WHEN YOU FALL
"Alby!" Minho called "We've got something to show you," his voice was dry and strained
"What? Alby said impatiently "Can it wait? One of the Slicers cut off their fingers,"
Minho rolled his eyes "Shuck-face, after our last trip to the maze we discovered something,"
"Unless it's a way out of this place, then it can wait" Alby glared back at Minho, who was looking at Newt. Alby's eyes flicked to the blonde boy. His eyes were red rimmed, almost depressed
"Alright. Make it fast," Alby hadn't taken his eyes off of Newt, he looked totally defeated.
Minho and Newt led the way to the map room. Alby had maybe been in that room only once before. He couldn't remember when though-he trusted the Runner's to do their job.
Minho and Newt both picked up a map and began to unfold them "So it started as a normal run in The Maze. we went to explore a new section that had been open and etcetera."
"Thats great, and it's also nothing new." Alby folded his arms, a scowl gracing his already harsh features.
"Hold on, shuck-face. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Minho said as he spread the map across the rickety wooden table, getting rid of the folds and wrinkles. "This is the one we made today," he pointed to the map "This is the one that we did a few weeks ago, maybe." He pointed to the one that Newt was holding up "This is the exact same thing. It was the same thing yesterday. I just figured that it was a mistake or something. This is obviously the last section. The pattern is just repeating."
There was a heavy silence as Alby looked between the two runners. Minho eventually spoke up "Alby, don't you see? There is no escape. Whoever put us here never intended for us to leave."
Alby pressed his lips together "How could you possibly know that? None of know anything, let alone how to escape. That's why I need you to quit being a lazy ass, and do your damn job."
"Look, shuck-face.I've seen every part of The Maze! Everyday a new section is open, and I've shucking seen it all! So don't yell at me and act like I didn't try cause you know that I work hard for your ungrateful ass," Minho's face was red "So yeah, we went into The Maze today and that's it. Nothing else to see,"
Alby shook his head in denial "Minho. The Maze changes everyday! You've been searching for one and a half years! Your telling me that The Maze has finally gone through all of the possible combinations and none of them are a way to escape?"He spat growing more irate.
Minho shrugged "Glad you heard what I said, slinthead,"
"I'm not believing that klunk, how stupid do you think I am? And personally? I don't care how hard you worked. That just means you've got to work harder cause its obviously not enough. This is not an optional thing, we have to find a way out. Tomorrow you and I are going out there and we will find a shucking way out. I've got to go talk with Nick," Alby turned around, before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Alby! There is no way out! Why can't you wrap your bloody mind around that? We are going to be stuck here forever! There isn't even a point in trying." Newt spoke up for the first time. His voice came out strained and dry, and his eyes were filled with tears that threatened to fall.
"We can't just give up, Newt." Alby said, the harshness in his voice -from when he talked to Minho- gone.
"We have to, Alby! We don't have a choice! We're all going to bloody die here and there is nothing any of us can do about it no matter how hard me try!" His voice came out more forceful and angry, but the sadness in his eyes said otherwise.
Minho looked at him with wide eyes- he'd never seen Newt snap like that. "Hey, calm down ,Newt. Listen to me-"
Newt raised a hand "Do not tell me what to do, Minho. Ever." Minho glared at Newt, not liking being told what to do, but never the less kept his mouth in a tight line. "Listen. We are going to die here. All of us. We are all going. to. shucking. die."
Newt pulled out a small dagger and threw it angrily at the center of the map. It hit the table with a muffled thunk,
"I'm going to bed." He pushed his way past Minho and Alby, leaving them starring after him.
"Man. I was expecting you to react like that, not him" Minho joked lightly, pulling the dagger out of the center of the map, being careful so he doesn't rip it"
Alby picked up the other map and gave him a pointed look. "Minho, I need you to listen to me. I know you think you've got this whole maze klunk solved, but I need you to keep trying. That's all we are living for," Alby said coldly "Without The Maze, like Newt said, there is no point in trying to escape. I don't need anybody suicidal or anything, we need every man we can get"
With that, Alby walked out of The Map room. Leaving Minho by himself, absorbing the defeat. He threw the map back into a box, and flipped off the switch.
The next morning, Alby found Newt at a table by himself eating some what looked like oatmeal.
Alby studied him before sitting down "Newt, you alright?"
To Alby's surprise Newt smiled "Never been better. Why do you ask?"
"Just checking. You were pretty cut up about The Maze last night,"
Newt laughed "Who wouldn't be? I just found out my whole life is a lie and that i have nothing else to live for. But guess anyone would be upset, right? What, are you not upset about it?"
"Of course I'm upset about it, but I thought you would've been... I don't know"
"Well, I had a bad day. I put my whole existence into finding a way out and yesterday, I found out that it was all for nothing." Newt put a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth, chewing carefully.
Alby looked suspicious "We will go into The Maze today, we will find a way out, and nobody is going to give up. I don't want anyone to do anything stupid, so this stay's between you, me, Minho and Nick. Got it? I don't want anyone going off and killing themselves."
Newts smile faltered a bit, but Alby didn't seem to notice. "Okay?" Alby pressed
Newt grabbed Alby's hand under the table "Alright shuck-face. Alright," he laughed again before getting up.
Alby looked at Newt. The initial shock of finding out about The Maze seemed to have worn off, but Alby could see that every time Newt smiled or laughed, it was fake. Just a mask that all The Gladers knew how to use very well.
Newt came back from the Maze exhausted like usual. He sighed, tossing his equipment to the side and walking in the direction of the Homestead.
Minho looked at Newt "Hey, Where are you going?" Minho was ready to head to the Map Room and map out what they had just done.
Newt groaned "Minho, why do we need to map anything out? It's already there, and we've mapped it before!"
Minho narrowed his eyes "You are one cheerful shank this evening"
Newt just looked at him with a glare and Minho sighed "You go 'head and rest, shuck-face, I'm going to go map it out anyway,"
Newt looked at him gratefully "And don't make a habit of this, Newt!" Minho pulled him closer "I don't care what anyone says, this is still your job. We need as much help as we can get!" Minho hissed, letting him go.
When Newt reached the homestead, he closed the door and sunk to his knees. There was no way escaping this. The reality of it all finally hit him, and it felt like a pile of bricks. He put his face in his hands and just cried. He wasn't the most optimistic, and he wasn't going to lie to others and give them false hope. There was no way out. He was stuck here forever. Whoever put him here had won. He gave up. After a year and a half of trying there was no point anymore. It was like beating a dead horse. The horse is dead, why keep hurting it? The Maze will never be solved, there was no point in trying to find a way out. Why keep trying?
He had made up his mind. Tomorrow when he went into The Maze, he wouldn't come back out. He'd jump off of a wall or maybe if he was lucky he would meet a griever. There was only way out of this nightmare, and that was death. And if that was what he had to do to escape then so be it .