Fast As A Bullet {Maze Runner}

t h r e e

"And what about the Box? Next time it comes up—" Thomas starts but Newt cuts him off.

"No, we tried that. The Box won't go back down with someone in it." Leanne nods her head in agreement as she walks up to them.

"Okay... What if we—" It's Leanne's turn to cut him off.

"No, we tried it. Alright?" She says harshly, sighing. "Twice. All right?" Leanne puts the sticks in her hands down next to the others she was gathering. "Anything you think of, we've already tried it."

"The only way out is through the Maze." Newt adds. "Now, look, you wanna be helpful? Go dig us up some more fertilizer." Leanne picks up the bucket next to her pile of sticks and passes it to him.

She waits as Thomas walks off into the forest until speaking. "Well he's a handful."

"He just wants to get out. Everyone's like that when they first get here." Newt shakes his head before going back to gardening.

"I guess..." Leanne mumbles, then walks off towards the tree line —where Thomas disappeared— to go get more sticks. She bends down to pick up a large branch on the ground when she hears yelling. Looking out into the forest, then looking back to the boys who haven't heard anything, she takes a few steps into the forest. "Thomas?" She calls out.

Keeping the large branch in one hand, she takes another step but stops shortly when she hears more yelling. Thomas runs out of the forest a couple meters to her right, yelling for help. Leanne frowns, but suddenly everything becomes a little clearer when Ben comes running out of the tree line, chasing Thomas. The yelling attracts the other Gladers' attention, and they start to make their ways over as well. Ben tackles Thomas to the ground, climbing on top of him. "I'll kill you!" He yells. Before Ben can do anything else to Thomas, Leanne lifts the large stick in her hands and swings it. It hits Ben right on the side of his head, sending him crashing off Thomas. The brunette quickly grabs onto Thomas' hands, pulling him up to a standing position as Gally and Newt pin Ben down.

"Calm down Ben." Gally tells him.

"What the hell happened?" Frypan asks.

"He just attacked me." Thomas exclaims, bending over and resting his hands on his knees.

Alby arrives. "No, no, no," Ben mumbles.

"Lift his shirt." Alby says. "Lift his shirt!" He repeats again quickly. Ben continues to protest as the boys lift his shirt, revealing the dark spot with black veins blossoming from it.

"He's been stung." Gally states, looking over at Alby questioningly. "In the middle of the day?"

Everyone's silent for a second before Alby speaks up. "Put him in the pit." He tells them.

Ben continues to protest and struggle as the boys lift him up. "Med-jack!" Newt nods. Leanne goes to follow them but Jeff nods to her, following them instead.

"Calm down," She hears Gally tell him. Ben continues to yell as they pull him away, and the other boys slowly disperse.

Leanne eyes Thomas from head to toe. "Follow me." She says, nodding her head towards the Med-jacks hut. Thomas trails behind her towards the hut, and follows her inside. "Sit." She orders. He sits down on the edge of one of the cots set up in there. She bustled around, grabbing some bandages and tape. She then sits beside him on the edge of the bed, facing him. She hesitantly raises her hands to touch his neck. He flinched slightly but doesn't move back. Pressing down lightly with her fingers, he flinches again. "You'll have a little bruising, but it's nothing major." She brings her hands down just to pick up his left wrist where she'd noticed the crescent nail marks earlier. "And these," The girl says lightly as she wraps the bandage around his arm on top of the injury twice. "Will go away soon, without any scarring." She finishes up, taping it down. "You'll be good as new in no time!" She drops his wrist, letting it fall down into his lap. "Are you okay?"