They sat at the edge of the Deadheads, the sun shone at its peak in the sky, the silence in the Glade was deafening only the sound of the two boys echoed inside the four walls.
"It's Newt I swear" Minho sat on the ground now, his body seemed tired still. The Runner rubbed his forehead in between winces of pain.
Thomas could hardly believe what he had heard, had the Creators done this to them? Gave them the ability to speak to one another telepathically, have they had it all along? He took a second to get a hold of himself and focused on the voice that had called his name
Newt?
There was silence for a moment; expect the heavy breathing of his friend
Shuck it Newt answer me
He had no idea how this telepathic thing worked but he was sure that if he got loud enough in his mind something would happen. He couldn't help the worry and frustration that washed over him, had Newt been taken with the others? He wiped the sweat that was beading on his forehead, the sun felt all too warm on his face so he moved into the shade of a tree the coolness there felt relieving.
Thomas that's you isn't it?
A rare feeling of hope replaced the dread, Newt was alive and he could hear him. The voice sounded a little distorted and weak but he heard it
"I've got him, he can hear me!"
Minho looked at him there was distress in his eyes the realisation of their abilities had not yet become comfortable. He couldn't place one good reason for needing the ability in light of their situation, whatever it was for some unbearably methodical reason undoubtedly of the Creators construction.
"We can think saying something, and then what it just appears in each other's heads?"
I think so
As the words appeared in his mind Minho visibly jumped, it was Thomas' voice unmistakably "I don't wanna even know how we got this"
"What do you mean?"
"Like weird Neurosurgery or something what if we have like a phone or something…." Minho pointed to his forehead "… in our brain though" there was something about his voice that reassured Thomas that his friend wasn't actually going crazy but he was scared and, as he always would, conjured up some humorous theory to brighten the surreal situation they were in.
Thomas smiled waiting for Minho to look at him before speaking again in his mind
Ring Ring Ring Ring.
Minho frowned now "Very Funny" he applauded sarcastically but with a hidden smile, the Greenie was getting as witty as himself.
Thomas are you still there?
The voice sounded hopeful, Thomas moved toward the open Glade as if he were moving closer to it somehow.
Where are you?
He stopped when he reached the middle ground separating all the areas in the Glade, it was weird not seeing the Builders at the Homestead making endless repairs, Chuck carrying a plastic bag for rubbish; he really did miss Chuck. The sounds of the farm animals, Winston mumbling something to Gally in the distance, probably asking for some repairs. And Frypans kitchen he missed that too, the smell of bacon, fresh bread, and apple juice the loud conversations of Gladers going about their day. He and Minho would already be running the Maze by now, he wondered how much he had missed when he was out there. And now he could not believe he had wanted to find a way out so bad, the Creators only had to take it all away in order for him to see how much he cared.
I'm in the Jail
Thomas stirred from his thoughts that had been so vivid, The Jail? How did he get there? He furrowed his brow turning toward Minho "He said he's in the Jail?"
Minho thought about it for a moment and shook his head, it sounded too easy and Minho had spent long enough in an eternally changing giant Maze with evil Mechanical slug Grievers and near death experiences for him to recognise too easy.
"What if this is a trick?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like a trap, for you?" Minho had a flashback of the Griever in the Maze yesterday that had identified Thomas as a 'Target' but Minho had stopped the Creature, did that make him a threat now? It made sense considering the Creators had taken everyone else but had left him there with the 'Target' so he must be a target too.
"But we heard Newt"
"Exactly we know we can hear each other so the moment we hear Newt we actually think it's him, what if it's not?" after all anything could be possible, the Creators could have programed the voice into their heads and draw them into a trap.
Thomas could feel his heart rate rising, what if Minho was right? The Creators wanted him dead because he knew too much, Minho was a problem for them as well. And they told Newt everything. The Creators could be taking the other subjects out because Thomas had sabotaged this test beyond their repair.
Are you coming or what?
It dawned on him that morally he was bound "What choice do we have? We cannot leave him here, no matter what the risk"
Minho looked out toward the Jail running his fingers through his hair "Yeah you're right Tom and I bet they know that too"
The Runners shared a look between them; neither sure if it was reassurance or mutual understanding but they were on the same page. And with the sun overhead and the Jail in sight they began at a jogging pace toward where Newt was being held, regardless of it being a trap or not.