RECKLESS [The Maze Runner || Newt || Book 1]

34 - Free

"WCKD is good."

Newt flinched when the gunshot went off, his eyes completely focused on the screen. He noticed Thomas moving towards a body in the distance and he realized it was the same woman from the recording. A loud buzzer suddenly sounded, followed by a hissing noise and Newt looked to the right where a set of doors opened.

"Is it over?" Chuck asked, looking at Thomas,

"She said we were important." He mumbled back at the boy,

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Newt questioned, staring at the open doors in front of them.

"I don't know. But let's get out of here." Thomas said, taking a step forward but stopping as a voice sounded from behind the group.

"No." Newt spun around to see Gally standing there, the metal key from the grievers in one hand and a gun in the other. He felt a pinch of hope in the back of his mind, just behind his fear, and he moved his eyes past the builder, looking behind him, praying for those familiar brown eyes to be staring back at him, for Clara to step in through that door. But his hope quickly dissipated as nobody else appeared behind the other boy.

"Gally?" Thomas asked, walking towards the builder.

"Don't." Teresa quickly said, stopping the boy from moving any closer, "Look. He's been stung."

"We can't leave," Gally mumbled, dropping a metal cylinder to the floor, the same as the one the group used to get through the door.

"We did, Gally we're out. We're free."

"Free? You think we're free out there? No. No, there's no escape from this place." He scoffed, raising the gun and aiming it at Thomas who carefully lifted his hands up, pleading with the boy,

"Gally, listen to me, you're not thinking straight. You're not. But we can help you. Just put down the gun."

"I belong to the maze." Gally whimpered,

"Just put down the gun."

"We all do." Newt flinched as a gunshot rang out, covering his face with his arms. He slowly moved them away, his eyes widening as he saw Gally, a spear now sticking out of the right side of his chest. 

The builder collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, the gun clattering on the floor next to him. Everyone in the group quickly looked around, checking themselves to make sure nobody had been shot.

"Thomas," Chuck mumbled and Newt felt his heart drop as he noticed a small red patch growing bigger on the boy's chest. Thomas looked down, catching Chuck before he fell over, laying him gently on the floor.

"Chuck? Shit. Shit!" He said, pressing down on the growing patch of blood on Chuck's shirt. "Look at me, Chuck! Alright! I'm sorry. No, no, no" He mumbled, tears spilling from his cheeks.

"Thomas... It's okay." Chuck gasped out, grabbing Thomas's hand, and shoving a small wooden sculpture into them, gasping for air.

"No, no, you're gonna give it to them yourself Chuck. Remember? I told you that."

"Take it. Thank you, Thomas." He whispered, choking slightly before releasing a final breath, his eyes rolling upwards but never closing.

"Chuck? Chuck! Hey! CHUCK COME ON!" Thomas yelled, his desperate cries filling the otherwise silent room. Newt clamped his hand over his mouth, trying to muffle his sobs as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"No, we made it, godammit! We made it, Chuck." Thomas sobbed into Chuck's chest, clutching hopelessly at his shirt. "DAMMIT!" He screamed just as a loud rumble echoed from behind the group. 

Newt spun around to see a door opening and several people dressed in black armor-like clothing holding large guns running towards them. They reached the group and yelled indistinctly. One of them grabbed Newt's arm, pushing him towards the door and yelling. He forced his legs to move, limping towards the door and he heard Thomas shouting behind him, turning quickly he saw them trying to drag him away from Chuck's body. 

He continued running forward, covering his eyes with his hands as he stepped out of the tunnel, the bright light blinding him. His eyes adjusted and he moved his hand away, trying not to fall over as he ran through thick sand, taking in all his surroundings. The people in uniforms ushered them towards a helicopter, offering a hand to all of them, helping them climb inside it and shutting the door before it lifted off the ground. Newt sat opposite a man who pulled down the black mask covering his face,

"You guys alright?" He asked, "Don't worry. You're safe now."

Newt looked out the window as they rose higher and higher, his eyes widening as he saw the maze in its entirety below them. Monstrous walls and winding passages became smaller and smaller as the helicopter moved away from it. He looked down as he realized that would be the last time he'd ever see the place he'd lived in for the past three years, the only home he could remember. Images of Clara flashed in his mind, and of Zart, Gally, and Alby, and Chuck. All of his friends who'd died to get them here and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, slumping back against the seat behind him.

"Relax kid. Everything's gonna change." The man spoke out again.

Newt closed his eyes, exhaustion running over his body, taking over. A final thought crossed his mind before sleep took over. They were free. 

They were finally free.