INNOVATION -
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

⚘ SURVIVORS ⚘

The two had stayed up all night long, re-reading the note and trying to make sense of the new information. Trying to forget about the Maze and their friends whom were stuck inside.

Yet when sunrise came Kalisa couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. They could have made it, despite it never being done before. Those three were strong, and there was a first time for everything right?

    So that morning, when the Glade rumbled and the doors slid apart, Kalisa found herself running after Newt, racing to the West door, hoping to see their friends alive and well.

    Or as well as they could be.

    All thoughts about the note were forgotten as they stopped in front of the door, eyes wide with expectations. But there was nothing. Not even a Beetle Blade. Just pure walls and ivy, as always.

    Kalisa felt a soul crushing hole tear into her heart, she had been holding out faith that they would make it back, and now she knew they wouldn't. Thomas had died in vain, Alby in pain, and Minho trying to protect both.

    "Anything?" Chuck ran over to them, soon joined by the rest of the Gladers. Kalisa couldn't bear to meet his eyes and disappoint him.

    "Alright listen up, all of you." Newt called out, capturing the Glades attention. He was not the crying boy from last night, he stood tall and confidently, though anyone who looked closely would be able to hear a slight tremor to his words. "As second in command I took an oath to lead this Glade if our leader is unable to."

    He paused with a shakey breath. "Minho, Keeper of the Runners, Thomas, our Greenie, and Alby, our leader... are gone." There was a hum of sadness and shock. Three in one night.

    "From now on there are going to be some changes. Firstly"- He never got to finish. "Look!" Chuck cried out, pointing to something within the Maze.

    For a moment Kalisa thought it was a Griever, but upon squinting and taking a step closer she could make out two boys, both tall and muscular.

    Thomas and Minho.

    A wave of relief hit her, they had made it. They were alive despite all the odds being against them.

    "Holy shit," Newt cursed, abandoning the rules and running out to meet the boys in the Maze. Kalisa waited a beat before following, the other Gladers too scared to move just watched.

    Looking at and being in the Maze were two very different things, that was the first thing Kalisa noticied. From outside you could tell the walls were huge, you could tell the turns were endless, each corner hiding a new terror. But inside... it was like the walls were swallowing you whole. Like the ivy were thousands of snakes yearning to attack. Kalisa's nightmare hadn't done the structure justice.

    When she caught up to Newt he was just beginning to question the two boys. "What happened?"

    "How did you guys make it?" Kalisa added. "We'll tell you later, first we need to save Alby."

    Newt and Kalisa shared a glance, "What do you mean save Alby? He's alive?" Newt looked pale.

    "Just come here." Thomas grabbed their arms and pulled them to one of the walls. Kalisa watched as he scanned the rows of ivy before finding something, and pointing. "There."

    Kalisa followed his finger stories high until her eyes met a flash of color. A dark skinned boy wearing dirty clothes with dried blood covering them dangled by his arms and legs. Like a pupet. Alby.

    "Is he... alive?" Newt questioned, too shellshocked to move.

    "I don't know. He was when I left him up there." Thomas answered, seeming exhausted.

    Newt muttered something under his breath and faced the two boys, "You and Minho get your butts inside, get yourselfs checked by the Med-jacks. You look bloody awful. Once your all checked up and rested, I want the full story."

    Thomas looked like he was about to protest but Minho cut him off, "We need sleep. And bandages. Now."

    Thomas sighed but didn't say anything more before following after the Runner, the whole Glade watching them go.

    When they dissapeared from sight Kalisa glanced up at Alby. "How're we gonna get him down?"

    "I wanna know how that shank got him up here in the first place." Newt shook his head in amazment. "Builders!" He called.

    A group of strong boys that included Gally stepped forward, "Think you can get our shuck leader down from there? From the looks of it he's gonna need the serum." The words sent chills down Kalisa's spine.

    After a moment hesitation they entered the Maze. "Good. Now how 'bout we go check on the other two. I have a lot of questions." Newt looked at her expectantly. "Me too," Kalisa nodded.

    They left the Maze much to Kalisa's relief. It was suffocating in there, she wasn't sure how she could've possibly survived a night within it's walls. She wasn't sure how anyone could for that matter. But three had. And they were about to find out how.

༻✧༺

    When Thomas and Minho had finally been cared for they both instantly fell asleep, not giving Newt or Kalisa much time to question them. Though she couldn't blame them, they looked like death. She just hoped they would awake soon.

    In the mean time Newt had been rounded off by some of the other Gladers dying to voice their opinions. Some were good, others made Kalisa concerned for the brain power behind some of the boys here.

    "He's our ticket out of this place Newt! I know he is! I mean- no one's ever survived a night in the Maze and he's only been here a few days and he has!" A 14 year old boy exclaimed.

    "I don't trust it. I mean how is it possible that out of every shank here, the Greenie is the one to survive. He's hidin' something, I swear it." Charlie, one of the Builders stated.

    "Alright, alright, enough!" Newt exploded when yet another boy pushed their way to the front to voice his opinion. "We'll have a Gathering for Thomas tomorrow, when he's well rested and patched up. Until then all of you get back to work, you don't get to slack off just because they survived."

    Kalisa tried to work in the Blood house, but she kept getting distracted. More than anything she wanted to just understand. Understand how they survived. Understand why Thomas ran in. Understand what her note meant. Nothing made sense anymore.

    When Winston had finally dismissed her and Henry, they started off for the Homestead, the smell of Frypans roasted carrots guiding their noses.

    Before she could make a move to stand in the line of Gladers, Chuck waved her over, and to her surprise he was sitting next to none other than Thomas.

    Kalisa bounced over, food temporarily forgotten. "Well look who woke up. How're you feeling?" She questioned, placing herself on the bench next to Chuck and across from Thomas.

    "Fine." The boy winced when a sudden scream broke through the Glade.

    "It's Alby." Chuck explained. "He just started the Changing."

Kalisa felt cold as another scream sounded, this time louder and more agonizing. She recalled when Ben had been put through the same thing just mere days ago.

"Thomas what happened out there?" Kalisa questioned, unable to resist any longer.

Thomas paused before meeting her gaze, "I couldn't just stand there and watch. I know I shouldn't have run in, but... I think it was the right thing to do. And I would do it again."

"You're just lucky you survived." Kalisa stated.

"There were Grievers. Dozens of them. Me and Minho got split up at the beginning. I didn't know where to go so I just ran." He took a breath. "I- I almost got stung."

Thomas had Kalisa and Chucks full attention now. "But I managed to outrun it and find Minho. He saw me outsmart the monster by juking it when it charged so we decided to try to run them off the Cliff."

"Whats the Cliff?" Chuck asked.

"It's an actual Cliff, at the very end of the Maze. It doesn't go anywhere, theres nothing beyond it or beneath it. Just fog.... I think." Thomas sat in thought before adding, "Anyways we were able to throw a few off the Cliff and by then it was morning. We made it."

"Wow." Kalisa exhaled. "Thats amazing. Really. We thought we'd never see you guys again... it was an intense night."

"There was something else," Thomas spoke up again. "In the Maze."

Kalisa looked to him curiously. "On the Beetle Blades there were these letters... I think that they might be from the Creators."

"Wicked?" Kalisa cut him off.

Thomas turned to her with wide eyes, "How did you know that?"

At that moment Newt joined them at the table, slumping down next to Thomas. "Well I think the worst of it is over. The bugger should be sleepin' for a couple days, then wake up okay. Maybe a little screamin' now and then."

"Newt, whats goin' on up there?" Thomas asked. "Seriously, I don't get what this Changing thing is."

Newt looked at him harshly, "You think we do? All we know is that the Grievers sting you with their nasty needles, then you inject the Grief serum or you die. If you do get the serum your body wigs out and your skin turns this green color and then you vomit all over yourself. That enough explanation for you Tommy?" Newt snapped.

Thomas remained calm, "Hey, I know it sucks to see your friend go through that, but I just wanna know what's really happening up there. Why do you call it the Changing?"

Newt met Kalisa's eyes and he slumped down, clearly too tired to continue arguing. "It bring back memories. Just little snippits, but definite memories of before we came to this horrible place. Anyone who goes through it acts like a bloody psycho when its over- although not usually as bad as poor Ben." Newt paused. "Anyways it's like being given back your old life before it's snatched away again."

Kalisa listened intently, this was the first real description of the even she'd heard. It was as much of a mystery to her as it was to Thomas.

"Are you sure?" The dark haired boy asked. "What do you mean?" Newt frowned.

"I mean 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 is no better than the life we have now?" Thomas stated, clearly thinking hard.

Newt looked away, deep in thought now. "Shanks who've been through it don't talk about it much, they get different.... unlikeable. There's a handful around the Glade but I can't stand to be around them."

"Tell me about it, Gally's the worst." Chuck stated, taking a large bite from his meal.

"Anything on the new girl?" Thomas changed the subject smoothly. In all the hasteful events Kalisa had nearly forgotten there was another girl in the Glade.

"Nope. Still in the buggin' coma or whatever it is. Every once in a while she'll mumble somethin' - like she'd dreamin', it's kinda weird." Newt explained.

"Anyways, next up we need to figure out what to do with Tommy here." Newt leaned forward, breaking the silence.

"What are you talking about?" Thomas questioned, almost looking offended.

"Turned this whole place upsidedown you shank. Half the Gladers think your God, the other half wanna throw your butt down the Box Hole. Lotta stuff to talk about." For a brief moment Newt's eyes met Kalisa, clearly thinking of the note.

"Like what?" Thomas pressed, not missing the look.

"Patience," Newt said as he stood from their table. "You'll find out a wake up tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, why?"

"I've called a Gathering. And you'll be there," He glanced at Kalisa, "And so will you." Her blood ran cold.

"You both are the only buggin' thing on the agenda." Newt gave her a soft smile, causing a wave of calmness to run through her, though the thought of being before all the boys tomorrow with her note was enough to cause an aneurysm.

"Why do we both need a Gathering?" Thomas turned his questions to the girl.

"I have some ideas."

And boom, chapter 21. This was a kind of slow chapter, but don't worry, the next few are very exciting! Thank you guys so much for 530 reads! It is absolutely unbelievable and I am so, so grateful! I hope you're enjoying Innovation so far, and expect another update soon! Happy reading!

1/15/24

2135 words