Chapter 45: The Pattern

The next time supplies come, they come late again. Instead of coming in the afternoon like they used to, they come in the early evening, right after I get back to the Glade from running the Maze. I slow as I get to the Glade, noticing the Gladers crowded around the Box, knowing immediately what it means.

"It hasn't come yet, has it?" I ask Newt as I reach him.

"Not yet, love," he shakes his head.

"I should go to the map room first, right?" I ask, not even sure if I'm asking him or myself or anyone at all. I just don't want to see whatever dead animal limb is probably in that Box.

But Newt does answer, putting his hand on the small of my back, "Yeah. Your job comes first, right, love?"

I can't help but smile a little bit, nodding, "Right. Come on," I grab his hand before he can desert me like he has a habit of doing when I go into the Map Room. It's Runners and leader (and second-in-command) only, he claims, so he's not allowed in anymore. But Newt used to be a Runner, plus I never like being away from him and I've been away from him all day already. I hate mapping the Maze when I come back, just because it keeps me away from him longer. So this time, I drag him with me, ignoring his protests.

"They're all busy anyway," I reason as I unlock the Map Room door. Behind me, I can hear the Box coming up. But I pretend I don't hear anything, and pull the door open. "Nobody's even going to notice." I pull him inside before he can protest anymore. Signing in defeat, he leans back against the table while I get yesterday's map, a fresh sheet of paper, and a pencil, and then I go and sit down on top of the table to draw out the map.

Before I'm even done, Graham comes into the Map Room, "There you are."

"Here I am," I say without looking up. I almost don't even want to know what happened out there. I blocked out the voices out there so that I wouldn't have to hear.

"It was a wolf this time," Graham says, thankfully sparing any graphic or gorey details.

"Is there anyone here named Wolf?" I ask, looking up, and trying to think for myself if I can remember anyone being called wolf.

"Not that I know," Graham shakes his head.

"I don't think so," Newt says. "Are all the Runners back?"

"Not Theo."

"No," Theo pulls open the Map Room door, breathing heavily, "I'm here. Sorry. Did the Box already come?"

"Yeah, it's a wolf this time," Graham tells him.

"Like in your dreams?" Theo asks as he gets what he needs to make his map.

"Your dreams?" I look at Graham.

"Yeah, sometimes I dream about wolves. The Creators couldn't know that though, could they?" Graham wonders.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Leo says as he comes in.

"You're not allowed to be in here," Newt says.

"Neither are you, you're not a Runner anymore," Leo points out, grinning. I throw my pencil at him like a dart, but unfortunately he ducks.

"Are you done?" Newt asks me.

"Yeah," I slide off the table. "Food time."

"Wait, so I'm next?" Graham asks, slight panic in his voice.

Leo claps him on the shoulder, grinning, "Looks like it, my friend!"

By the time the Doors are supposed to close, almost everyone's eating dinner, scattered around at the picnic tables. Newt, Theo, Ben, Graham, Leo and I are all sitting together at one. When my watch beeps to mark the hour, we all stop eating and look up, at all of the Doors, waiting to see if they'll close. Amazingly, they door. All the way, with no Grievers jumping through them at the last moment like I have a habit of doing occasionally.

Once the doors are closed, all eyes turn to me, as I listen out to the Maze. After a minute, I shake my head, "Nothing."

"There it is," Leo says, as if all questions were just answered. Now we all look at him.

"They're going to wait until tomorrow to attack. When they have the whole shuckin' day."

"Great," Graham sighs bitterly.