Thomas wondered long and hard about Alby. It’d seemed such a victory just to save his life, bring him
back from a night in the Maze. But had it been worth it? Now the boy was in intense pain, going through
the same things as Ben. And what if he became as psychotic as Ben? Troubling thoughts all around.
Twilight fell upon the Glade and Alby’s screams continued to haunt the air. It was impossible to escape
the terrible sound, even after Thomas finally talked the Med-jacks into letting him go—weary, sore,
bandaged, but tired of the piercing, agonized wails of their leader. Newt had adamantly refused when
Thomas asked to see the person he’d risked his life for. It’ll only make it worse, he’d said, and would not
be swayed.
Thomas was too tired to put up a fight. He’d had no idea it was possible to feel so exhausted, despite
the few hours of sleep he’d gotten. He’d hurt too much to do anything after that, and had spent most of the
day on a bench on the outskirts of the Deadheads, wallowing in despair. The elation of his escape had
faded rapidly, leaving him with pain and thoughts of his new life in the Glade. Every muscle ached; cuts
and bruises covered him from head to toe. But even that wasn’t as bad as the heavy emotional weight of
what he’d been through the previous night. It seemed as if all the realities of living there had finally
settled in his mind, like hearing a final diagnosis of terminal cancer.
How could anyone ever be happy in a life like this? he thought. Then, How could anyone be evil
enough to do this to us? He understood more than ever the passion the Gladers felt for finding their way
out of the Maze. It wasn’t just a matter of escape. For the first time, he felt a hunger to get revenge on the
people responsible for sending him there.
But those thoughts just led back to the hopelessness that had filled him so many times already. If Newt
and the others hadn’t been able to solve the Maze after two years of searching, it seemed impossible there
could actually be a solution. The fact that the Gladers hadn’t given up said more about these people than
anything else.
And now he was one of them.
This is my life, he thought. Living in a giant maze, surrounded by hideous beasts. Sadness filled him
like a heavy poison. Alby’s screams, now distant but still audible, only made it worse. He had to squeeze
his hands to his ears every time he heard them.
Eventually, the day dragged to a close, and the setting of the sun brought the now-familiar grinding of
the four Doors closing for the night. Thomas had no memory of his life before the Box, but he was
positive he’d finished the worst twenty-four hours of his existence.
Just after dark, Chuck brought him some dinner and a big glass of cold water.
“Thanks,” Thomas said, feeling a burst of warmth for the kid. He scooped the beef and noodles off the
plate as fast as his aching arms could move. “I so needed this,” he mumbled through a huge bite. He took a
big swig of his drink, then went back to attacking the food. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until
he’d started eating.
“You’re disgusting when you eat,” Chuck said, sitting on the bench next to him. “It’s like watching a
starving pig eat his own klunk.”
“That’s funny,” Thomas said, sarcasm lacing his voice. “You should go entertain the Grievers—see if
they laugh.”
A quick expression of hurt flashed across Chuck’s face, making Thomas feel bad, but vanished almost
as fast as it had appeared. “That reminds me—you’re the talk of the town.”
Thomas sat up straighter, not sure how he felt about the news. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, gee, let me think. First, you go out in the Maze when you’re not supposed to, at night. Then you
turn into some kind of freaky jungle dude, climbing vines and tying people up on walls. Next, you become
one of the first people ever to survive an entire night outside the Glade, and to top it all off you kill four
Grievers. Can’t imagine what those shanks are talking about.”
A surge of pride filled Thomas’s body, then fizzled. Thomas was sickened by the happiness he’d just
felt. Alby was still in bed, screaming his head off in pain—probably wishing he were dead. “Tricking
them to go over the Cliff was Minho’s idea, not mine.”
“Not according to him. He saw you do the wait-and-dive thingy, then had the idea to do the same thing
at the Cliff.”
“The ‘wait-and-dive thingy’?” Thomas asked, rolling his eyes. “Any idiot on the planet would’ve done
that.”
“Don’t get all humbly bumbly on us—what you did is freaking unbelievable. You and Minho, both.”
Thomas tossed the empty plate on the ground, suddenly angry. “Then why do I feel so crappy, Chuck?
Wanna answer me that?”
Thomas searched Chuck’s face for an answer, but by the looks of it he didn’t have one. The boy just sat
clasping his hands as he leaned forward on his knees, head hanging. Finally, half under his breath, he
murmured, “Same reason we all feel crappy.”
They sat in silence until, a few minutes later, Newt walked up, looking like death on two feet. He sat on
the ground in front of them, as sad and worried as any person could possibly appear. Still, Thomas was
glad to have him around.
“I think the worst part’s over,” Newt said. “The bugger should be sleepin’ for a couple of days, then
wake up okay. Maybe a little screaming now and then.”
Thomas couldn’t imagine how bad the whole ordeal must be—but the whole process of the Changing
was still a mystery to him. He turned to the older boy, trying his best to be casual. “Newt, what’s he going
through up there? Seriously, I don’t get what this Changing thing is.”
Newt’s response startled Thomas. “You think we do?” he spat, throwing his arms up, then slapping
them back down on his knees. “All we bloody know is if the Grievers sting you with their nasty needles,
you inject the Grief Serum or you die. If you do get the Serum, then your body wigs out and shakes and
your skin bubbles and turns a freaky green color and you vomit all over yourself. Enough explanation for
ya there, Tommy?”
Thomas frowned. He didn’t want to make Newt any more upset than he already was, but he needed
answers. “Hey, I know it sucks to see your friend go through that, but I just want to know what’s really
happening up there. Why do you call it the Changing?”
Newt relaxed, seemed to shrink, even, and sighed. “It brings back memories. Just little snippets, but
definite memories of before we came to this horrible place. Anyone who goes through it acts like a
bloody psycho when it’s over—although usually not as bad as poor Ben. Anyway, it’s like being given
your old life back, only to have it snatched away again.”
Thomas’s mind was churning. “Are you sure?” he asked.
Newt looked confused. “What do you mean? Sure about what?”
“Are they changed because they want to go back to their old life, or is it because they’re so depressed
at realizing their old life was no better than what we have now?”
Newt stared at him for a second, then looked away, seemingly deep in thought. “Shanks who’ve been
through it’ll never really talk about it. They get … different. Unlikable. There’s a handful around the
Glade, but I can’t stand to be around them.” His voice was distant, his eyes having strayed to a certain
blank spot in the woods. Thomas knew he was thinking about how Alby might never be the same again.
“Tell me about it,” Chuck chimed in. “Gally’s the worst of ’em all.”
“Anything new on the girl?” Thomas asked, changing the subject. He was in no mood to talk about
Gally. Plus, his thoughts kept going back to her. “I saw the Med-jacks feeding her upstairs.”
“No,” Newt answered. “Still in the buggin’ coma, or whatever it is. Every once in a while she’ll
mumble something—nonsense, like she’s dreaming. She takes the food, seems to be doing all right. It’s
kind of weird.”
A long pause followed, as if the three of them were trying to come up with an explanation for the girl.
Thomas wondered again about his inexplicable feeling of connection with her, though it had faded a little
—but that could have been because of everything else occupying his thoughts.
Newt finally broke the silence. “Anyway, next up—figure out what we do with Tommy here.”
Thomas perked up at that, confused by the statement. “Do with me? What’re you talking about?”
Newt stood, stretched his arms. “Turned this whole place upside down, you bloody shank. Half the
Gladers think you’re God, the other half wanna throw your butt down the Box Hole. Lotta stuff to talk
about.”
“Like what?” Thomas didn’t know which was more unsettling—that people thought he was some kind
of hero, or that some wished he didn’t exist.
“Patience,” Newt said. “You’ll find out after the wake-up.”
“Tomorrow? Why?” Thomas didn’t like the sound of this.
“I’ve called a Gathering. And you’ll be there. You’re the only buggin’ thing on the agenda.”
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Thomas to wonder why in the world a Gathering
was needed just to talk about him.
REEEE
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