AN: Okay, this is super short, but like I said, this is the content I have and I felt like the chapter needed to end where it ends. Hopefully you guys like it! Enjoy!
Sam POV
"They're not going to make it." Gally said gruffly.
"They'll make it." Newt snapped. "They have to."
Everyone was waiting by the doors for Minho and Alby to come back. It was almost time for the Doors to close for the night. If the two of them were there overnight...trapped in the Maze with all those Grievers and nothing but vines to protect themselves with...it was likely they wouldn't make it to morning. Actually, they had knives, but the knives were for marking paths. Unfortunately, the knives wouldn't be able to do much against an angry or hungry Griever. If those disgusting monsters even ate. Judging by the fact that the Gladers the Grievers had managed to sting had been left for dead, it was scarily possible the creepy things hunted for sport. I didn't want to think about the intelligence that would be required for that sort of thing. I was already scared enough.
I don't think I've ever been this worried in my entire life. Well, what I can remember of it anyways. All of us Gladers watched anxiously, all of them just as worried as I was, if not more. Newt was definitely more worried than I was. He was minutes away from losing his best friends. I was starting to taste blood; I had broken the skin on my lip from biting it so hard.
"I told you we should've sent a search party out when they weren't back with everyone else. Or at least sent one person after them. They all could've been back by now." Thomas muttered. This might've seemed reasonable if it wasn't what must've been the tenth time he'd said this in the last two minutes. I knew he wanted to help, but it was starting to get annoying. I felt used to it, somehow, so to me it didn't seem as bad, but he was making everyone else way more stressed out. Newt groaned.
"It's against the rules, Tommy." He repeated. "Like I told you the first time. We would've lost even more people. It's not worth the risk." Newt moved forward and rested his chin on the top of my head. I leaned back and he hooked his thumbs in the pockets of my jeans.
Thomas frowned. "All I'm saying is-"
The deafening sound of grinding gears filled the air and everyone fell silent. Slowly, the walls started to close. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears and I tried to control them. Minho and Alby were nowhere in sight. They were gone. And we might never get them back. Newt let go of me and took a step towards the Doors. I watched, making sure he didn't make a move to go through into the Maze. That would be suicide, especially with his ankle.
Suddenly, there was movement down the stone corridors of the Maze. I froze, hopeful.
"There!" Someone screamed. Minho and Alby had rounded the corner. As they got closer I realized Minho was nearly carrying Alby, supporting him as they both struggled to make it through the Doors. Alby had been stung. And the Doors had already started closing. If they didn't get through the gap in time, Alby would be dead by morning. He could even be dead by midnight depending on how he reacted to the Griever venom. The situation was terrifyingly life or death.
But now that we could see them, the mood had completely changed. Minho and Alby were right there, and it felt like they might make it. They might survive. And if Minho got Alby through the Doors, then Alby might be okay. If they could just go a little bit faster, they might make it.
All the Gladers went from depressed silence to completely loud and chaotic. Everyone was yelling at everyone. As they got closer, even I was yelling.
Suddenly, Thomas surged forwards and charged through the doors. Everyone screamed and reached for him. Instinctively I lunged forward, reaching for Thomas.
Responding instantly, a set of hands grabbed me and I was jerked back. Strong arms wrapped tightly around my waist, pinning my arms to my sides but effectively keeping me in place. My back was pressed against Newt's chest. He knew I wouldn't have done it, I know he did. But it was a knee jerk reaction and Newt couldn't bear to lose anyone else today. I didn't fight him. I couldn't have. Even if I'd wanted to, he was stronger than I was.
Instead I watched helplessly as Thomas, Minho, and Alby were sealed in the Maze for the night, the Doors shutting them in. The grinding of gears and stone disappeared, leaving a deafening silence in its wake.