Chapter 8

As Chuck had predicted, the screams started the following day. It seemed people took the change differently, so not everybody started at once, but by the third day everybody was screaming and the remaining gladers felt like ripping their ears off.

They couldn't stay like this though; supplies were gathered and sorted into boxes for temporary storage, the medjacks used moss for earphones to cancel out the sound, and even the runners returned to trying to find the code, though a lot more cautiously.

Thomas mostly stayed by Newt's side, hoping that his presence might ease the pain but it did absolutely nothing but make his hand hurt with how hard Newt squeezed it. He tried to stay distracted by helping around; planting new seeds, feeding the animals, and even cooking a couple mornings. Thankfully the rain had stopped, but now everywhere was as muddy as the pig pen.

Winston was alive too, so every major department had somebody covering it.. Except the gardening, that was always Newt's favourite, but it wasn't too hard of a job to do. Thomas was just glad that everyone that he cared about – except Alby – was still alive. Newt was going to take that news hard when he woke up, and he'd rather someone else told him.

Chuck was like a leach. The poor thing was so shaken by the event that he spent most time right next to Thomas, helping with all his jobs and only leaving him alone when he was with Newt. Despite it getting annoying, Thomas enjoyed the company. Chuck was like a little brother to him, somebody he wanted to protect with his life.

It was just before the walls were closing that Minho returned, running straight for their camp. "Guys! I know where the code is!"

Thomas jumped up from where he was siting beside Newt. "You're pulling my leg."

Minho didn't look happy about it. "Jim died.. the Mourner got to him. He was barely breathing when I found him, but he told me where it is. It's on the Mourner's tail. He tried to push the tail out of him, and he saw numbers printed on each of the little sections. He saw a seven at one end and two at the other, so we know the beginning and end numbers now."

"How is WICKED expecting us to get close enough to that thing to get the code off its tail!? I don't know about you, but I'd rather I nor anyone else got close enough to that thing to read them. We don't exactly have cameras unlike WICKED and these bugs, so pictures aren't an option."

"I'll do it." Chuck said, walking over to them.

"What? Chuck no-" Thomas protested, "we don't even have a strategy yet. I'm sure there's another way- I'm not going to let you strut off to find that thing in the maze and look at its tail. You could get killed! Or be in a coma like everyone around us!"

"Well if I go into a coma, then I'll be alright in the end."

Thomas huffed and was about to continue when Minho put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Now isn't the time to be discussing who's doing what. We're going to derive a strategy first, alright?" Minho said, taking authority and the two boys nodded reluctantly. "Good that. Now let's eat, I'm absolutely starving."

~*~

Thomas was finally running again the next day, leaping into the familiarity of his assigned maze section; but with the fact of knowing where the code was, why were they running when they should be thinking up strategies or looking for the damned thing? Unless they were somehow looking for where the code should be entered, this entire run was pointless.

Either way, Chuck was virtually offering himself as a sacrifice but Thomas was having none of it. He'd promised to protect him, to find his parents for him when they got out the maze, and he still planned on Chuck being there to find them with him. He wouldn't let their youngest member give away their life so carelessly.

Thomas' thoughts were brought to a sudden halt when he ran smack into a dead end. The force made him lose his balance but he didn't fall, quickly regaining his composure and gathering him bearings before turning round to the nearest clearing and break for a few minutes.

Reaching his area, he sat down to catch some breath and eat something light. That was when heard quiet footsteps behind him and he spun round, knife gripped in his hand. The person stood there, was no other than Chuck. "Chuck? What are you doing out here!?" Thomas shouted at him, but hushed so the Mourner couldn't hear if it was nearby.

"I followed.. you.. out here.." He was out of breath and close to collapse, "maybe I could.. see.. the.. Mourner.."

Thomas sighed, putting his things away. "Follow me, I'm taking you back to the glade. You've broken the priority rule, like I did! With Minho not around, Alby dead, and Newt in a coma, Gally has control of the camp and he's not going to let you off lightly if he catches you! If you're gone too long he'll get suspicious... But you would be safe in the slammer.." He muttered the last part to himself.

"Alright!" Chuck looked ready to cry. "I just want to help. I feel so useless around camp, I was on dunny duty before all this klunk happened so I was useless then and I'm still useless now."

"Your job doesn't define you. You're not useless, I promise you that.. Now let's get you back before you become shank for life."

Chuck nodded sadly, reluctant to go back. He sulked back with Thomas to the glade, thankfully unseen by anybody, Most were tending to the screaming boys under their little shelter. "I'm going to check in another direction for the last half hour, but don't tell anyone where you've been, okay? I don't want you getting punished or hurt. I care about you." Chuck looked the other way. "I'll see you in a bit."

Thomas turned and ran back into the maze, disappearing round the corner. Chuck returned and picked up a random shovel to look like he knew what he was doing, heading towards some other people carrying shovels.

Some were working on the homestead so Chuck wandered over to try and help them instead. It was tough work, but the three of them managed to fix the ground floor of the homestead, in an almost better condition than it was to begin with. Chuck felt quite proud of himself after that, feeling a bit better about things.

Thomas returned later on, same time as always and headed straight for Newt. "I'm back, I told you I would be." He stroked his hair back from his face.

Everyone awake knew about Thomas' feelings, they were so obvious, so he gave Chuck permission to spill beans on what he walked in on. Newt wouldn't be happy about it, but he didn't get a say in it right now. "Thomas, leave your lover boy alone and come help with the fire, would you?"

"Coming" After all that had happened, Gally's opinion had only worsened on Thomas but they seemed to have some form of unspoken truce going on to not bicker at one another. "I'll be back to sleep, alright?" He kissed Newt's forehead, feeling the heat practically radiate off his face, almost burning his lips. "Promise."

~*~

The eleven awake all sat round the fire, munching on chicken and discussing possible strategies. With so few of them, and such a pandemic, Gally and Minho decided to get everyone in on their current plans. None of them could sleep anyway, the screaming keeping them all awake though a few had stopped now. "How long till the Mourner comes back?" Gally asked.

"I think WICKED are bored and just want some sick entertainment, so unless we find this exit quick then I think fairly soon." Minho responded, hands clasped between his legs, leaning forward.

"So unless we somehow get its tail, we're not going to find this code. We can't do it at night because I think it disappears and the grievers take over. Definite daytime creature because it only appeared not long after the walls were meant to open." Thomas piped.

"Meaning we either wait for a massacre to finish off what's left of us, or we find it first." Thomas shared a glance with Chuck as Gally spoke, but he was avoiding his gaze. "But of course, we can't all go because people here need to be looked after, they could wake up any day now. Then again, that monster could also come back any day now."

"So you're saying people who aren't runners should start going out tomorrow? In groups?"

Gally nodded. "I think it would be best."

"So.. Who's going to allocate them?"

"We'll discuss them in the morning, I don't think any of us will be getting very much sleep tonight. We can decide on some slightly more alert brains."

Everyone got up, going in their separate directions, either to their own bed or beside a friend. Thomas of course went to Newt, lying down beside him on the grass and holding his sweaty hand. His body twitched left and right, his head constantly turning side to side.. but no screams escaped him. Maybe Thomas could manage a couple hours sleep after all."