A/N- I think my summary said it all, sooo... Here it is!

((DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Maze Runner))

CHAPTER 1: "I Wasn't Trying"

My feet are moving without my permission. Stop! I try yelling at them as if they can hear, but no sound comes out. I try again. Nothing. I walk right past Minho, who isn't looking. I try to grab his arm, to force myself to stop, but I can't move my arms either.

What is going on with me? My legs speed up and I am sprinting into the Maze, turning corners at random intervals. Stop! I instruct myself. And this time it works. I'm able to move my arms now, but they're still not under my control. I find myself reaching for the wall, twisting my fingers into the vines and pulling myself up. No! I unwillingly hoist myself higher and higher, only gaining speed as I climb.

No! I don't want this! I don't want to die! Stop! Please! Please! No! I'm frantic, trying to stop my ascent. Hoping someone will hear me, even though that's impossible because I can't talk. I glance down and get dizzy just from the sight of how high off the ground I am. Please. I. Don't. Want. To. Die.

I feel my fingers losing their grip on the vines and when I try to regain my grasp my fingers suddenly unclench. I drop down, wanting to scream yet still unable to. I hate you! I scream out in my mind, not knowing who I hate, but feeling it just the same.

The impact of my fall causes me to blackout. But in the darkness of my thoughts I hear a voice echoing like a microphone through my head, "WICKED is good. Do not continue to fail us. You belong to The Maze."

"Newt! Newt! Shuck, man! You can't die on me! We're going to get out of here! But not like this! Not like this!" I feel the sting of a hand smacking my face, but it's nothing compared to the excruciating pain that's resonating from my leg.

My mind is spinning and I momentarily forget why I'm in so much pain. "Minho, you make it hard for a shank to breath."

He laughs, "I tend to have that effect on people." He knows that's not what I meant, but I am glad for his humor. My eyes snap open then clamp shut when a huge wave of pain shoots up from my leg.

"Ugh!" I scream trying to sit up, but I'm forced down by several sets of hands.

"Sorry. Almost done." The words of Frypan are the last thing I hear before I lose consciousness again.

I wake to darkness and severe disorientation, after a moment however, I realize I am in the medjack wing of the shack. I try to move my head, which is how I find out I am strapped down. "Minho? Alby? ... Anybody?!"

No response. Hmm... I debate on testing my leg, but the memory of my earlier pain causes me to hesitate. I focus hard and attempt to wiggle my toes. "Shuck! Shuck, that hurt!"

I decide to refrain from moving until someone comes in to explain what's going on. How long have I been out? Do they think I jumped on purpose? I hope not. I hate this. I start remembering the entire story of how I got here.

"Hey! He's up! Minho!?" I hear someone rushing through the halls shouting. "He's awake. Minho, he's awake!"

A few minutes pass before Minho explodes through the door. He unties the straps that are holding me in place before speaking, "Newt! You scared us, man!"

"I—I know. I'm sorry." I sit up taking care not to move my leg much as I adjust myself into a semi-comfortable position.

"What's wrong with you?! That's not a solution to anything!"

I wasn't trying. I couldn't stop myself! You have to believe me! Minho, you know me! I wouldn't do this. Something, someone was controlling me! But none of these words come out. Instead the words "I belong to The Maze. We all do." force themselves out of my mouth. Even as they escape from my mouth, I don't understand the reason I say them.

"You're not making any sense... You got some klunk mixed in there with your brains?" he jokes, but I still can detect the worry hiding in his words. I don't answer. I just look back into his panicked face wishing I could tell him the truth. But the truth worries me, because the truth is I don't know.

"Okay, if you're not going to talk, just listen. When you... did what you did… you broke your leg. It was pretty bad; Frypan had to reset some of your bones. You're not... You're not going to be able to walk right for a while. Some of the other shanks went out and found you something you could use as a crutch." He points to the wall nearest us, where I see a sturdy looking stick that's curved at the top and flat on the bottom.

He rubs his neck as if he was preparing to say something truly tragic, "And you, ah, can't be a Runner anymore." What! That's not right! I wasn't even trying to hurt myself. What am I going to do if I can't be a Runner? I know I'm perfectly able to say most of these words aloud, but I don't. I'm too ashamed. "Well, aren't you going to say anything!?"

"I'm sorry," I say dropping my head to avoid his eyes. "I'm sorry."

He puts his hands on my shoulders, "Look at me." I raise my eyes to meet his. "We're going to be fine. We're going to get out of here. I promise."

~theeShadyLady~