The Maze Runner

Thomas fears that Gally has lost his mind and will make good on his death threat. Minho says that they should throw Gally in the Slammer, as he not only threatened to break his neck, but to kill Thomas as well. Winston agrees with Gally, saying that the events surrounding Thomas’s arrival and time in the Maze are suspicious and that they cannot simply dismiss that fact. Tired of being talked about as if he is not in the room, Thomas asks if he can finally speak, and Newt agrees. Thomas says that he cannot attest to who he might really be, as he knows as much as anyone else. The fact is that they should judge him based on his actions in the Maze alone. He also says that he did break the rule, but that he only did so because he saw two people who really needed his help. 

Newt decides that Thomas broke the rule and should be punished for it; he proposes that he be thrown in the Slammer for one day and be elected a Runner. As for being a Keeper, Newt agrees with Gally that it is out of the question. Minho objects, and Newt finally agrees that if Thomas proves himself within a month’s time, he can be the Keeper of the Runners. The Council votes, and the recommendation is passed. As everyone prepares to leave, Chuck enters and says that Alby is awake. Newt prepares to visit Alby but Chuck says that Alby has specifically asked to talk to Thomas. 

Making his way to Alby’s room, Thomas remembers walking the same path and seeing Ben going through the Changing, and braces himself for the worst. He and Newt enter Alby’s room. Alby, who still looks sick, says that he saw Thomas and the girl together, and that everything is going to change. Newt tries to understand but Alby yells at him to leave, saying that he only asked for Thomas. Alone together, Alby says that he knows now who Thomas is, and that during the Changing he saw Thomas and the girl working with the Creators in the place they came from before the Maze. Alby says that he remembers an event called the Flare, and that the world outside the Glade is horrible. Alby wonders why the Creators would let them remember this, and why they will not let them live in peace in the Glade.

Alby starts to say something else, but then begins to violently choke himself. Thomas calls for Newt and together they try to restrain Alby. Though it seems that Alby might kill himself, he suddenly calms down and stops choking himself. He tells the two boys that he does not understand what just happened, and that it felt as if someone was controlling his body. As Thomas and Newt leave the room, Alby tells Thomas to be careful with the girl, causing Thomas to wonder again what his connection to her is. Lastly, Alby says that Newt should protect the Maps.

Newt and Thomas get leftovers from Frypan’s kitchen and discuss what happened to Alby. Thomas asks if it has ever happened before, and Newt says that no one has ever tried to talk about what they remembered from the Changing before. Thomas wonders if the Creators can control them through some sort of mind control while they are in the Maze. Newt then says that they need to find Gally and throw him in the Slammer, as he threatened to kill Thomas and they need to maintain order in the Glade. He reminds Thomas that he will spend the next day in the Slammer himself, before reporting to Minho for training as a Runner. Thomas welcomes the idea, knowing that the best place for him to be at the moment is away from the other Gladers. 

Newt says that they have to address the accusations made against Thomas. Alby, the girl, Ben, and Gally all said that things would change. Moreover, Alby, Ben and Gally all saw Thomas during their Changing. Newt says that they need to find out who Thomas was before coming to the Glade, and tells Thomas to open his mind and be honest about what he sees and feels. Initially, this annoys Thomas, as he knows as little as everyone else, but he finally tells Newt that he feels as if he has been to the Glade before. Newt says that the feeling is interesting, as almost everyone else was scared to death on arriving to the Glade. Newt urges him to try to remember as much as he can before announcing that they need to go and see the girl, which is what Thomas was afraid he would say.

When they get to the girl’s room, Clint says that, though she has been unconscious the whole time, she has been rambling about how everything will change and has been repeating Thomas’s name. Newt again asks him to focus on her and see if anything feels familiar. As Thomas stares at her, he thinks she does indeed look familiar, and feels as if memories are trying to emerge. Suddenly, he hears a girl’s voice say the name “Teresa” in his head. After telling Newt what he heard, Newt says that Thomas must have pulled her name from his memory. Thomas then hears the same voice say his own name. He tries to explain to Newt that she is talking inside his head, but Newt simply tells him to sit down. Thomas then hears her say that they are the last ones and that she will not remember anything by the time she wakes up. Teresa says that they can pass the Trials and that she was sent as a trigger. Terrified by the fact that he can hear the girl speaking inside his head Thomas runs out of the room to escape the voice, ignoring Newt’s questions and pleas. In an attempt to get away from the voice, Thomas runs further and further into the Maze. As he runs, Teresa says, “It was you and me, Tom. We did this to them. To us” (184).