AN: So I guess I decided to write chapter 2. Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites. I was so nervous to post the story in the first place. I hope you guys like how it's going so far. If you have ideas or want to see the story go a certain way then let me know. I write not only for my own pleasure but yours as well. I am working on chapter 3.
The Maze Runner Series
And The Stars Have Fallen
Chapter 2: Tomorrow Will Be Kinder
The first thing she noticed was that her skin was warm. The second thing she noticed were the whispered voices near her. Crackling an eye, she squinted from the harsh light and let out a low groan. "Oh good, you're up!" A cheerful voice spoke a little louder than a whisper. She rolled over and pushed herself to sit up only to meet the faces of four girls.
Looking around she noticed they were surrounded by tall walls that were covered in vines. "Where am I?" She spoke softly as her throat felt dry. "We don't know." A girl replied and she looked over at the group of them. "The name is Flo. At least I'm pretty sure that's my name. I was the first to wake up." She was of Asian background, pretty with short black hair.
"My name is Jo. I think we're in a maze. I took a short walk around and it's just tall walls everywhere. Some walls have a higher floor level on them but even when I climbed up, there were only more walls." This girl was most defiantly the tallest and oldest of them all.
"We should probably move soon, we are wasting daylight. I don't know why but I feel like we don't want to be here in the dark." The third girl was dark skinned and short. "The name is Ree and I'm glad you're up. Now let's decided what we should do now."
The last girl was the smallest and the youngest, no more than 13 years old. She was curled up with her knees pressed to her chest, obviously terrified. The older girls must have noticed that she was staring at the younger girl. "This is Elle, she's super scared." Jo spoke, and Elle's head snapped up to the sound of her name, blonde curls bouncing with the movement. Elle forced a smile at her before looking back at her shoes.
"Do you remember your name?" Flo asked. It took her a moment as she searched her mind; slowly starting to panic. She not only forgot her name but was unable to recollect any memories of any sort. "It's okay. We didn't remember at first either. Give it some time and it will come to you." Flo stated calmly.
"Alright, well let's try to get out of this hellhole." Jo stated, taking leadership as she stood to her feet. The other girls followed in step. As they walked the labyrinth they talked about theories of how and why they were there. Elle walked next to her – refusing to join in on the other conversation deciding to keep her mind off of their current situation. Her voice was quiet as she spoke. "You have golden red hair, it's a pretty color. Can I call you 'Red' for now?" She asked; her voice didn't match her nervous demeanor. She nodded at the girl. "If that is what you wish. What else about me?" She asked. "You're eyes are a little scary." Elle started to twist her hands together in a nervous manner.
"How so?" She asked, curious about herself. "They keep changing colors. When we first started walking they were a chocolate color and now they're a honey color."
"I think you're just a little hungry." She teased gently at the little girl. "Maybe, but I'm not wrong." She insisted. The group paused in their tracks as loud clicking and whirling noises could be heard echoing around them. Elle pressed herself closer to her. "What do you think that is?" For a moment none of them said anything. "Whatever it is – it doesn't sound good. We should keep going." Ree suggested.
Jo nodded in agreement. "Everyone stick together." They kept walking down the long alleyways of the maze, making turns left and right until Elle complained about her feet bothering her. Flo felt bad for the smaller girl who had been making their strides this entire time without complaint. She had convinced the older girls to take a moment to rest and figure out what they were going to do when they got out of the twisted pathway.
Elle, sitting on the ground, noticed that Red had pulled something out from her pocket. It was a small piece of paper folded in a square. The older girl looked at the paper with a confused expression on her face. "Hey guys; Red has something." The blonde haired girl spoke catching everyone's attention.
"What's that?" Ree asked. "It's a note." She answered as she showed the other girls. "It was in my pocket." The word was written in black ink. Bravery?
"What's it for?" Elle asked. "I'm not sure. For some reason I just felt like I needed to check my pocket."
Suddenly the other girls checked their pockets as well, each pulling out a paper. A different word was on each of them except Jo's paper. Her paper had more than just one word.
Keys come in different shapes and sizes. Some only open one lock while others open all. All locks only need one key. Will it be a Master key? Or will it be…
Strength?
Jo blinked twice at the note. "What the hell does that mean?" She looked at the other words. Flo's paper said Compassion; Ree's paper said Knowledge and Elle's was Fairness. Each word has a question mark at the end; each word could fill in the question on Jo's sheet of paper.
"This better be a sick joke." Ree stated. "If these words were given to us to represent with what 'key' we are then it's implying not all of us are needed. Only one of us is."
"Then why are we all here?" Flo asked.
"Maybe to test who the strongest key is." Elle whispered.
"Then that would be Jo, she got strength." Flo spoke.
"I think she means; maybe they're testing to see who the best key is." Ree stated.
"Who are they?" Red asked. "How am I supposed to know?" Ree shot back at her. "Well you seem to be figuring this out faster than the rest of us!" Jo snapped. "Well I did get 'knowledge'. It's not my fault your brain isn't fast enough to keep up."
A sudden uproar started from the girls, arguing over the harsh words that were being tossed around. Chaos surrounded them as their voices became too loud to even think over. It was becoming clear that they were supposed to work against each other. "Wait, guys this is nuts! They couldn't possibly want us to go against each other. I mean it wouldn't be fair to Elle, she wouldn't stand a chance against any of us." Flo stated.
"Leave it to you to be compassionate about the weak; looks like they got your word right." Jo snarled out rushing up into Flo's face, as if she was showing her dominance over the younger girl. Red reacted quickly though, putting herself in front of Flo, protecting the girl. "Well it looks like they got your word wrong, because all you're doing is acting like a bitch."
Jo's nostrils flared out as she huffed like a bull but Red didn't back down. "They said something about a Master Key. Maybe if we work together we make the Master Key. We each have our own traits, something that could be useful to each of us – but we don't all have them. We need to work together and help each other to make it through this" Elle's voice was low as she stared at the two older girls with tears in her eyes.
A moment neither girl moved but then slowly Jo took a step back. "I'm sorry. I suppose your right." Red nodded her head. "Then it's agreed that we work together as a team." She spoke, her words firm. The girls nodded their head in agreement; it sounded like a better idea to them to work together. "Then it's settled, we will continue-" Jo's words were cut off as something grabbed her with a metallic arm. She let out a loud scream, louder than the whirling noise that had snuck on them during their thoughts of almost betraying each other. Blood dripped on the ground as the slick gooey monster cut into Jo's skin.
The other girls eyes widened in horror at the creature, blood splattering all over them. "JO!" Red screamed out as she stepped forward. "No, we need to run." Ree grabbed her arm and the girls started to run away, the sound of Jo's screaming reaching ear shattering levels as her body cracked in half from the beast.
As the group of girls ran around a corner Flo looked back. "It's coming!" She screamed and started to drag Elle; the girl's short legs made it harder for her to keep up. "We should climb!" Ree yelled and each of the girls started to scale the vines on the walls. They weren't quick enough to escape the monster's eye sight though. As they reached the top of the one story level platform it was already starting to climb the wall.
The platform wasn't very long, there was a future drop down soon and Flo yelled back to the other girls to warn them. "It's time for a leap of fate, ladies." She had let go to Elle's hand and sprinted to for more momentum. Flo cleared the jump along with Red and Elle, who almost missed the vines.
"Ree, come on!" Flo yelled. The girl was at the edge, staring down. "No, I'm scared." She shook her head and took a few steps back. "Ree would you rather be scared or be dead?" Flo asked. The girl took two deep breaths; she knew the creature was almost on her. She took a few quick steps before a short run and she pushed herself from the ledge.
Elle knew she wouldn't make it before the others as she watched the girl fall short of the wall. The impact of Ree hitting the ground floor caused a loud snapping noise from her leg; not that the other girls could hear it over the ear piercing scream that escaped the injured girls' body. Flo grabbed Red and Elle's arms. "We have to go." They could hear the tears in her voice as they watched the monster descend down for the girl.
Ree's final scream was cut short as her life was taken from her. "Oh god!" Elle sobbed as another leap of fate was coming upon them. Their feet pounded on the ground as they desperately tried to run faster than they could. Elle's legs were too tiny to keep up with the other girls. "I- I… I h-have to hide." She stuttered her words in panic. "It's going to get me too." She cried as she stopped running. The two older girls jumped and made it to the next platform. They spun around to face the younger girl.
"Hide! I'll find you after we lose it." Flo stated. Elle nodded her head and climbed down to the ground level. They waited to make sure she got down safety and ran into a different direction. The two girls looked up to see the monster on the platform across from them, blood splattered all over it. They turned on their heels are started running again.
"What are we going to do?" Flo glanced over to her. She was clueless though. For crying out loud she still couldn't remember her name – not that this was the time to remember it. They came to another jump, taking their leap of fate once more, rolling as they landed poorly. "Next opening, let's jump down. Maybe we can throw it off?" She suggested and they pushed their selves off the ground. "Okay, sounds fine to me." Flo stated.
Their legs were burning in heat from pushing themselves. Just when she wanted to give up she saw the next drop down. A sigh of relief escaped her lungs and she jumped down, Flo following her. The impact of her feet hitting the ground caused tingling sensations to shoot up her legs. There was a pregnant pause from her as she steadied herself; she was about to start running when a voice called out to them from the opposite way. "THIS WAY!"
She spun around and looked at the source. It was a boy. She was shocked to see him to be honest. She had really started to believe that they were alone there. Her feet started moving toward him, she could hear Flo following in her footsteps. Behind them she heard the monster jump down to the ground lever; she could see the fear flicker in the boy's eyes and he started screaming at them but she didn't hear the words. Instead she heard Flo stumble and fall; a defeated cry escaped her lungs.
She stopped running and spun around to see her friend, she was going to help her up when flashes of images came in her head. Flo and she were in a bedroom; the younger girl tossed a pillow at her and was blushing madly. "So you do like him!" She heard her own voice ask. She felt someone grab her arm ripping her from the memory. "We need to go. There is nothing we can do now." It was the boy; he pulled her gently and she followed his guidance without question.
Newt looked over at the girl; she had a thin sheet of sweat on her skin as she tossed and turned in the bed. He knew she was having horrid images behind her eyes but there was nothing he could do about that. Clint told him that she needed to wake on her own. He sighed in relief as he watched her body finally relax into the bed. "Let me know if anything changes." He stated to Jeff as he headed to the door. "Good that." The medic replied as he took a wet wash rag to the girls forehead.
She was running, not out of fear this time. Laughter escaped her lips as she ran down the hallway, dodging people in lab coats. "I'm gonna get you!" A voice yelled from behind me causing her to laugh louder. "I'll believe it when I see it!" She kicked up her feet more rapidly; she was always faster than him. She slipped into a room and closed the door quickly and quietly. She pressed her forehead against the door frame and let out a shaky, giggling breath. "Am I to assume that you're not really here when he comes through the door?" A voice asked from behind her.
She spun around and faced the sandy haired boy. "You know me so well." She grinned from ear to ear before pushing away her body from the door and meeting him in the middle of the room. "So what was it this time? Salt in his drink, shaved his head or something worse?" The boy asked as a mischievous smile graced his face. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug; his hands came to rest on the small of her back. "I might have poured a rather large glass of ice water on his head to wake him."
He rolled his eyes and pulled back from the hug. "So what do you want to do while we await his arrival?" He asked. "You say that like you know he is going to come here." She stated. "Well you do always come to me." He grinned at her. "Do not!" She stuck her tongue at him. "Anyway, you could do whatever it was that you were doing before I disturbed you."
"You never disturb me, love." He stated as he walked back to his bed and picked up a book. "Come lay with me." He suggested as he got comfortable on the bed. She smiled and kicked off her shoes before joining him. They stayed that way for quite some time, her cuddled against him with his arm protectively around her. She almost drifted into a light slumber when the door suddenly swung open at full force. She jumped to her feet, startled. "Found you." The boy stood at the door, his hair and shirt wet as he looked at her; an annoyed expression upon his face. "Still have to catch me." She teased. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I see no problem with that." He smirked and before she could respond two arms wrapped around her, keeping her in place. "What – what are you doing?" She yelped as she watched the boy from the doorway make his way toward her.
"Sorry, love. He made me an offered I couldn't refuse first." The boy behind her chuckled, his breath tickling her neck. "Oh come on - this isn't fair; two against one." She struggled. "Oh no, I'm not getting involved. I'm just supposed to make sure he catches you." Once the other boy was close enough she was released only for a different pair of arms to grab her and knock her to the floor. Fingers moved like spiders on her side causing a bubble of intense laughter to burst from her. "G-Gally! Stop!" She couldn't catch her breath as his wrath of tickling was nonstop on her senses.
She shot up in the bed the name spilling past her lips. "Gally!" In that instance everything she just remembered just disappeared except the name. She clung to it like a security blanket. The nothingness came on her mind and she sobbed out in sadness. She heard movement in the room but she didn't care. Everything was messed up and wrong and where was Gally? That was all she could think. The door of the small room opened and her eyes snapped up hoping for it to be Gally. It wasn't.
Jeff had run off to get Newt as soon as she shot up from her slumber. The two boys stared at the girl in the bed, she was shaking and crying. Her eyes grew darker as her cries slowed down and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You. It's you." She whispered which caused the boys to look at each other in shock. Newt moved toward her slowly as to not alarm her. "What do you mean, love? Who is it that you're talking to?" He asked as he looked back at Jeff, the medic still standing at the doorway.
She either didn't hear him or she refused to. "But who are you? Why do I-" She cut herself off and looked up at him. "And where is Gally? He's supposed to be here." She looked confused like she didn't even know what she was saying. "Jeff, run and get Gally." Newt spoke quickly. "Tell him she has asked for him." He didn't look back at the boy but he did hear the door close, signaling that the medic left the room. Newt was now at the bedside of the girl as he watched her closely; she was gently rocking herself back and forth. "What's your name, love?" He asked.
She froze as the words passed his lips and she closed her eyes, looking in her mind; searching for something to remember and yet she couldn't. "I don't know. Flo-" She looked up at the boy, tears fresh in her eyes as she remembered the girls and the monsters. "Flo told me I'd remember. Why can't I remember anything?" She couldn't look at him anymore, ashamed of her tears and pressed her face into her knees.
"Easy there, love. You'll remember soon." He stated as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "That monster… it- it k-killed them, there was so much blood. What was the point? Ree should have lived – she was smart. Or Elle, oh god, Elle was so young." She choked on a sob and then she was in someone's embrace, her face buried into a warm chest.
"Please calm down, love. Take some deep breaths. Remember you're safe here; promise." His voice was soothing and she did as he instructed. She took some shaky breaths as she listened to his steady heartbeat.
Newt looked down at the girl, her fingers tugged on his shirt as she absentmindedly rubbed the fabric between her pointer and thumb fingers. Once she was calm she pulled back from his chest and looked over at him. "I'm sorry." She felt more tears well into her eyes. He looked confused. "What are you sorry for?" He asked. "Crying so much." She looked down at her hands, ashamed and embarrassed.
He tipped her chin up gently and looked her right in the eyes. "Don't be sorry for that. We all did it when we arrived here." He stated and he smiled at her. She couldn't help but crack a smile back. "The name is Newt." He stated and once again she frowned. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry that I have no idea what my name is." She looked down at his shirt that she was still playing with. "Or where I am, or what's going on or what day it is. I don't remember anything about me or anything important." She felt frustrated.
"That's okay. None of us remember anything before the Glade. It takes a little bit to remember your name as well. Just let me know when you remember."
The door slammed open causing her to jump and stare at the boy who just entered the room. It was the boy who tackled her from going back into the maze. He was slightly out of breath, like he had just run over to the building. "Jeff said she called for me, like she used my name."
"Yeah, that's right." Newt stated and then looked at the girl only to be shocked by her tears again. He thought he has calmed her down. "G-gally?" She questioned as she choked out a sob. The boy's eyes widened at her in shock; his feet moved before his thoughts collected as he crossed the room quickly to her. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked generally concerned about the unknown girl who seemed to know him. "I don't know. I'm so sorry. I have no idea who you are but I just know I needed you here." She wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face into her knees again.
The two boys exchanged worried looks and Newt stood up, letting Gally to take the spot on the bed. "That's fine kitten. Come here." He opened his arms for her and she practically threw herself at him. "Everyone's dead." She started to mumble into his chest. "They're all gone."
It was strange to see a nurturing side of Gally but Newt understood the urge to protect the girl, an instinct that he couldn't ignore. "It will be okay. You're safe here." Gally ran his fingers soothingly into her hair as he stared at Newt. "Maybe we should advise Alby on what is going on."
Newt nodded his head. "Yeah, I'll go find him. Keep an eye on her for now." Newt stated but Gally had no choice, the girl was gripping his shirt tightly as she shook in silent sobs.
A/N: What do you think? She does have a name. You'll find out next chapter. =)
