forgotten│the maze runner

o n e

  "It's another girl!"

  "Another one?"

  "Is she hot?"

  "Damn, take a look at those legs."

  "Shut up, Jason."

  "She's like, a hotter girl version of Minho or something."

  "I said, shut up!"

  "Is she dead?"

  "Of course she's not dead. idiot."

  "Is she breathing, Newt?"

  "She's breathing."

  "Move, I want a better look."

  "I call dibs."

  "You can't call dibs, remember what Alby said?"

  "What should we do?"

  "Maybe get some Med-jacks to carry her?"

  "Guys, I think she's stirring."

  The girl opened her eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar faces surrounding her. She felt a wave of panic followed by a sudden urge to throw up. She pushed the bile rising up in her throat down, trying to remain calm amidst all the fear. Sudden nausea overtook her, but she stood on her feet anyway.

  She put one hand on her pounding head and one out to regain her balance. The loud voices around her were barely audible, and she heard a faint ringing. She felt unconscious, yet still conscious in a strange way. She tried to scream, but only a hushed whisper escaped her withered lips.

  Her head began to ache even more, the growing pain almost impossible to bear. In a slight clumsy mid step or so, the girl collapsed to the cold metal beneath her with a hard thunk. The voices seemed to shout all around her, but she couldn't make out a single word; she felt herself being lifted up by strong, steady arms.

  Just before she blanked out, she whispered in a desperate voice to anyone who might hear her,

  "I've got to get out of here."

  "Suejin."

  "What did you say?"

"My name is Suejin."

"Oh really? Is that the name they gave you?"

"Apparently."

  "What's your real name, then?"

  "I-I'm not supposed to say."

"I won't tell anyone."

  She didn't respond.

"Left the past behind you, huh?"

  "Haven't we all?"

  Suejin (pronounced SOO-JEAN) woke up with a sudden start. Breathing heavily, she pushed her dampened hair back. What just happened? She wasn't able to see faces, only distant voices. She was sure one of them was hers. Somehow the conversation seemed familiar, almost otherworldly. She tried to remember what it was about, but she forgot. She then realized that her mind was a complete blank slate, with no recollection of anything other than her own name.

  Where was she anyways?

  She sat up on the rickety bed and pulled the faded green blanket off her body. The small musty room she was in had almost no furniture other than the bed she was sitting on and a tiny, wooden table. The walls were made of wood and bright sunlight spilled from the window across her. A bowl of clean water sat on the table next to her.