The entire group of Gladers stared ahead, seemingly frozen as their eyes bore into the milky surface that Minho had just walked through. Jessica was the first to break free, shaking her head, "Alright, who's next?" she asked, and the rest seemed to recompose themselves.

One by one, Thomas, Newt, and Jessica herded them to the portal, convincing them to walk through the gray mist. Some went without question, staring blankly ahead, while others took a nudge to get to the surface. Eventually, all the Gladers were in, aside from the trio.

"Let me guess," Jessica started, turning to Newt, "me first?"

"Actually no," he said, taking a step past her, "I'm going before you, and if you hear any screaming, don't follow me."

She rolled her eyes, but was reluctant as his hand slipped out of hers. He took a step towards it, putting his hand out in front of him, then stepping through slowly before the shimmering sheet swallowed him whole.

Jessica looked to Thomas, who then gestured towards the flat trans, "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman," she said sarcastically before taking a tentative step.

Jessica figured it would be like stepping through mist, except it was worse than that. While the room behind her was a comfortable temperature, pushing her way through the flat trans was like pushing herself through a frozen lake, and made her take a sharp intake of breath. It wasn't quick either, it seemed like the mist was thicker once inside of it, and her ankles and hands stung as it's icy tendrils billowed around her.

Grunting, she waved and pushed until her feet were on solid ground again, and the cold sensation of floating through nothingness morphed into the realization that she couldn't see.

Anything, at all.

She blinked a couple times, wondering for a fleeting moment if she'd gone blind, before she heard voices on either side of her.

"That is my hand Frypan!"

"Quit dinkin' around Winston, I can't see a bugging thing!"

"None of us can ya shank, now get off my foot!"

"I ain't on ya foot, slint-head!"

Jessica felt something wriggle underneath her foot and immediately wrenched her boot up, "Sorry guys."

"Jessie's here!" Frypan yelled from somewhere close to her right shoulder, and she felt a hand grab for her face.

"Frypan, what are you- get off me!" she laughed despite herself, grabbing his hand and placing it on her shoulder.

"Everyone quiet down, we're trying to figure out if we're all here or not!" Minho's voiced boomed over the group, but did little to quiet the teens.

Jessica was about to ask him just how exactly he was going to go about doing that when something solid rammed into the back of her, nearly knocking her off her feet.

"Holy klunk!"

"Ow! Watch where you're going shank!"

"Oh, it's just you Jessie."

Jessica huffed, feeling a hand grope up her elbow and she rolled her eyes in the dark, reaching down and pulling up the boy at her feet,"Thanks Tom, love you too."

She swore she could see a flash of white teeth as he grinned up at her, but she could barely see her own hand in front of her face, so she knew it was her imagination.

"All right you bloody bunch, we're starting with the builders, then medjacks, runners and so on, if you can find your old working groups great, if not, try not to all yell at once."

Jessica sighed at the sound of Newts voice, bumping into Thomas when he tugged on her ponytail.

"Found my old working group," She could hear the smile in his voice and even though he couldn't see shot him one or her own.

"I think we're all Runners now, Tom."

He hummed, hand still gripping her short hair, "Maybe you're right."

"Builders, sound off!" Newt shouted.

Names were shouted from all over the alley, or maybe it was a tunnel, Jessica couldn't tell.

"Is that all?" Newt asked, the silence that followed confirmed those were the last of the builders.

"'Cept Galley." Thomas whispered to her, and Jessica tensed at the bitterness in his voice.

"Alright, Medjacks!" Newt hollered.

And so on and so forth, names were called out, in a semi orderly fashion, until all old job occupations had been called except for two.

"Cooks?"

"Ain't no cooks, just a cook. The cook. And I'm here."

Jessica snorted as Frypan shook next to her, felt him press on her shoulder and just knew he was leaning on her, using her to push himself up and probably waving his other arm in the dark.

"Right," Minho spoke slowly, as if refraining from saying something, before he continued, "now the most important job?"

Shouts erupted from all over and Thomas and Jessica both stifled laughs.

"Alright, alright, Runners!" Minho called.

"Thomas!" Thomas shouted his own name as he nudged Jessica.

"Yeah, yeah, we're all here," she said, rolling her eyes.

"And now that attendance is over, what are we gonna do?" A boy spoke up from the front of the group.

"It'd be a little dumb to ask but, nobody's got a flashlight have they?"

"Or a match?"

"I ain't lightin' a match anywhere near you man."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're lactose intolerant and you drank milk last night, so please go stand by Minho or something."

A boy shuffled in front of Jessica and her and Thomas both jumped.

"Uh, Minho's up there," Thomas winced as Jessica coughed, helping Thomas shove the boy forwards away from them.

"What's the plan now you guys?" Jessica questioned forcefully, rubbing her nose, "We can't just stand here."

"Anybody hear that?" a boy, Frankie, asked in alarm, shifting closer to Thomas.

"What?" Thomas put a hand on his shoulder, "Lots of people are talking shank, its dark."

"I know…"

"Hello! Anybody gonna answer my question?" Jessica called a little louder. "Standing here really doesn't feel right."

And it didn't, Frankie kept shifting nervously next to Jessica, and she suddenly got the sinking feeling that she was being watched…in the dark.

"Did you hear that?" Frankie jumped again and Jessica cursed.

"You need to cut that out," She shot in his general direction.

"It's like a… dripping noise. Like water," He whispered in a terrified breath, "And, a weird whooshing noise."

"Wind? You hear wind?" Thomas asked, his tone concerned and hopeful, "Guys, there might be a way out of here! If you hear wind, or whooshing, walk in the direction of it."

Everyone started talking at once and Jessica slapped a hand to her face.

An exasperated voice from the front groaned, "Wind? Yeah. Great, follow the wind."

"That's definitely the most solid plan we've had this entire buggin' trip," another commented snidely, "Follow the wind."

"Yeah, who put Thomas in charge again?" Winston shot to the front of the group, "And why?"

Jessica felt like smashing his face in, her nails bit into her palm to refrain from lashing out again.

"You got a better idea Winston?" Thomas growled.

"I'm just saying, your ideas don't exactly have a successful streak going for them," Winston shot back and Jessica was sure she knew exactly where he was standing and tensed to strike.

Frypans hand squeezed her shoulder tightly, "Don't kill him, Jess. He's just mouthing."

Jessica huffed in aggravation, "I'm gonna knock some sense into him someday soon Frypan, might as well be now."

"It's funny…I mean I think I hear someone talking about me but I feel that's all she's good at, blabbing her big mouth!" Winston hissed over Frypan and the other boy winced.

"Excuse me?" Jessica took a purposeful step forward, to which Frypan began grabbing at her desperately.

"Guys, c'mon," he moaned before Winston wedged the cook in between him and Jessica.

"You heard me, that's all you do, Jessica, talk. You're full of it and you know it. I need a shovel every time you threaten someone with all the klunk you say."

The other boys around them fell silent as the duo's voices rose, sensing a fight.

"Are they finally about to have it out?" someone whispered.

"About dinkin' time, who's betting on Jessie? I know I am."

"Shut it everyone, I want to hear what they're saying!"

Jessica's lip curled, "You better can it slint-head, I don't need an excuse to lay you flat." She glared harshly in the dark.

"Someone get me a fan, I'm sweating from all the hot air Jessie's blowing," Winston called to the group, a few hoots and boos followed his insult.

"That's it!" she past Frypan, standing on her toes, but hands caught her shoulders and yanked her back.

"Get off me," she struggled, "Shank, get off!"

"Calm down Jessie, he's not worth it," Thomas pulled her further back and she huffed angrily.

"Oh what, no blow? Another one of Jessie's tantrums gone without following through?" Winston continued to taunt, until Frypan finally clipped him on the back of the head.

"Shut it before she kicks your skinny butt, seriously."

"She won't!"

"If she won't I will," Frypan shot back, "Grow up Winston, act right."

The group sniggered around Winston and he started hurling his insults towards them.

"I'll knock some sense into you if you pick a fight with her or anyone again for that matter." Thomas threw over his shoulder at the seething boy, which from the sound of it whirled around in their direction as Thomas began steering Jessica away from the boy.

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots Tommy boy," Winston snarled and Thomas tensed.

"C'mon Tom, just one hit. Let me have just one good hit," Jessica insisted, trying to push backwards.

Minho's voice materialized from in front of them, his hand seeking out Thomas' shoulder.

"Mess with one of my runners again Winston and I'll knock your teeth in."

"Not if I do him in first," Newt's hand found her waist and he pulled her in his direction.

"Alright boys, I can handle myself," Jessica huffed, letting her hand find Newt's forearm, his earthy scent seeming stronger than usual. The loss of her sight seemed to definitely heighten her other senses.

Winston shouted from behind them, something about her not being able to fight her own battles. But Jessica just rolled her eyes, hand finding Newt's.

"Slint-head doesn't know when to quit, does he?" Minho sniffed, a soft noise told her he ran his hand through his hair.

"He'll get what's coming to him," Thomas grit.

"As long as I'm the one who gives it to him," she commented offhandedly, feeling Newt's thumb rubbing along her knuckles.

Newt chuckled, and Jessica didn't know how her hand found its way to press against his chest, but it rumbled with his mirth, she found her fingers curling into his shirt, loving the feeling, "Don't worry love, he acts up again we'll sick you on him. Hopefully in the light of day, I'd love to see the beat down."

"Same here," Minho spoke with a smirk in his voice, and she knew from the huff behind her Thomas agreed.

"Alright alright, seriously now," Jessica withdrew her hand from Newt's chest, curling her fingers into her palm in a wistful attempt to keep the feeling of his laugh in her hand, "Where do we go from here?"

"If Tommy boy over here says follow the sound of wind," Minho slapped Thomas' shoulder, the resounding smack telling Jessica so, "Then we follow the wind."

"Thanks," Thomas grumbled, rolling his shoulder, "We left Frankie back there, figure he'll be alright?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Jessica asked, "he heard it first, and he was back where we were standing, should we head in that direction?"

"Anything's better than standing here, feels like we're just waiting for something to bloody jump out at us," Newt gripped her hand tighter, tugging her in the direction they spoke, back towards the group.

"Fine by me, someone tell them to take this seriously though, they won't hear anything if they keep jabbering like that," Jessica nudged Minho's shoulder, and then squeezing Newt's hand in return.

"Yes, ma'am," Minho mocked teasingly, and she scoffed.

Newt and Minho broke away from their friends, shuffling around in the dark until the were closer to the group before they began barking orders at the front, and slowly the mob of teens began to stumble forwards.

"Shouldn't we hold hands or somethin? So no one gets lost?"

"Don't hold my hand bro, this ain't like that."

"Get over yourself shank, I'm just sayin'."

"You wanna hold my hand Tom?" Jessica snickered as the boys behind them continued in their hushed conversations and was shocked when a hand slid into her open one.

"I don't like the dark," he grumbled softly, his warm hand secure in hers.

Jessica felt herself smile softly, "I don't think anyone really does."

The two merged with the rest of the group and trudged behind another line of kids.

"I hope we aren't behind lactose boy," She whispered and grinned when Thomas snorted, knowing she'd put him successfully at ease and she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

The Gladers all shuffled around in the dark, listening for the alleged wind Frankie swore up and down he heard. Hushed whispers were spoken now and again, but for the most part it was silent.

Jessica's eyes hurt and she hadn't realized how wide she kept them until she had to rub them. The dark was all consuming and after awhile in it she found her eyes sore from straining to see anything, even though she refused to close them. Which when she thought about it seemed ridiculous, she wasn't able to see anyway, but closing her eyes only disoriented her more, so she grit her teeth from the oncoming headache and trudged on.

"Guys! Did you hear that!" Frankie shrieked, causing the whole group to jump from his outburst.

Thomas gripped Jessica's hand harshly, his breathing becoming ragged and she flattened her hand to her own chest, white hot adrenaline searing her veins for a moment at the shout.

"Honestly shank, you need to calm down!" a Glader cried, "you're doing wonders on my nerves!"

"Seriously," Thomas whispered anxiously.

"Wait, I heard it too! Sharp left you guys!"

Jessica still hadn't heard it, but a few murmurs from the left side of the group caused everyone to turn in that direction.

And so they continued, the sounds of their boots shuffling along what Jessica imagined was gravel or concrete being the only break from the silence, everyone now intent on hearing the sound of the wind.

"Are we sure that's wind?" A boy to Jessica's far left whispered harshly, and she grew confused.

"I dunno shank, I swore it sounded like… couldn't be though, that'd just be too crazy."

"Freakier than grievers, WICKED, and a life size Maze?"

"...touché."

"Hey shanks, take a right wouldja?"

And so the mass moved again to the right, but this time Jessica heard the 'wind', it whooshed softly over her right shoulder, brushing some of her hair with it, making her shudder.

"Tom?" She whispered and he gulped beside her.

"Are we sure this is wind?" he whispered back, his voice breathy and by the way he drew out the words she knew he was borderline panicking.

"I… of course it is, why wouldn't it-"

...won't be sliced…

Jessica's heart sunk into her stomach, her chest constricted and her eyes darted around the black abyss.

"What in the klunk?" she hissed and Thomas pulled her snug against his side.

"Holy shuck, anybody hear that?" Frypan cried from the front, and a Glader right in front of Jessica yelped.

"Alright, whoevers whispering cut it out, it's not funny!" Winston yelled from the front, but his voice sounded nervous as well.

"Uh, wind made a left again," someone trailed off unsurely, this time the group turned reluctantly, nerves extremely high.

...One chance deal…

Frankie screamed and Jessica cried out from the outburst, causing Thomas to squeal and clamp a hand over his mouth.

"Frankie you crazy slint-head, shut it!" he shouted angrily.

"Did you guys hear that? It-it-it sounded like a-a voice!" Frankie moaned from the back.

"You said it was the wind!" Minho called from the front, an accusatory tone in his voice.

"Wait, you're telling me it's not the wind?" Winston asked exasperatedly, "Don't be dumb, some shanks just getting a kick out of making us jump, and when I get my hands on him or her I'll teach them to keep their mouth shut."

Jessica snorted, "He better be glad it's dark."

Thomas swallowed harshly, "I don't think it's wind, Jessie."

She turned in his direction, alarmed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean-"

...Go back now...

"Alright it's not bloody funny anymore!" Newt shouted from the front, and all the Gladers began yelling at each other.

"It wasn't me you dirty shank, it came from over there!"

"What do you mean? We just turned left, we've been following it!"

"I don't know about y'all, but when a creepy breathy voice says go back and whispers something about slicing, I'm turning back. Who with me?"

"Hold it!" Minho barked from the front, "Get your sorry butts back in line. We stick together, even if this wind is a voice."

Murmurs of disagreement were promptly stifled by Newt, and the group descended back into momentary silence.

Which is when Jessica nearly had a heart attack from the raspy voice right behind her ear.

...One chance deal, go back now and you won't be sliced…

Everyone froze in shock, the voice loud and clearer than ever, no one dared move or speak for a few moments.

Until they didn't.

"Oh klunk no!"

"Move- I said move bro before I run you over, this ain't happening, not today."

"Sliced? What do they mean by sliced?"

"Anyone remember how to get back? I think we took two lefts and a right?"

A loud clap sent the group into stunned silence before Newt bellowed, "That's enough! Minho said we stick together, unless any of you are particularly fond of running around by yourselves in the dark with a threatening voice floating around!"

The punctuated silence gave him his answer and he huffed.

"That's what I bloody thought, now get ahold of yourselves. You know we can't turn back, we don't even know if the flat trans is still there. So suck it up and keep moving!"

Nobody moved and Minho sighed, "You heard the man, move it!"

"Anything's better than standing here shanks," Thomas promoted, but no one moved.

"Guys c'mon. We've stayed together this long, you shanks want to split up now over a whisper?" Frypan asked, "We're in this thing together, shuck we dealt with grievers and y'all are scared of a lil old voice?"

A few boys mumbled agreements, while others grumbled under their breath.

"Thanks for that motivational speech Frypan," Jessica broke in through the murmurs, "Can we move now please?"

"We aren't going anywhere until all these shanks decide it's better to move as one or split. I don't want any of them bailing on me if klunk hits the fan." Winston interrupted, and as much as Jessica loathed to hear him open his mouth, she knew he was right. They started this as the group deciding to leave the maze, all of them needed to agree if the group began their trek again.

"I'm not going back."

"I don't even remember how to get back."

"We're all in this together shanks, let's go."

And slowly, cautiously, the group crept forward in unison. Jessica felt like her head was on a swivel as they started moving again, for even though she couldn't see anything the faintest noise had her whipping around in that direction, opposite hand on her the handle of her knife strapped at her side.

"You're all dead. You're all going to be sliced. Dead and sliced."

A shrill scream tore through the teens, and Jessica whirled around, hands out in defense.

"Cut it out Frankie!" Winston pushed himself closer to Jessica and Thomas.

The screaming dissolved into muffled cries, and somehow that was even more terrifying than the outburst itself.

"Frankie?" someone asked, shuffling closer.

...Dead and sliced…

Jessica felt her way forward, but her hands met air where they should have met a shoulder or chest.

"Frankie?"

A terrified cry came from her feet, and she almost jumped backwards.

"Frankie man, c'mon. We got to keep moving," Thomas encouraged, squatting down and Jessica followed.

"It's alright, you can walk with us, we're sorry you were back here," Jessica offered, hands reaching out again, her knife tucked safely at her side.

She fell forward suddenly and huffed in annoyance when her hands met the harsh concrete beneath her feet. Grumbling under her breath, she crawled her hands forward until her fingers met fabric.

"Frankie?" her hands ghosted up his shirt, shocked to feel him shaking horribly on the floor.

"What's wrong with him?" Thomas grabbed his shoulders next to her, causing Frankie to give another gut wrenching scream, "Frankie, calm down!"

A hand came in contact with Jessica's side, knocking her off the balls of her feet and onto her arm, scraping her skin raw from her pinkie to the middle of her forearm.

"Ouch, Frankie! What's wrong, man?"

"Jessie?" Thomas reached out for her but missed, his hand landing on something cold and hard, "What'd he do?"

"Is he having a bugging seizure?" she ignored his question, crawling back over when Frankie's screams turned into angry gurgling sounds.

"How should I know? Wait… what in the…"

Jessica found Thomas' shoulder, and her other hand was padding around the ground for Frankie.

"What? What's wrong?"

Thomas took Jessica's hand in his own, and guided it towards a whimpering gurgling throat.

"That's his neck right?" Thomas asked, and Jessica nodded before muttering a quick 'yes'.

"Then what is this?" He pushed both their hands up over the side of straining neck until her fingers brushed a metallic ball. It was about as big as a melon, and it was attached to Frankie's neck.

"How'd he get that stuck on his head?"

"I don't know, but I think it's hurting him…" Thomas grabbed the metal ball, but before he tried to pull at it the ball gave way, and rolled towards the pairs feet.

Frankie fell limp and his gut wrenching whimpers and screams fell silent.

Thomas felt forward again, asking Frankie if he was alright, but Jessica's focus was on the metal ball at the toes of her boots.

Thomas gave a choked noise, nearly throwing himself back on Jessica, and she fell backwards away from the ball.

"Geeze Tom, I'm not a punching bag!"

"Get away from it, Jessica. Get back!"

His hands found her shoulder and he yanked her back, he was crawling backwards, away from Frankie.

"Thomas what do you mean 'it'? That's Frankie, and we need to help him!"

Thomas continued to pull her back, away from Frankie and away from the ball, until they hit the legs of another Glader who shrieked in surprise.

Jessica pulled herself out of her friends grip, "Thomas-"

"He's dead Jessie. That ball? Was his head. It- it ripped it off!"

Jessica fell back into the pair of legs she'd bumped into, and hands found her head and then her arms, "You need help up?" Came an urgent question, and went unanswered as she was heaved up onto her unstable legs.

She stumbled, hand gripping her stomach, until she let out a scream.

That was Frankie's head at her feet. He wasn't having a seizure, he was having his head chopped off. Those gurgling noises weren't him choking on his spit, it was from his blood and the fact that his head was being severed from his neck.

"Jessica? Jessica!"

...Dead and sliced…

"We need to go." she choked, her chest heaving, "Guys, we need to run."

Questions were being hurled from everyone in the group, all at once, until Thomas finally spoke up.

"You all heard what I said, he's dead! The thing- whatever it was- cut his bugging head clean off his shoulders!"

Angry and confused shouts came from all over, because what did he mean his head was cut off? By what? How?

"Thomas, are you sure?" came Frypans question and Thomas yelled indignantly.

"I felt his neck when the ball rolled off, of course I'm sure!"

Jessica took in a shuddery breath, hardly believing what just happened. Frankie was dead, a kid she barely knew, but she lived with him, she'd talked to him, he was part of her big dysfunctional family, and now he was dead.

"What now?" someone asked hastily, the same boy who'd helped pull Jessica up.

"Alright, listen up shanks," came Minho's unmistakable voice. "Everyone spread out, and start running, okay? Follow the sound of everyone's feet. If you can't hear heavy breathing or smell Frypan, you're going the wrong way."

The weak joke went unnoticed as the sound of everyone shuffling around filled the space, and then the silence was punctuated by Minho's feet echoing around the chamber.

Everyone still terrified and shocked didn't move at first.

"Do y'all want to wait around and get sliced?" a boy asked nervously, before taking off after Minho.

"We're just going to leave Frankie?"

"What can we do now? He's dead." Jessica felt sick hearing someone say it so bluntly.

Slowly, another set of feet pounded against the concrete, then someone else's, then another, and another. Jessica and Thomas stuck closer to the back, making sure no one got left behind in the inky darkness as the Gladers one by one broke into a sprint, away from Frankie's body.

They ran, and ran, and ran for what seemed like ages, and Jessica thought just how awful it would have been if the entire maze had been like this, sprinting through complete dark, no way to light where they were going.

Another shrill scream shot up from in front of them and a boy stumbled past the group.

"Holy-"

"We've got to help him!"

"He's gone mate, we can't pull that metal gunk off him!"

"We're just going to leave him?"

"Go! Unless you want to be next."

Jessica felt sick, she turned around to try to hear where the boy had stumbled to, because what a horrible way to die, when someone grabbed her hand and tugged her forward.

"Tom, they just left him! We can't just leave him."

"I don't think we have much of a choice right now, Love." Newt's voice was suddenly next to her, and her eyes widened in the dark as his hand gripped hers tightly, pulling her forwards.

"Shuck!" she heard Minho shout, right before she bumped into the back of a Glader, nearly knocking the boy over.

She mumbled out an apology, as Thomas called out to Minho, "Why'd we stop?"

"Cause I nearly broke my shins on something up here that's why!" he shouted back, and the silence was replaced with shuffling again, someone's hand running across a surface of some kind.

"Well?" Jessica asked impatiently, "The metal is dripping from the ceiling Minho, it melts over your head. It would be nice if we could, I dunno, move."

"Hold your horses, Jessie." he replied shortly before gasping, "Wait!"

"We are," she said, crossing her arms, the act being difficult with Thomas' hand still gripped in hers.

"Here! It- yeah- these are stairs."

"How many? Can you tell?" Frypan asked, stumbling closer with Winston.

"No, but I guess we better get climbing," Minho sighed.

The rest of the Gladers stayed relatively quiet as they took careful steps, every now and then knocking hands against each other as they attempted to avoid collisions. Every so often, one would trip, and the group stopped to make sure they got back up before moving on again. Their steps were silenced by a sudden bang, and then-

"Ow! What shank designed this place?" Minho shouted, clearly angered.

"What happened now?" Newt asked as the group came to a halt.

"Hit my head on something up here, does anyone else want to lead?" he huffed, rubbing his head angrily.

"Hold on," Jessica replied, gently pushing her way through the Gladers, Newt following quickly behind her.

She slowed as she got closer to the top, putting her hand out to feel around for the surface Minho was talking about, and instead she felt her palm brush against a nose.

"Alright, whoever's touching my face needs to stop," Minho grumbled.

"Oh hush," she pulled her hand back, stepping closer to Minho. She put her hands above her, and sure enough felt a metal surface.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Shuck if I know," Minho replied.

"Wait," Thomas spoke now, "I- I think I found something, a handle?"

"Well open the thing, Tommy!" Newt encouraged and Jessica felt a hand slip into hers.

There was a shrill screech, and then a white light took over the entire area, nearly blinding them all.

"Shuck, shuck, close it!" Jessica cried, holding her free arm above her eyes. The high pitched squeal filled the air again, and then the light vanished, leaving them to deal with the colorful dots taking over their vision.

"What was that?" Minho asked, "Is that really outside? How can it be so hot?"

"I have no idea, but we have to get out of here somehow."

"Here, shove this in the opening," Newt said, holding a shirt out until Minho felt around to grab it.

"Everyone, cover your eyes!"

Minho waited a good thirty seconds before letting out a warning screech from the handle, and finally pushing the door open entirely, quickly shoved the shirt into the crack, and Jessica swore that keeping her eyes closed with a hand in front of her face made absolutely no difference.

Her eyelids lit up and her very skin felt the immense heat behind them.

No one spoke, everyone just stayed in a silent agreement to wait for their eyes to adjust to the sudden light. After a few minutes, Minho finally spoke.

"It's the sun, we must be on the sun. It's the only explanation."

"Shut up, Minho."

"You got a better explanation, Jess?" he shot back.

"Alright," Newt stepped forward tugging her with him, "everyone calm down. Let's look at our options."

"I'm not looking at that option any longer than I have to," Minho grumbled by Jessica, "I appreciate my eyesight, thank you very much."

"Oh, shut up, Minho," Jessica chuckled.

"You say that a lot, don't you, shank?" he huffed.

"As much as I love seeing Jessica yelling at someone other than me," Winston started, "has anyone else noticed the ceiling?"

Jessica looked up, as well as most of the Gladers to discover a silver ceiling, but it wasn't a smooth, solid surface. The entire thing was wavering, like a glass of water that was just set down.

"Anyone got any ideas?"

Before anyone could do anything, the metal seeme to gather in one particular area, almost like a magnet was pulling it together. No one spoke as the metal dropped down in one big circle, stopping before it hit the ground. It hesitated for a moment, floating above their heads before the sphere shot towards Winston, gathering onto his head in moments. He instantly started screaming before the metal covered his mouth, silencing him as he fell to the ground. The mesmerizing spell from the metal broke then, as Jessica, Newt, Minho, and Thomas knelt down next to him, holding him still.

"What do we do?" Jessica asked, watching Winston try to pry the ball off his head.

"We gotta get that thing off him!" Minho shouted.

"How?" she cried.

Thomas looked at Winston again, before letting go of his body, and grabbed the metal, pulling up. He struggled, straining as he tried to yank the thing off, before putting his hands closer to the bottom of the metal, pushing it up from his neck. This seemed to be more effective, as the sphere began to move, and Thomas managed to finally shove it off of Winston's head, causing it to fly upwards again, hovering above them once again. They all watched the metal ball stay suspended in the air for a moment before taking off down the dark hallway, disappearing into the pitch black.

"What the klunk?" someone muttered, as Jessica looked back to Winston, her eyes bulging when she did.

Winston's face was covered in red welts, all of his skin wrinkled and clearly burned.

"Shuck," Jessica muttered, as Winston huffed on the ground.

"Winston, you okay?" Minho asked.

He didn't reply beyond shaking his head and Minho looked back up.

"Jack! Frypan, get over here, help him, we've gotta figure out how we're gonna get out of here."

Jessica stood shakily, looking away from Winston's marred skin as she stepped closer to the stairs. Minho, Newt, Thomas and Jessica edged towards the light, stopping just at the edge of the blinding sun.

"What exactly is your plan, Minho?" Jessica asked.

"I say we take the stuff out of our sheets, see if holding them wrapped around us helps anything and see what's out there." Thomas suggested.

No one verbally agreed, they all just started to empty out their sheets, dumping all the contents onto the ground. The four of them pulled the sheets around themselves, and once again waited at the edges of the light.

"Anyone wanna go first?" Newt asked, looking around the group.

"Well don't everyone volunteer at once," Minho said after the prolonged silence.

"Oh c'mon," Jessica huffed, braving the light as she stepped into the light, going up the rest of the stairs followed closely by the boys.

"Shuck!" Minho cried behind her, "Shuck, shuck, shuck, where are we?"

"I can't see anything but light!" Thomas shouted.

The white sheets did nothing to block the sun from their skin, as Jessica felt like she was burning right there. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the intense whiteness around them, and Jessica wished they hadn't. They were surrounded by a full-blown dessert. There was, as far as she could see, nothing living in the entire place. Just a flat, neverending ground of dust. She turned around, seeing Thomas squinting off in the distance.

"Look," he said.

She did, shielding her eyes with the sheet as she tried to look past the sunlight. There, far in the distance was a set of towers, buildings that at the moment seemed unreachable.

"How far do you think that is, Minho?" Jessica asked.

"Thirty miles? The mountains behind them have to be another thirty, maybe fourty?"

Jessica looked back, suddenly realizing she'd never seen the mountains until now.

"Is that where we're supposed to go?" she asked.

"I guess, where else are we supposed to go," Newt said.

"There's no way we can walk so far in this heat," Jessica noted, knowing good and well she wasn't the only one thinking it.

"Maybe we can wait until dark? It looks like the sun'll set soon, we can wait until then before we pack up and start the trek I guess," Thomas decided.

"I think we need to go towards that town," Minho started, causing Jessica to see another set of buildings, this one smaller and much closer. "Get there for now, then rest for a while and start moving again at dark."

Jessica nodded, anxious to be out of the dark hallway but also too overheated already to even think about walking all day in this sunlight.

Minho pulled his sheet tighter around himself, "Alright, then let's tell the rest of these shanks the plan and head out."

Newt nodded, "Good that."

Love you guys, hope y'all liked it. 3 R&R ~Cocacolawriter123