled then continued, "And-and if that's the only way to get you home, then I promise I will get you to the end of the Maze. No matter the cost." Newt smiled as he finished and I wrapped my arms around his neck, glad I had a friend like him.

He pulled away from the hug after a few seconds and looked me straight in the eyes. "Let's get you home." He led me to the kitchen where everyone was eating. "Everybody listen up! Jess has to tell you something!" He yelled authority clear in his voice. Every last person craned their necks to look at me.

"Well, spit it out!" Alby barked. I took a deep breath and recited the tale of how I got here. I finished and yet again, everyone believed me.

Newt stepped up beside me. "We have to have to get her to the exit with us. We have to get her home." His voice broke multiple times during those two short sentences.

"Let's not waste any more time! Get the weapons and let's get out of here." Alby commanded, already getting up and heading into the Glade, "Meet by the East Doors in an hour."

Within the next hour everyone had gathered spears, knives and anything else they could find to defend themselves. Newt looked at me, "Are you ready?"

"Nope." But I took a step forward and ran towards the Cliff, directed by Minho. We reached the Cliff to see a monstrous Griever guarding it. The Griever saw us and came charging.

"Maybe if I…" Alby whispered before stepping in front of us and walking towards the Griever. It snatched him, ripping him apart.

"Alby!" Newt screamed, watching his friend die. I started breathing faster as the hope of surviving faded. Newt looked at me, "It's going to be okay. We're going to get out of here." I was about to respond, when a Griever came charging. I didn't have time to think before Newt threw himself in front of me. I reacted quickly, plunging my machete into the blubber and repeatedly stabbed the monster until it let out a high pitched scream and died. I helped Newt up and looked at the stretch of land between me and the Cliff.

"How am I going to get there?"

"You're not going alone." Newt softly said as he intertwined his fingers with mine and smiled.

I smiled back, "Let's do this. Together." Newt nodded and we ran towards the Cliff, dodging Grievers and Gladers. We reached the edge and I pulled him off, going through the invisible door. I landed with a big thud and became dazed, but I didn't stop running towards the big red button labeled "Kill the Maze." I smashed my hand down as a Griever came through the top, crashing onto the floor and dying. I saw the others come down and Newt lead me to the main lab where a woman and Gally stood, Gally armed with a gun.

Newt turned to me, "You got us out, time for you to go home." He leaned in for a hug but I stopped and kissed him as Gally pulled the trigger. Just as the bullet was about to hit me, I disappeared and the bullet hit Chuck.

I sat up, surrounded by darkness. At first I was frightened I was back in the Box but my vision adjusted and I realized I was back in my bedroom. "It was just a dream." I sighed in relief as I walked into the bathroom. I stopped short as I caught a glimpse of the long cut going from my temple to my chin, I had earned it from a Griever skimming me with its knife. "Or maybe it wasn't." I picked up The Maze Runner and noticed that instead of being Thomas' story, it was mine. I smiled when I read the part of mine and Newt's kiss. Everything had changed.

Epilogue

I lived normally for a week before that knock at the door changed everything. I looked through the peephole and saw someone I never thought I'd see again.

Newt.