Minho demanded that Joanne bring their discovery to Newt and Alby's attention immediately. She knew that she wasn't in the position to argue with anyone, so she simply agreed; and truthfully, she wouldn't have disagreed even if she could. There wasn't any point, she was as shocked as anyone else was about what was on her back. She of course didn't know why it was there or how it got there is the first place but had an incredibly bad feeling about it. She could see how some of the Glader's could potentially get the wrong idea from the dark design on her back. She was getting the wrong idea…

Minho had handled the whole situation very well, which came to great surprise for Joanne and she would be lying if she said it wasnt a great comfort.

The two found their way quickly back to the room that Newt and Alby had been previously in. Joanne had been so preoccupied with her current situation that she forgot about what had happened just twenty minutes earlier. As she was ushered forwarded into the back room her eyes drifted to the table. The boy still lay there, but he didn't move a muscle. His body lay there paralysed in time, with a lifeless glaze in his unseeing eyes. The veins had become much more prominent against his green skin. It took what felt like years for Joanne to come to the realization that he was dead.

Her jaw clenched without her noticing, top and bottom teeth grinding together. She'd just seen her first dead body on the second day of being here, and she had the eerie feeling that this wouldn't be the last one she'd see. She felt dizzy, the air seemed to because thicker and she wasn't able to get enough into her lungs. She felt sick looking at the boys lifeless body, yet she couldn't look away.

"Slinthead!" She could head Alby's voice, but it seemed incredibly distant "Minho, what the shuck are you thinking bringin' the Greenie back here!"

Suddenly Newt's tall frame was in front of her, blocking her view and breaking her trance. She looked up to his face and noticed the creases in his brow as his own worry increased. She couldn't help her heart from fluttering at the thought that he may be worried about her, but she quickly dismissed the feeling. This wasn't the time or place to be getting all gitty over a guy.

"Just slim it and listen up" She heard Minho reply, "we've got a bigger issue"

Joanne looked over at the other two in the room, cringing at the use of the word 'issue'. That wasn't the way that she had hoped things would be but as she was already on edge about the situation and that made it sound much worse then it was. She sucked in a deep breath of air, as she worried it was going to be the last one she'd get for a while.

"We-" she cut herself off as she realized that she had no idea how to put it. How was she suppose to explain that Minho had found a giant tattoo of a maze on her back. Obviously she could state it bluntly, but somehow the result never quite came out right in her mind. "we found something…"

Alby crossed his arms, he obviously had no patience for her riddles, "and what's that suppose to mean?"

Joanne thought for a moment and then looked to Minho, who gave her absolutely nothing, "well…ah, there is something tattooed on my back and I-I think it's a design for a maze "

Her heart pounding in her ears, letting out a shaky breath she waited for someone to do something, have some reaction. However, no one did anything for a long while. Both Alby and Newt were taking in this new found information and it made the silence awkward because Joanne wasn't sure how they were going to take it. If all of a sudden one of them was going to burst out into a fit of rage.

Newt, who had been quite quiet since they had arrived, finally spoke. He didn't sound angry or upset, more confused than anything. Still, it sounded like he didn't quite get it, or perhaps didn't want to except it.

"what?"

Minho took some step towards Joanne, "it's probably easier to just show you"

It was then she first became aware that the situation was unfolding into interesting direction. For some odd reason the thought never occurred that she would actually have to show them the tattoo. Minho had already seen her back and the tattoo but for some reason it still felt uncomfortable with the idea of him seeing it again. Furthermore the idea of not only showing it to Newt but Alby as well, only added to her feeling of unease. She fidgeted in her spot shifting her weight from leg to leg until finally she sighed. It's not a big deal…I should just get It over with.

Alby and Newts interest seem to increase, as if they realized that this was actually something.

Minho signalled for her to turn around she complied slightly turning so her back would be facing the others in the room. Pulling at the bottom of her shirt she lightly lifted halfway up her back, she knew it was high enough because of the reactions that followed.

"Shuck! you weren't kidding" Alby stated. His voice seemed confused and angry and Joanne figured that she probably wasn't going to be in his good books for a while.

"It's a buggin' maze!" Newt stated the obvious, he sounded absolutely shocked with the whole situation. There was a silence for while until Newt regained himself and spoke again. The tone of his voice had changed, it was much softer. "how high does it go?"

Joanne found this to be a very odd question given the situation. She figured that she would just tell him anyways. However, Minho, who obviously didn't understand the idea of personal boundaries or was simply ignoring them, lifted her shirt much higher allowing the whole tattoo to be seen.

"MINHO! What are you doing!?" Her voice squeaked out, which probably would have sounded pretty funny if the current situation hadn't been so serious.

"showing them the tattoo?" he acted like it was the stupidest question ever "now slim it green bean!"

Unsure of what to due about the sudden action she went for the: awkwardly stand still and blush approach. Blushing, as she had learned over these few days seemed to be her go to strategy when she didn't know what else to do. The air was cold on her stomach and he wished Minho would just drop her shirt already. Staring at the door, unsure of what to do with her hands, she became aware of how sensitive she was to the feeling of Minho's callused fingers against her back.

"How did you find this" Alby spoke

Minho grinned and before she could say anything, words were flying out of his mouth, "Well after you told us to get out, me and the greenie decided to head over to the storage room, ya know, to get to know each other a little better, and well stuff happened, shirts got lost and-"

"wait, you're the shank who found this?!" Newt pointed to the tattoo just as Minho had finally decided to drop the back of her shirt.

Joanne turned around but she was rather pale. Did Minho really just say that! And is he implying what I think he is? Is no one going to acknowledge this?!

"ya jealous?" Minho questioned, definitely implying what I thought he was…

If Joanne hadn't been so distracted by the comment and what she was going to do about it, she might of noticed the slight blush that was spreading across Newts cheeks. He quickly shook it off.

"That's not what happened!" Joanne defended, her voice higher than normal as she gave Minho the stink eye. It had no effect on him though, if anything his grin got bigger. "I had blood on my shirt and - "

"It doesn't matter Newbie" Alby cut her off rudely and then sighed "It's been a long day, I think we should get some sleep and deal with this tomorrow,"

Minho grunted

"good that" Newt added "We should keep quiet abut this until we know what to do"

There was an agreement throughout the room before they made there way to bed. Well walking to the homestead, Joanne was joined by both Newt and Minho, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy their company. Even if she hadn't been too happy with Minho's earlier comment. She couldn't say she didn't like him, but he was a handful no doubt. Even in spite of that, he definitely was growing on her.

"well," Minho said, throwing a arm lazily across her shoulders "you might turn out to be a lot of trouble "

"Huh" Joanne stuttered, blinking a few times at the comment. She looked to New but he didn't seem to be paying much attention.

"Good thing your cute!…right Newt?" Minho said pulling Joanne closer to his body, "might not be worth it if you looked like some of the other shanks here"

Joanne's heart beat faster, pounding against her chest. They were so close that she wondered if Minho could feel it against his side. did he really just say that? He thinks I'm cute…

"Leave the poor girl alone ya klunkhead" Newt said as he pushed the boys arm off her shoulders, it was friendly but there was a glare in his eyes "she doesn't need your ugly face added to her list of problems"

"oh shuck Newt, your just jealous because green bean took her shirt off of me and not you"

Joanne's breath caught in her chest, this was becoming interesting. She pursed her lips together, "Guys, seriously, I'm standing right here. I can hear everything your saying"

Morning came before Joanne was ready for it. She felt like she hadn't gotten any sleep for a month. It had just been a whirl wind of one thing after another since she arrived here.

She groaned when she felt Newts hand lay softy upon her shoulder. She wondered if it would be worth the argument to ask for five more minutes of sleep. She figured she wasn't in any position to do so, and so grudgingly woke up.

Breakfast was skipped that morning as Alby wanted to speak with the three of them first thing. Newt said it was because he still wanted the runners to go out today, and by that, he meant Newt and Minho.

She'd noticed that Newt had been quite around her since last night. She understood, things didn't look so good about her, so she didn't push it. It did make her a little upset however, Newt was the one person she wanted to trust here.

They walked back into the building they were in last night. Minho and Alby were already waiting for them already. There was no friendly good morning greetings, Alby wanted to get straight to business.

"So, what are we going to do about this" Alby stated, "that tattoo isn't making you look so innocent anymore"

"I honestly don't remember anything besides my name" she knew it was pointless to say because there was no reason for anyone to believe her. It was now that she started to realise that she may never gain the trust of any of them.

"It doesn't matter what you say"

Joanne pursed her lips, she been expecting that reply.

"maybe we don't have to view it as a bad thing" Newt suggested, "what if its simply a map, its possible that it could show the way out"

Alby didn't seem to agree with the theory, "why would the Creators put us here for two months expecting us to find a way out, then suddenly give us a map?"

He was right, it didn't make sense. Heck, none of this made sense… Joanne thought about what he said, analysing the sentence, they had been here for 2 months…She'd only been there three days and she was pretty sure she wouldnt last the week, not mentally at least. How have they survived for so long… how long will we have to survive…

"But why would they throw a kid down here with a giant shucking maze tattoo" Minho questioned "whats the point?"

"when have the creators ever made sense…there probably isn't a point" Newt replied

"or shes one of them" Alby said coldly.

She was starting to get the feeling that he was going to be against her no matter what. The funny part was, she didn't blame him. He had every right to accuse her and be unsure about the situation. She had no way of proving to him that she wasn't one of there so called 'creators', because she couldnt be sure that she wasn't. That was what she found to be the scariest, that she couldn't tell someone that she wasn't. She wanted to believe that she would never do anything like this, but she could remember who she was…

"well, maybe I am, maybe I'm not… but we wont figure it out just standing here" Joanne said looking to Minho, "you run the Maze everyday, we simply have to figure out the pattern and then compare it to my tattoo. Then at least we could cross it off being a map or not"

"one problem," Minho replied, "the Maze changes every night. There is no pattern"

What? How could that be? Joanne figured it was silly to ask, why would they know the reasons. no pattern…there has to be a pattern…. She thought for a moment.

"maybe it's a repeating pattern" She said, "do you have any record of the maze?"

Newt shook his head, "got a feeling we should start though. Unless you have a different idea" He looked to Alby with this question.

Alby did nothing, "it's a start, map the maze day by day, we'll figure out what to do after we have some more information."

"how are we suppose to remember that?" Minho didn't seem too pleased with the idea of mapping the maze.

"draw it as you run?" Joanne offered.

"two more things, we gotta get Matt buried" Joanne figured that Alby was talking about the boy that died last night. For some reason she couldn't help feel not only sick at mention of him, but slightly guilty…

"Ill start digging I guess" Minho said bitterly

"then that brings us to the second thing" Alby pointed directly at Joanne "I don't want her left alone, I don't trust her…"

Joanne stared at him, she knew that he didn't trust her, but she didn't think that that meant she'd have to be watched 24/7. "but-"

"Minho, you'll watch her today and Newt can run the Maze." Alby cut her off, she got the feeling that voice would no longer be heard by Alby. "We'll figure it out day by day"

Joanne had a defeated feeling in her heart. Things could have been much worse, but for some reason, this still felt awful. Newt and Alby passed by her, but she continued to stand in place, thinking out the outcomes of there situation, of her situation.

Walking out of the building with Minho, she watched as at one side of the Glade Alby stormed off to the homestead. At the other end, Newt swung a backpack onto his shoulders, standing in front of the doors, preparing for his venture into the Maze.

Minho lightly nudged her elbow and she looked up at his smiling face, "well, this is gonna be fun"

Joanne had a feeling that this was going to a long day.

Do my little routine here...Thank you so much for reading and supporting the story. It really does mean a lot to see those comments and even just watch the number of favorites and follows go up! If you have any questions or ideas and what not, don't hesitate to let me know, I love any and all feedback. A special thank you this week to: Catie-Choas, Jaegger and Morgenstern18! Also, I guess there is an apology to be had, as this chapter is day late. I'm sorry, this week was a little chaotic and this was kinda put on the back burner. However, I shall get an early start on the next chapter and hopefully it will be out on time next week. Hope you all enjoyed and have a fantastic day :)

Until next time,

Cheers.

p.s I still dont own anything from the maze runner franchise, darn...