English is not my native language, but I hope, it will be enjoyable. ^-^ (It's not beta'd so please point out some significant or careless mistakes if there are some. I tried my best but sometimes it's not enough. ^-^")

UNTIL DAWN

Thomas winced and glanced around again, but he only saw the walls around himself. Of course, he knew that he is safe… – At least as much as someone could be safe in a giant, monster-infested maze. Yet, winced every time when a twig snapped or a Griever's unearthly screams tore apart the silence of the night.

It was scary as hell…

The darkness was the worst. He huddled to the window as close as possible, the low light that infiltrate in the cell wasn't enough. Everything seemed a thousand times scarier, the shadows grown enormously, the noises seems so much more terrifying. Thomas pressed his back against the wall and waited for a savior dawn. He knew that he will be unable to sleep alone.

"Hey, Shuck-faced!"

Thomas jumped, took a moment to recognize the scratchy sound. Relieved, almost frantically crawled closer to the bars to look out. Minho knelt on the other side, under his arm clutching a big, shapeless package. TThe younger boy could not deny how much relief the sight of the Runner brought.

"How do you deal?"

"It's fine" Thomas lied instinctively with a false smile. "It's terribly boring and I could use a nice, soft pillow, but it could have been worse, couldn't it?"

"Yeah, good that…"

Minho answered in the same 'do not care' style, but did not escape the attention of Thomas the small shudder which ran through the boy's back. For a moment they both just sat and listened, as if waiting for another unearthly screams, but the night was quiet at that moment. After a few minutes, Minho pulled back a bit and Thomas's throat closed. He instinctively grabbed the bars, he wanted to beg the boy to stay, but he was unable to say anything. He did not want to stay alone in the dark again.

But Minho was not going anywhere. Thomas felt the relief flooded when he again saw the Runner, who had draped a sleeping bag in front of the jail and carelessly thrown away a few gravels and branches that were in the way.

"Will you sleep here?"

His voice was little more than a scared little kid's trembling whisper. Thomas hated that he seemed so weak. However Minho did not laugh, while he settled himself comfortably into the sleeping bag and up on one elbow. His face was so close that Thomas could have touched him, if he reached out of the bars, but he didn't dare to do it.

For a long moment they both remained silent and listened the night, but neither noises nor the darkness did not seem so daunting than a few minutes ago, while Minho looked him straight in the eye. Then the older boy reached through the bars and ruffled Thomas hair, his fingers petted vaguely the younger Glader's face. The Runner hesitantly took his hand, but his fear was unfounded. Thomas was more than happy, while descended back to the ground with his back against the wall, not for a moment released the older boy's hand. The fact did not bother him that he had to raise one of his arms; it was just a little nuisance while outside Minho came closer to find the best position.

"Sleep, Shank." said Minho when they finally find the best position. "Tomorrow will be a really klunk day."

"Can I run with you?"

"That's the plan."

Thomas a little bit squeezed the older boy's hand and in response to, Minho patted his head with his other hand. Another unearthly scream beat up the night silence, but this time none of them winced, just clung to each other. When the echoes died away, Minho suppressed a yawn and still holding the hand of Thomas, moved closer to the bars.

"Go to sleep, Shank."

"Good night, Minho."