With the sun slowly rising overhead, skies clearing no cloud in sight, the Maze stood still its looming walls staring down at the boys making their way very slowly through its labyrinth; every footstep guided by cautious and calculating eyes afraid to make any sudden or loud movements that would bring attention to themselves. The only sounds emanating from them were heavy breaths and odd stones scraping underneath their shoes.
Minho tapped his leg with his long machete, his dark brown eyes assessed the walls positions and after a moment of consideration his expression changed swearing under his breath "Shuck it"
Newt looked over to the veteran Runner, coming to his side "What's wrong?" he whispered
Minho extended his hand, brushing his fingers over the stone walls as he walked "I don't know this formation." He looked around for effect, waiting until his conveyed meaning showed on their faces and he took in a deep breath
"They changed it all. We're gonna get lost."
Frypan's mind was ticking over in thought rubbing his forehead he pointed to the corridor behind them, they had only been walking for just under half an hour at the most. He gathered his thoughts offering a solution "We could retrace our steps back to the Glade"
Minho immediately shook his head in disagreement "No, there is nothing there for us."
Thomas raised his hand in between them "It's dangerous if we get lost, we could go around in circles, hit a dead end and if we run into any surprises we'll get split" He eyed them both "We have to go on despite that; it might be up a creek without a paddle here but we'll make it out, we have to."
Newt who had stayed mostly silent during this discussion broke the tension and uncertainty in the air
"It ain't a creek out there Tommy, this place is the bloody rapids, best we all hold on and try not to die" the boys all looked at him, he was right.
Without a word more spoken they were walking again, a tight formation weapons on the outside like an armoured shell they continued on into what would now be known between them as the Rapids.
Thomas walked close behind Minho who led the way, there was no logical reason for that he thought in his mind; veteran Runner or not that meant nothing in a Maze he didn't know anymore. Frypan was behind him brown rough leather bound water canteen in hand he sipped at it with regulation. Newt was walking beside Thomas looking outward at possible paths leading away from this corridor obviously asking himself whether they should chance one of them and divert from the main corridor. Thomas felt agreement in his own mind, staying on this path seemed too easy.
Newt's attention broke when he felt a hand take his own and he turned to see Thomas' reassuring smile; half-hearted at best, Newt hadn't realised that it was just what he had needed. Knowing you're not alone was something that even he couldn't imagine living without anymore.
They all turned the impending corner at the end of the corridor and almost fell back when Minho's hand flew up to brace them. "What the bloody hell" Newt cursed holding the arm that shielded him "Rapids usually got a drop at the end right?" Minho's voice echoed through a space Thomas and the others had yet to see.
"I think we found that drop." The boys peaked over Minho's shoulder and gasped at what they saw; The space was huge, like a hole had swallowed up a part of the Maze and the small ledge they stood on hovered over a drop of nothingness further than the eye could see; blackness so dark that they found it hard to see anything down there. There was one more ledge on the other side of the pit, but there seemed to be no more entrances.
"We should go back to that other path" Newt proposed moving away slowly as if unfazed by the drastic changes the Maze had undergone.
Minho finally lowered his hands once he was sure none of them would fall and turned to follow Frypan and Newt; who were continuing back into the corridor.
Something made him stare a moment, in all honesty he could never explain why. He just waited, eyes glued to that ledge on the far side, waiting.
"Tom hurry up!" came the reprimanding voice of Minho from the corridor
They boys turned expecting to see Thomas behind them but found he was still around the corner
"Greenie hurry up!" Minho demanded with irritation, until he saw Thomas appear from the ledge, in obvious haste the boy was startled, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Wait! Someone's over there!"