| chapter 26: when it's all over |

DAWN

We ran fast, and it didn't took long before we reached Section Eight. It quickly became obvious that the walls hadn't moved overnight. Everything was exactly the same. So there was no need for making notes. Our only task was to get to the end and make our way back. 

Minho had taught us that speaking was a waste of energy so we ran in silence.

Again I was counting the corners to keep myself concentrated.

Suddenly Thomas tripped and fell on the floor. I forced myself not to laugh. Quickly he jumped up and caught up with us. There was a frown on his face like he was...putting a lot of concentration in something. Maybe he was doing that weird mind thing with Teresa. I hadn't forgotten the day he jumped up and said that she talked to him in his mind. Maybe he was talking back now.

Two breaks later, Minho finally slowed to a walk as we headed down a long corridor that ended in a wall. He stopped and took a seat against the dead end. The ivy was especially thick there.

I sat down on the ground, breathing out slowly as I the cramps in my stomach slowly died down. 

Thomas joined us on the ground and we attacked our food.

'This is it,' Minho said. 'We've already run through the whole section. Surprise, surprise-no exits,'

I swallowed a bite of my bread. 'Don't forget the codes Minho. And the other Sections. Maybe the other Runners found something.' 

The Keeper just rolled his eyes at me and I decided to keep my mouth shut.

For the next few hours we scoured the ground, felt along walls, climbed up the ivy at random spots. We found nothing and even I felt my strength and hope leaving me. We had another meal and searched some more. We found nothing.

Maybe I just had to accept that there was nothing to be found and it was frustrading me. What was the purpose of those code words? Or was it just coincidence?

When it was wall-closing-time, we became more careful. We started looking for signs of Grievers, and watched every corner. All three of us had knives firmly in our hands. The weight of the weapon in my hand reminded me of what I did to Gally. I couldn't figure out if felt remorse of satisfaction.

Minho spotted a Griever disappearing around the corner ahead of us, but it didn't come back. Thirty minutes later, Thomas saw one doing the exact same thing. An hour after that, a Griever came charging through the Maze right past us, not even pausing.

My heart beat was speading up and my hands were getting sweaty. Maybe it was the fact that everything was behaving odd that scared me.

'I think they're playing with us,' Minho said a while later. 

'How?' I asked.

The Keeper sighed. 'I think the Creators want us to know there's no way out. The walls aren't even moving anymore, it's like this has all just been some stupid game and it's time to end. And they want us to go back and tell the other Gladers. How much you wanna bet when we get back we find a Griever took one of them just like last night? I think Gally was right, they're gonna just keep killing us.'

Thomas and I didn't respond because it wasn't nessecary. We were all feeling hopeless and the situation didn't make it any better.

'Let's just go home,' Minho said, his voice weary. 

I turned to him, suddenl feeling determined 'Are you crazy?' 

Minho turned to me, a frown on his face. 

I shook my head at him. 'We can't give up, not now.' 

'And what do you want to do? Kiss the wall and hope it will open? Because it won't, it shucking won't!'

I blinked and looked surprised at the Keeper. Never before had I seen him like this, like all the life had been drained from him. 'Minho, I know we can't-' 'No, you don't understand,' he interrupted me. 

Thomas walked forwards, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder but Minho didn't calm down.

'You have been here for what? Three weeks? I've been here for two years! Nothing ever changed, and every greenie that shows up hopes it will. We all hoped it would. But it didn't, it never changed. And just because you shanks suddenly showed up doesn't mean we will find a magical exit after two years.'

Anger flared through my body. 'Of course I don't expect that! All I'm saying is that we can't give up. We still have to code, we just have to-' I took a deep breath, cutting myself off. 

Minho gave me a sarcastic smile. 'See, you can pretend all you want, but you know you've given up. You know that code is useless. Just admit.'

I bit my lip. I hated to give into this, to really admit that there wasn't anything to be found. Thomas nodded at me and I just sighed. 'Fine.' I mumbled, knowing there was nothing else we could do.

We silently made our way back to the Glade. And didn't see another Griever the whole way.

According to my watch it was noon when we stepped through the West Door back into the Glade. We had been in the Maze for roughly twenty-four hours, but I was mentally more exhausted than psychically.

It was such a disappointment to go out there every day only to find nothing but walls and ivy. I could only imagine how that must be for the Gladers who had been here more than a year. Surprisingly, despite the dead light and everything falling apart, the day in the Glade appeared to be proceeding business as usual, farming, gardening, cleaning. It didn't take long for some boys to notice us standing here. But I didn't feel like doing anything anymore. Never.

Newt spotted us came walking towards us. Even seeing him couldn't brighten my mood. 'You're the first to come back,' He said as he walked up to us. 'What happened?' The hopeful look on his face broke my heart. 'Tell me you've got good news,' he all but whispered. 

I looked away, not wanting him to look in my eyes. 

Minho's eyes were dead, staring at a spot somewhere in the far distance. 'Nothing,' he said. 'The Maze is a big freaking joke.'

Newt looked at me and Thomas. 'What's he talking about?'

I opened my mouth but closed it again. I had no strength left to explain it all to him.

'He's just discouraged,' Thomas said with a weary shrug. 'We didn't find anything different. The walls haven't moved, no exits, nothing. Did the Grievers come back last night?'

Newt paused, darkness passing over his face. Finally he nodded. 'Yeah. They took Adam.'

I hadn't known Adam and I had no strength left to feel sorry for him. In fact, I had no idea what I felt, all my emotions seemed to have been thrown on a pile, leaving me to figure out the mess.

Newt was about to say something when Minho freaked out. 'I'm sick of this!' He spat in the ivy, veins popping out of his neck. 'I'm sick of it! It's over! It's all over!' He took his backpack and thew it on the ground. 'There's no exit, never was, never will be. We're all shucked.' Then he stomped off toward the Homestead. 

Newt looked at me but I took a deep breath shook my head and walked away.

Minho was right.

It was over.