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Tho, veins popping out as he pulled at Alby’s hands, until finally, inch by inch, he was able to pry the boy’s chest Alby’s whole body jerked a couple of ti up and away from the bed Then, slowly, he cal; his eyes glazed over

Thos, afraid to ain Neaited a full o of Alby’s hands Then another minute before he pulled his knee back and stood up Tho the ordeal had truly ended

Alby looked up, eyes droopy, as if he was on the edge of slipping into a deep sleep "I’m sorry, Newt," he whispered "Don’t knohat happened It was like … so my body I’m sorry…"

Tho so disturbing and uncoain He hoped

"Sorries, nothin’," Newt replied "You were trying to bloody kill yourself"

"Wasn’t me, I swear," Alby murmured

Newt threw his hands up "What do you mean it wasn’t you?" he asked

"I don’t know… It … it wasn’t me" Alby looked just as confused as Tho to figure out At least at the rabbed the blankets that had fallen off the bed in Alby’s struggle and pulled them atop the sick boy "Get your butt to sleep and we’ll talk about it later" He patted him on the head, then added, "You’re messed up, shank"

But Alby was already drifting off, nodding slightly as his eyes closed

Newt caught Thoestured for the door Tho that crazy house--he followed Newt out and into the hall Then, just as they stepped through the doorway, Albyfrom his bed

Both boys stopped in their tracks "What?" Newt asked

Alby opened his eyes for a brief moment, then repeated what he’d said, a little irl" Then his eyes slid shut

There it was again--the girl Soave Tho look, but Tho He had no idea as going on

"Let’s go," Nehispered

"And Newt?" Alby called again fro to open his eyes

"Yeah?"

"Protect the Maps" Alby rolled over, his back telling the

Thoood at all He and Newt left the room and softly closed the door

CHAPTER 28

Thomas followed Newt as he hurried down the stairs and out of the Hoht of midafternoon Neither boy said a word for a while For Thory, Tommy?" Newt asked when they were outside

Tho after what I just saw--no, I’rinned "Well, I ao look for some leftovers fro to say so s of the Glade And he was growing to expect it

They made their way directly to the kitchen, where, despite Frypan’s gruetables Thoiving hi ahenever Tho told him this sort of treatment would now be the norm For some reason, he was different from everyone else in the Glade He felt like he’d lived an entire lifeti from his memory wipe, but he’d only been there a week

The boys decided to take their lunches to eat outside, and a fewout at the hout the Glade, their backs up against a spot of thick ivy Tho, he needed to th to deal hatever insane thing came his way next

"Ever seen that happen before?" Thomas asked after a minute or so

Newt looked at him, his face suddenly soain, no one’s ever tried to tell us what they re They always refuse Alby tried to--must be why he went nuts for a while"

Tho Could the people behind the Maze control theht

"We have to find Gally," Newt said through a bite of carrot, changing the subject "Bugger’s gone off and hid so, I need to find him and throw his butt in jail"

"Serious?" Thoht He’d be happy to slam the door closed and throay the key himself

"That shank threatened to kill you and we have to onna pay a heavy price for acting like that--he’s lucky we don’t Banish him Remember what I told you about order"

"Yeah" Thomas’s only concern was that Gally would just hate hi thrown in jail I don’t care, he thought I’uy anymore

"Here’s how it’ll play out, Tommy," Newt said "You’re with s Tomorrow, the Slammer Then you’re Minho’s, and I want you to stay away from the other shanks for a while Got it?"