The next morning when we got up, Sam, predictably, tried to convince Alby to let her go back to work. Alby, also predictably, said no. And now Sam was stuck in our room because Alby had threatened to put her in the Slammer if he saw her trying to work. He was just worried about her. All of us were.
If she wasn't so stubborn about it, she would probably realize that it was swelteringly hot outside and everyone else was dying to be where she was. That is, inside and in a slightly cooler room and not outside in the very hot sun. I doubt any of them wished they had been attacked by Ben. That kind of terrifying experience was something none of us wanted to go through.
The rest of us went about our days. The Builders were chopping wood. The Track-Hoes were pulling weeds. The Runners went out into the Maze. That last one worried me a little. Alby and Minho were in charge of trying to map a new route today. Some of the sections had changed rotations. Which meant they had the most dangerous route because they didn't know what they were going to be seeing. Not that it mattered much. The maze was a terrifying, never ending place. We're never going to get out.
That's a wonderful thought when your best friends are Runners, isn't it? I definitely didn't need to think about that. I shook my head and I tried to focus on my shift at the MedJack tent-Alby has me rotate around where people need me-and then I went and visited Sam around lunch time to bring her something to eat. I walked up with the food and sat down to eat with her. She still wasn't happy about being stuck inside and I wanted to make sure she didn't die of boredom.
"How's my favorite Sam?" I teased.
"Bad. And useless. I don't think I should be stuck in here like a prisoner, Newt." Sam said, annoyed. "I want to go see B-e-n."
"I'm sorry, love. You can't." I told her seriously. "It's not safe and he...he isn't Ben anymore. It won't help to freak yourself out. I'm sure Alby will let you get back to work soon."
"Yay for General A-l-b-y." Sam scowled. I sighed.
"Okay, how about...why don't we just take a walk or something." I suggested. "You could get some fresh air."
Sam was already standing up. "You're gonna escort me out? Does that make you my security guard?"
"I'm supposed to be worried about you." I frowned. "You're my girlfriend."
Sam sighed. "I know. Thank you. I've just been really bored and by myself all day and you're kind of the first person I've talked to all day. My interacting-with-people-skills are still kind of rusty. I'm sorry."
"It's alright." I promised. "I get it. Let's go take that walk. We can take a lap around the edge of the Glade. Everyone else is working so if we avoid the stations it'll cut down the need for your horrible people skills."
"I didn't say horrible, I said rusty." Sam pointed out, crossing her arms.
"I know. I said horrible." I teased. Sam laughed.
We got up and took our walk, then I went back to work and Sam went back to our room in the Homestead. I spent the rest of the day over with the Track-Hoes to fill in for a boy who had passed out from the heat. He ended up being fine and he just needed a little rest, but was a bit annoying, really. Yes, it was hot outside, but everyone had scheduled breaks they were supposed to be taking. And nobody else has passed out. I guess some people are just bad at drinking water.
I stayed over with the Track-Hoes for the rest of the day, helping to harvest the tomatoes even though they weren't completely ready (we just didn't want them to try out), pulling weeds, and turning over the soil. I had been working by myself for most of it. Even though there were people near me, it was too hot for the normal amount of conversation we all usually had so I basically was working alone. I had even zoned out, and hadn't really been paying attention to much until Sam came running over to me.
I blinked and checked my watch. It was almost time for the Doors to close. I turned back to Sam.
"You should be in-"
Sam waved her hands to get me to stop talking. She looked upset. I frowned.
"Do you know what route they took? Everyone else is back." She signed. I paused.
"What? No. Who?"
"Minho and Alby." She looked upset. "No one saw them get back. Do you know if they finished? Did you see them?"
I froze, then snapped out of it and turned towards the Doors. No. No, they were back. Someone must have seen them, they were never late. I turned back to Sam, but the worried and panicked look on her face made it clear. I started to feel sick. No one knew where they were.
It was almost time for the doors to the Maze to close.
And Minho and Alby were the only Runners who weren't back yet.