Error | The Maze Runner / Newt ? ?

{1.7}

My heart leaped into my throat. I saw nothing but blinding sunlight when I opened my eyes, making me automatically squeeze them shut again. The bed and I continued our descent from the Berg to the ground below until I landed with a harsh thud that made me wince at the pain that shot to my sensitive head. The bonds released me; I sat up to rub my wrists and stiff neck.

Almost immediately, a gentle hand was on my back. I saw Newt's face swimming through blurry vision. Not responding to his silent question of my wellbeing and groaning instead, my head flopped forward and buried itself in his neck.

"All right, then," he sighed, repositioning me so he could easily lift me. "Up you go."

I grunted as he picked me up as though I were a baby and carried me away from the stretcher they had lowered me on. I managed to open my eyes a crack and see the others swarming around Thomas, who seemed to be okay. That was good. It was great if he was no longer in pain.

I writhed uncomfortably in Newt's arms. The thudding in my head was intensifying with every one of his steps, making me difficult to carry.

"Dylan, stop that," Newt scolded like I was, in fact, a misbehaving toddler. I went still and huffed into his shirt. To change the subject, he said, "Looks like Tommy's on his feet. What in the world did they do to you two?"

I muttered incoherently again in response, shrugging my shoulders to show him I had no clue. The only thing that was awry was a strange, soft ticking noise like some sort of electronic device. I dismissed it as the Berg.

"LOADING COMPLETE."

I yelped at the sudden noise and toppled out of Newt's arms, hitting the ground with a pained cry at the stabbing of my brain it brought. Newt immediately bent down and asked me what was wrong. His confused expression churned my stomach.

"You didn't hear that?" I breathed, searching his eyes. Slowly, he shook his head and scrunched his eyebrows together. I shifted my gaze to the ground and plugged my right ear, fearing what the outcome would be.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"Oh my God," I muttered with my eyes widening in fear. "Oh my God. Oh my God."

"What?" Newt asked and shook me a little when I didn't respond. "Dyl, what the hell did they do to you?"

"They put something in my head," I responded bluntly, my eyes as wide as golf balls by now. "There is something in my head and it's ticking and won't stop."

"A bomb?" Minho suggested as he popped up from behind Newt, who turned and punched him in the arm. The Runner sent him a glare and rubbed the wounded spot. "Kidding. 'Course they wouldn't plant a bomb in her head."

"Hey, maybe it's..." Aris, too, stepped out of thin air and said nothing else. He only stared at me with his eyes searing into mine. The only result was discomfort at his blank stare.

"Dude, the shuck're you doing? That's creepy. Cut it out," Minho ordered.

Aris shrugged and broke our gaze. "Just wanted to see if it was the telepathy thing Thomas and I have. If she didn't hear anything, it's not that."

I shook my head. The ticking was getting seriously annoying. "I didn't get anything."

Minho grunted discontentedly. "Let's get to the shelter and we'll figure out what the shuck's goin' on from there."

Newt nodded and heaved me back up in his arms. Ever since the strange, electronic voice had spoken from in my head, the headache had dialed down to a throbbing ache. It was still enough to leave me disoriented and unable to see straight.