Chapter One
One year, 86 days, 6:42 PM
Claire was running. Feet pounding, heart racing, tears streaming down her face. For even as she ran as fast as she could through a maze she had memorized, she knew she wasn't going to make it in time. 'I don't want to die' she thought hysterically. Through her panic she thought of the brown eyed boy waiting for her in the glade. 'I promised' her mind wandered back to that very morning, when everything was perfect.
One year, 86 days, 6:14 AM
They were lounging on her hammock, Newts fingers running through her long brown hair as they watched the sun rise over the wall. She played idly with the fingers on his free hand until they heard the walls open, the loud groaning making them both wince. She sighed, propping her chin up on his chest.
"We've got to get up." Claire whispered quietly, not wanting to break the peace surrounding them. He pulled her closer, hand in her hair coaxing her to lay her head back on his chest.
"Just a bit longer love." She didn't listen, pushing herself to sit up despite his protests.
"If we're late Minho will come looking for us and we'll have to deal with his whining, and it'll be all your fault." She teased, grinning at Newt
"No way! He's your best friend, you have to deal with him whining." Newt laughed, flashing her a winning smile as she pouted at him.
"Newt!" Claire whined, trying to get out of the hammock, only for Newt to flip her so she was underneath him. The hammock swayed precariously, though they managed not to fall. She laughed gleefully and he smiled, utter adoration clear in his eyes.
"Lets just be sick today," He murmured, taking her hands and pinning them above her head, interlocking their fingers. "Stay in bed…"
Still giggling, Claire leaned up and kissed him sweetly until he was thoroughly distracted, before flipping him over, managing to overturn the hammock as well. Newt groaned when they hit the ground but quickly overpowered her, flipping her over once more. He pinned her easily, lacing their fingers automatically.
"I win." Newt teased, leaning down to kiss her nose, then her mouth. They kissed slowly, interrupted occasionally by smiles and laughter, pure happiness shining through. They may be stuck in a seemingly endless maze, but they had each other. That was all they really needed. Before they could go any further they were interrupted by a pounding on the door.
"Rise and shine you shanks, you're late!" A voice yelled.
"Bugger off Minho!" Newt yelled back, annoyed at the interruption.
"If you're not out before breakfast, I'll get Gally to drag you out!" Newt groaned and dropped his head into Claires neck.
"Give us a minute slinthead!" Claire yelled at her best friend, kissing Newt's fluffy hair before shoving him off of her and jumping up. She quickly plaited her hair and got changed into her shorts and red t-shirt. Claire saw Newt staring and smirked. She kissed him slowly and pulled back. "Later." she promised. Of course, that was before everything had gone to hell.
One year, 86 days, 6:48 PM
She should've stayed in bed. Claire had kissed Newt goodbye and taken off into her assigned section. Everything was normal at first, she'd been in the outside section of the maze when everything changed. The ground lurched beneath her feet, throwing her to the ground. Claire rolled for a few feet before jumping up, staring in confusion at the maze around her. It was still and silent. Then all at once, the walls began to move. Claire started, shocked, for a moment before taking off, dodging walls and crawling through the cracks for hours, and when it was finally still again, the sun was getting low and she was lost. By the time she figured out where she was, it was to late. There was no way she could make it back to the Glade in time.
She was so close. She turned the last corner and could see the glade, only five hundred feet left. But the doors were well over half way shut. Nearly the entire glade was gathered just passed the entrance, Gally pinning Minho to the ground while Alby, Fry, and Nick held back a struggling Newt. The rest of the gladers were screaming for her to run faster.
Three hundred feet… two hundred…
She skidded to a stop, the doors nearly shut. If she tried to get through the walls would crush her. She locked eyes with Newt just before the doors sealed shut.
She was locked in the maze.
No one survived a night in the maze.
But she was sure as hell gonna try. Claire wiped her tears, took a deep breath and took off into the maze.
One year, 87 days, 4:58 AM
Claire was running. Feet pounding, heart racing, tears streaming down her face, but she knew she wasn't going to make it. Sunrise was hours away, the griever was right behind her. As dark as it was, Claire couldn't see a shucking thing, and had no idea where she was. Her heart stopped when she nearly ran into a wall, she quickly realized she'd run into a dead end. Claire turned slowly, heart in her throat, knowing there wwas no way out.
She turned to face the monster looming over her.
As the giant spider like creautre chittered, seeming to enjoy her fear, before it raised one of its many arms, a sharp, long needle at the end. Claire closed her bright blue eyes. She did not want that monster to be the last thing she saw. She thought of her best friend, who would no doubt blame himself for her death, and Newt. Her Newt.
She could barely breath when the griever stabbed into her shoulder. Despite her best efforts, she cried out in pain, knees buckling. Claire fell to the ground, vision begining to blur. She let out a quiet sob, not noticing the Griever back away.
"I don't want to die." She nearly whispered. She had been so close, she could see the sky brightening. If she'd made it another hour she would be home. "I don't want to die." She whispered again as she started to lose consciousness. Part of the wall shifted and let out a blindingly white light, several people in full body suits waiting behind.
'Don't worry Clara, I've got you' Claire heard a voice say, but she couldn't pinpoint where it came from. She didn't have long to worry about it, the sheer familiarity and longing she felt when she heard it, before everything went black.