Pushing up the wooden hatch to the top level of the watch tower, Thomas stopped suddenly.

"Woah" he breathed, standing stationary on the ladder, Saffron on the rigs below waiting for him to move.

"Woah, woah … woah. Ok just … er, easy, alright?" he haphazardly got out the hatch, clumsily helping Saffron out too. The blonde female stumbled a little before noticing the brunette girl … and the blade she brandished. The two stayed low to the floor, in a crouch as not to come off as oppressive or threatening.

"What is it with you people and knives? You swing them round willy nilly with no thought of the damage they can do! First Newt and now you, whoever you are. I'm starting to think that before this place - and its twisted existence - half of you were sword wielding psychos … Put it down, now" Saffron spoke her mind before ordering the other girl. The mystery female complied. She lowered the blade but did not let go. However Thomas moved suddenly forward on to the actual platform, trying to steady himself and then the knife was back to being pointed at waved around wildly.

"Where am I? What is this place? Why can't I remember anything?" The girl persisted as Thomas and Saffron moved away from the hatch and closer to her. The two were still crouching where as the newbie was sat, her back against the tree truck the watch tower was built around

"Ok, this is all normal. We've all been through this. Your name that'll come back to you in a couple of days" Thomas reassured

"Not necessarily. I woke up knowing my name and age and where I was from. It seems girls remember more, that might be the same for you too" Saffron added. Thomas glared lightly but continued:

"It's the one thing they -"

"Teresa" The girl said, cutting across his sentence

"What'd you say?" Thomas asked

"My name. It's Teresa"

"Well, nice to meet you Teresa. I'm Saffron but everyone calls me Saffy. This one here, who constantly wears the expression of an angst goat, is Thomas. He may seem permanently confused but that's just the way his face is - I assure you. And this place, unfortunately for you and I, is the Glade. Home to 50 or more, annoying, smelly and generally rude boys - it's a blast as I'm sue you can imagine" Saffron smiled before standing slowly and moving back to lean against the railing. The two brunettes on the other hand, stayed close to the floor. Teresa nodded before looking at the only boy immediately present.

"Thomas?" She asked to which he nodded

"They said I kept saying my name in your sleep. Who are you?" She pressed

"I don't know" Thomas admitted

"See there it is! The angst goat - you'll get wrinkles in a few years if you carry on worrying at this rate" Saffron chipped in, brushing a few stray curls from her face as the wind ruffled her blonde locks.

"I c-can't remember. None of us can remember … anything. We all woke up here just like you did. Saffy and I we came up together not a few days before you" Thomas was slowly approaching her while still crouching

"Together? … are you together? Like, you know, together together?" Teresa sounded both confused and jealous. It was as if she felt some hold over Thomas, that meant no one could have him but she didn't know why. It wasn't the kind of jealousy a lover felt, more someone who understood a person that was being taken away by another who didn't 'get' them and who she and other person were. Saffron nearly snorted at the statement, raising a hand to get face to hide herself as she giggled lightly

"I'm sorry … I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. No we're not together" Saffron bit back laughter. Thomas glared at her before getting his own back:

"No, we're not together. She's with Newt. I don't know if you've met him, he's like her - they're both English blondes with attitude"

"We're no-" Saffron tried to protest but was interrupted as Thomas reached to slowly. He pinched the blade, luring it from her shaky grasp.

"I'm gonna take this" Thomas informed her and when she didn't protest, removed it fully from her feeble clutch

"Ok" he breathed in relief

"WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE?" Gally's shouted up. Thomas stood and walked to stand next to Saffron as the both manoeuvred to look down at the lumbering, muscular mass that was the brainless builder.

A small portion of the boys waited at the bottom of the tower. They mainly consisted of keepers and other influential gladers, like Newt. Some other boys were there too. The curious ones. Most had opted to avoid the touchy brunette until she was more settled and had gone back to work. The boys gathered were all looking up, squinting a little because of the intense sun.

"IS SHE COMING DOWN?" Newt seconded as the two looked over the railing.

"Er …" Thomas began turning back to Teresa who sat with a emotionless face but it was obviously a mask, as she was still shaking like a leaf.

"Hey, listen. You guys just give us a second, ok?" Thomas asked. None of them looked particularly pleased with his request. A few confused and pondering faces broke out along with scowls of discontent (the latter being mainly from Gally). Newt looked up, focusing on Saffron from her spot next to Thomas. It was obvious even from that distance that Newt didn't want to leave her. His eyebrows were pulled together as he frowned up at her, pouting ever so slightly.

"Newt I'll be fine, I promise. And if anything does go wrong, which it won't, feel free to make me Griever bate or whatever suits your fancy" Saffron teased, sending a small smirk his way

"Alright, come on" Newt eventually agreed with a sigh and started ushering everyone away.

"This what all girls are like?" Frypan asked, eyes wide and his voice holding a tone of incredulity

"Oi! Frypan I can still hear you, you know! All girls? Er, excuse me but what am I, if not a girl?" Saffron pretended to be hurt as the others boys started clearing off. Some laughing at the interaction between the cook and the first girl as they did.

"I said all girls, Saffy. You're special. I don't class you as 'all girls' " Frypan said smoothly and Newt who was on his left turned to chef, eyebrows raised as if daring him to say more and/or to explain his comment

"Nicely saved. I still don't by it but I won't kill you on behalf of merit for trying" Saffron smiled falsely before laughing a little from above. This broke Newt's glare as he walked away, glancing at her one last time.

-line break-

Now the boys had eventually gone Saffron and Thomas had slowly managed to get through to Teresa. They now sat on the edge of the platform at the top of the watch tower, their legs dangling over the edge. Saffron and Thomas sandwiched around Teresa ensuring she couldn't escape as they spoke about the little they knew of the glade

"… she's the last one ever? What does that mean?" Teresa asked

"I'm not sure. Ever since you came up in that box hasn't gone back down, y'know I think it's just got everyone a little worried" Thomas admitted

"Especially the hugely over grown, ridiculously broad, gobby twat that is Gally" Saffron absentmindedly plaited a thin tendril of hair near the front of her head. The three of them glanced over to where the builder stood. He was pacing while staring right back at them. As soon as he realised he's been caught he turned and starting talking to one of his fellow builders

"He thinks it's my fault" Teresa deducted

"Don't take it to heart, he's a wee bit sensitive when it comes to the glade and it's traditions. Essentially he's an old fuddy duddy" Saffron smiled at the only other girl

"Are you sure you don't remember anything else?" Thomas asked, going off on a complete tangent

"I remember water … feeling like I was drowning. These faces staring at next and this voice. This woman's voice … saying the same think over and over -" Teresa began but the brunette and blonde on either side of her, cut her off

"Wicked is good" Saffron and Thomas mumbled at the same time. Teresa looked at them both as they looked at her and one and other. Thomas then shuffled a little, getting more comfortable before beginning:

"Ever since I've came here, I've had these dreams - well I thought they were dreams - you … you were there. Both of you. But Saffy you were always with someone else, some other person, a boy I think … but I never saw who he wa-"

"It was Newt" Saffron cut him off.

"It's Newt. I get theses horrible, horrible visions and I see you two being all mushy and stuff, like hell! Even in a dream state I'm third wheeling. Then that woman in the lab coat, starts preaching about Wicked but then I always end up with Newt" The blonde looked out across the glade to the boy in question. He was stood outside the medical hut, staring off in to the distance - obviously deep in thought

"Teresa, you told me that everything was going to change" Thomas concluded

"What does that mean?" The brunette girl asked

"That we either knew each other before all this or we are all completely bonkers together" Saffron said in an overly jovial fashion

"I was going for: I don't know. I always get pieces" Thomas challenged with a smile

"The others don't remember anything?" Teresa asked, looking out across the glade at them all.

"No" Thomas deadpanned

"Sometimes wish they would though. Would make life a lot easier" Saffron mused aloud her voice a mix of dreamy and sad

"Why are we different? And still I don't think Saffy is the same as us, Teresa. You're … you're different but not in the way we are" Thomas pondered. The three sat in silence for a while until Teresa shifted, pulling two vials of a clear blue liquid out of her pocket and handing them to Thomas.

"These were in my pocket when I came up" she explained

"W C K D" Thomas muttered examining the metal containers

"Wicked is good" he said louder this time

"What if we were sent here for a reason?" Teresa added, looking between the two of them

"Great! Four days in this place and we're already turning into conspiracy nuts who can some how invade each others dreams, which are bizarre fragmented visions of past events. We're all sick and I mean clinically insane, sick" Saffron sighed

"Sick" Thomas looked at her

"What?" Was the blonde's sole response

"Sick! Alby is sick" he raved and Saffron raised her eyebrows at him while Teresa shifted closer to her, away from the rambling Thomas

-line break-

It was late evening as Saffron, Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Jeff and Clint (Saffron remembered the boy who accompanied Jeff to the map room's name) were stood in the Medical huts. Alby was writhing about, sweating and grunting as if in severe pain. Jeff and Clint were sat by his bed, watching over him, as it was their jobs. The other four however, were having a little tussle at the end of the bed. Saffron and Newt stood at one side. Newt holding the WCKD vials and Saffron stood off to one side, behind him. She had a light clutch on one of his elbows - trying to calm him. Teresa and Thomas were on the other side, opposite the two English blondes as the argument continued

"We don't even know what this stuff is. We don't know who sent it or why it came up here with you. I-I mean for all we know this stuff could kill him" Newt dismissed the idea of giving Alby one of the vials.

"Newt, it's just a suggestion. Please just keep an open mind for now" Saffron squeezed his elbow and he turned to face her

"Open mind? This could kill him off" he felt as though he was the only sane one

"He's already dying, look at him!" Thomas interrupted and the attention snapped to him. The four of them then turned to look at their fallen leader.

"How could this possibly make it any worse?" Thomas asked

"This could save him Newt" Saffron moved close to him to whisper

"And it could kill him" Newt challenged

"I know. But it's definitely dying or just a chance of dying" she rested her chin on his shoulder from behind.

"Come on its worth a try" Thomas persisted

"Alright, do it" he handed the vials to Thomas.

The brunette moved round to the other side of the bed, opposite Clint and Jeff. He sat next to Alby's convulsing form as the others gathered round. Saffron stood close to Newt, both her arms around the front and back of his waist and Newt looped one arm over her shoulders and the other fell on top of her arm that was wrapped around the front of him. Neither knew why but the hold comforted them both immensely. Again a feeling of déjà vu and impenetrable security surrounded them. It was as if the others touch numbed all the bad things and left them in a happy bubble where they weren't immune to nastiness but had a very powerful drug to overcome it.

Thomas turned back and looked at the others. The vial above Alby's shoulder, ready to be jabbed down into him. He turned back only for Alby to grab the collar of his shirt and pull him down towards him. Alby twitched as breathed raggedly and Thomas squirmed above him.

"It shouldn't be … you shouldn't be here" Alby snarled as the others moved forward trying to pry Thomas off and away. Thomas breathes heavily as he struggled and the others all clutched at either of the twos clothing, trying to pull them apart

"Let go!" Saffron pleaded, tugging on the bottom of Thomas's top

"Get the syringe" Thomas gargled through the vice grip he was held in

"Listen, Alby sharing is caring. Let go of Thomas. We all want a piece of him but we have to wait our turn and my bets are placed on Teresa wanting first dibs" Saffron tried again, her sarcasm unable to contain itself

"Let go" Newt tried this time. Meanwhile Teresa fumbled around the grappling hands off the others until she had the syringe. Quickly grabbing it she stabbed it in to Alby with no thought of where it actually punctured. As soon as she'd injected him he calmed to a corpse like stillness, no noise coming from him - except from shallow breathing.

Saffron, Newt, Clint and Jeff relinquished their hold on Alby and Thomas and straightened up

"Well that worked?" Jeff wasn't entirely confident in his deduction

"Ok. From now on some one stays here and watches him, around the clock" Newt ordered as Gally appeared in the door way. When Saffron noticed his presence she didn't even try to mask the groan that escaped her. Newt's hand quickly found her's and gave it a quick squeeze before dropping it.

"Hey, sun down greenies. Time to go" Gally looked at both of them. Thomas and Saffron also glanced at each other before shuffling their exit from the Medical hut.

-line break-

Gally, Thomas and Saffron walked towards to the pit under the illumination of the torch Gally held. The builder stood on the far end then Thomas and then Saffron walking some distance away from his side, as if repelled by the thought to being even remotely near him. The crickets chirruped and the night birds twittered and hooted animatedly.

"Hey what is your problem with me? With us?" Thomas asked Gally suddenly

"Everything started going wrong the minute you two showed up … first Ben, the Alby and now the other girl. Everybody saw she recognised you and I'm betting you know who she is" Gally singled his verbal tirade in on Thomas as they reached the pit.

"Honestly Gally, you surprise me. For someone who hates us so much, doesn't see our value and is blindly suspicious of us, you really do deem us as clever. You honestly believe we, two numbskulls and semi-brainwashed teens, are omniscient enough to over Lord everything that goes on like a game? I mean I struggle at chess, my mind's blown by drafts and tiddlywinks baffles me! I couldn't, we couldn't be responsible for this!" Saffron went on. Her voice getting higher as her sarcastic remarks became more and more spontaneous and driven by frustration.

"Not on your own, I bet you have help" Gally grunted before jerking his head in the direction of the crate and opening the door. Saffron climbed in, Thomas helping her down by her underarms so she didn't fall in the dark. Thomas jumped in after her and Gally shut the grate-like lid of the box, securing it.

"Gally? Y-You know we can't stay here forever right?" Thomas asked Gally as he locked them in. The builder didn't answer, merely continue securing them in and waking off

"Obviously not" Saffron answered on Gally's behalf.

-line break-

"Saffron wicked is good I don't understand why you don't test our subjects" the same female voice it always was chided her. She was in a room. The room with the wall with slits in that the blue light spilled out of. The woman in the white coat was also there, seemingly strolling around her - like an hunter circling its prey.

"Your subjects are people!" Saffron heard herself let out a scream of raw emotion and she felt as if hot tears were rolling down her cheeks

"Are you sure that's what this about, Saffron? Are you sure your not just refusing because it could be Newt?" The woman came to stand in front of her

"You leave him alone!" Saffron cried

"I leave all our subjects alone. It's not me you should be worried about it's the others, like Thomas and Teresa - they'll test Newt and the others, they won't care. They don't care" the woman's voice sounded but Saffron was now sat surveying the files of her fellow gladers on one of the blue screens. Minho's file was up and then Chuck's and then …

The image herself being dragged away roughly by doctors. There were tears streaming down her face as she sobbed and she tried to escape the doctors as they began to strap her down to a medical slab.

"Thomas and Teresa wouldn't. They're my friends, they know my situation with Newt. They woul-" Saffron defended as she found herself back in the room with the slits in the world

"They'd let Newt be tested on. They have let Newt be tested on. They've done it themselves! Give up on him and conform. The sooner you test them, the sooner you can join your friends again. Why prolong your struggle because ... You. Will. Lose." The woman's voice sounded and she was looking up at the surgeons who were all holding her down as she flailed

"I'm not giving up on him! I won't!"

"666. That is your enrolee number and I can't fathom whether you are always this obstropolous or your number has infected you. Given you rebellion and mutiny"

"I'm not obstropolous, nor am I mutinous or a rebel! I just want Newt!"

"Wicked is good" the woman reasoned and the blue screen with Zart's file flashed up

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is Saffron. Wicked is good" the woman was now stood right in front of her, ominously close. Saffron could see she was middle aged with blue-ish eyes and a very threatening scowl. She looked calm in the face but eyes were blazing fury, like she wanted to kill Saffron right there.

"NO ITS'S NOT! IT'S CORRUPT AND INHUMANE AND IMMORAL AN-" Saffron heard her tearful rant be cut off by the woman exploding with rage, her once relaxed façade gone

"WICKED. IS. GO-"

"SAFFRON!" Saffron jolted awake to find Thomas hovering above her. She was covered in a cold sweat and her eyes were all glassy, as she sat trembling in a corner of the pit.

"You ok?" Thomas asked her, helping her up.

"I'm fine, just bad dreams" Saffron mumbled, running her hand trig ugh her hair to remove any lugs her little nap caused. The sound of a snapping twig and light thudding footsteps got their attention. They stepped forward to stand under the grate entrance on red alert.

"Who's there?" Thomas called out

"Thomas is someone's out there waiting to do something nefarious to us, they aren't going to shout a reply to you, revealing themselves and loosing the element of surprise are they?" Saffron rolled her eyes

"Haha, she's right and it's just me" Chuck appeared out of the darkness holding a little silver box food, a linen sack and 2 canteen containers of water

"Sorry Chuck" Thomas smiled sheepishly. The younger glader kneeled by the pit, passing what he'd managed to smuggle out, through the bars. The linen sack went to Thomas

"Here" the curly haired boy gently shoved the water through too

"You run better on a full stomach" he added passing the silver box and utensils through to Saffron. It was filled with what looked pulled chicken and some sort of thick, vegetable broth. Thomas' linen sack had bread and dry meat and cheese in it

"Thank you Chuck" Saffron smiled at him as she and Thomas shared the little they'd been given but were still grateful for

"Thanks Chuck" Thomas added though it was muffled by the food he was eating

"Ew! Don't talk with your mouthful Thomas!" Saffron punched his arm and Chuck chortled before turning his attention to a little terracotta figurine he was holding

"Hey, what you got there?" Thomas asked. In response Chuck turned the figurine towards them. The two older teens came closer, observing the great detail the tiny doll had.

"Aw, that came out pretty damn good. What's that from?" Thomas asked

"It's from my parents" Chuck tuck it away and examined it

"You remember your parents?" Thomas enquired softly

"No … I mean I know I must have them" he sounded tearful

"Hey, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to" Saffron reached a hand out, gently clasping his hand. Chuck smiled weakly, shaking his head and continuing:

"And where ever they are I'm sure they miss me but I can't miss them because I don't remember them" he reared up a little. Saffron squeezed his hand a little, getting him to focus on her

"You can miss them Chuck. You don't have to know them, just the concept of them. The mere idea of having someone who has you at the centre of their world is something you can miss. It's something you should miss, you're human after all" Saffron murmured comfortingly

"What do you think you're going to find out there tomorrow?" Chuck quickly changed the topic looking away from Saffron.

"I-I don't know" Thomas mumbled at Chuck turned back to them

"Hey, If there's a way out Chuck, me and Minho and Saffy are gonna find it" Thomas said determinedly

"Minho, Saffy and I. Not me, Minho and Saffy. In English you always put the other person first, get it right" Saffron mock chastised, rolling her eyes. Their petty spat raised Chuck's mood a little and he chortled

"Here" Chuck gave Thomas the figurine and squeezed Saffron's hand back a little

"Chuck why would you give this to us?" Thomas asked

"I can't remember them anyway" Chuck sighed

"Chuck" Saffron also sighed

"But maybe if you find a way out you can give it to them for me … well I guess it's late" he said standing up, dropping Saffron's hand. The blonde and the brunette glanced at each other as the younger boy wandered away.

"Hey Chuck?" Thomas called out to him after a few minutes. His blurry silhouette, carrying a a little flame lamp, started plodding back to them

"C'here … put out your hand" Thomas ordered, once their Greenie predecessor got to them. He placed the figurine back in Chuck's palm.

"I want you to give that to them yourself. We're gonna get out of here, all of us - ok? I promise" Thomas smiled

"Yep" Chuck also smiled a little

"Alright" Thomas said as Chuck started retreating again, uttering a night:

"Night"

"G'Night buddy"

"Goodnight Chuck"

Came Thomas' and Saffron's replies respectively

-line break-

The dawn chorus echoed through out the glade as Minho sauntered over. He crouched by the box, looking in on the two who were cuddled up against each other to retain warmth in the back of the box. The two both stirred a little at his arrival and were nearly fully conscious when the runner began to speak.

"Big day, Greenies. You sure you don't wanna sit this one out?" Minho teased

"Come on Min, get us out of here" Thomas chuckled

"And preferably in the maze before I lay eyes on Gally or I might end up accidentally mutilating the arse" Saffron added and the two laughed at her. Minho opened the cage and offered them both a hand out. After that they had a quick breakfast, wash and teeth clean (and hair brush in Saffron's case) before Minho gave them little backpacks to put there lunches in.

"Minho, I can barely fit my hands in these pouches never mind lunch" Saffron told the Asian runner who merely shrugged claiming to have 'never questioned the bag's size before'

They ended up a few minutes later in front of the maze doors that we're currently still closed. Minho let out a breath as the doors creaked open a smidgen. The accomplished runner grinned at the two novices both to his right before letting out a sharp and ringing:

"Let's go!" And lurching forward in to the maze. Thomas followed, sprinting after him leaving Saffron stood at the doors, hands on her hips.

"Boys! Why run? Why run when there is no need to run? Have you ever heard of jogging?" She seethed before setting off at fast pace after them

She caught up and ended up behind Thomas at the back of the group. Her bosom jumped as her hair flew around wildly. The three ran down the main passage then took a right and then ran down another path and then another right.

"This way! Not much further to the inner ring, let's go!" Minho ordered and they took a sharp left

"I-if you can ta-talk as clea-early as that … you - you are no-it trying hard enough-h-h" Saffron wheezed from the back of the group. She wasn't really running more stumbling around with speed and a little balance, behind the boys.

They took a few more twist and turns while navigating the endless paths until they ended up in a more open area. The walls were made of separate concrete blocks, with gaps in between so people could cut across and see through the formation. They went further on to an expansion of concrete. It was littered with rumble and stones and a few weeds grew too.

"Come on!" Minho ordered, Saffron went to retort but all she could produce was a high pitched whine. She ran in a hunched over position, clutching at where stitch was bothering her as her chest heaved and her breasts ached.

They ran over the concrete flats surrounded by jagged pillars, through section 5 and then 6 until they eventually made it to 7. The two boys stopped running, easing through a jog to a halt. Saffron however clumsily hurtled around the last corner and practically threw herself on all fours when she realised they could stop. Saffron's lungs were killing her. They were numb until the air pricked them like needle points at every deep inhale. Her chest stung as badly as her bosom screeched for relief, for stillness - her bralette really offered no support. The veins in her head were throbbing and her mouth was bitterly dry as she collapsed forward, turning as she did. She laid on her back, looking up at the sky, gasping.

"Saffy you ok?" Thomas crouched by her head. The blonde merely shook her head, strange squeals leaving her.

"I-I-I want to be-e a Med-Jac-ck … Je-eff an-an-d Clin … t … Med-Jack … I-I want to-o bbb … e-be Med-J-Jack" she wheezed in a fatigued and pained voice

"Shut your shuck face up, get up and come on. We've got work to do" Minho snapped, walking around looking over the area

"Fff ooo … " Saffron tried to curse but it got lost in an heavy exhale of breath

"Come on, I'll help you" Thomas took a hold of her wrists and dragged her up right then moved his hands to under her arms and pulled her up to stand as her did.

"You ok?" He asked and Saffron gave him one of her many glares. This one was one of her favourites from her narrow eyed arson, her 'what-do-fucking-think-stupid-boy' glare. It was one she used a lot, she found and her face just really didn't need time to fall into that particular pissed off expression.

"Let's go!" Minho called

-line break-

"That's strange" Minho said as they jogged - well Saffron speed walked, occasionally skipping to catch up too - through section 7

"What?" Thomas asked, his face scrunching at he turned his head to the other boy

"Angst Goat. Wrinkles" Saffron teased noticing his face. The other two turned back to her, Thomas looking slightly annoyed and Minho confused.

"What?" Minho asked

"Nothing just an inside joke. So why is this strange?" Thomas changed topic but not before sticking his tongue out at Saffron, who pulled a face back.

"7's not supposed to be open for another week" Minho answered as they slowed to a walking pace and Saffron caught up, standing in between them

"Hang on, so your saying, that we could have potentially ran all the way here for no apparent reason - I mean I don't get why we legged in the first place. We were in no danger and you weren't even expecting this place to be open. You owe us answers! Please explain why you made us run for 20 minutes solid, you pesky, little, bugger … and on top of that, before Clint and Jeff interrupted that day in the Maps room, I said: 'won't in not be open for another week?' And you poo-pooed me! How rude!" Saffron said jokingly but there was some meaning behind her words. She folded her arms over her chest for dramatic effect but winced at the contact, dropping them quickly.

"What they hell is this place?" Thomas asked as they wondered in an area where rusty metal plates, that towered into the sky stood. They were in perfectly aligned columns and rows and looked like they wood be painful to ever get trapped in between.

"We call them blades" Minho informed

"You would. Everyone in this awful place seems to have an obsession with knifes and swords … any object with a serrated edge!" Saffron rolled her eyes as they began to walk through the menacing 'blades'. After a while they came across some wrags that once looked like they could have been clothing. The three of them bent down in front of the semi-shredded fabric, Minho poking it a little before picking it up.

"It's Ben's isn't it?" Thomas asked and Saffron felt her eyes well up. 'Oh my god! I talked him in to this! He walked willing to this because of me. I-' Saffron's internal guilt trip was cut off by Minho who managed out a:

"Yeah" at this Saffron quickly sprung to her feet, gasping. She turned away from the other two, with her hands covering her face. A few tears began to fall but she tried to cover it. She didn't want them to see her cry, again.

"Hey, hey, Saffy. It's not your fault, ok? You are not to blame for this" Thomas came and hugged her from behind, mumbling the words in her hair. He embrace offered little to no comfort though and left her subconscious to blast out one thought, 'I want Newt'. They were the three words that circled Saffron's brain. Right now she'd run at the speed of light, if she had to, just to be with the boy. They had developed quite the emotional attachment to each other though part of Saffron thought the attachment pre-existed the maze and her arrival just reaffirmed it. His comfort and hold was unmatchable and any other attempts just made her more aware that it wasn't the other English glader.

"A Griever must've pulled him down here" Minho added, placing a hand on her shoulder. She managed to regroup herself a little and raised her head, furiously sweeping away a few rogue tears. The girl turned back to her fellow runners offering a small but unconvincing smile. Thankfully neither Thomas or Minho pressed her into opening up. There was then a whir. It was like something powering up followed by clicking that was getting louder.

"Woah! Hey!" Minho raised his voice, a little in shock, when Thomas roughly turned him around and pulled the Griever canister from his back pack. The little silver cylinder was whirring and clicking to its heart's content as Thomas held it in his hands, the other two watching. The brunette boy moved back a little and the clacking slowed but he then stepped in the direction the were originally headed and it picked up. The clacking got quicker and clearer, the whirring fading away as the noise started coming out in a pulse.

"I think it's showing us the way" Thomas said after a moment.

-line break-

They followed the way in which the noise was most clear through the blades. Thomas up front and then Minho and Saffron walking as a pair behind him. Thomas stopped all of a sudden and the two very nearly crashed into him.

"Wait, wait" Thomas ordered, changing direction a little trying to find the next path

"What? What?" Minho asked, also spinning

"We're going to play the 'let's-repeat-everything-while-simultaneously-spinning-game' ? We're going to play the 'let's-repeat-everything-while-simultaneously-spinning-game' ?" Saffron suggested, theatrically spinning like a ballerina doing pirouettes.

"This way … come off" Thomas said walking off to the left, the other two falling to following him again. They went though more blade sections and continued walking until the canister went haywire. It's started crackling and popping right outside an enclosed concrete path. It really stood out amongst the old blades and wasn't at all inconspicuous.

The three of them walked down the corridor, the Griever piece getting louder and louder as the teens looked around in wonder. They appeared to be on a elevated walk way. It wasn't filled in fully to the side walls, meaning people could fall down … or that something could crawl up the massive plummets at either side

"Minho, ever seen this place before?" Thomas asked

"No" he confessed

"What happened to 'I've scoured every inch and cycle of the maze my self' " Saffron put on an overly deep voice when intimating her fellow runner. Minho glared at her as they came to a concrete wall at the end. Minho and his pessimism deducted:

"Ah, just another dead end" but the canister in Thomas hands had other ideas. It whirred madly before clicking. Thomas noticed the light on the digital display saying '7' changed from red to green and the machine piece bleeped.

Suddenly the wall behind them crunched and clicked, like the doors to the maze do when they open and shut. The three of them quickly turned to face the creaking concrete, clumping together in one group huddle.

"Shit. It wasn't us ok? If anyone asks we were never here and if they have I don't know, say CCTV footage, it was an accident … an accident that was on purpose - but don't tell them the last part" Saffron rambled in both anticipation and fright. The door came up and they say two more doors past that doing the same thing revealing a circle in the far wall that then clicked at its metal cover spiralled back uncovering another dark abyss.

"You sure about this?" Minho turned to Thomas before the 3 approached

"You're our keeper! Woah, that was a weird sentence … but yeah! You're supposed to be in charge of us! This is your call, technically this is our first day" Saffron bit out in surprise while she clutched onto the arm of Thomas that was closest to her.

"No" Thomas breathed after a minute as Minho didn't take up his post as leader just stared at the other boy. After that the three walked in, slowly. They approached the large circular hole, looking at the metal racks that hauled up the concrete and the gaps in the roof. Once they reached the tunnel, Minho scooped some icky sun stance from the inside of the tunnel.

"Grievers" he cringed trying to shake the gloop off

"I'm still not emotionally prepped enough to face another oversized spider-slug love child. So if you want to go in there be my guest … but I'll just wait here" Saffron motioned around her. The far end of the tunnel suddenly seemed to come to life. It clicked and whirred like the canister, a red dot appearing before twisted into an intricate pattern before the light dancing back into the centre and disappeared. The red light returned not a moment later, morphing out into a laser-like light that scanned the three of them up and down. A ear piercing creak then rang through the air and there was more sublte clanging.

"The hell was that?" Minho asked. The doors behind them started to creak again, signalling their closure

"We gotta get out here" Thomas concluded

"Here, give me. Give me" Minho motioned to the canister. Thomas threw it to him and the three set off sprinting back the way they came. The blades were beginning to close.

"We need to go" Minho mumbled

"Run Thomas, Saffy, WE'RE ARE GOING TO GET TRAPPED!" He yelled and they took off again, legging it through the blades

"GO! GO!" Minho continued

"QUIT YELLING AND RUN!" Saffron demanded from behind him. They weaved through the closing blades, often narrowly missing. Until Thomas did miss. Minho and Saffron managed to skim through but it closed on the brunette. Saffron couldn't see Thomas and panic immediately bubbled over.

"THOMAS?!" She shrieked, slowing down a little

"Come on!" Minho grabbed her wrist hauling her forward. She could just make out Thomas' form on the other side, trying to slip through.

"MINHO!" Thomas bellowed

"Come on!" The Asian runner encouraged

"THOMAS!" Saffron all but bellowed in horror. It successfully installed the drive in Thomas to work over time. He pushed harder, going faster than he ever thought he could before all but diving through the shutting blades.

He stumbled on to Minho and Saffron's side, crashing into Minho's side.

"COME ON!" Was all Minho instructed, steadying the other boy while still dashing as far through and away from the trapping mechanisms the maze had.

"KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING! LETS GO!" He continued

"WE ARE HARDLY GOING TO STOP!" Saffron remarked as they made it out of the blade and on the concrete flats … that were collapsing. Jets of rumble were puncturing the surface in lines of great symmetry as the path was falling away from under their feet. The three stumbled to halt, Minho muttering his word of choice:

"Woah" as the concrete slabs that were now no longer attached and secured. They were rising up, revealing a giant battering ram against the wall. Unfortunately it wasn't flush to the concrete for long and was soon falling to crush them.

"MOVE!" Saffron heaved the two boys into the motion. Previously Thomas and Minho had been stilled by confusion and fear, therefore did not notice the impending death. Well they did notice it, just didn't register it. The teens set off running again as the ground all around them literally began to tear upwards and more battering rams fell, shaking the ground

"DON'T LOOK BACK!" Minho ordered

"SHUT UP!" Saffron yelled, really annoyed by his constant words. The ground seemed to be getting better, faster, in its mutation. The flying stone walls nearly collapsed on to Thomas at one point

"OH SHIT!" Thomas cried before Minho took a sharp left, jumping on to a wall that was raising up.

The three of them had to hastily clambered through it before it crushed them. They ended up army shuffling through the gap, Saffron very aware at any moment she could be splattered and a part of a Minho, Thomas and Saffron innards mash up.

They shoved themselves through the creaking and suffocating wall closure. Throwing themselves out and down on the ground. The three landed face first on the floor. Minho grunted, Thomas groaned and Saffron screamed at little at the fall and impact, all of them trying to recover. They flipped over on to their' fronts to see the wall slamming shut.

"Wooo" Thomas let out a breath, collapsing back and laying flush to the ground. Saffron also lowered her head back, breathing deeply.

"See I'm a runner when a have to be. That was a necessary moment, our lives were endanger. Before, however, we could have had a leisurely jog, nice stroll - hell I would have been more up for holding hands and skipping. We could have even stopped at lunch to make daisy chains and plait each other's hair" She breathed

"Shut up, slint head" Minho feebly hit her arm

"Shank" she muttered

"Both of you shut your shucking mouths!" Thomas snapped and effectively silenced them both

-line break-

The trampled through the puddle at the front of the maze door. Some of the boys were waiting there for them, like Newt, Zart, Jeff … and Gally, sadly.

"What the hell's going on out there?" Newt asked as soon as they joined the welcoming committee. Before he could even process what he was doing, he moved an arm to rest around Saffron's shoulders, drawing her into him.

"What the hell have you done now, Thomas, Saffron?" Gally spat as the group began to walk away from the doors. Saffron, Minho and Thomas were central in the crowd, while the others walked around them eager to here what exactly was going on

"We found something … a new passage" Thomas panted

"We think it could be a way out" Saffron added also wheezing. Newt squeezed her closer to him and started to return his hold, clutching at his waist.

"Really?" Newt asked in disbelief

"Would I lie to you?" Saffron joked and Minho backed her up:

"It's true … we opened a door, something I've never seen before -" he was interrupted

"Really? You must have led a sheltered life before the maze to not know what a door is" Saffron smirked and Minho glared playfully at her, continuing:

" - Think it must be where the Grievers go during the day"

"Wait, wait … woah, woah, woah!" Chuck exclaimed, pushing to stand between Minho and Thomas

"You're saying you found the Grievers home? And you want us to go in?" Chuck continued

"There way in could be our way out, Chuck" Thomas reasoned and then Gally reared his ugly head:

"Yeah. Or there could be a dozen grievers on the other side"

"S'ok, as long as you're there. Providing you are around, we can just shove you in first and while they gnaw on you, we escape - simples" Saffron turned to give him her most obviously sarcy smile

"The truth is Thomas and Saffron don't know what they've done … as usual" Gally smirked back. At his comment Saffron went to turn back but was dragged forward by Newt. However Thomas had no such restraints and turned back to Gally as the group stopped, watching.

"Yeah, well at least we did something, Gally. I mean what have you done? Huh? Aside from hide behind these walls all the time?" Thomas demanded

"Let me tell you something Greenie, you've been here 3 days -" Gally started to respond but Saffron deadpanned a:

"Yeah and thanks to you they've been the longest 3 days of my life. I'm honestly not that bothered about escaping the glade anymore, it's all about escaping you" she moved herself from Newt's grip (much to his protest, which came in the form of grabby hands), and came to stand with Thomas.

"You've had a long 3 days? Really girly? I've been here 3 years" he held up 3 fingers as if talking to a child

"Oh my heart bleeds, someone fetch the violins here comes Gally's sob story" She spat and Thomas began to get all irate

"Yeah, 3 years! And you're still here Gally! Alright? So what does that tell you? Maybe … Maybe you should start doing things a little differently" Thomas blasted

"For example maybe, actually starting to do things … you know, instead of relying on others!" Saffron backed up her Box friend

"Maybe you two should be in charge. How about that, huh -" Gally was cut off yet again but this time not by either of his opponents.

"Hey … IT'S ALBY!" Teresa yelled over the argument and all eyes fell on her and the spat reduced to silence.

"He's awake" she said after a minute

-line break-

"Has he said anything?" Minho quizzed as a long line of gladers followed Teresa into the medical hut.

"No" was the brunette girl's sole response. They all crowded around the bed of their leader. He was sat up on the side of the bed and staring off into space, his arms crossed in front of him, almost defensively. It was like he was waiting to be attacked, or felt uncomfortable and spied on

"Alby?" Newt asked gently, moving closer. Saffron's hand reached forward and gently clasped his. She knew if something was even remotely wrong with Ably, Newt would brake. The boy smiled back at her when he felt her grip before returning focus.

"Ably, are you alright?" The blonde asked again sitting on the bed next to him. Saffron moved to stand behind him, her hands on Newt's shoulders while the leader remained motionless. His eyes merely glossed over and he didn't reply. Thomas took matters into his own hands moving around the crouch next to Newt, looking up at the older boy.

"Hey, Alby?" Thomas asked

"Alby we-we might have just found a way out of the maze. You hear me? We could be getting out of hear" Thomas tried to lure him with good news but Alby's lip just trembled

"We can't" Alby mumbled shaking his head, leaving the others to exchange worried glances.

"We can't leave … they won't let us" he continued

"What are you talking about?" Thomas enquired

"I remember" Alby gulped, turning to face Thomas. Gally gasped a little and Saffron felt Newt stiffen under her touch. She started to massage his shoulders a little but he remained tense

"What do you remember?" The brunette boy asked cautiously

"You" Alby said flatly and all eyes fell on him.

"You were all ways their favourite Thomas, always" Alby shuddered

"Whose favourite?" Saffron asked. What came next none of them were expecting. The leader glanced her way before dissolving into tears. He wept inconsolably while Saffron started to ramble an apology but the other boy merely crawled and shoved his way over the sheets and through the people to grab Saffron … and hug her.

He held her tight, holding her up in he awkward position. She was now kneeled next to where Newt sat on the bed, Alby's head was buried in her shoulder. His arms tightly fastened around her back and waist, wound all the way round.

"Thank you … Thank you … Thank you … Thank you … Thank you …" he blubbered and the blonde girl awkwardly reciprocated the embrace, patting his back hesitantly. Newt's hands also found their to Saffron's hips: 1) to help her keep upright, 2) so he could pull her away if Alby actually did crush her - which appeared to be becoming more and more likely to doing and 3) because he felt some sort of strange jealousy bubble inside him at the embrace. Something that made him want to whisk Saffron away and tell Alby to never touch her again.

" … Thank you … Thank you …"

"Al-Alby, hey … what are you thanking me for? I've done nothing, aside from cause ructions with Gally and I … know he deserves it but it doesn't require this kind of gratitude show" Saffron said through laboured breaths from his semi-suffocation. Alby pulled back, holding her upper arms and looking at her incredulous.

"They hated you, hated you so much … but us? We loved you! … you never did what they said, you saved us pain … the pain that they wanted us to be in … but you showed yourself to be humane, always humane … you are the devil. 666 is your number! They are convinced your bad luck, that you are Satan … but you're not. You're a angel … you actually cared and never stopped, even when they robbed you of, of -" he trailed off

"Of?" She pressed, trying to get him to continue

"Newt" he said softly before hugging her tightly again. Saffron felt her eyes widen massively at his words. 'Newt meant enough to me that he'd be used as punishment?' her head screamed as it tried to piece the puzzle together. Newt was also shocked at Alby's words. He looked up at his fellow Englishman, well Englishwoman, his hands tightening a little. The others also looked throughly perplexed. There eyes jumping from Alby and then to Newt and then to Saffy and then back to Newt. What was going on?

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

"WHAT?!"

"-ISN'T CLOSING!"

Came shouted from outside. Everyone minus Alby, looked around as if it would make the shouts clearer and easier to interpret. Alby merely stiffened, shaking, as he turned his head from the join of Saffron's neck and shoulder to face the Thomas. He glared at the teen, his grip tightening painfully out of rage and it caused Saffron to wince, squirming a little

"Why did you do this? Why did you come here?" His voice hostile as Thomas stood up again, backing away, scared a little bit

"WHAT TO WE DO?!"

"WHY?"

"IT'S STILL NOT SHUTTING!"

The shouts grew louder and more frantic and Alby began to convulse again. His body twitched and his hold restricted even more on Saffron as the other began to get restless because of the commotion. Minho, Thomas and Frypan left first while Newt reluctantly got off the bed, placing a hand on Alby's back and looking at Saffron

"I'll stay with him. We'll be fine … I swear" Saffron smiled at him and he nodded before leaving after Teresa and Gally.